Panasonic Lumix DMC FT1 Review – Budget 12.1 MP Digital Camera

June 15, 2009

In January 2009, Panasonic introduced an exciting deal in the market. An intelligent combination of advanced technology and improved user compliance, Panasonic DMC FT1 is a smart wonder.

Giving you the freedom to shoot anywhere and that literally means “anywhere”. Built to bear tough and rough conditions, the camera is water resistant up to 3 meters in water owing to the rubber padding, reinforced glass and carbon resins present inside the camera and an airtight body so you can take photos and while you are way deep in water.

Making video and photo capturing more fun, the camera also proves to be a tough sport! Where there are risks of water damaging the machinery, chances are also there that dust might enter the camera and cause problems. But hey! This camera is dust proof too. And if that was not enough, Panasonic DMC FT1 is also shockproof. You don’t believe it? Go, drop it from a height of 1.5 meters and see the strength of the camera. This is possible due to the additional coating of shockproof material over the surface and the extra protection given to the lens unit so that it can absorb the shocks from a hit or a drop. These features make the camera ideal for adventurous trips. The LCD screen is intentionally thickened so that it can remain intact even under high pressure and shocks and also enables the user to view images underwater.

Coming to the technical features, the camera offers a 28 mm wide angle lens, a 4X optical zoom and the ability to shoot HD movies with ease not only in JPEG mode but also in AVCHD Lite that gives brilliant audio and visual quality. A host of other amazing features are also incorporated in this master piece, such as the Auto Face Detection and Auto Recognition mode that not only detects human faces but also records frequently shot faces into its memory so that whenever your friend or family are in the frame, the camera automatically focuses them. You can also tag those faces with specific icons like cute hearts for your loved ones. Other than names, you can also specify a particular age group. For example using the baby mode, if the baby under 3 years of age is detected in the frame, the camera automatically switches to the specific mode. The category playback will show only the photos of registered faces so that you can compile all the images of the desired person. The Auto Face tracking is also something unique since it lets you keep track and clear focus of objects that are fast moving in order to ensure perfect imaging. You just have to aim at a particular object, lock the mode and you are free to shoot! And don’t worry about the image blurring due to a sudden handshake as the Optical Image Stabilizer takes care of it all. The ISO control also adjusts the ISO sensitivity so that excellent images are obtained free from blurring plus you don’t miss any shots.

Another elegant feature of Panasonic DMC FT1 is the Backlight compensation that automatically comes into action as the focus object moves to backlight. Moreover the Intelligent Scene Selector is available to provide Night Portrait, Portrait, Scenery, Night Scenery and Macro Modes which are selected according to the requirement.

The ever efficient Venus Engine HD gears up in this camera to perform faster and better than before so that powerful and perfect High Definition AVCHD Lite movies are easy to make. The high speed of the Engine is due to the incorporation of a dual CPU system that has increased the speed of the camera operations and processing up to 2.4 times approximately. The camera itself saves time and thus energy; it starts within 1.3 seconds with the shutter release lag time of only 0.005 seconds approximately. This makes it ideal to shoot spur of the moment snaps such as a basketball shot or an embarrassing fall of a friend. Keeping the full 12.1 mega pixel resolution, DMC FT1 can take around 2.3 shots per second in the burst shooting mode whereas the ultra fast High Speed burst shooting mode allows 10 shots per second. Also you can shoot without any pause until the memory card is all consumed so a whole day out with friends or a wedding ceremony can be captured without having to worry about the space or energy failure.

Another unique feature of Panasonic DMC FT1 is the Wind Cut function that is usually found in camcorders. It reduces the noise from the background as encountered in out door shooting or extremely windy weather. With the audio in the movies polished by this function, the visual integrity is not neglected too. The FT1 offers over 16 different scene modes other than the scene modes given for stills which give the perfect setting to your movie making with only a single mode selection. There are 3 different levels available for movies recorded in AVCHD Lite; SH (17 Mbps), H (13 Mbps) and L (9 Mbps) so that you can select the one you think suitable. The built in LED light comes into action automatically as you start making motion pictures if the surrounding area is not well lit. The Panasonic DMC FT1 just pampers you to such an extent that you only have to press a button while aiming at the object of your desire and there you have created another beautiful memory in the form of a photo or a movie. The Panasonic Lumix DMC FT1 retails around £250 which makes it a highly recommended deal for those who want to relive the happy moments of life!