Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33

As far ultra compact digicams go, the Panasonic Lumix FX33 fits perfectly in that category – no question about it. With regard to this particular type of gadgetry at least, size does matter, though what you do with it counts as well. What I meant was the camera makes it very easy for you to take pictures. Allow me to elaborate.

Form Factor
We’ve established that it’s an ultra-compact digicam, but aside from being small enough to fit into your pocket without an unsightly bulge, it’s also quite lightweight at just about 154g (including the battery and SD card). It has a thankfully large and clear 2.5 inch LCD with a five-way navigation pad (not unlike other digicams) beside it, with a display and delete key underneath. The navigation pad also provides specific functions that include settings for the Flash, Timer etc.

On the top of the FX33 is a Power switch as opposed to most cameras having a button. Beside it is the Shutter release and around that button is the Zoom slider. The gadget has a little scroll wheel that allows you to select particular settings. In case it’s a bit too dark to see what setting you’ve selected, the same features will show up on the screen. On the side of the camera is a small compartment that houses the USB/AV-out and DC-in socket, and at the bottom is the Lithium battery and SD card compartment. On the whole the camera has a simple and neat design for ease of use.

Features
What I like most about the FX33 is its iA mode. The iA stands for 'Intelligent Auto', and if you’re just a picture buff or a point-and-shoot user, any other modes will seem unnecessary. The reason is that the iA mode automatically selects the most appropriate Scene Mode according to what you’re aiming at (brilliant). What it also does is automatically focus on a person's face (if it's in the frame); this happens even before you press the shutter release halfway. No wonder other features seem redundant. Of course, those who like to extract the VERY best from the camera has access to all the manual options.

What I liked most about the FX33 was the quick startup and absence of lag while taking consecutive images. There are plenty of scene modes to choose from – Pets, Portrait, Food, even an Underwater mode for which you’ll require a casing. There are 22 scene modes in all. Another great feature is the 2.5 inch LCD with an intuitive technology that automatically adjusts the brightness according to the available light. A Clipboard feature lets you store images you take of maps or schedules etc. Not a must-have, but a handy feature nevertheless.