Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 is a bridge digital camera by Panasonic. It is the successor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20. The highest-resolution pictures it records is 8 megapixels.
The camera has a 12× optical zoom Leica lens and OIS (optical image stabilization). The optical zoom can be increased to 19.1× optical zoom by decreasing the picture resolution to 3 megapixels. It uses proprietary Lithium-Ion batteries and MMC/SD card storage. High-speed SD cards up to 2 GB are supported. There is no storage built into the camera; a memory card is required for all use.
The manual zoom ring allows a smooth progression from 35–420 mm equivalent and silent zooms when recording movies. The camera also includes an "extended optical zoom" system providing greater optical zoom ability when shooting at lower resolutions, giving up to 19.3× optical zoom at 3MP. Apertures from f/2.8 to f/11 are supported, though the larger apertures are not available at high zoom levels (f/3.7 at full zoom). Shutter speeds range from 60 secs to 1/2000 sec. Auto-focus and a "Macro" autofocus modes are available, or a fluid-damped focus ring can be used. The AF-macro setting can be selected for all camera modes. The camera also has a macro capability (5 cm minimum focal range at 1× zoom).
Wide angle and telephoto lens adapters are available from Panasonic. The wide angle converter shoots at 0.7x magnification (24.5 mm) with f/2.8 brightness, while the telephoto adapter provides 1.7× magnification (714 mm) with f/3.7 aperture. Maximum optical zoom available when taking photos at 3MP is thus 32.47x (1137.5 mm). It is also possible to achieve greater limits of wide angle/macro and zoom capability with third-party lens converters, which can be attached to the standard 55 mm filter thread.
Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.
Compact digital camera DMC-LC5 and DMC-F7 were the first products of the Lumix series released in 2001. They are equipped with Leica lenses.
Many Lumix models are fitted with Leica lenses designed by Leica's German optical engineers and are assembled in Japan. Others are rebranded as Leica cameras with different cosmetic stylings. Leica had a similar relationship with Minolta in the past, where late model Leica SLRs (and some 35 mm point-and-shoot models) were strongly based on Minolta bodies.
Most Lumix cameras use different releases of the Panasonic Venus Engine for digital image processing; the original version (2002) was followed by II (2004), Plus (2005), III (2006), IV (2008), HD, V (2009), and VI, HD II, FHD (2010).
Panasonic produces all of Leica's branded digital point and shoot cameras in Japan, but not film cameras, the Leica M8 or Leica M9 digital rangefinder cameras, or the Digital Modul R digital camera back for the Leica R9 film SLR.