Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33 review

Image quality
Image quality is good, if not spectacular. The intelligent auto mode manages exposure well, with the only quibble being occasional white balance issues. Colours are vibrant, especially in portrait mode.

As on most compacts, noisy higher ISO settings combine with intrusive noise reduction to render images at the maximum ISO 6,400 unusable. However, this is rarely a problem as the higher sensitivity settings are not accessible through the standard ISO menu, and you can cap the sensitivity level so the camera cannot ramp up the ISO levels without you noticing.

The Leica-branded wide angle lens performed excellently, with no sign of distortion or loss of focus towards the edge of the image.

Conclusion
The Pansonic Lumix DMC-FX33 is a decently-specced camera with an excellent lens, and a number of well-implemented features. The inclusion of optical image stabilisation and a wide angle lens in such a compact package is extremely impressive, and picture quality is solid enough not to ruin the party.

The intelligent auto mode is clever enough to put the FX33 head and shoulders above other idiot-proof point-and-shoots like the similarly-priced Olympus Stylus mju 780 or the substantially cheaper Kodak EasyShare M873, but the lack of manual control won't win over more experienced photographers. That said, as a back-up compact, the FX33 is an undemanding blast to use.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday