Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC5 Review

Typical playback screen with the normal overlay data displayed indicating the image size (2240x1680), quality (Fine), picture number / total pictures, folder name and image number. Time and date of capture on the bottom.

This is the extended information that is displayed when the "info" option is enabled. Besides the data normally shown we now also see the aperture value, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity and exposure mode.

Typical of most digicams, the Panasonic Lumix LC-5 can display small thumbnails of the images stored on the SD card. This allows you to quickly search through and jump to any image desired.

To check critical focus, exposure or subject matter you can use the zoomed playback mode. By toggling the zoom lever you can enlarge the picture from 2x to 16x and then scroll around inside using the 4-way navigation switch. By toggling the zoom lever in the opposite direction puts the playback screen into the index mode.

Pressing the menu button during playback mode brings up the PLAY menu screen. The first option allows deletion of a single or all images. PROTECT allows an image to be prevented from deletion. DPOF (digital print order format) marks the image for printing at a retail printing lab or if your printer accepts memory cards directly into the printer without going through the computer. The SLIDE SHOW mode starts the images on the memory card to be played back consecutively for viewing in camera or via the AV cord to a TV. AFTER DUB allows the attachment of a 5 second audio notation to the image. RESIZE is used to change image size post recording.

Choosing the SETUP mode option brings up the following menu screen.

The MONITOR option facilitates the adjustment of monitor brightness up to three steps brighter or darker. VOLUME adjusts speaker output for the beep sounds or audio notation. BEEP has a on/off position and when on allows audible confirmation. POWER SAVE is for setting the delay before the camera goes into sleep mode and powers down. CLOCK SET is used to setup the internal clock and auto date functions that are attached to each image in the EXIF heading. VIDEO OUT mode allows the user to set the video output to the US standard - NTSC or the European standard - PAL.

Movie mode playback is accomplished by the pressing of the SET button when the mode selector is in the movie position and PLAY/RECORD in the play mode.