Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90: Video and Image Quality

Video Quality
The FX90 has an excellent HD movie mode, with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 25 frames per second, with optical zoom and continuous auto focus available while recording. The camera performed well, even when zooming, with no problems maintaining focus. The camera records monaural sound only. In the recording below you'll note extreme wind noise, which I could have greatly reduced using the camera's wind cut feature.

Download Sample Video

Image Quality
The FX90 can produce good looking images. Colors are punchy, but not overly saturated. If a user wants more colorful images, he or she may select the camera's happy or vivid modes. I did notice a problem with overexposure, despite activating the camera's intelligent exposure mode, so users will have to avoid shooting where there's a glare.

I used the camera's auto white balance setting and was generally pleased with the results. White balance can be set to white set (custom), auto, daylight, cloudy, shade or incandescent. The image below, which shows auto white balance under fluorescent lighting, seems to have a brownish tinge:

Auto White Balance, 5500k fluorescent light

The camera's flash can be set to auto, auto with red-eye reduction, forced on, forced on with red-eye reduction, slow sync with red-eye reduction and forced off. Flash range is from 0.6 - 5.9m at maximum wide angle with auto ISO and 1.0 - 2.5m at maximum telephoto with auto ISO. The flash performed adequately without being overpowering.

The FX90 does fairly well in low light for a camera with a small 1/2.3 inch sensor. One reason may be Panasonic's wise decision to limit the camera's resolution to 12.1 megapixels, rather than matching the 14.1 or 16.1 megapixels used in many small cameras, including some made by Panasonic. As the playing cards show, the camera's best performance is at 100 ISO, with some softening at 200 ISO, which gradually increases through 1600 ISO. The camera's practical limit is 800 ISO, with 1600 ISO useful only in emergencies.

ISO 100	ISO 100, 100% crop
ISO 200	ISO 200, 100% crop
ISO 400	ISO 400, 100% crop
ISO 800	ISO 800, 100% crop
ISO 1600	ISO 1600, 100% crop

Additional Sample Images