When Panasonic Digital Cameras introduced their Lumix DMC-FZ5 they brought some real color competition into play for this class of camera!

On the one hand this Panasonic digital camera is a real step up from its predecessor - the DMC-FZ3 - in terms of color accuracy. On the other hand it also outperforms many cameras in its type and price group when it comes to true color rendition.

As such - and incorporating the same Leica-branded DC Vario-Elmarit zoom with its 12x optical range as the DMC-FZ3 - this digital camera is a serious contender in the higher-end prosumer market, as Panasonic digital camera reviews point out. This lens system contributes to a very good image resolution.

Having said that, expert consumer photographers might very well expect to be able to manipulate those colorful image files in RAW format, whereas the DMC-FZ5 only supports TIFF.

One of the most appreciated features of the Panasonic Digital Camera DMC-FZ5 is its highly effective Mega Optical Image Stabilization system. It comes with two modes of which the first offers continuous image stabilization, which is said to assist during image composition.

The second mode - which reportedly is even more effective, only comes into play during the actual release of the shutter.

This Panasonic digital camera also features a real-time histogram, which is always welcome on a digital camera. This ensures that you get a balanced exposure and not blow away the highlights! It is a challenge to learn how to interpret a histogram instinctively in the field, but worth the effort for the improved results you will be getting.

A handy feature highlighted in Panasonic digital camera reviews, is the ability of the DMC-FZ5 to record sound with still images. If you have a number of similar objects to record, the 5 second sound input can help you make sense of your pictures afterwards!

As far as power consumption is concerned, the Panasonic Digital Camera DMC-FZ5 has a sleep mode to conserve power, and will then retract the zoom lens. It can be set to come into action after 1-10 minutes, or when you press any button. It uses a proprietary rechargeable battery, with a charger included. Battery life is longer than with its DMC-FZ3 predecessor.

If you're tired of serious photography and want to play around a bit, this Panasonic digital camera offers you an animation feature. It lets you take a number of sequential-movement stills which you can then transform automatically into a movie sequence.

So if you or the kids have some clay lying around, this feature could keep everyone suitably amused for an afternoon...

If not, it will be just as easy to enjoy hours of entertainment discovering all the superb features of the DMC-FZ5 Panasonic Digital Camera.

For more information visit Best-Digital-Photography.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.