Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 was introduced in
January 2013 and is an ultra-thin primary camera. It features a 16.1 megapixel
sensor, 5x optical zoom and available white, black, purple and red versions for
$129.78.
Features
Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 features a 16.1
megapixel CCD sensor and 5x optical zoom lens, which is a 35mm equivalent
24-120mm. It is likely to be expanded up to 8x when using Intelligent Zoom. To
help keep photos as sharp as possible, we use the Mega OIS ((Optical Image
Stabilization).
Panasonic
Lumix DMC-XS1
The XS1 with Intelligent Auto mode makes
images taken as many as possible as well as Intelligent ISO Control,
Intelligent Exposure and Intelligent Scene Selector and Face Detection. There
are eleven filters which are able to be applied in Creative Panorama mode as
well as thirteen filters in the Creative Control mode. The filters are also
able to be applied in playback using the Creative Retouch option.
Video are recorded in 720p HD.
The
product Image placed horizontally
Main Features
·
16.1 megapixel CCD sensor
·
5x optical zoom lens (35mm equivalent: 24-120mm)
·
Mega OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)
·
2.7-inch 230k dot LCD display
·
Thin 17.6mm body
·
720p HD video recording
·
ISO 100-6,400
·
5cm minimum focusing distance
·
Creative panorama mode
·
Creative control mode
·
Continuous shooting at 1.0 fps full resolution
·
There are versions available in white, black,
purple and red
The
product screen
Processing
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 is really a
very small camera and looks stylish; therefore it is pretty ideal to put it in
your pocket or handbag when going out with friends. It owns a metal body and
employs a Micro SD card used to keep the size down.
The buttons are also small, so they may not
be ideal for those with larger fingers, we found that the on / off button
particularly hard to press. It is located next to the shutter button. Buttons
on the back side include mode, video recording, playback and delete as well as
a zoom buttons and D-pad. This allows accessing to exposure compensation, flash
and self-timer, and also is used to navigate the menu.
The menu is easy to navigate, with a line
at the bottom of the screen to make clear what the options marked do. The
screen is small as you'd expect for such a small camera with only a 230k dot
resolution, but is quite clear to see in all light.
Battery life is rated at 260 images
according to CIPA benchmark results; these results are particularly good for a
tiny camera. We selected some of the photos to test the responsiveness of the
camera, from switching on the first photo, shot, focusing speed etc. We have
some photos and then use the average to make sure that the tests are accurate
and consistent, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
·
Shutter Response: 0.2 secs
·
Wide - Focus / Shutter Response: 0.4 secs
·
Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response: 0.5
·
Switch on Time to Taking a Photo: 3.1
·
Shot to Shot without Flash: 2.5
·
Shot to Shot with Flash: 2.7 secs
·
Burst: 0.8 fps
·
Hi-speed Burst: 10 fps
·
Flash Burst: 0.8 fps
The camera is slightly slow at booting up,
but focus speed is good. The process of recording burst shooting at full
resolution, but Hi-speed burst and Flash Burst are restricted to 3 megapixels.
The
camera battery
Performance
The additional sample images and product
shots are available in the Equipment Database, you may add your own reviews,
images and product reviews.
Sample
shots
Sample
shots
Images have decent color reproduction and
exposure. Portraits have decent skin colors, but red-eye is a common problem we
often encounter.
Lens
quality
The
test images
Image detail is not the most powerful
characteristic of the XS1 but as most users are going to resize their images to
share on the website, this will not really be a problem, just do not expect
quality large prints. There are some purple fringes in the contrasting areas,
but this is kept under control. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 5cm
which allows you to capture macro photos highly well.
ISO image noise level
ISO
test photos
Noise is low at ISO 100 and 200, with
images becoming a little bit soft at ISO 400. Images become softer until at ISO
800, and even lighter at ISO 1,600, but there is not much detail that is lost.
White
balance performance
White
balance test images
The automatic white balance (AWB) does a
decent job under both settings of incandescent and fluorescent lights. There is
a incandescent setup available, which yiels you a slight color layout under the
incandescent light, the fluorescent light is not available, so you have to
depend on the AWB here.
Panorama
mode
You are able to capture panoramic images
using filters, which is quite a unique feature. They are linked together, but
detail is not very good, although still good for sharing on the web.
Panoramic
images
Digital
filters
Digital
filters
The XS1 has the color modes to opt for when
using normal image mode. Yet, if you are in Creative Control mode, there are a
variety of filters to select from, with the examples above.
Value
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 is available
for $129.78. The other primary cameras include Fujifilm FinePix AX650 at $74.99,
Nikon Coolpix L27 at $74.99, Olympus VG-180 at $97.49, Canon PowerShot A1300 at
$83.7, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS50 at $110.13.
You will also need to buy a memory card and
a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - just based on our
complete guide to buy camera bags.
Conclusion
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 is an
ultra-compact camera that is going to appeal to the young generation. Well,
picture quality is not the best, but to share on the web, you are unable to
complain anything at all. It owns a metal body, available in a variety of
colors and battery life is pretty impressive. There are plenty of cheaper
primary cameras on the market, but you will have to manage to find a smaller,
more stylish one.
Pros
·
The body made out of metal is compact.
·
Battery life is respectable.
·
The level of image noise is fairly fine at
higher ISO settings.
·
Available in different color versions
·
Plenty of effects and panorama effects
Cons
·
The image quality is not very high.
·
Some of the buttons are too small.
·
There is no optical zoom while shooting videos
Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1 Specifications
|
Lens
·
Max Aperture: f/2.8 - f/6.9
·
35mm equivalent: 24mm - 120mm
·
Optical Zoom: 5x
Image Sensor
·
CCD pixels: 16.1Mp (Megapixels)
·
Pixels (W): 4,608
·
Pixels (H): 3,456
·
Sensor Type: CCD
·
Sensor Size: 1/2.33
·
Sensor Size (width): 6.16mm
·
Sensor Size (height): 4.6mm
·
Aspect Ratio: 4:3; 3:2; 16:9; 1:1
LCD Monitor
·
LCD Monitor: 2.7in
·
Screen resolution: 230k
·
Touch Screen: No
Focusing
·
Min Focus: 5cm
·
Focusing modes: Autofocus; Spot; Face
Detection; Multi; Centre
Exposure Control
·
Shutter speeds shortest: 1/1,600sec
·
Shutter speeds longest: 60sec
·
Exp modes: Program; Scene modes
·
Metering: Multi Pattern
·
ISO sensitivity: 100 – 1,600
·
White balance: Auto; Manual;
Outdoors/Daylight; Cloudy; Incandescent; Shade
·
Exposure Comp: +/-2
Shooting Options
·
Continuous shooting: 1fps
Video
·
Movie mode: Yes
·
Video Resolution: 1,280x720 720p
·
Video FPS: 30fps
·
Stereo Sound: No
·
Optical Zoom with Video: No
Other Features
·
Image Stabilization: Yes
Interface
·
HDMI: No
·
USB: USB 2
·
Wi-Fi: No
Storage
·
Card Type: Micro SD; Micro SDHC
·
File Type: JPG
Power Source
·
Battery Type: Lithium-Ion
·
CIPA Rating: 260
Box Contents
·
Box Contents: No Data
Dimensions
·
Weight: 88g
·
Width: 93.8mm
·
Height: 53.5mm
·
Depth: 17.6mm
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