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Panasonic has developed an enviable reputation for producing extremely high quality and technically innovative cameras, so it's no surprise that when it turns its corporate hand to an underwater compact the result is something interesting.

At first glance one might think that Panasonic had simply copied the Olympus mju formula, and indeed there are a number of similarities between the FT1 and the mju 8000. Measuring 98.3 x 63.1 x 23.0 mm there is only a difference of a few millimetres in size, although at approximately 183g including card and battery the Panasonic is quite a bit lighter. In style too there are obvious parallels, such as the corner-lens configuration, all-metal body with brushed finish and those macho exposed screw heads. The price is also not dissimilar, with the FT1 currently selling for around £260. However the Panasonic's tough-guy credentials aren't quite as impressive as the Olympus model. It's only waterproof to a depth of three metres, and can withstand falls of 1.5m.


Photographically too there are similarities; the FT1 has a 12.1-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD sensor and a 2.7-inch 230k monitor, however that's where the comparison diverges, because the FT1 has the longest zoom range of all of today's test cameras, a 4.6x zoom lens with a focal length equivalent to 28-128mm. This extra capability at both the wide and telephoto ends of the zoom range give the FT1 a versatility that the other models lack, but it doesn't stop there. The FT1 can also shoot HD video at a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels at 30fps, recorded in the high quality AVCHD Lite format, similar to the Panasonic TZ7.

Recent Panasonic cameras have a reputation for very fast performance, and in this respect the FT1 is the best of the bunch. It has a shot-to-shot time of approximately 1.7 seconds, which is fast by any standard, while in continuous mode it can manage approximately 0.6 frames per second. The autofocus system is excellent, focusing quickly and accurately even in quite low light.

In terms of image quality the FT1 is a close second to the Canon D10. The lens is very good, producing nice sharp images from corner to corner with minimal distortion even at 28mm, but I did notice an odd pattern of artefacts on nearly every image, especially those with high contrast. This may be a product of an automatic contrast balancing operation, but if so it's very heavy-handed. Other than this however the overall image quality is excellent. Colour reproduction is superb, and image noise is well generally handled. Panasonic's noise reduction system looks heavy-handed on the screen, but it does produce very nice prints.

Verdict
There is no clear winner here, with each camera having its own strengths and weaknesses. The little Fuji W33 is the ideal budget snapshot camera for an active lifestyle, but the Canon D10, while less pocketable is the best performer underwater and has the best overall image quality. The Olympus mju 8000 in unquestionably the toughest of the bunch, while the Panasonic FT1 has the advantage of a wider zoom range and HD video recording. If I had to pick one for myself, it would probably be the FT1 for its versatility, but it wouldn't be an easy decision.

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