Overall, pictures from this camera are very good and of higher quality than my last Lumix. Colors are fairly accurate as long as white balance is set correctly. Barrel distortion at wide angle, one of my pet peeves, is minimal. Noise is kept at an acceptable level from ISO 80 through 200. (I have not bothered to test higher ISOs as I would probably not use them.)

Sharpness is very good in the central part of the image, especially at wide angle (35 mm equivalent being a respectable 33 mm), and even at 100% resolution for 5-megapixel images (I have little need for the 10 MP setting). However, moving out toward the edges, problems begin to appear. Severe blurring affects the right upper and especially lower corners at wide angle and extends to a lesser extent along the edgebetween the corners. Along the bottom right edge, blurring extends into at least a third of the image.

This may seem like a minor point, but it is noticeable in certain textures even at a much reduced resolution (less than full screen size for 4:3 images on a 17″ widescreen monitor). The best solution I can think of for this issue is to favor the upper left corner when framing the image, leaving the opportunity to crop out the right edge for a crystal clear and vivid image. Blurring on the left side of the frame is minimal, and chromatic aberration does not present an obvious problem anywhere.

Another issue I noticed right away is that the zoom control ring, which surrounds the shutter button, is flimsy and has a fair amount of play (not just in the ring itself, but back and forth movement of the entire ring/shutter button mechanism within the case), leading me to question its longeivity. But Panasonic digital cameras are among the most reliable, so perhaps this fear is unwarranted. At any rate, the zoom works fine in practice.

Beyond the image concerns and the zoom lever, I love this camera. It has an attractive appearance and lots of features including the ability to record widescreen VGA (WVGA) video. Sound is provided for in videos, but HD resolution is not. In still images, there is some opportunity for manual manipulation of camera settings including exposure compensation and ISO. As for automatic settings such as Auto Scene Mode and Face Recognition, I have not used them yet but doubt they would play a role in my rating. I will eventually get around to using specialized modes such as night scenery, though. Finally, I have mixed feelings about the rechargeable battery. All of my past cameras have taken AAs, which was nice in a pinch but also kind of a clunky system.

I would hesitate to recommend this without qualifications due to the aforementioned issues, but based on my research and experience this camera has to be one of the best choices in the “entry level” price range. I buy cameras at this level not because I am a beginner but because I don’t have a lot of money to throw around, and so far I think it was a good choice.
Rating: 4 / 5

There is a scene mode that allows you to take pictures in different settings (parties, snow, aerial views, indoor, night sky, babies, pets, etc.) There is also the normal shooting mode which allows you to shoot in color, black and white, sepia.

There is the coolest feature (i found) where you could shoot in bursts with or without flash…meaning…you hold the shooting button down and it takes continuous photos…like one of those flip books…so you don’t miss any moment! I don’t know if my other cameras had this function…if they did…I could not find it.

I am very satisfied with this camera! So 5 stars for ease of use, and great quality photos with simple and easy to use modes!
Rating: 5 / 5