Panasonic Lumix FT7
The Panasonic Lumix FT7 is the latest model in a long line of tough compacts. Audley Jarvis sets out to discover just how tough a camera it really is
Audley Jarvis takes to the water with this latest tough compact
Thanks to Cornwall’s direct exposure to the North Atlantic, we’re blessed with some of the the best and most consistent waves in the UK. As a result surfing has long been a popular pursuit down there. I must admit that I’m not a particularly good surfer myself, but having grown up in Cornwall and learned the basics as a teenager I still enjoy the occasional paddle out, especially when the water is at its warmest towards the end of summer, and preferably when the waves are at a fun yet manageable height. So when Amateur Photographer called to ask if I would like to take the recently released Panasonic Lumix FT7 into the water and share my thoughts about it, I jumped at the chance. In my initial enthusiasm I kind of forgot that I’ve never actually taken pictures in the sea before. Sure, I’ve stood on the shore with a telephoto lens attached to my DSLR and photographed friends surfing on plenty of occasions, but never from the water itself.
Surf’s up
It’s in these circumstances that I find myself arriving at Trebarwith Strand beach on a warm and mostly sunny day at the end of August. The wind is onshore so the 3ft waves out to sea are looking a little ragged, with the odd bigger and cleaner wave coming through every now and again. While professional surf photographers usually go in only with flippers for maximum manoeuvrability, I decide to take
my bodyboard in and use it as a platform so that I can shoot from a prone position. Having familiarised myself with the FT7 and tied it to my wrist, I paddle out and give it a go.
Getting out proves easy enough; however I quickly discover that trying to take pictures in the water – especially in the churning white water just in front of where the waves are breaking – is a lot more difficult than I’d anticipated back on dry land. On top of this the limitations of the FT7 soon begin to reveal themselves.
The first problem I encounter is that the FT7’s upgraded 3in rear LCD display – which now employs 1.04-million- dot pixels compared to 460,000 dots on the FT5 – inexplicably fogs up to the point of being unusable. This happens within a few minutes of jumping in, forcing me to use the FT7’s newly introduced 0.2in electronic viewfinder instead. Shooting through it is just about manageable, but navigating the in- camera menu proves much more difficult. While I don’t have any major complaints with the FT7’s general handling, it would certainly help if some of the buttons were a bit bigger – especially the zoom control, which I find small and fiddly to operate under pressure.
Autofocus issues
The main issue I encounter while trying to use the FT7 in the sea, however, is autofocus performance. Given that I’m trying to capture relatively fast-moving subjects framed by a constantly shifting background I decide to activate the camera’s AF Tracking mode. While this seems like the most practical option, having to repeatedly reset and lock the tiny focus box on to my subject through the FT7’s viewfinder while bobbing around in the sea proves tricky, to say the least. In keeping with many other small-sensor compacts, the FT7 also suffers from a slight shutter delay, which in such a dynamic environment adversely affects my ability to time my shutter-button presses correctly. Processing times are a little on the slow side too, and on more than one occasion I find myself waiting for the camera to catch up while the action is happening in front of me.
Reviewing my images back on dry land I’m struck, not to mention disappointed, by just how many of my images aren’t in focus. I should probably point out that, faced with less- demanding scenarios on dry land, the autofocus performance isn’t so much of an issue. On the contrary it’s both fast and accurate enough for most general-shooting purposes. However, for such demanding conditions in the water it’s just not quite up to scratch and has room for improvement.
4K Photo
During my first session in the water I also decide to try out the FT7’s 4K Photo mode. While this has become a staple feature on many Lumix cameras, this is the first
‘For regular surfers GoPro action cameras are by far the most popular choice’
time the technology has made it into one of the company’s tough compacts. With its various capture modes it’s certainly a great way to capture action sequences, but the results are hugely dependent on autofocus performance. And, again, while this works quite well in a more controlled environment, out at sea with moving water everywhere it proves inconsistent. In total I manage to take around 170 images before the FT7’s battery packs up. I leave the beach slightly disappointed but determined to learn from my experience and do better next time.
At the risk of stating the obvious it’s probably worth pointing out that professional surf photographers don’t really use cameras like the Lumix FT7. Instead, they tend to opt for high- end mirrorless cameras with advanced video capabilities such as the sony A7s II, enclosing them within expensive waterproof housing units. For regular surfers GoPro action cameras are by far the most popular choice, thanks mostly to their ultra wideangle lenses and 4K/Full HD video abilities. By taking the FT7 out into the north Atlantic surf, we’re pushing it to its limits and perhaps even slightly beyond. One thing we can say in the FT7’s favour though, is that the camera did at least survive its ordeal. shortly after getting out of the water, the rear LCD display begins to de-fog too, which comes as a huge relief.
Going manual
A few days later I decide to try again. This time the venue is Widemouth Bay. Arriving first thing in the morning the sky is unfortunately a bit grey and the light a bit flat. The surf, however, is a consistent 3- 4ft. Better still, a cross- offshore wind is helping to hold the waves up, giving them a much better shape than at Trebarwith.
Having reflected on my experiences at Trebarwith, I decide to try a slightly different approach. This time I put the camera into manual mode and dial in a shutter speed of 1/1000sec, leaving the camera to choose the sensitivity setting automatically. There’s plenty of light so I’m confident that the camera won’t raise the IsO too high. Wading into the sea I’m hugely relieved when the rear display doesn’t fog up as it did previously. I’m still faced with the conundrum of trying to get myself in the right position at the right time, but I’m happy to take a bit of a beating from the surf if it means I’m in a better position to capture some action sequences of surfers catching the waves.
Image quality
The best part of three hours later, and just as the sun finally decides to come out, I emerge from the sea with another 170 or so images. My hit rate hasn’t improved dramatically, if I’m honest, and numerous images suffer from being either slightly mistimed or a bit blurred. That said though, I have managed to capture a few keepers. On reviewing the images in greater detail later that day, the overall image quality reveals itself to be very much in keeping with what I’d expect of a 20.4MP 1/2.3in sensor – which is slightly better than a cameraphone but way off what I’d expect to achieve with a Micro Four Thirds, APs-C or full-frame camera protected in an underwater housing. Examining my images closely at 100% in Lightroom reveals that fine detail is prone to the smearing effect that is common in many small-sensor compacts. Chromatic aberrations in the form of purple fringing abound on many images too. Perhaps in this regard the next step is for one of the tough compact manufacturers to introduce a one-inch sensor in a future model so as to provide a tangible step-up in overall image quality. Here’s hoping anyway.
I also notice that some of the JPEGs from Widemouth are a little flat and lacking in contrast and impact, which no doubt is partly attributable to the flat lighting conditions on the day. It’s at this point that I find myself wishing the Lumix FT7 supported raw capture so I can push and pull the image further in Lightroom, which the excellent Olympus TG-5 does allow.
Final thoughts
Tough compacts have been around for several years now and, while the specifications and features vary between individual brands and models, they are all designed to withstand the kind of environments and treatment that would all but destroy regular compacts. As Panasonic’s flagship tough compact the FT7 is waterproof to 31m, drop-proof up to 2m (6.6ft), crush-resistant up to 100kg, and freeze-proof down to -10°C. This makes it ideal for use on the beach and for light snorkelling/diving purposes, as well as on the ski slopes or for hiking expeditions in the great outdoors. Our field testing did reveal its limitations though, especially with regard to AF performance and general operational speed. As such it’s not a camera we would really recommend for capturing fast-moving action in dynamic or challenging environments. Put another way, while the FT7 undoubtedly benefits from tough construction, it’s not a particularly dynamic camera. This isn’t necessarily a criticism; just so long as potential buyers are aware of its limitations in advance and are instead primarily looking to purchase it for its tank-like construction and ability to be used in places that would be wholly out- of-bounds to regular compacts.