Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 Review

(Note: All screens and menus can be displayed on either the EVF or LCD.)

Typical playback screen with minimal exposure information displayed. Upper right corner has the image size 8M, Fine quality, the battery is fully charged, folder name (100) and image number (0032.) The current image 6 of 216 total images. Time and date is on the bottom status line (if set.)

Pressing the DISPLAY button will put the extended exposure information over the image and includes a histogram, the exposure mode, aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed and flash mode.

Rotating the Aperture Command dial to the left brings up the thumbnail index mode with nine images displayed per page. Rotate the dial again and you can bring up 16 or even 25 images per page, allowing you to quickly sort though saved images.

Rotating the Aperture Command dial to the right allows you to enlarge the current image up to 16X in 2x steps. At any point you can use the 4-way selector to scroll around inside of the enlarged image.

Playback Menu options:

Slide Show - Auto playback of all images or just those selected for DPOF printing
Favorite - Add the image to favorite list
Rotate Display - Automatically rotate vertical images
Rotate - Manually rotates images
DPOF Print - Select one or all images for later printing
Protect - Protect/Unprotect one or all images
Audio Dub - Add up to a 10-second audio note to a still image
Resize - Make a smaller image
Trimming - Create a new smaller image from a zoom-cropped larger image.
Aspect Conversion - convert image to different aspect ratio
Clean Up - Delete multiple images to free up space on memory card
Format - Format the memory card

The Resize option lets you "down size" larger images.

The Trim option lets you crop an image and save it as a smaller image.

Ten-second audio memos can be recorded and replayed.

Movies are played back fullscreen on the LCD, EVF or a television set when using the supplied audio/video cables. If played back in-camera, the audio portion of a clip is heard on the built-in speaker.

You get VCR like controls to pause, stop, fast forward and rewind.

Setup Menu (same in record or play mode):

Monitor - Adjust the EVF brightness
Auto Review - Auto review after capture (off, 1s, 3s, Zoom)
Play on LCD - Show playback images on EVF or LCD
Power Save - Auto power off delay, 2m, 5m, 10m, Off
MF Assist - Enlarge center of screen during manual focus
Beep - Camera beep sounds, On or Off
Shutter - Shutter release sound-effects
Volume - Internal speaker volume control
Clock Set - Set the time and date
No. Reset - Reset file numbering counter
Reset - Reset all settings to factory default
USB Mode - PC Mass Storage / PictBridge
Video Out - Video output signal format, NTSC or PAL
Highlight - Highlights potentially overexposed areas of an image during Auto Review
Scene Menu - Display scene menu Automatically when selected or never
Language - Menu language; English, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Japanese