Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX38

Slim design, great colour balance, 25mm wide-angle lens, intelligent automatic modes

Some detail loss at higher sensitivities, pricey

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FX38 is a great compact camera for cashed-up consumers. It combines impressive image quality with a slim, stylish and sturdy design as well as a 25mm wide-angle lens, making it suitable for a variety of tasks.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX38 is a decent camera that averages out in the performance front. Moreover the camera does well in maintaining the overall color balance and keeps fringing at its minimum. There is nothing much to dislike other than the...

Slim design, great colour balance, 25mm wide-angle lens, intelligent automatic modes

Some detail loss at higher sensitivities, pricey

Sleek design. Panasonic's intelligent auto mode. HD-video recording. 25mm wide angle lens.

Power switch easy to accidentally turn on. Finicky autofocus. Some noise issues.

A very capable compact camera it may be, but it doesn't hide the fact that there are practically no changes from the previous model, the FX36. That said, with HD-video recording and a generous 25mm wide angle lens, the FX38 will win many people over...

Sleek design ; Panasonic's intelligent auto mode ; HD-video recording ; 25mm wide angle lens

Power switch easy to accidentally turn on ; Finicky autofocus ; Some noise issues

For around AU$150 less, you could pick up the Canon IXUS 870IS which has a similarly wide lens (28mm) and fairly equivalent feature set, except without HD recording. Though if your heart is set on a Panasonic, the one advantage of the FX38 sharing so...

Some will take issue with me on the 10.1 megapixels figure and point out that by increasing the pixel density in digicams the camera delivers more noise in the final image. True, but for the average punter, a CCD of this capacity will enable the making...