Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 Digital Camera Review

The Lumix DMC-FH20 from Panasonic is a small and compact digital camera with an interesting feature set including 14.1 megapixels of resolution, 8x optical zoom , a 2 and 11/16th LCD screen which is the weirdest display size I’ve seen yet on a small compact camera. Of course the lens features image stabilization and fast autofocusing using “Sonic Speed AF” for quick and fast focusing for fast moving photographic subjects.

With a weight of just 1 pound and a small footprint of just 6 inches by 7 inches by 1 inch, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 is small enough to easily fit in a pocket or purse. You’ll always be ready to shoot with this small performer from Panasonic.

The lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 starts at the wide end at 28mm which, depending on who you ask isn’t wide enough but usally to get a wider field of view you will need to get into DSLR and wider slr lenses which can at very least end you up on the high end of  the hundered dollar figure . The little panasonic has a street price of under $200 so the 28mm is wide enough to get most group photos and landscape photography which this tiny point and shoot camera will mostly be used for.

But if you do need to extend the zoom, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 offers an 8x zoom ratio which means the lens will zoom out to 228mm  which is enough length to get you closer to the action for most shooting situations when you’re on the sidelines shooting your kid’s soccer game  or enjoying a day at the zoo you will be able  to  get closer to your subject when you physically cannot due to a restriction of some sort.

The auto mode on the little lumix is called iA, which stands for intelligent auto mode. In layman’s terms the camera handles all of the settings for you while you concentrate on shooting your favorite subjects. The auto mode offers a dedicated button for this mode, which is helpful  as you don’t have to fiddle around with software and menu navigation which can slow down your shooting and make your photography less fun.

Like most modern digital cameras these days, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 digital camera offers high definition video recording at 1020p at 30 frames per second and this new panasonic also benefits from new extended battery life which allows you to shoot up to 300 shots using a single battery charge.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 has a suggested retail list price of  $199, but you  can get a deal on the panasonic by shopping online at Amazon, Ritz, B+H or  Adorama with street prices being in the $165.oo price range.