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Author
matt_xyz Commander of the Wild Empire
Registered: February 2006 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 4357
Review Date: Thu 11, January, 2007
Would you recommend it? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 9
Strengths:
excellent image quality, long lens, IS, very good handling
Weaknesses:
noise at high ISO settings
The FZ30 is a top end compact camera, also known as a 'bridge' camera (because such cameras bridge the gap between compacts and DSLRs) or a 'prosumer'. It is not a DSLR, so does not have a detachable lens. Instead it has a 12x image stabilised zoom, equivalent to 35-420mm in old 35mm terms. This is a Leica lens no less and provides very sharp images indeed.
When using the FZ30 the first thing you notice is how nice it feels in your hand. It has the feel of a DSLR (it's actually more comfortable than some DSLRs) and handles very nicely indeed. One of the key features in terms of handling is the zoom ring on the lens, like that found on a lens on a DSLR. This is far preferable to a noisy zoom operated via a button, typically found on other 'prosumers'.
The FZ30 has the usual range of shooting modes, accessed via the dial on top of the camera. As well as manual, shutter priority and aperture priority, it also has full auto and preset modes such as portrait and sports. To be honest, I've never used auto or these pre-set modes but they would suit those who essentially want a point and shoot.
The one downside of the FZ30 is the digital noise (i.e. graininess) which becomes apparent when the ISO is raised above 100 and certainly above 200. Keeping the ISO at 80 or 100 means you either have to shoot in relatively good light or you have to work at slower shutter speeds. The latter is possible because of the image stabilised (IS) lens. I find the IS to be very effective. So the low ISO is something you have to learn to work around, but it can be done.
In all other regards, the FZ30 peforms excellently and provides image quality that is not far off that provided by a good lens on a DSLR. Start-up time is good, and autofocus is relatively fast (faster than most other prosumers I believe).
For those feeling a little more adventurous, the 420mm lens can be extended still further with the use of a screw on teleconverter. The Olympus TCON17 is one such teleconverter (around £80). It screws straight on the front of the FZ30's lens and increases the focal length by a factor of 1.7, thereby providing a focal length over 700mm. The results are impressive with the TCON and image degradation is minimal.
Although the macro capability of the standard FZ30 is not great, attaching a close-up lens can provide superb macro images.
All in all, the FZ30 is a very impressive camera and is ideal for those with an interest in wildlife photography who aren't prepared to spend the significant sum of money needed to buy a DSLR and lenses of an equivalent focal length.
