Panasonic Lumix FP3 digital camera

 Panasonic's new Lumix camera costs AED 999 in the United Arab Emirates

There's not much you can do to a camera these days that hasn't been done before, so I admire Panasonic Lumix FP3's nuances.

For example, aside from the boring on/off button you can slide down the front lens cover to switch the camera on. It has a generous 3" touchscreen panel that can automatically detect the light around you and change the LCD brightness accordingly. Perfect for when you're outdoors. 

 Perhaps the most useful FP3 feature is the dedicated Intelligent Auto (IA) mode button. Panasonic's IA tech automatically selects settings that match the environment you're trying to capture. It's an all-in-one mode that combines image stabilisation, light sensitivity, face and scene detection and auto focus...and it really works. Even the most novice user will have no problem taking above average shots with IA on the FP3.

But it's the camera's twenty five ‘scene' modes that had me clicking away for hours. There's one for pretty much every situation imaginable - party, food, candlelight, beach, sports... including one specifically for when you want to take aerial shots and one that best suits taking photos of your pet.

Film grain and transform are my favourites scene modes though. Once set on film grain, the camera captures a black and white image but with a traditional grainy twist. It really is quite gorgeous when taking portraits. The transform mode is fun, with you choosing to either ‘stretch' or ‘slim' photo subjects. The results aren't perfect since you have no control over just how much the image is stretched, but the transformation is more than evident.

The FP3 is also capable of HD movie recording, which I found to be good. I tried fast action shots, noticing the same sharp results when I kept the camera steady as well as when I moved the unit around quickly.

What I am not too thrilled about is the colour pickup - I've seen more intensity on cameras from competing brands. And the user interface is great if you're pushing 50 and need the clunky fonts and icons. I expect a classier UI on a camera like this.