Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS37 Pro Reviews

For its £150 price the FS37 combines a useful zoom range with respectable image quality, and the touch-shooting function makes light work of picking out the appropriate subject. It's a shame that the rest of the display-oriented performance falls behind, notably the narrow viewing angle and the awkwardness of its menu system

OK, so overall results aren't as sharp as those you'll get from a compact system camera or DSLR, and in terms of keeping noise at bay performance is strictly so-so, but for those for whom ultimate image quality is not the chief goal the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS37 costs a fraction of both, is much more approachable and is moreover much more portable. For most casual users - and in comparison with the rest of its point and shoot class - the image quality will certainly be 'good enough'.

With broader than average focal range allowing for candid portraits and wide angle vistas to be captured mere seconds apart, the FS37 suggests itself as a perfect holiday camera, turning on its charm to the fullest when conditions are ideal, and being less impressive when light levels are falling. Having said that in general terms image quality is more than good enough, and there is also a night scenery mode to fall back on instead of deploying the flash in really low light, which did for us achieve cleaner results with the aid of a steadying flat surface to rest the camera on. In summary, although the FS37 is almost completely devoid of manual features it largely feels worth the asking price for those who really do just want to point and shoot and get consistently covetable results in return.

On paper the FS37 has a lot going for it. A high resolution sensor, useful 8x zoom range and an innovative touch screen interface. In practice it doesn't seem to cut the mustard when compared to some of the competition. Images are quite noisy and soft at high sensitivities, the auto white balance doesn't perform well under artificial light and the touch screen interface can be unresponsive if using fingers to navigate the menu. All this considered, those who are in the market for a well constructed, compact and lightweight camera for taking shots mainly in good light reasonably small print sizes or sharing on the web may find the simple sleek design and ease of use suits them just fine.

While the FS37 isn’t a bad little compact, there’s nothing that really elevates it above its peers, either. Easy to use and capable of good results in the right conditions, there is plenty to like about it. And with only three physical buttons, its minimalist design is sure to increase its appeal to some consumers. However, given that the three-inch touch-screen is presented as one of the model’s major selling points, it does come as something of a disappointment to discover that it isn’t particularly responsive, displays at a fairly low resolution and has a severely limited viewing angle. Given that touch-screen technology is now used widely in other consumer electronic devices, most noticeably smartphones, its relative underperformance feels all the more noticeable.

The DMC-FS37 is very capable of taking superb images as is typical of Panasonic's Lumix cameras, particularly thanks to the Intelligent Auto mode. If you don't desire a compact camera with a more than average optical zoom range then there are cheaper options that deliver a similar performance, such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS16. The results achieved with the full range of zoom are impressive and well worth the extra premium. The touch screen did prove to be troublesome at times and the menu system could be easier, but these should not deter you from purchasing the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS37.