Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, In Bloom

CCD Resurgence: Images with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, a 10.1MP CCD superzoom digital bridge camera with an 18x optical zoom (27-486mm equivalent) lens, optical image stabilization, RAW shooting, and manual controls.

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Continuing on with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, a vintage superzoom digital bridge camera launched in 2008 with a 10.1MP CCD sensor and an 18x optical zoom lens. The DMC-FZ28 was the upgrade to the FZ18, which has an 8MP sensor and a similar lens configuration.

An interesting feature of the FZ28 is the Rec/Playback selector switch, which sits next to the thumb rest area on the top right edge of the camera back.

The Record/Playback toggle enables images captured in either the EV (Electronic Viewfinder) or LCD mode to be displayed directly on the LCD screen, without the need to switch back to the LCD mode when you are shooting in EV.

Pushing the slider back up to the Record mode will set you back to the option you were using. The option makes a lot of sense and is very convenient and handy to use.

Over and above the FZ18, aside from the upgrade from an 8MP to a 10.1MP CCD sensor, the FZ28 can record video clips in HD, albeit at the low end of the HD range, comes with the Venus Engine IV image processor, a 230,000 dot 2.7-inch LCD display, and ISO 6,400 equivalent in High Sensitivity Auto mode.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

The 1/2.33-inch CCD image sensor is a bit larger than most other cameras in this class, with the wide-angle Leica lens with an 18x optical zoom remaining the same.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, First Impression

CCD Resurgence: Images with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, a 10.1MP CCD superzoom digital bridge camera with an 18x optical zoom (27-486mm equivalent) lens, optical image stabilization, RAW shooting, and manual controls.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

I upgraded my digital bridge camera recently, from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18, which I have been using for a couple of years, to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28. The update saw me having a slightly bigger 1/2.33" CCD sensor (1/2.5" on the FZ18) and a higher image resolution at 10MP (8.3MP on the FZ18).

Like the FZ18, the FZ28 comes with a 1:2.8~4.4 18x optical zoom Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with a zoom range from 27-486mm (35mm equivalent). For image processing, the FZ28 features the high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine IV.

Besides the numerous specs that you look up from digital camera review sites, the FZ28 is now capable of doing video clips in HD (not really my forte), comes with a 230,000 dots 2.7-inch display, and a Record/Play toggle, right where your thumb would rest when shooting.

The new Venus engine is slightly better than the Venus III of the FZ18. While touching up the images on the computer is recommended, I tweaked mine mainly with Auto Tone Correction, Brightness & Contrast, and a bit of Unsharp Mask.

Enjoying photography with a camera you are not too happy with has its pitfalls. While it could very well be the spiraling cost of film and its development charges with film photography, the high cost of acquiring current digital models with very advanced features could be just as telling, on the other hand.

Panasonic Kumix DMC-FZ28

Looking between the rift, you may find the ubiquitous digicam with CCD sensors as just the ticket for you, with captures that have lower noise, higher sensitivity, and better image homogeneity.