Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 camera

Panasonic’s Lumix FX150 is a pocket camera with hidden depths: the more we used it, the more features we found lurking beneath its boxy exterior.

Not only does it provide 15-megapixel images - the highest resolution currently offered by a compact camera - the FX150 can also shoot maximum-quality Raw images alongside regular JPEG files. That’s a feature usually found in cameras costing twice the price.

Also useful is the E.Zoom button that, with a single press, causes the lens to jump from its maximum wide angle to maximum telephoto, equivalent to 28-100mm on a 35mm camera. A second press of the same button carries out a ‘digital zoom’, a crop of the image so that it appears the camera has zoomed in further (although this results in a loss of quality).

This user-friendliness extends to the Intelligent Auto shooting mode found on the wheel recessed into the top-right of the camera’s back. With this setting selected, it automatically swaps camera settings depending on the subject with which it’s presented. So, for example, if you point the FX150 at a flower, it’ll switch to macro (close-up) mode to make sure the focus is sharp.

Under such circumstances the onboard image stabilisation (the grandly named Mega OIS) also comes in useful, while a mainly metal construction ensures that the camera feels sturdy in the palm despite its slender dimensions and plasticky backplate controls.

Although the FX150 powers up quickly, in just over a second, there is a slight shutter delay as you go on to take shots, so we found ourselves having to fire the shutter in anticipation of actions about to occur.

Otherwise, images were sharp, bright and evenly exposed under daylight, suggesting the FX150 as a safe option for digital camera novices. Get more ambitious, however, for instance attempting interior shots without the flash, and image noise and the blurring effect of hand wobble make their presence known.

Although its list price is high we found the FX150 on sale for a mere £199 at the time of writing, making it a relative bargain for anyone looking for a simple to use point-and-shoot with room to grow.