Panasonic's Latest Point-And-Shoot Camera - Now With 100% More Touchscreen!

[Tim Williamson]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0803/0...asonicfx500.asp

"Fans of flexibility will be bending over backwards to grab a glance at the latest offering from Panasonic. The FX500 features a 5x optical zoom that starts at 25mm (in 35mm terms), featuring the company's O.I.S anti-shake system. The FX500 is also the first Panasonic to feature a touch-screen interface, which can be controlled using either fingertips or the included stylus."

This camera definitely would have been a contender in my recent search for the ultimate compact point-and-shoot camera (I ended up with a Canon SD870IS which I'll be putting through the paces the next couple weeks while on vacation in Washington DC). It's pretty unbelievable that Panasonic has managed to fit a 5x optical zoom plus a 25mm equivalent ultra-wide-angle lens in such a compact body. The touchscreen interface is a feature I'd need to experiment with before I'm sold (I typically like tactile feedback), and I'm not too sure I'd want to be fumbling with a stylus while trying to frame the perfect shot. It looks really good on paper, but I'd wait for some photo samples and reviews before jumping on the bandwagon.

[Tim Williamson]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0803/0...asonicfx500.asp

"Fans of flexibility will be bending over backwards to grab a glance at the latest offering from Panasonic. The FX500 features a 5x optical zoom that starts at 25mm (in 35mm terms), featuring the company's O.I.S anti-shake system. The FX500 is also the first Panasonic to feature a touch-screen interface, which can be controlled using either fingertips or the included stylus."

This camera definitely would have been a contender in my recent search for the ultimate compact point-and-shoot camera (I ended up with a Canon SD870IS which I'll be putting through the paces the next couple weeks while on vacation in Washington DC). It's pretty unbelievable that Panasonic has managed to fit a 5x optical zoom plus a 25mm equivalent ultra-wide-angle lens in such a compact body. The touchscreen interface is a feature I'd need to experiment with before I'm sold (I typically like tactile feedback), and I'm not too sure I'd want to be fumbling with a stylus while trying to frame the perfect shot. It looks really good on paper, but I'd wait for some photo samples and reviews before jumping on the bandwagon.

[rkistler]

The touch-screen idea is intriguing, but what about FINGERPRINTS?!?!?
Have they come up with a Special Surface that repels oil & smears?

We ended up covering the view screens on both of our 'fancy' cameras with BoxWave's ClearTouch material - and those are screens that you are not "supposed" to touch in the first place.

Or won't that (grimy, smeared screen...) be a big deal in everyday usage?

rkistler / se mi

[Tim Williamson]

Originally Posted by rkistler

The touch-screen idea is intriguing, but what about FINGERPRINTS?!?!?
Have they come up with a Special Surface that repels oil & smears?

We ended up covering the view screens on both of our 'fancy' cameras with BoxWave's ClearTouch material - and those are screens that you are not "supposed" to touch in the first place.

Or won't that (grimy, smeared screen...) be a big deal in everyday usage?

rkistler / se mi

Yeah good question, I guess we'll have to wait and see how it does in the real world. One thing I noticed with my Dash (non-touchscreen), is even if it has a few fingerprints and scratches, when it's turned on I don't even notice the blemishes.