Panasonic 2010 point and shoot line hands-on

We're just cleaning out the rest of our memory cards from CES, and we totally forgot this moment of unintentional hilarity while grabbing a quick hands-on with Panasonic's new point-and-shoot line -- that's the new touchscreen DMC-FP3, asking for the name of our baby. Sadly, we were not able to provide it with one, and it responded by continuing to have a somewhat wonky hybrid touchscreen-and-buttons control scheme. We're assuming some of the lag we saw had to do with an early software build -- we'll see if things are cleared up when this guy ships, since we're big fans of touch-to-focus. As for the rest, well, they're Lumix point-and-shoots -- they all seemed competent and sturdy, and we can't wait for the day when Panasonic hires a design team to clean up that straight-from-1983 all-caps interface. Check out the rest in the gallery!

Panasonic 2010 point and shoot hands-on

[One Love Posted Jan 13th 2010 3:34PM]

As in "This gadget is my baby" or a real baby? Wah?

[Oflife Posted Jan 13th 2010 3:37PM]

As an owner of a TZ7 (LS3), it is obvious Panasonic build quality and quality is excellent. However, discounting any technical flaws, they desperately need to hire an industrial designer and human factors expert. 1) The button layout is a disaster. From the misplaced mode dial to the (video) record button that is hard to locate in a hurry, yet easy to press by mistake. You have to manually switch from shooting to playback mode using a slider, making unexpected moment shots impossible as if the camera is in playback mode, you first have to slide the slider! 2) The on screen menus while clear, use a strange navigation system that is not logical. These things matter because photography is all about the moment.

Samsung have got industrial design and human factors to a T on their latest digicams. They may not offer the optical quality of top camera brand like Sony, Panasonic, Pentax, Canon and Nikon, but they are getting there and once they do, their cameras will be the best because they are such a delight to operate.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 13th 2010 3:42PM]

lol

[lebowski Posted Jan 13th 2010 3:55PM]

pathetic line up, these cameras are dime a dozen and they are intended for people who really don't care ho its made by or what quality pictures it takes.

one thing panasonic could have done was to introduce a follow up the to the archaic LX3, or at least to ZS3. they've done neither.

[SuckOnThis Posted Jan 13th 2010 5:01PM]

As an owner of lx3, I am disappointed to see the lack of a follow up model that targets serious photographers needing a small---everywhere---camera. Given the clear demand for the lx3 and with canon's s90 out there, panasonic needs an lx4. The focus seems to be shifting towards interchangeable lenses (which in my view is a different market segment).

[GoogleCEO Posted Jan 13th 2010 5:56PM]

@SuckOnThis
LX4 getting released in June
Panasonic is trying to market the GF1 for now it seems

[hajj3 Posted Jan 13th 2010 4:05PM]

wish they would add 720p recording to all their cameras! Youtube would be full of much better quality videos if they did.

[techlord Posted Jan 13th 2010 4:09PM]

Panasonic make better camera than Canon and other brand starting last year.

[mikeweezer Posted Jan 13th 2010 4:45PM]

The dingo ate your baby...

[MClassPlanet Posted Jan 13th 2010 5:19PM]

Sony (and Samsung to a lesser extent) are at least trying harder than Panasonic with their latest compact camera ranges, even if they are still playing catch-up in some respects - certainly many of the new Sony cameras look more enticing than any of these new Panasonic offerings, although of course more cameras will be appearing later on this year including at least one Sony Cyber-shot camera capable of 3D photography.

[DTJ Posted Jan 13th 2010 7:09PM]

IT'S A TRAP! Do not tell the camera the name of your baby!

[malala Posted Jan 14th 2010 4:13PM]

Hi I'm a spammer, please email me at: [e-mail]