The Panasonic Lumix FX01 is a promising camera which unfortunately trips-up where it counts. Image quality is sub-par with noise visible starting at ISO 80 and increasing rapidly from there. At ISO 800 and 1600, the images are so devoid of details, probably due to noise suppression, that they are useless. Otherwise, the FX01 does offer good color, focusing speeds, battery life and a rare wide-angle stabilized zoom lens, equivalent to 28-102 on a 35 mm camera.

Fortunately for Panasonic, there are no other wide-angle zoom ultra-compact cameras to compete with this one at the moment. For those who do not need the wide-angle lens, there are so many better cameras that there is truly no reason to consider the FX01. Superior ultra-compact cameras include the Fuji Finepix F10, the Fuji Finepix V10, the Canon Powershot SD550, the Canon Powershot SD500 and the Sony Cybershot P200. There is also the great Fuji Finepix F810 which has a 32mm equivalent 4X optical-zoom lens, superb image quality and full-manual controls. The F810's main problems are limited low-light capability and poor battery-life.