Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC40 Review

A typical screen in the AUTO mode with icons for the record mode, flash mode, image size 2240x1680, Fine quality, half-full battery and there's space left for 7 more pictures on the card. The green AF target marks and the green "dot" indicate that the shutter is half-pressed and the focus and exposure is now locked. The aperture is F2.2 and the shutter speed is 1/60 sec.

MENU options in AUTO mode are:

• AUDIO REC. - Enable/disable the 5-sec voice note feature.

• PICT. SIZE - Image size (2240 x 1680, 1600x1200, 1120x840 or 640x480)

• QUALITY - Image quality Fine or Standard

• D. ZOOM - Enable/disable digital zoom function

SETUP options are:

• MONITOR - Adjust color LCD backlight

• AUTO REVIEW - Last image captured is auto displayed on color LCD

• BEEP - Camera sounds when buttons are pushed

• POWER SAVE - Set the Auto OFF time value

• NO. RESET - Reset the file numbering

• CLOCK SET - Set the time and date

The screen display in Program AE mode. This is also similar to the display when in any of the "PAS" (Program AE, Aperture priority, Shutter speed priority) modes. Unlike the AUTO mode, the PAS modes give you access to many more recording and exposure options, see next frame for the menu.

MENU options in P/A/S mode are:

• AE MODE - Program, Aperture priority, Shutter speed priority

• W.BALANCE - Set desired white balance (Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom)

• SENSITIVITY - Auto, 100, 200, 400

• SPOT AF - Enable/disable Spot Focus function

• AUDIO REC. - Enable/disable the 5-sec voice note feature

• PICT. SIZE - Image size (2240 x 1680, 1600x1200, 1120x840 or 640x480)

• QUALITY - Image quality TIFF, Fine or Standard

• D. ZOOM - Enable/disable digital zoom function

• PICT. ADJUST - Alter the in-camera image processing:

  • SHARPNESS - Low, Standard, High

  • CONTRAST - Low, Standard, High

  • SATURATION - Low, Standard, High

SETUP options are:

• MONITOR - Adjust color LCD backlight

• AUTO REVIEW - Last image captured is auto displayed on color LCD

• BEEP - Camera sounds when buttons are pushed

• POWER SAVE - Set the Auto OFF time value

• NO. RESET - Reset the file numbering

• CLOCK SET - Set the time and date

The dedicated Macro mode allows you to take closeup pictures, the focus range is dependant on the focal length selected. Wide: 2.4" (6 cm) / Tele: 7.9" (20 cm) - 19.7" (50 cm)

Pressing the Review button brings up the last image captured. It will display for a few seconds and then return to record mode or let you delete the image.

Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) lets you shoot a series of three images with each image using a different exposure value. You can select the offset between 0.25 and 1.0 EV.

The Exposure Compensation screen allows the user to force an over/under exposure value (EV) to be locked into the exposure system's setting. The left/right arrows of the navigation button change the EV setting. The SET button locks the setting and exits the screen.

This is the recording screen when you are in Movie mode - note the red "film strip" icon in the upper left. The flash is disabled and the "microphone" icon indicates that audio recording is enabled. There is available space for 82 seconds of video to be captured. Records 320x240 QVGA resolution at 15fps, maximum of 75 seconds per video clip. The optical zoom is NOT useable while recording motion video but can be preset beforehand.