Panasonic Dmc Fz18 Operating Instructions Manual

							Preparation
11VQT1F83
 Attach the strap to the other side of the 
camera being careful not to twist it.
 Check that the strap is firmly attached to 
the camera.
 Attach the strap so that the “L
UMIX” LOGO 
is on the outside.
 We recommend attaching the strap when 
using the camera to prevent it from 
dropping.
Attaching the Lens 
Hood
In bright sunlight or backlight, the lens hood 
will minimize lens flare and ghosting. The 
lens hood cuts off excess lighting and 
improves the picture quality.
 Check that the camera is turned off.
 Close the flash.
1Securely attach the hood adaptor 
(supplied) so that it is all the way 
into the lens barrel.
 Do not tighten the hood adaptor too 
much.
2Place the camera upside down, 
align the mark on the lens hood 
with the mark A on the camera 
and then insert the lens hood.
 Make sure the screw is loose and then 
attach the lens hood.
3Tighten the screw.
 Do not tighten the screw too much.
∫Removing the hood adaptor
 Grasp the base of the hood adaptor to 
remove it.
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							Preparation
12VQT1F83
 You cannot attach the lens hood the 
opposite way.
 When taking pictures with flash with the 
lens hood attached, the lower portion of 
the photo may turn dark (vignetting effect) 
and the control of the flash may be 
disabled because the photo flash may be 
obscured by the lens hood. We 
recommend detaching the lens hood.
 When using the AF assist lamp in the 
dark, detach the lens hood.
 For details on how to attach the MC 
protector and the ND filter, refer to P118.
 You cannot attach the tele conversion lens 
and the close-up lens when the hood 
adaptor is attached.
 For information about [CONVERSION], 
refer to P86.
 If any accessories are lost, customers in 
the USA should contact Panasonic’s parts 
department at 1 800 833-9626 and 
customers in Canada should contact 
1 800 99-LUMIX (1-800-995-8649) for 
further information about obtaining 
replacement parts.
Quick Guide
This is an overview of how to record and 
play back pictures with the camera. For 
each step, be sure to refer to the pages 
indicated in brackets.
1Charge the battery. (P13)
The battery is not charged when the 
camera is shipped. Charge the 
battery before use.
2Insert the battery and the card. 
(P15)
When you do not use the card, you 
can record or play back pictures on 
the built-in memory. (P16) Refer to 
P16 when you use a card.
3Turn the camera on to take 
pictures.
 Set the clock. (P17)
1Set the mode dial to [ ].
2Press the shutter button to take 
pictures. (P25)
4Play back the pictures.
1Set the mode dial to [ ].
2Select the picture you want to view. 
(P33)
OFF ON
CUSTOM
CUSTOM
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							Preparation
13VQT1F83
Charging the Battery 
with the Charger
The battery is not charged when the 
camera is shipped. Charge the battery 
before use.
1Insert the battery terminals and 
attach the battery to the charger.
2Connect the charger to the 
electrical outlet.
 Charging starts when the [CHARGE] 
indicator A lights green.
 Charging is complete when the 
[CHARGE] indicator A turns off (after 
about 120 minutes).
 When the [CHARGE] indicator flashes, 
read P14.
3Detach the battery after charging 
is completed.
 After charging is completed, be sure to 
disconnect the power supply device from 
the electrical outlet.
 The battery becomes warm after using it 
and during and after charging. The 
camera also becomes warm during use. 
This is not a malfunction.
 The battery will be exhausted if left for a 
long period of time after being charged. 
Recharge the battery when it is 
exhausted.
 The battery can be charged even if it is 
not fully discharged.
Use the dedicated charger and battery.
Charge the battery with the charger 
indoors.
Do not disassemble or modify the 
charger.
Do not leave any metal items (such as 
clips) near the contact areas of the 
power plug. Otherwise, a fire and/or 
electric shocks may be caused by 
short-circuiting or the resulting heat 
generated.
About the Battery 
(charging/number of recordable 
pictures)
∫The battery life
The number of recordable pictures
(By CIPA standard in program AE mode 
[])
Recording conditions by CIPA standard
 Temperature: 23 °C (73.4 °F)/
Humidity: 50% when LCD monitor is on.
¢
 Using a Panasonic SD Memory Card 
(16 MB).
 Using the supplied battery.
Number of 
recordable 
picturesApprox. 400 pictures 
(Approx. 200 min)
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							Preparation
14VQT1F83
 Starting recording 30 seconds after the 
camera is turned on. (When the optical 
image stabilizer function is set to 
[MODE1].)
Recording once every 30 seconds with 
full flash every second recording.
 Rotating the zoom lever from Tele to Wide 
or vice versa in every recording.
 Turning the camera off every 
10 recordings and leaving it until the 
temperature of the battery decreases.
¢The number of recordable pictures 
decreases in Auto power LCD mode, 
Power LCD mode and High angle 
mode (P39).
 CIPA is an abbreviation of 
[Camera & Imaging Products 
Association].
The number of recordable pictures 
when using the Viewfinder
(Recording conditions comply with CIPA 
standard.)
Playback time when using the LCD 
monitor
The number of recordable pictures and 
playback time will vary depending on the 
operating conditions and storing condition 
of the battery.∫Charging
Charging time and number of recordable 
pictures with the optional battery pack 
(CGR-S006A) are the same as above.
 The [CHARGE] indicator lights when 
charging starts.
∫When the [CHARGE] indicator flashes
 The battery is over discharged 
(discharged excessively). In a while, 
[CHARGE] indicator will light up and 
normal charging will start.
 The battery temperature is excessively 
high or low. The charging time will be 
longer than normal. Also, charging may 
not be completed.
 The terminals of the charger or the battery 
are dirty. In this case, wipe them with a dry 
cloth.
 When the operating time of the camera 
becomes extremely short even after 
properly charging the battery, the life of 
the battery may have expired. Buy a new 
battery. 
∫Charging conditions
 Charge the battery in a temperature 
between 10oC to 35oC (50oF to 95oF). 
(The battery temperature should also be 
the same.)
 The performance of the battery may 
temporarily deteriorate and the operating 
time may become shorter in low 
temperature conditions (e.g. skiing/
snowboarding).
 The battery may swell and its operating 
time may become shorter as the number 
of times it is charged increases. For long 
term battery use, we recommend you do 
not frequently charge the battery before it 
is exhausted. The number of recordable pictures 
varies depending on the recording 
interval time.
If the recording interval time becomes 
longer, the number of recordable 
pictures decreases.
[e.g. When recording once every 
2 minutes, the number of recordable 
pictures decreases to about 100.]
Number of 
recordable 
picturesApprox. 400 pictures 
(Approx. 200 min)
Playback 
timeApprox. 420 min
Charging 
timeApprox. 120 min
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							Preparation
15VQT1F83
Inserting and 
Removing the Card 
(optional)/the Battery
 Check that this unit is turned off.
 Close the flash.
 Prepare a card. (optional)
You can record or play back pictures 
on the built-in memory when you are 
not using a card.
1Slide the card/battery door to 
open it.
Always use genuine Panasonic 
batteries (CGR-S006A).
If you use other batteries, we cannot 
guarantee the quality of this product.
2Battery:
Insert it fully being careful about 
the direction you insert it.
Pull the lever A in the direction of 
the arrow to remove the battery.
Card:
Push it fully until it clicks being 
careful about the direction you 
insert it. 
To remove the card, push the card 
until it clicks, then pull the card 
out upright. 
 Do not touch the connection terminals 
of the card.
 The card may be damaged if it is not 
fully inserted.
31:
Close the card/battery door.
2:
Slide the card/battery door to the 
end and then close it firmly.
 If the card/battery door cannot be 
completely closed, remove the card, 
check its direction and then insert it 
again.
 Remove the battery after use.
Do not remove the battery with the 
camera turned on since the settings on 
the camera may not be stored properly.
The supplied battery is designed only 
for the camera. Do not use it with any 
other equipment.
Do not insert or remove the battery or 
the card while this unit is turned on. 
The data on the built-in memory or the 
card may be damaged. Be particularly 
careful while the built-in memory or the 
card is being accessed. (P24)
We recommend using a Panasonic 
card.
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							Preparation
16VQT1F83
About the Built-in 
Memory/the Card 
(optional)
The built-in memory can be used as a 
temporary storage device when the card 
being used becomes full.
You can copy the recorded pictures to a 
card. (P109)
∫Built-in Memory [ ]
You can record or play back pictures 
with the built-in memory. (The built-in 
memory cannot be used when a card is 
inserted.)
The built-in memory capacity is about 
27 MB.
Picture size is fixed to QVGA 
(320k240 pixels) when recording 
motion pictures to the built-in memory.
∫Card [ ]
When a card is inserted, you can record 
or play back pictures on a card.
∫Card (optional)
 The SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory 
Card and MultiMediaCard are small, 
lightweight, removable external cards. 
Read P5 for information about cards that 
can be used in this unit.
 The SDHC Memory Card is a memory 
card standard decided by the SD 
Association in 2006 for high capacity 
memory cards more than 2 GB.
 The reading/writing speed of an SD 
Memory Card and an SDHC Memory 
Card is fast. Both types of card are 
equipped with a Write-Protect switch A 
that prevents writing and formatting the 
card. (If the switch is slid to the [LOCK] 
side, it is not possible to write or delete 
data on the card and format it. When the switch is slid to the other side, these 
functions become available.)
 This unit (SDHC compatible equipment) is 
compatible with SD Memory Cards based 
on SD Memory Card Specifications and 
formatted in FAT12 system and FAT16 
system. It is also compatible with SDHC 
Memory Cards based on SD Memory 
Card Specifications and formatted in 
FAT32 system.
 You can use an SDHC Memory Card in 
equipment that is compatible with SDHC 
Memory Cards however you cannot use 
an SDHC Memory Card in equipment that 
is only compatible with SD Memory Cards. 
(Always read the operating instructions for 
the equipment being used. If you also 
order a photo studio to print pictures, ask 
the photo studio before printing.) (P5)
 Refer to P130 for information about the 
number of recordable pictures and the 
available recording time for each Card.
 We recommend using High Speed SD 
Memory Cards/SDHC Memory Cards 
when recording motion pictures.
 The data on the built-in memory or the 
card may be damaged or lost due to 
electromagnetic waves, static electricity or 
breakdown of the camera or the card. We 
recommend storing important data on a 
PC etc.
 Do not format the card on your PC or 
other equipment. Format it on the camera 
only to ensure proper operation. (P110)
 Keep the Memory Card out of reach of 
children to prevent swallowing.
2
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							Preparation
17VQT1F83
Setting Date/Time 
(Clock Set)
∫Initial setting
The clock is not set so the following screen 
appears when you turn the camera on.
A[MENU/SET] button
BCursor buttons
CMode dial
1Press [MENU/SET].
2Press 3/4/2/1 to select the 
date and time.
ATime at the home area
BTime at the travel destination (P69)
2/1: Select the desired item.
3/4: Set the display order for the date 
and time.
 : Cancel without setting the clock.
3Press [MENU/SET] to set. Turn the camera off after setting the 
clock. Then set the mode dial to a 
recording mode to turn the camera on 
and check whether or not the clock 
setting is correct.
1Press [MENU/SET].
2Press 3/4 to select [CLOCK SET].
3Press 1 and then perform steps 
2 and 3 to set the clock.
4Press [MENU/SET] to close the menu.
 You can also set the clock in the 
[SETUP] menu. (P20)
 When a fully charged battery has been 
inserted for more than 24 hours, charging 
of the built-in battery for the clock is 
completed so the clock setting will be 
stored (in the camera) for at least 
3 months even if the battery is removed. 
(If you insert a battery that is not 
sufficiently charged, the length of time that 
the clock setting is stored may become 
less.) However the clock setting is 
canceled after this time. In this case, set 
the clock again.
 You can set the year from 2000 to 2099. 
The 24-hour system is used.
 If the clock is not set, the correct date 
cannot be printed when you stamp the 
date on the pictures with [TEXT STAMP] 
(P101) or order a photo studio to print the 
pictures.
 If the clock is set, the correct date can be 
printed even if the date is not displayed on 
the screen of the camera.
OFF ON
:
:
Changing the clock setting
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							Preparation
18VQT1F83
About the Mode Dial
If you turn on this unit and then rotate 
the mode dial, you can not only switch 
between recording and playback but 
also switch to a scene mode that 
matches your recording purpose.
∫Switching the mode by rotating the 
mode dial
Align a desired mode with part A.
Rotate the mode dial slowly and surely to 
adjust to each mode. (The mode dial 
rotates 360o)
 The above screen B appears on the LCD 
monitor/Viewfinder if the mode dial is 
rotated. (P23)
The mode currently selected appears on 
the LCD monitor/Viewfinder when the 
camera is turned on.
∫Basic∫Advanced
Advanced scene mode
Program AE mode (P25)
The exposure is automatically adjusted by 
the camera.
Intelligent auto mode (P28)
Use this mode to have the camera 
automatically handle all settings for taking 
pictures.
CUSTOM
Playback mode (P33)
This mode allows you to play back 
recorded pictures.
Aperture-priority AE mode (P50)
The shutter speed is automatically 
determined by the aperture value you set.
Shutter-priority AE mode (P50)
The aperture value is automatically 
determined by the shutter speed you set.
Manual exposure mode (P51)
The exposure is adjusted by the aperture 
value and the shutter speed which are 
manually adjusted.
Custom mode (P56)
Use this mode to take pictures with 
previously registered settings.
Motion picture mode (P65)
This mode allows you to record motion 
pictures.
Print mode (P113)
Use this to print pictures.
Scene mode (P59)
This allows you to take pictures that match 
the scene being recorded.
Portrait mode (P57)
Use this mode to take pictures of people.
Scenery mode (P58)
Use this mode to take pictures of scenery.
Sports mode (P58)
Use this mode to take pictures of sporting 
events, etc.
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							Preparation
19VQT1F83
Setting the Menu
∫Displaying the menu screens
Press [MENU/SET].e.g.: The first page of the total 4 pages is 
displayed.
AMenu icons
BCurrent page
CMenu items and settings
 Rotate the zoom lever while selecting the 
menu item to switch to the next/previous 
page easily.
 The menu icons and the menu items that 
are displayed differ depending on the 
position of the mode dial.
∫About the menu icons
: The [CUSTOM] mode is displayed.∫Setting menu items
 The following example shows how to set 
[PICT.SIZE] when program AE mode [ ] 
is selected.
1Press 3/4 to select the menu 
item.
 Press 4 at A to switch to the next 
screen.
2Press 1.
Night portrait mode (P58)
Use this mode to take pictures of night 
scenes and people with night time 
scenery.
[REC] mode menu (P71)
This is displayed when the mode dial is 
set to [ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/
[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ].
[PLAY] mode menu (P93)
This is displayed when the mode dial is 
set to [ ].
Advanced scene mode menu 
(P57)
This is displayed when the mode dial is 
set to [ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ].
ABC
[SCENE MODE] menu (P59)
This is displayed when the mode dial is 
set to [ ].
[SETUP] menu (P20)
This is displayed when the mode dial is 
set to [ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/
[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ].
[CUSTOM] mode menu (P56)
This is displayed when the mode dial is 
set to [ ].
A
or
or
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							Preparation
20VQT1F83
3Press 3/4 to select the setting.
4Press [MENU/SET] to set.
∫Closing the menu screen
Press [MENU/SET]. When the mode dial is set to [ ]/
[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/
[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ]/[ ], you can 
also close the menu screen by pressing 
the shutter button halfway or press the 
center of the joystick to finish.
∫Switching to the [SETUP] menu
1Press 2 on a menu screen.
2Press 4 to select the [SETUP] 
menu icon.
3Press 1.
 Select a menu item next and set it.
About the Setup Menu
 Set items as required.
 Select [RESET] to return the settings to 
the initial settings at the time of purchase. 
(P22)
[CLOCK SET], [AUTO REVIEW] and 
[POWER SAVE] are important items. 
Check their settings before using them.
[CLOCK SET] (P17)
(Changing the date and time.)
Press [ ] to display the [SETUP] menu 
and select the item to set. (P19)
Change date and time.
[AUTO REVIEW]
(Displaying the recorded picture.)
Press [ ] to display the [SETUP] menu 
and select the item to set. (P19)
Set the length of time that the picture is 
displayed after taking it.
 The auto review function is not activated 
in motion picture mode [ ].
 The auto review function is activated 
regardless of its setting when using the 
auto bracket (P46) and burst (P47) 
modes, as well as when recording still 
or
MENUSET
or
or
or[OFF]
[1SEC.]
[3SEC.]
[ZOOM]:The picture is displayed for 
1 second and then enlarged 
4k and displayed for 1 more 
second.
or
MENUSET
MENUSET
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