Pansonic Lumix DMC-LC50

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC50 is a small camera that squeezes in plenty of features.

There is no built-in memory, so everything has to be stored on an SD memory card. The camera comes with a 16Mb card, which will store about 12 pictures at its maximum quality setting. However, the resolution is customisable, so if you reduce it you will be able to take more pictures in one sitting. You will need to invest in a card with more capacity to take advantage of the camera's video mode.

The 3.2-megapixel lens is capable of taking pictures good enough to be printed at A4 size. If you have a PictBridge-compatible printer you can print directly from the camera. There is a display as well as a viewfinder for taking shots and a warning symbol will appear if the camera detects that your shaky hand might spoil the picture.

All the controls are sensibly placed, making it possible to operate the camera with one hand. Nine different shooting modes can be selected via the mode dial, which is much easier than fiddling through the on-screen menus.

Refreshingly, the user manual gives clear and practical advice on how to get the best from the camera. Instead of just listing features, it explains how each setting affects the shot you want to take. Unlike the Fuji the Panasonic comes with a 3x optical zoom for close ups and a set of rechargeable batteries.

Contact: Panasonic 0870 300 1515
www.panasonic.co.uk/lumix

See also:

HP Photosmart M307

A small and stylish budget digital camera from the imaging giant  02 Feb 2005

Centon DC5

An excellently priced five-megapixel camera.  12 Aug 2004

Olympus C-360

Doesn't stand out from the crowd.  30 Jul 2004

Canon PowerShot A310

Point-and-click ease that won't break the bank.  29 Jul 2004

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