By all accounts the Panasonic Lumix DMC0FH20 is a fantastic camera. Owners praise its ease of use, extremely fast shutter response, and excellent battery life. It also provides an excellent low-light setting, video mode and a lot more. See the customer comments below.
Panasonic DMC-FH20 Digital Camera Features
The DMC-FH20 sports a powerful 8x optical zoom lens (35mm camera equivalent: 28-224mm). This gives you highly natural expressions from people and animals that you can't get close to. And its slim, compact, pocket-sized body can easily go wherever you do for both everyday snapshots and traveling.
28mm Wide-angle Lens
The 28mm wide-angle lens* lets you easily capture large groups of people indoors or expansive architectural structures and scenes with dynamic width and rich perspective, even from short distances.
* Converted to standard 35mm camera equivalent, at the maximum wide position.
Powerful 8x Optical Zoom
The DMC-FH20 sports a powerful 8x optical zoom lens (35mm camera equivalent: 28-224mm). This gives you highly natural expressions from people and animals that you can't get close to. And its slim, compact, pocket-sized body can easily go wherever you do for both everyday snapshots and traveling.
iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode
When you don't know which mode will give you the best shooting results, or when a sudden photo opportunity pops up and you don't have time to make any settings, simply choose iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode by simply pressing the dedicated button and let the camera do it all for you. You just choose iA Mode, aim at your subject, and shoot. 4 detection and correction functions are simultaneously activated to optimize the settings, so you get stunning photos every time.
HD Movie Recording (1,280 x 720 pixels at 30 fps in Motion JPEG Format)
The DMC-FH20) can record motion images in high-definition (1,280 x 720 pixels at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format). The pixel mixed readout method enables bright motion-image recording even in low-light settings. The DMC-FH20 can also record full-size motion images in WVGA (848 x 480 pixels at 30 fps) or standard motion images in VGA (640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels at 30 fps)
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Ordered the camera and did not realize it did not come with a memory card. No big deal as it has 40mb of built in memory. Took it for a weekend trip to Dumont Dunes. It took 8 photos (at max resolution) and I simply loaded them on my MacBook, deleted, and took more. Great pictures, fair video (with limited memory we had to take short ones)but overall a great little camera. The “automatic mode” makes using it a snap. A great value, in my opinion.
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Purchased camera for an upcoming trip. Wanted a point and shoot that was pocket sized and took good pictures. I was going to get a Canon Powershot but then started looking at Panasonic. I feel like I got more for my money. Maybe because Panasonic is not yet a household name in cameras. A few clicks online will reveal they are “joined at the hips” with Leica.
Using the iA mode delivered great pictures everytime. Did not take a bad picture yet, the smarts built-in really work! Focusing time is short, but you have to let the camera focus before pressing all the way. Zoom is great for such a small package, but image stabilization is a must without tripod. Also has wide angle lens which is a plus, not readily available in competing models. Have not played with any of the scene modes, I let iA handle that. And when I’ll need the manual modes, I’ll be reaching for the dSLR where I can play with buttons.
Played briefly with the video mode and was happily surprised. It is not a camcorder replacement, but it is better than expected. Sreen is large and bright under all experienced conditions so far. It does have a mode that adjusts LCD brightness to ambient light automatically. I do miss the viewfinder but I would trade a bigger LCD for a poor viewfinder anytime. Great point and shoot camera so far, good optics, it does what it should. Will probably look for a second battery soon, but I am a little confused at moment on which one to buy.
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I’ve used a Canon for many years, recently bought the ultra compact Canon SP790IS. My original Canon was slowly giving out. Did research and checked out the FH1,FH3, FP8 and the FH20 along with the Canon 790. Received this camera several days ago, this FH20 rocks. Pictures are really very, very good. I couldn’t believe it. The size is great, ease of use is beyond belief. I’m an artist and use my camera to take pictures of lighthouses, old barns and interesting buildings. This camera gives me what I’m looking for and more. So glad I took the plunge. As the first reviewer said she read a test of the FH20 by a pro photograher, I read the same article and it’s all GOOD. I’d receommend this camera above all others. Thanks Amazon, once again you came through for me as did Panasonic.
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This takes gorgeous photos. I usually use a DSLR and multiple lenses, but for convenience, always carry a pocket camera. In fact, I usually have more than one pocket camera, because spare batteries for them are so expensive that sometimes it’s economical to just buy an extra camera. The battery charger for this camera is the best designed so far, no cords, just a battery receptacle and a plug. Product description is accurate as to features, so I won’t reiterate them here.
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I looked for just the right camera for aleast a month. Read review after review and chose the panasonic lumix fh20 because of the features and shutter speed. I did not want to have to wait to take the next picture. Speed is great and the clarity of the pictures is also great. There are a few things that would make it better such as smile detect but for the price range it comes loaded with extras. For just the average picture taking of kids, anamials, vacations I think its great. Color is also pretty neat(got the red)I ordered this on a Friday and got it on Monday. Did not expect it until Wed. which was still pretty fast. Service from Amazon is always great.
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This is an awesome little camera. Little only in size. I have been a loyal Canon owner, and have several point and shoots as well as a Rebel D SLR. I wanted a new camera for a wedding and graduations and this camera caught my eye..mainly because it was red.
This zoom is amazing, the scene modes give the user many options, from beach to snow. The low light option was what I really wanted since I have not found any P and S camera that can handle low light situations. This camera can!! No lie. The pictures are crisp and clear.
I love the ease of the functions, I think this camera is “goof proof”. Very user friendly without sacrificing the high end features.
I bought an extra battery, and a faster level 4 SD card which does make a difference with start up and rapid photography.
Enjoy this camera!!
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Bought this for my foreman at work based on Consumer Reports ratings on a similar but discontinued model. Took it out of the box to charge it, put in the SD card and tweak settings, and from what I could tell it seemed fairly user friendly which is good for someone who is almost technologically illiterate (like my boss). Once you’ve got the picture quality and resolution the way you like it, the auto-intelligent settings pretty much handles itself for you and turns the camera into a point-and-shoot camera in any situation. Viewing/deleting pictures on the camera are also easy, and transferring pictures to a computer is as easy as sticking the SD card into a media card reader.
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This is an excellent point and shoot camera, I have ever had. I have owned canon point and shoot cameras. Initially I was reluctant buying panasonic camera, considering canon and nikon to be the best players in cameras world. But ever since yesterday, when I got this camera in mail, I am thoroughly enjoying this camera. All pictures taken in dark or day light are awesome. No complaints. I would highly recommend this to anyone buying point and shoot for less than $200.
BTW, I also own Nikon DSLR D80 and I wanted a smaller one so it can be taken to the places where you don’t want to look like a ‘camera-man’ :-).
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First off. I’m not a professional photographer. I’m an average joe that loves to take pictures.Before I left on my trip to Jackson Hole Wyoming I knew I wanted a point and shoot camera. So, being a Nikon man, I looked at the Coolpix but when I started reading all of the great reviews on the FH20, I decided to give it a shot. The battery life, the 8x optical zoom, intelligent auto, 14 megapixel all make this camera remarkable. But it’s the ease of use (I never opened the manual) and the fact that there is abosolutely no shutter delay.I shot with this camera 10 to 12 hours per day and still had juice left at the end of the day. To give it to you in a nutshell.This little camera that I carried around in the front pocket of my trek pants for 6 days, packs one hellava wallup!!!…Panasonic has done it!! And the FH20 is by far top of the line in point and shoot. I’m completely sold. Get this camera and I promise you will come back here and rave about it!! I just wish that I could somehow attach a couple of pics that I shot with this camera so as to show you just how stunning your pics will be.
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We got this camera and took it to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. My daughter took hundreds of photos in the castle, which was nothing but low light situations. She also took hundreds of the village in the evening. Again, low light. I can count on one hand the pictures that didn’t work out, and those happened solely with attempts to photograph 3D holograms. Everything else came out perfectly.
I bought an extra battery to be safe and it wasn’t necessary – one battery took us easily through a full day of picture taking.
The camera is idiot proof: put it on intelligent auto, point and shoot, and you will get gorgeous photos. At this price, this camera is outstanding!