Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500K 10.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

On the surface, the FX500 seems like an almost ideal point & shoot digital camera with a good balance of pocketability & breadth of function 4 both novice & more advanced users but it has a significant achilles heel that shouldn't be ignored. The noise levels on photos in even lightly shaded\darkened conditions are horrendous. I have a 3 yr old point & shoot digital camera that handles such conditions significantly better. Details just get blown out & I can't imagine prints ever being worth the time.

I had seen complaints online about the noise but after viewing photos taken by other FX500 owners online which didn't display much noise, I thought this was an issue that could be managed through learning 2 use the camera, much as with other cameras I've had before this. But I'm sincerely baffled as 2 how 2 make the best of it in this case - trying 2 adjust the noise reduction setting seems 2 make absolutely no difference in the amount of detectable noise in a photo, whether it's set 2 +2 noise reduction (the most noise reduction) or -2 (the least). And as 4 those photos I saw online - the ones which exhibited little or no noise were the ones taken with ample lighting. I should have paid more attention.

So this one is going 2 get returned. If it weren't 4 the noise, I think I'd be in love by now. But the noise levels are absolutely a dealbreaker.

This is an amazing camera. It is very easy 2 use & takes great pictures.

There are many things 2 like about this camera (touch-screen controls, manual overrides, large viewing screen, image stabilization, Leica lens) unfortunately image quality is not one.

While daylight exposures at ISO 100 or lower are OK albeit not outstanding, the noise & fuzziness of the images at higher ISO's makes the camera unusable at those settings. The images look great on the camera screen but get them back 2 your laptop or printer & the lack of sharpness is appalling. It's so bad I thought something was wrong with the camera, but reading all the other reviews I see I'm not alone. I've tried overriding the factory noise reduction setting but 2 no avail, it produces different results of similarly poor quality. Wish I was still within my 30-day return period.

Not recommended.

A gem with super wide-angle & good movie. All 4 16:9 HDTV. It's a pity that component cable as option only.

I used this camera on a two week vacation & was very pleased with prints of the pictures taken. So, it follows that I have 2 disagree with those who've written about the quality of the shots taken with this camera!

It's true that "intelligent auto" isn't the best choice 4 shooting in low light. (That mode, however, works very well 4 other shots, including those with action that needs 2 be stopped at high speed.) But, as several have noted on the other side ... e.g. in reviews of the FX500 silver ..., there are other choices in the Mode selection that work very nicely in low light conditions.

I'm very pleased that I choose this camera instead of similar Canon or Sony models!

10.1 MegaPixel / 5x Zoom / 3.0" LCD Touchscreen / HD Movie / Picture Adjustment