Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27 Review

With their reputation for good handling, quick operation and good image quality, Panasonic's point-and-shoot cameras have become very popular. They are also very full featured for their price points, and the FH27 is no exception with its 16.1 megapixel sensor, wide angle 8x optical zoom Leica lens (28-224mm, 35mm equivalent), Intelligent Auto mode, optical image stabilization, HD video (720p), Panasonic's latest Venus IV processor, and its large 3.0-inch diameter touchscreen LCD.

The FH27 comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, a battery charger, a plastic stylus pen, the Basic Owner's Manual, a wrist strap, an audio-visual cable, a USB cable and a CD containing the Owner's Manual and Panasonic's Photofun Studio 6.0 photo organizing software. The camera takes SD, SDHC or SDXC memory cards, which must be purchased separately. The FH27 comes in silver, red and black, the color of the camera I reviewed. Its suggested price is $229.99, but it should be available for significantly less.

After spending some time familiarizing myself with the camera's touchscreen, I was eager to go out and take some pictures. However, the weather was rainy through most of the first two weeks of March, so I was unable to take the number of colorful outdoor pictures I normally take when I evaluate a camera. Given this limitation, let's see how the FH27 fared.