good all-round camera, but not a high flyer

The camera will appear to make any Fotofreund satisfied: it is largely manually adjustable but there are also countless automatics.
I want to make on the one hand without much fumbling and time snapshots, on the other hand, should not fall by the wayside quality. Therefore, in my opinion, most automatic programs over target shoot out and must be limited. Or may not be enough 1 Program for all shooting situations.

I have the camera now for a few weeks and have multiple 100 pictures snapped. Of the same motives with different settings.

> The new EXR mode rather disappointed.
>> EXR Auto should not use it because 1. the ISO value can not be limited (provoked strong noise) and 2 operates the camera continuously searches for the right attitude and focus, which makes it constantly sounds and a lot of power consumed.
>> The HR mode puts its priority on the detail. If re-setting the picture quality in general to "fine", I can not see any differences in the detail compared to other programs.
>> The SN mode to suppress noise. This one creates with the ISO-limitation to 800 and the resolution Reduzieung to "M" (almost 6MPixel). Incidentally, the SN mode also switches automatically to the lower resolution "M"!
>> The DR mode to provide more dynamic. Under certain lighting conditions this is true, for example, when backlit subjects

Tips:
- If possible, do not take pictures on ISO 800. At higher ISO speeds, the noise is very disturbing. This fully automated EXR program falls ever gone, because it can not be limited (see above). Without limiting the camera quickly switches even at moderate light conditions to ISO 1600th
+ Without flash makes the camera indoors still very good pictures. The anti-blur works excellently. Up to ISO 400 even in dark areas hardly any noise until ISO 800 noise tolerable. The display considerably more noise is the way before recording is shown as afterwards to see in the photo.

+ Dynamic increase is nothing to reduce software technology in my opinion than the contrast. Works so far, so good. The maximum 400% (in EXR DR even 800%) but you should rather not use these images to appear quite pale.

+ The white balance there are many settings that you can try through quickly. Manual white balance is also very fast. Take rather "cloudy" even in bright sunlight, the colors are usually a bit too cold. "Automatic" is better than if you are constantly having different lighting conditions and must change or forget the changeover.

- The "SP" programs are much too special. They do not provide even the most shooting situations for which they are to be there, often the desired result. For "sunset" or "Text", it may be quite useful.

+ With the following setting can provide good images in my estimation the camera in most recording situations ions:
Program "P - AE" (Aperture + exposure is automatically selected) with ISO-limitation to 800 and 200% dynamic. These anti-blur always on, multi-field exposure, face detection, multi-field focusing.

+ AF-priority autofocus speeds and thereby reduces the shutter lag. The camera is then really fast (faster than many other current cameras)
- Disadvantage: the battery is quickly empty

- The battery may be really better in my opinion. He only has 1000 mAh and is empty in my opinion too quickly. Charging takes about 2 hours.

- Red-eye correction works only on the condition that the face is shot from the front and the red pupils are circular (also must have triggered the Face Detection). But this occurs only in about 10% of red-eye photos. This function could have been so leave quietly.

I've also compared the resolution settings together. Stiftung Warentest has indeed complained for years that more pixels does not necessarily have to lead to higher quality. The small design of the photo chip in a compact camera up and physical limits.
So even with this camera. If you increase the photos on your PC, you realize that the photos in the "M" -Resolution and Quality "Fine" must be distinguished (= lower JPEG compression rate) in detail hardly with "L", "fine". When "L", "Normal" you can sometimes even typical JPEG Verwaschungen recognize due to excessive compression. The memory requirement is, however, extremely different:
"M" "fine" - about 2.7MB
"L" "normal" - about 2.9MB
"L", "fine" - 4 to 5MB per image.
I have decided to photograph only with "M", "fine".

+ The Menüführng seems quite logical, the most important settings are within easy reach.

- In the wide angle shows visible distortion occur, as already often criticized here.
+ The 5x zoom is working well and is still strong light
- When you zoom out is again readjusted the optics when you release the zoom lever. The picture (or zoom level) will change after releasing so a little. That can cost you time and hassle for the player if it is to go fast ...

Summary / Conclusion:
The camera is by no means a panacea. But she's a good all-round camera. For automatic friend makes in most shooting situations good to acceptable images. With a lot of testing and / or a lot of expertise, the quality increase by "readjustment" yet. The strengths of the camera in low light conditions.

greatest asset:
+ Powerful 5x zoom
+ Good / fast menu navigation
+ Faster autofocus

biggest minus:
- Distortion at wide angle
- Imprecise and time-consuming zoom out
- While USB connector looks like Standard, he is not! It just past the provided plug into the camera (unless you turn to violence ...
- Colors are usually too pale, not tired enough