Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)First, I should qualify this by saying I've been a huge fan of Panasonic digital cameras since I bought the DMC-LC20. I later upgraded to a DMC-LC33, and now, I've taken the plunge and bought the FX9.
The camera I compared this with the most, and nearly bought was the Canon SD400. And I actually was really close to buying the SD400 over the FX7, but luckily I waited long enough to hear about the FX8 and FX9 being launched in the US. I could not have made a better choice.
Panasonic's carried over some of the best features of some of its previous lines:
- Size: This camera is tiny. It fits nicely in your pocket. The black version of this camera also looks really sleek. Very nice brushed finish to it that doesn't get fingerprints on it too easily.
- An absolutely beautiful 2.5" LCD screen. Seriously, this screen alone is reason enough to get the FX9 (207k pixels) over the FX8 (114k pixels). It is simply amazing. You can tell right on the screen whether the picture you took is in focus, and the colors are just more vibrant.
- The Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) is works wonders for this ultra-compact camera. Some would argue that well, if you had an optical viewfinder, you wouldn't need the OIS because you could stabilize the camera against your face. But seriously, who uses a viewfinder with an ultra-compact digital now? Digital SLR, sure, but an ultra-compact? Granted, if a viewfinder is important to you, this camera may not be right for you. But really, with the 2.5" LCD, you won't miss the viewfinder. I actually compared shots between the SD400 and FX9, and at full zoom, you can really see that the OIS helps with the image's focus.
- Leica lens: Gives amazingly sharp, vibrant pictures.
- Burst mode: Allows you to take literally an infinite number of pictures in rapid succession in well-lit (no flash) conditions. This is an amazing feature for taking action and sports shots. I loved this feature on my old Panny cameras and I still really enjoy it on this one.
- Picture Review: The picture review on this camera is amazing. First, you can zoom up to 16x to check the clarity of the picture. Second, you can zoom out and review 25 thumbnails at once. 25! That's what a 2.5" LCD can do for you.
- Movie mode: Although a HUGE memory hog, the movie mode is vastly improved from the FX7. In fact, one reason why I almost opted for the SD400 was because the movie mode on the FX7 was pretty much useless. The FX9 takes great video, and the image stabilizer (detailed below) works to help stabilize the video image.
- Powerup lag and time between pictures has been excellent.
Some of the cons of this camera:
- The on-off switch of this camera could be designed better. I've accidentally turned the camera on several times while reaching into my pocket and have resorted to turning the mode dial to Review mode whenever I pocket the camera to prevent any damage to the lens motor.
- Unfortunately, they've done away with AA batteries, but in a camera of this size, AAs wouldn't even fit. So I can understand the transition to proprietary batteries. At $69 a pop for a spare OEM battery though, that sorta hurts.
- Once again, Panasonic has seen fit to package the camera with pretty useless software and a practically unusable 16MB SD card. Come on... 16MB? That's good for no more than 8 pictures in full-resolution.
- I hear the FX9 isn't great in low-light condition and has a weak flash, but I haven't had too many problems with it.
Of course, which digital camera you buy depends on what features are most important to you. I bought this as a camera to bring anywhere I wanted to go. I realized that the bulk of my old camera was preventing me from bringing it out everywhere, so I decided early on to get an ultra-compact. So far, I've been exceptionally happy with my purchase.
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9K 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black)2.5" Diagonal High-Resolution LCD for Brighter Viewing The DMC-FX9 features a 2.5" diagonal high-resolution LCD monitor - surprisingly large for such a compact camera. This high-quality, 207,000-pixel display makes it easy to see your subject. For easier viewing when shooting outdoors on a sunny day, press the Power LCD button to boost the backlighting by about 40%. Easy-to-See, Easy-to-Understand LCD Indications In addition to displaying the settings in large, easy-to-understand text, the large, 2.5" diagonal screen with 230,000-pixel resolution lets you show up to 25 thumbnail images at once. This makes it easier to search for, and organize, the photos you take. Our MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer Helps Eliminate BlurryPictures Jitter from shaky hands is one of the main reasons why cameras produce blurry images. We don't expect everyone to have hands of stone when taking pictures--that's why Lumix? cameras help solve the problem of unsteady hands with advanced MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer technology. The DMC-FX9 has a built-in gyrosensor that detects any hand movement and relays a signal to a tiny microcomputer inside the camera, which instantly calculates the compensation needed. A linear motor then shifts the Optical Image Stabilizer lens as necessary to guide incoming light from the image straight to the CCD. You won't even notice it working--all you'll see are the outstanding results! Stunning High-Speed AF in a Slim Body Select the AF setting from Spot, 1-point (normal or high-speed), 3-point high-speed, and 5-point. The 1-point normal setting solves the "image-freezing" that used to happen while focusing on fast-moving subjects, and makes them easier to track. Furthermore, the new 1-point high-speed mode slashes conventional AF time to about 1/3. High-speed auto focusing has finally come to the compact digital camera. Plus, the AF Assist Lamp helps when focusing in low lighting.
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