Panasonic FZ35 Review @ PhotographyBLOG

Hi David,

Thanks for your “in-the-field user report” on this camera! This is the kind of feedback that our readers find the most useful.

I’ve gone back to the 4 expert reviews available on the Web. 2 reviewers do not find any noise issue at ISO 80, while 2 actually find something similar to your experience, especially with noise in the shadows.

Check them out:

- PhotographyBLOG: “…noise-free images at ISO 80-200.”
- TrustedReviews: “80 ISO is a new setting for the FZ38. The image quality is exceptionally good with no trace of image noise.”
- DCRP (dcresource): “At the base ISO of 80 you will spot a fair amount of noise in shadow areas of your photos — more than I would’ve liked to see. You’ll also see some noise reduction artifacting at times, though it doesn’t really start to smear details away until you get above ISO 400.”
- Imaging Resource: “In this very difficult sample, we’re also seeing yellow blotches that actually start at ISO 80 and continue to grow all the way up through ISO 1,600.”

Are your noisy pictures of daytime (bright adequate lighting) or of low-light (dim lighting) scenes?

David,

The example you linked to does look quite noisy, but then the face is in the shadows.

Here’s a test to try:
- Turn off noise suppression (for low light and for long exposures).
- Use minimum compression and highest resolution.
- Do not use any digital zoom.
- Use ISO 80.
- Use a scene where there is bright and shadow.
- Get proper exposure (the example above is underexposed).

Result: hopefully, and some noise in the shadow.

From the 4 reviews available, you should see minimal noise in the bright part and a fair amount of noise in the shadows.

Hi Will,

-2 will give you less noise reduction (and possibly higher image quality); +2 will give you more noise reduction (and possibly lower image quality). I always use -2 and do any noise reduction (if necessary) in post processing.