Panasonic DMC-FX35 Optics

Zoom
The Panasonic FX35's 4x zoom lens is exceptionally wide, with pretty good performance. Digital zoom performance is about average these days.

The Panasonic Lumix FX35 features an optical zoom range equivalent to 25-100mm, which is exceptional in the world of consumer digital cameras. Details are a little soft at full wide angle, with low levels of coma distortion and some blurring in the corners of the frame (and along the right side of the frame as well). Details are better at full telephoto, but the corners are very soft; this is also true at the middle focal lengths, quite a disappointment. The camera's 4x digital zoom performs about average, with pretty good detail but a lot of artifacts.

Macro
An average-sized macro area with good detail and high resolution. Closest focusing distance is too close for the flash.

The Panasonic FX35's macro setting performed about average, capturing a minimum area of 2.45 x 1.84 inches (62 x 47 millimeters). Detail and resolution were both good, though there's some moderate softening in the corners from the lens. (Most cameras have some softening in the corners in macro mode.) The Panasonic FX35's flash had trouble throttling down for the macro area, and was also partially blocked by the lens, resulting in a very uneven exposure. Plan on using external lighting for any macro shots with the Panasonic FX35.

Distortion
Low barrel distortion and pincushion.

This is the tendency for the lens to bend straight lines outward (like a barrel -- usually at wide angle) or inward (like a pincushion -- usually at telephoto). The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35's 0.4% barrel distortion at wide angle is much lower than average, and actually surprisingly low considering the 25mm equivalent rating. At the telephoto end, the DMC-FX35's 0.1% pincushion distortion is also low.

Chromatic aberration
Low at wide angle and telephoto. Only a small amount in the top left corner at full wide angle.

Chromatic aberration is low at wide angle, showing only about 8-10 pixels of very faint coloration on either side of the target lines, and really only in the upper left corner. At telephoto, there is no visible chromatic aberration. (This distortion is visible as a slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.)

Corner Sharpness
Strong blurring in the corners of the frame at wide angle and telephoto settings, strongest in the lower corners.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 produced very soft corners of the frame at full wide angle and telephoto, with the strongest blurring in the lower corners. Blurring is noticeable in some of the DMC-FX35's images.

Coverage
Very good accuracy from the DMC-FX35's LCD monitor.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35's LCD monitor showed about 101% coverage accuracy at wide angle, and about 100% at telephoto. Excellent results!