Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) | 
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| Brand: Panasonic
Category: Photography
List Price: $399.95
Buy New: $269.99
You Save: $129.96 (32%)
New (38)
Avg. Customer Rating:  59 reviews
Sales Rank: 22
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
System Memory: 50
Monitor Size: 270
Includes Software: Yes
Optical Zoom: 18
Digital Zoom: 4
Connectivity: AV
Display Size: 2.7
Maximum Resolution: 10.1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 3 x 3.5 x 4.6
nv:Sensor: 10.1 Megapixel
Size: 1/2.33" CCD Sensor
Image Resolution: 3648 x 2736
Movie Resolution: 640 x 480
Memory Included: 50MB Internal
Storage Media: SD/SDHC Memory Card
Compressed Format: RAW
Compressed Format: RAW + JPEG
Compressed Format: JPEG (Fine)
Movie File Format: HD
Optical Zoom: 18x
Digital Zoom: 4X
Focal Length: f = 4.8 - 86.4mm
Focus Mode: Manual
Focus Mode: One-shot AF
Focus Mode: Continuous AF
Focus Mode: Normal AF
Focus Mode: Macro AF
LCD Monitor: 2.7 inches
MPN: DMC-FZ28 Black
Model: DMC-FZ28 Black
UPC: 037988988105
EAN: 0037988988105
ASIN: B001CCLBSU
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | 10-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints | | • | 18x wide-angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized zoom lens | | • | 2.7-inch high-resolution LCD screen; HD video capture | | • | Full SLR-like manual operations including aperture, shutter, program and full manual modes with Advanced Scene modes | | • | Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included) |
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Product Description
Panasonic's new DMC-FZ28 boasts a premium 27mm wide-angle LEICA lens with an 18x optical zoom, ideal for tight indoor shots and long-distance action photos. The 10.1 megapixel digital camera also features an enhanced Intelligent Auto Mode (iA), with the new AF (auto focus) Tracking function, making it easier for photographers at any level to shoot sharp, well-focused photos, even when the subject is moving -- making it ideal for action shots.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 54 more reviews...
Great camera, Great price November 22, 2008
The camera is very easy to use, takes great pictures with little effort.
Pictures a crisp, flash is excellent, lens is great. 18X zoom in sports mode takes great pictures.
Camera has plenty of features and options.
I highly recommend this camera. If you get it you won't be disappointed.
 Good camera November 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
My wife and I have shot a lot of photos through the years using slr's and quality lenses. Gave my wife a fuji digital camera a few years ago and were hooked. From close-ups of flowers to distant shots of national park scenic wonders, that little camera was awesome. But a couple of drops made it more and more difficult to use. My wife wanted just an updated version of that camera she had come to love. However, I did some consumer research and came upon this Panasonic Lumix and read the reviews. Thought I'd take a chance of upsetting my wife and replace her beloved camera with this product. She loves it (as do I)! It is so much more versatile and allows for more options than come with most slr's. If you just want to point and shoot, it takes great photos. If you want to venture out for more special effects or a particular lighting option, this one will do it. If you want to zoom in while shooting on video mode, this one will do it. The only criticism we have is that some of the controls seem to be too crowded. If it were me, I would have designed that a little differently, but that is a minor issue. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that we have only had it a few weeks and don't want to give a final judgment until we have put it through all the rigors. But from where we sit at this point, if you want versatility and want to lug around just one camera that can take tight wide angle shots, zoom in on wildlife and scenic wonders, experiment with some cool lighting, or just shoot a few seconds of quick video, so far, this camera does it all with pleasing results.
Great Alternative To Pricey SLRs November 16, 2008
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I bought this camera in lieu of spending the extra money on a digital SLR. I had several reasons for this, not the least of which being the fact that digital SLRs add so many new features and enhancements to their quality each year while dropping in price. The notion of investing a good $700 or more on something that will be quickly replaced by a much more powerful model within only a year or two just didn't sit well with me. So in my search for something to get me a step up from totally novice point and shoot photography, the superzooms looked like a good option. I will eventually purchase a digital SLR, but my advice to anyone who is uncertain if they're willing to part with that much money just yet is to wait it out. Look at some of the models from only three or four years ago - they offered an average of around 7 or 8 megapixels, lacked features like image stabilization and live view LCD, and cost a few hundred dollars more than today's units. I know that if I had invested a good thousand dollars into something that is noticeably less powerful and feature laden than today's units costing hundreds less, I might be kicking myself pretty hard.
This unit may be just a point and shoot but it has one of the best lenses available. It is almost comparable to an SLR in many respects. It shoots in RAW mode as well as offering one of the longest zooms in its class. I would have wished it offered a lower minimum ISO than 100 (my old Canon Powershot A610 compact offers a 50 setting) but with such a high quality CCD, the long zooming Leica lens and twice the megapixels of my old Canon it seemed a far trade off when all things were considered.
The features and modes are quite numerous and of very good quality. They do well to guide even the most inexperienced users to get some great shots in various situations. I have to especially praise the intelligent auto mode above all others when it comes to beginners' usage. The camera does a surprisingly effective job at recognizing the situations in which it finds itself. (One gripe I have with this setting however is that it doesn't allow you to shoot in RAW format - it's JPEG only - more on that later.) Being more of a photo geek than the average person, I use the manual setting most often; and it's a true manual setting rather than semi-manual like many other manufacturers offer. I have full control of everything just like on an SLR. One of the features I liked best while shooting in the manual mode is that the camera's metering is active and gives you feedback for the best setting. Say for example your shutter speed or your aperture needs to be raised or lowered - the camera's meter will show that as you're focusing. Following this electronic advice gives near perfect exposures every time; but you're still free to make your own creative judgments since it is a manual mode.
The menus are relatively easy to navigate considering the amount of settings and options available. I also really liked that I could choose between 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios (SDTV, 35mm film, and widescreen TV respectively.) The HD video option is a nice little extra - but keep in mind you only get about eight minutes of video on that setting regardless of how large your memory card is. Then again I figure if shooting video is a priority you would buying a proper video camera. The image stabilization works very well as do the higher ISO settings should you find yourself wanting to take a shot in the dark without a tripod. Of course you shouldn't expect to make artist grade compositions in conditions like that, but if you need to snap a quick picture of something in low light it will serve you well. I'm actually excited to see what the future holds as technology improves upon the image stabilizing and the noise reduction at higher ISO speeds. Hopefully in a few years we will start to see models that shoot some very impressive images in low light conditions. As far as long shutter speeds if using a tripod, this unit offers up a full minute. I was able to take a close up shot of a rose last night in only the light of a waning moon, and it come out so bright I actually had to darken it a little in the post processing just because I wanted it to have a night time effect.
Physically speaking, this unit feels solid and employs good ergonomics. It is relatively lightweight but does pack some bulk and volume. (Don't expect to be pocketing this for everyday, everywhere random use - but that isn't the purpose of a superzoom or an SLR.) It fits nicely in the hands and has a very polished, professional appearance. Essentially it is a Panasonic SLR body with a fixed lens. Get yourself a nice bag and a few extras and you will have a very respectable hobbyist level outfit.
The superzoom (18x) is wonderful. Last night I took a picture of the moon and it came out very detailed and clear. It certainly helped that the lens is threaded for 46mm filters - allowing me to use a polarizer. The autofocus system also had no trouble at all which surprised me. I thought I was going to have to manually focus an object so far away and bright. I haven't yet been able to use the long zoom for things like bird photography but I have seen images taken by other users and it seems they are quite good.
But now the most important thing when it comes to investing in a camera like this: image quality. I hate having to say it, but I wasn't as impressed with the FZ28's JPEG images as I had hoped to be. I might have been spoiled by the super sharp, low noise imaging of my A610 at ISO 50, but for my money the FZ28 didn't measure up to that old Canon. The images were slightly soft, maybe a little jagged at close examination. Taking macro pictures of my corals, I noticed some artifacts that weren't present on the older images from my Canon. I was really hoping for tack-sharp details but didn't get them. The colors weren't as saturated as the Canon's, but at the same time many might welcome that fact because it gives greater post processing control, especially owing to the RAW format capability.
This is where the FZ28 really shines. After being a little disappointed in the JPEG processing (a bit too aggressive on noise reduction seems to be the problem making the images too soft) I tried the RAW format and started getting the results I wanted. Straight from the camera (SilkyPIX Developer comes with the package and does a decent job) the images were near perfect. Just a little bit of processing and then an export to either a TIFF (lossless) and/or JPEG (lossy) and I have some truly great pictures. RAW format will take up quite a bit of space on your memory card but these days memory is inexpensive so carrying a few 4g or 8g cards should not set you back too much, and considering the type of camera this is I'm assuming that anyone looking into its purchase would be concerned enough with the quality of their images that the extra investment is already being considered.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking to step up from their compact point and shoot digital camera to something a little more professional. While being a fixed lens unit and not entirely on par with the better SLR models, it certainly offers a very effective step in their direction for a far more reasonable price tag. Unless you're a professional or very advanced hobbyist who absolutely needs an SLR, this may be about one of the best camera choices on the market at this time. Naturally one can not future-proof themselves when it comes to digital technology, but the reasonable price of superzooms compared with SLRs makes a compelling case at this point in time. So until SLRs are closer to this price level (and they will be, albeit with more features, megapixels, and image quality than today's units) my advice is to go superzoom. Speaking for myself I would be a lot less disappointed to see something I bought for $300 or less go obsolete than I would something for which I paid upwards of $700. Canon and Nikon also have units in this class getting some great reviews. It's all a matter of choice I suppose. I went with a Panasonic, though I'm sure I would have been quite happy with the others as well.
Pros - Likely best lens quality in its class, 18x zoom, threads to use filters, great array of shooting modes, intelligent auto is wonderful for effortless use, manual mode offers full user control, great image quality in the RAW format, SilkyPIX included, professional look and feel. SLR-like capabilities at a point and shoot price point.
Cons - Noise reduction is a little too aggressive when it comes to in-camera image processing for JPEG format resulting in images that are a little soft and can appear a little frayed. No RAW format in auto mode. Some users may find the images less saturated than they would want. (But this is easily changed in post processing.)
My experience with Amazon November 14, 2008
No doubt, I love this Camera which I am still waiting for.
I placed an order for FZ28k in Amazon website thinking that amazon being a well-known company will be responsibly handling my order and deliver the ordered item on time. But unfortunately my experience was different. They charged the amount on my credit card and after sent a mail to me that my bank is declining the transaction. I called Bank of America to verify this claim. BOA has told that the transaction is approved and Amazon has tried to make multiple transaction of same amount. I tried to sort out this issue by calling Amazon customer representatives who are in India. They told me there is no record about the transaction they made with my credit card, with them. Now my credit card company has told me to ask Amazon to cancel the transaction. I called up Amazon regarding this, now they are saying they will investigate the issue and after some days they will let me know if they can do anything regarding the problem I am facing.
I am not trying to say amazon is a fake company, but I made a mistake by placing the order through Amazon even though better offers are there in B&H and J&R, thinking that these are small companies and no trustworthy as Amazon.
Now I realize that I should have better gone for a smaller company than a bigger one like Amazon which is fully in a mess and don't keep any track of what they are doing.
My order was for a Panasonic FZ28K Camera, aCamera bag, a Memory stick, a Memory reader and a small tripod. They split this order into two different shipments (Against my preference of sending all items together when available), one with the Camera and the other with rest of the items in the order. The company site shows that shipment which doesn't include Camera is in transit with the carrier(USPS). When I checked with the USPS tracking site it shows that Amazon has just informed them about the item to be shipped, not actually shipped.
Maybe the experience is unique to me :(. be careful with this giant who is now arrogantly careless about their customers credit card data.
Some Camera November 13, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having researched and purchased this for a present for my daughter I have little time to play with it but what I have so far discovered it is nearly equal to my pricey full size SLR in function and so far picture quality. But for a mid size campact camera with what appears to be an excellent lens(not interchangeable) but with this one, and the average person, you would need nothing else. Most of all it is small enough to carry in a large pocket or purse.
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