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Panasonic FP5

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 front
 
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 35-140mm (F3.5-5.9) lens
  • 141g - 101 x 59 x 18mm
  • Launched January 2011
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
95
Imaging
37
Features
33
Overall
35

Panasonic FP5 overview

Panasonic FP5 is Panasonic's Ultracompact camera first launched on January of 2011. It houses a 14 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a maximum resolution of 4320 x 3240.

The FP5 comes in at #42 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & all-around #925 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. Remember to look at our Advanced camera finder to see camera ratings based on your personalized factors.

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Here is a diagram of various criteria used in the scoring system.

Panasonic FP5 family

The Panasonic FP5 is part of a family of cameras. You can see the detailed list underneath.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP5 front thumbnailPanasonic FP535-140mm
F3.5-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP7 front thumbnailPanasonic FP7
FP5 vs FP7
35-140mm
F3.5-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP3 front thumbnailPanasonic FP3
FP5 vs FP3
35-140mm
F3.5-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP1 front thumbnailPanasonic FP1
FP5 vs FP1
35-140mm
F3.5-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP2 front thumbnailPanasonic FP2
FP5 vs FP2
35-140mm
F3.5-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP8 front thumbnailPanasonic FP8
FP5 vs FP8
28-128mm
F3.3-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FS12 front thumbnailPanasonic FS12
FP5 vs FS12
31-124mm
F2.8-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FS15 front thumbnailPanasonic FS15
FP5 vs FS15
29-145mm
F3.3-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009

Panasonic FP5 Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of good and bad points of the Panasonic FP5 based on features which are often viewed as crucial in a camera.

better than average battery (260 per charge)
built in zoom lens (35-140mm 4.0 x zoom)
has built in flash
has image stabilization (Optical)
has touchscreen
provides face detection focus
provides focus via touch
provides tracking autofocus
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
very good min ISO (100)
can't use external flash
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have external microphone port
does not have HDMI port
does not have headphone port
does not have Timelapse mode
focusing manually not possible
lack of manual exposure
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
max zoom aperture not good (f5.9)
no aperture priority
no phase detect auto focus
no RAW format
no shutter priority mode
painfully slow continuous shooting (6.0 frames per second)
screen has low resolution (230 k dot)
screen is fixed
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
wide angle not good (35mm)
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Panasonic FP5 Sensor features

The Panasonic FP5 features the Venus Engine IV chip. The sensor measurement in the Panasonic FP5 is 6.08mm x 4.56mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to resolve 4320 x 3240 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is superior than digital stabilization as the latter might produce cropping.

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The CCD sensor has 14 megapixels and delivers a native ISO range of 100 - 6400. Unfortunately, RAW files are not supported so the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The picture underneath illustrates the FP5's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The FP5 sensor has a crop factor of 5.9 and is presented in green.

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To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Panasonic FP5 dimensions

Panasonic FP5 weighs around 0.31 lb (141g or 4.97 oz) & the physical size of the camera is 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7"). The weight of normal Ultracompact camera is 121g so the Panasonic FP5 is heavier as compared with various rivals.

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Here is a shot of the Panasonic FP5 beside a soda so you can get a sense of its size.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 dimensions scale

The top view under will illustrate the button layout on the FP5.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 topview buttons dials

Panasonic FP5 Lens features

The FP5 provides a built-in lens having a focal range of 35-140mm making it a 4.0 x zoom which won't be ideal however it can be handy in some situations.

At it's widest 35mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.5 and that's somewhat sluggish and not the best for low light circumstances and you will probably struggle to get good bokeh. You could also have to raise your ISO setting leading to noisy files. Towards the long end, 140mm comes with f5.9 which is quite slow and you would have to choose slow shutter speeds.

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Panasonic FP5 Connectivity

The FP5 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Cameras that include NFC and Bluetooth connectivity are able to be used wirelessly through smartphones. You can send photos and sometimes change camera settings without connecting straight with the camera.

Some apps also provide a Liveview and click the shutter whenever you aren't near the camera. If the camera features a HDMI port, it can easily be connected to an external display. Many cameras enable you to recharge the battery with the USB socket.

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Panasonic FP5 Video features

The maximum video resolution in the Panasonic FP5 is 1280 x 720 and you can record in Motion JPEG format. 720p is awful for today's requirements. You should really try to get a minimum 1080p resolution for video recording. The body doesn't feature a microphone and headphone socket so you have absolutely no control over the audio. It is perhaps best to have a look at a different model should you want good audio for your video clips.

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Panasonic FP5 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing for the Panasonic FP5 so you have to be cautious in wet or dusty situations.

Panasonic FP5 Display and Viewfinder

The Panasonic FP5 is equipped with a 3" fixed display having a resolution of 230k dots.

Moreover the display is touch friendly so you are able to change focus points plus adjust settings with your fingertips.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 screen and viewfinder C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon

The View Finder specifications for Panasonic FP5 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are really useful for sunny outdoor situations which will make the camera display washed out and difficult to see.

Panasonic FP5 Shutter features

Panasonic FP5 continuous shooting rate is 6.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/1600s.

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Panasonic FP5 Flash and Hot shoe features

Panasonic FP5 has just built-in flash without external flash ability.

Panasonic FP5 Autofocusing features

Panasonic FP5 has only Contrast Detect Autofocus & is missing Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is more quicker and accurate as compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera supports Face detect making it helpful for portrait photography.

The AF system supports 11 focus points to select from. Panasonic FP5 has tap to focus. You are able to use your fingers in order to shift focus points. It also comes with Tracking Autofocus for moving things. Panasonic FP5 has no manual focus. Manual focus mode is good for low light occasions or you need to have more precise focusing control.

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Panasonic FP5 Battery life

The battery for the Panasonic FP5 is built to last for 260 photos as per the CIPA measurements making it higher than the usual ın comparison with its class. The general Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 has got the highest possible (320) battery life for this category of cameras.

Underneath is a list of Ultracompact cameras that come with the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FP5 front thumbnailPanasonic FP5260 nonono

Panasonic FP5 for various forms of photography

The following graph gives a analysis of the Panasonic FP5 for various forms of photography. To view more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.

Panasonic FP5 Portrait photography features

The Panasonic FP5 has a score of 33 which is lousy, and means the camera is simply not suitable to use for portraits. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimension, RAW support & flexibility to work with external flash.

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MP count decent (14 megapixels)
provides face detect focus
lack of manual focus
no manual control
can't use external flash
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format

Panasonic FP5 Street photography features

Coming in at a above average points tally of 63, the Panasonic FP5 is a good fit for street photography. A very good street photography camera features a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
features focus via touch
no moving screen
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW format

Panasonic FP5 as a Sports photography camera

A lousy sports photography rating of 43 means the Panasonic FP5 is simply not suitable for photographing sports. A camera should have very good focusing plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
offers tracking focus
good battery pack (260 CIPA)
slow fps (6.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
no phase detect autofocus

Panasonic FP5 Travel photography details

Weight is really critical when picking a camera for travel. Over-all, the Panasonic FP5 gets a above average 65 as a travel camera which is a good fit to take on your holidays.

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good battery power (260 shots)
features touch to focus
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
built-in flash
does not have Time Lapse mode
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
wide angle not great (35mm)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5)

Panasonic FP5 Landscape photography information

When you are planning to purchase a camera for landscape pictures, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Panasonic FP5 at it's lousy rating of 40 for a landscape camera is simply not suitable amongst it's rivals.

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screen size is good (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (14 megapixels)
great battery power (260 CIPA)
focusing manually not possible
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not good (35mm)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
lack of manual exposure
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
missing Time Lapse function

Panasonic FP5 Vlogging advice

A camera for vlogging should really have a moving display screen, microphone port and if possible IBIS. Considering everything, the Panasonic FP5 is simply not suitable for vlogging as it receives a lousy rating of 30.

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touchscreen enabled
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focusing
wide angle not the best (35mm)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
does not have selfie friendly screen
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pixels)
does not have mic port

Panasonic FP5 Alternatives

If you are interested in alternatives to the FP5, here is a selection of the top placed cameras that fall into the family of Ultracompact.

The diagram just below gives you a summary of the FP5 vs it's top rated rivals listed previously.

There are more cameras you may have a look at as alternative options. To go through a extensive comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Panasonic
Model
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5
Type
Ultracompact
Launched
2011-01-05
Body design
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Chip
Venus Engine IV
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area
27.7mm²
Sensor resolution
14 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution
4320 x 3240
RAW format
Maximum native ISO
6400
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points
11
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
35-140mm (4.0x)
Maximal aperture
f/3.5-5.9
Macro focus distance
10cm
Crop factor
5.9
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inch
Display resolution
230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display tech
TFT Touch Screen LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO All around score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
60 seconds
Maximum shutter speed
1/1600 seconds
Continuous shooting speed
6.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
4.90 m
Flash options
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1280x720
Video file format
Motion JPEG
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
141g (0.31 pounds)
Physical dimensions
101 x 59 x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7")
Other
Battery life
260 photographs
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots
Single
Retail price
$199