A perfect balance between photo quality, size and price

I bought the Lumix FX10 10 days ago after trying the Pentax M30, and the Nikon S200.
Ten days of extensive test and now, I can give you my first conclusion.
I will look at it through 4 aspects: Characteristics, Ergonomics, Photo quality and then a global opinion.

Characteristics

If you are looking at the Lumix FX10, you want a small sub-compact camera. As it is not the smallest (the Pentax M30 is 0,7087 inch thick instead of 0,9528 inches for the FX10), it really easily fits into any pocket. Its weight of 5,4 ounces make it noticeable but not annoying, and you feel it well in your hand while taking picture. That weight gives it just enough inertia to be more stable when being used.
It have a Leica lens, this is a name for quality and confidence.
The FX10 is a 6 mega pixels camera instead of 7 mega pixels for the FX12 (the only difference I could find). Setting at 6 mega pix give you pretty large photo file, up to 3 meg. It is possible to take picture under 6 but you will have to lower to 3 mega pixels directly, 4 and 5 are not available. A positive effect here is that the 3 times zoom become an extended zoom at 4,1 times at 3 mega pixel. I didn’t use the numeric zoom as I find that it degrade the picture too much.
Working at 3 mega pixel still give very detailed photos at approx 1,3 meg at the lower compression rate. You can put approximately 700 pictures on a 1 gig SD card at that setting.
The LCD screen have 3 settings and it is possible to see well in it in every circumstances (direct sunlight or over your head).
You will often find yourself touching the LCD screen with your fingers because it take almost all the back place of the camera. A wipe towel is useful …
The most important characteristic of the FX10 is its optic stabilisation. Believe me, it work and give it an advance over the competition. There are two settings for the stabilisation. I worked with the second one that stabilise while depressing the shutter button. You can work at lower ISO and speed setting for achieving sharp result without noise.
It has a Lithium-ion battery that charge in approx. 130 minutes. In real life condition, I took more that 225 pictures over 3 days while playing a lot with the zoom control, using the flash and with the LCD screen at the extra luminous setting and I still have power in it.
Another positive characteristic is that you can press the display button while looking at the numerous scene modes and get an explanation of that mode on the LCD screen. Very useful and when you know it you do not have to look at it automatically, so it do not bothered you.
When you turn on the camera, you can take a photo in approximately 1 to 1,5 second after then power is on. With the economy mode on, the camera turn itself off after a selected time and any use of a control turn it back on instantly.
When in the photo taking mode, you can easily go to the viewing mode just by activating a push button on the buttons pad. It is not necessary to use the rotating mode button so it is faster and you go back to the shooting mode just by touching the shutter button. Very useful and fast.
The owner manual is very well written, easy to understand and very complete.
The charger is plugged directly in the wall outlet. A good point as you does not have to bring an electric cord with you while going somewhere. As you want it as small as possible, this is a positive point. However, you have to take the battery off the camera to put it in the charger.
I did not use the included software, so I cannot talk about it.

Ergonomic

The controls are mostly activated with your right thumb and index. It is small but you felt them well under the fingers. The zoom control is a rotating ring over the shutter button. It is more difficult to operate than the rocking one on other camera. It is not very natural to put aside that ring and I often shake the camera while doing it.
Holding the FX10 with one hand make your thumb to be over the controls and sometimes activate them without wanting it. Never happen while holding it with two hands.
There is a rotating control for the mode selection instead of a menu on the screen like some others. As that control do not look very solid, it is easily operated and it is well protected under the top of the camera. Only a third of that control is visible. At the beginning, I was not sure to witch side turning that control to get what I want because you do not see more than one mode on each side of the one that is selected. But when you touch that control, you see on the LCD screen a drawing in 3D that is very clear and make you operate it convivially.
The only point that I do not like is that the battery and SD card door has a lock button that is not spring loaded. Therefore, when you close it, you have to push back the lock in place. It happens to me that I did not push it all the way back without noticing it and the door open itself later. It does not seem very solid while opened, so you have to be careful while operating it.

Photo quality

This is the most important part of the camera. Everything can be perfect, if the photo quality is not there, it is not interesting.
With the stabilisation on, the Lumix FX10 take sharp and detailed photos in almost all condition. The intelligent ISO mode selected the lowest ISO setting to get a sharp shot without creating noise. With the intelligent ISO setting on, the higher ISO that I reach is 400 and the result was surprising. With the camera in my hand, at 1/15 of a second, I still get a sharp and not noisy result. Impressive.
Working with the flash also gives very good results. It recharges itself in approximately 2 seconds.
The macro mode is nothing but perfect. Fast and precise focus, detailed pictures.
It is not possible to select an aperture or a speed priority though. However, a good use of the pre-selected modes makes it possible to get what you want otherwise (like selecting the sport mode that will give a higher speed setting to freeze the movement).
The sharpening setting (three steps) on the camera makes a difference. I preferred working with the highest setting, it give result that is more accurate.
The colours are vivid and natural, balance without being too saturated, even while using the flash.
The video mode give 640 X 480 pixels result, but you can get 848 X 480 when using the 16:9 format. You will not be disappointed with the linear result with a correct sound quality (but I did not test that mode extensively).

My global opinion

That almost foolproof camera take very good photos while still give you enough controls to be the one who decided.
Its size is a very good compromise between the ease of use and the carrying possibility. Only its weight will make you notice it (a very little bit), but it also give it an inertia that help operating it.
After taking plus or less 500 photos with it, I can tell that the results are as good as I expected : more precise and detailed than the Pentax M30 (thanks to the optic stabilisation and the efficient sharpening mode) and with much better result while using the flash than with the Nikon S200.
You can always bring this one with you.