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The new Lumix ZS3 features 10.1-megapixels, a 25mm ultra-wide angle lens and 12x optical zoom, which means that 2x optical zoom added to the award-winning TZ-series cameras, but reduced its size. The ZS3 also features a Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens and High Definition (HD) video recording capabilities, known as AVCHD Lite.

ZS3 is the world’s first digital camera to record HD video recording function “AVCHD Lite. “Compared to the conventional Motion JPEG, AVCHD Lite allows longer shots with stunning high-definition visual and audio quality. This combined with a well thought out interface, a dedicated movie record button on the back of the camera panel covers, makes the ZS3 a hybrid model that performs well for both still and moving image capture.

ZS3 also extends the popular Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto (iA) mode with the addition of face detection – a feature that remembers faces from previous recordings. When a registered face appears in the frame, the camera focus and exposure priority to be beautiful to bear. With face recognition, when a familiar face is recorded many times, the camera requires users to register for the face. Once registered, if the face appears again in the frame, the camera display the name given to that person and prioritize the focus and exposure so that the registered face is bright and sharp.

New this year to the ZS series, iA mode is also available in movie mode. The system automatically selects the most appropriate scene mode and helps correct handshake, focus and clarity problems – making iA mode, your one-stop solution for capturing beautiful still and moving images. In Movie Mode, the ZS3, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) helps prevent handshake when using high-powered zoom. Face Detection automatically detects a face in the frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast and skin tone so perfectly clear. Intelligent Exposure continuously monitors the ambient light and adjusts exposure if circumstances change to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. And Intelligent Scene Selector automatically switches between Normal, Portrait, Macro, Landscape and Low Light modes depending on the situation in order to optimize the visual quality.

The power of imaging Lumix has evolved with the Venus Engine HD, which has two CPUs to provide about 2.4x CPU and support for AVCHD Lite and HDMI output. It integrates all the advanced features and camera operations with high performance and low power consumption. In image processing, its luminance noise and color noise separately before and after the signal decreased. This is further refined by separating the noise two-dimensional high frequency and low frequency noise. Then the circuits effectively reduce only the low frequency noise to the unwanted noise to a minimum and help produce beautiful, sharp still and moving images.

Playing with the ZS series is simple. Plug the camera’s SD memory card into the VIERA HDTVs ImageViewer SD Card slot for a photo slideshow. Or connect the camera via an optional mini HDMI cable, the DMW-HDC2, a Panasonic VIERA HDTV VIERA Link equipped and using the TV remote control to mixed slideshows of photos and videos to arrival. The ZS3 features a 3-inch high resolution 460,000-dot Intelligent LCD with wide viewing angle, improving visibility during recording and playback.

Other features of the Lumix ZS3 include:

• Increased Scene modes for both still and moving image shooting – optimized for a variety of situations. There are 26 scene modes for still images and 17 for moving images (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self-portrait, landscape, low light, Food, Party, Candlelight, Sunset, High Sensitivity, Beach, Snow, Aerial photo, Pin Hole, Film Grain and Underwater)
• Two new My Scene settings allows users to use their two most frequently used scene modes for the institution, and with a simple switch, access to a scene.
• New Panorama Assist Scene mode allows users to shoot some photos of a consistent, vertically or horizontally, according to them a guide that overlaps the screen. Then using those pictures and the bundled Panorama Maker software allows users to create dramatic panoramic images.
• High-Speed Burst (Speed Priority), consisting of about fires. 10 shots per second.
• Menus are clearer and easier to navigate the Display Format option.
• Macro Zoom function allows users to pull subjects closer to dramatic close-up shots with the 3x digital zoom wide angle.
• Supplied software: The latest version of PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition allows users to view, edit and archive fixed content with more ease and pleasure. Still and moving images can be transferred to the computer via a USB cable for viewing and archiving. Using PHOTOfunSTUDIO HD Edition 3.0 users can edit and remove unwanted parts of video clips recorded in AVCHD Lite. Content recorded in AVCHD Lite can be directly burned to a DVD disc or the software can convert the content into MPEG2 format. The software also features the Face Recognition function, which detects faces in images recorded, stored on the computer, making organizing and archiving pictures with a certain person a lot easier. Moreover, moving images are uploaded directly to YouTube.

Product Features

• 10.1-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-size prints
• 12x Optical Image Stabilizer MEGA stablilized zoom, 25mm ultra-wide angle lens
• Capture video in HD “AVCHD Lite” format
• Intelligent Auto (iA) mode, Face Recognition Function
• Capture images to SD / SDHC memory cards (not included)

Customer Review

3rd time’s a charm- a standing “O” for the ZS3!, April 28, 2009
By  Michael J. Christensen (Elk Grove Village, IL United States)

I have owned two prior digital cameras- the first was a Canon that took good pictures, but was too bulky to pocket around and required AA batteries to power it. The second was a Sony CyberShot DSC-W150 that took crappy, blurry pictures in low light. Needless to say, I felt an upgrade was in order.

So I’m going on an east coast trip next month. My buddy and I are avid baseball fans. One problem: as we do not always have great seats, taking close-up pictures of ballplayers is a real pain with 99% of the compact point and shoots out there. This is because the camera’s size will only allow it 5X optical zoom. You can combine this with digital zooming, but I don’t need to tell you how terrible and pixilated this looks. Thus my conundrum. So I really wanted a compact, pocketable camera with a long range optical lens, without having to lug around an expensive digital SLR.

Enter the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. When I read the specs on it, I was in awe. 10 megapixel, 12X OPTICAL zoom. Here’s the sweetest part about the zoom- if you planning to use smaller prints (i.e. 4X6), you can quickly adjust the camera’s Megapixel (MP) count from 10 to 7, 5, and 3 to yield maximum OPTICAL zooms of 14.3, 17.1, and 21.4 respectably, without much loss of detail on such prints. I wish Panasonic would have allowed the camera to adjust the MP count automatically as you zoom, but it’s not too much trouble to change the MP settings manually from the quick menu.

Another great feature: the camera’s screen is beautiful at 460,000 pixels, twice the count as the rival Canon Powershot SX200 IS (more on that camera later). From the moment you view your first picture, you’ll quickly notice how much sharper photos look on this camera. It’s a nice convenience to view photos on the camera in a manner closer to the quality that will actually be seen when you’re viewing them on the computer (and ultimately printing them).

I also want to give Panasonic kudos for the build quality and compactness of this camera. The ZS3 is a replacement for the popular TZ5 model, which was 9MP and 10X Optical Zoom. So they increased the resolution, and added a wider range lens, and REDUCED the size by .4 cubic inches. Specifications aside, I was more than pleased that this camera will comfortably fit inside my jeans pocket. It’s a bit bulkier than an ultracompact for sure, but not objectionably so. Note that the SX200 is a full 2.0 cubic inches thicker, another reason I passed on the Canon. Here’s a few more reasons the Canon falls short: the Canon has a cheesy looking popup flash that sticks out at the top of the camera, whether you’re using flash or not (bad design decision). It has less rated battery life than the Lumix. Also, when shooting video, the Canon does NOT allow you to use optical zooming.

Photo quality on the Lumix is excellent, although I’ve only snapped samples around my place so far. However, I’ve taken quite a few pictures at low light, and at maximum zoom levels to try to get a bad shot. So far, there’s none to be found. I’ll put this through its paces more when I travel next month, but I’m extremely pleased so far. As for video shooting, I’ve sampled it a bit, and it seems pretty solid. The camera gives you the choice of shooting video in its touted AVCHD Lite format (ideal for watching it on your TV in HD with an optional mini to standard HDMI cable), or JPEG if you prefer to email video clips to friends. This year’s model also added stereo sound on video playback versus last year’s monaural effort. One thing I found a bit strange, was the incredibly slow zooming when shooting video. I guess Panasonic was trying to give the user a more controlled, deliberate zoom, but unlike the snappy photo zooming, it’s a bit slow for my liking.

Some other minor quibbles: The dial that controls the shooting mode is extremely loose. If you lightly rub it against anything (a camera bag, your pocket), there’s a good chance it will shift. When you turn the camera on, it will digitally tell you what mode you’re in, but it’s still annoying when it happens by accident. Second, when making a quick zoom on an object, it will appear blurry on the camera’s screen until the shutter button is pressed. There are modes to continually focus the object when zooming, but this drains the camera’s battery life more rapidly. It would be nice if this feature was incorporated automatically without any such sacrifice.

Also, I’m not a huge fan of the included PhotofunStudio software bundled with this camera, as there are other, more compelling programs to view, edit, and print photos (I like Canon’s Zoombrowser program better). Finally, this is not the camera to buy if you’re into manual controls. There’s a ton of preset scenes that can be used (nighttime, portrait, baby, sunset, food, etc.), and you can adjust items like flash, white balance, and max ISO level, but this is meant to be a simple point and shoot for casual photographers. Note that the Lumix has an intelligent auto mode (IA) that will analyze the shooting conditions and pick the right scene, flash, and exposure without any adjustments by the user. This camera screams simplicity, but there’s enough tweaking on the Normal and Scene modes to keep the vast majority of amateur photographers happy.

Regardless of these nitpicks, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is an awesome camera, unbeatable for those that want the best of both worlds- a great zoom lens and compact body. It’s a bit pricey at $399, but you’re getting quite a lot of camera for your hard earned dollars. I have no doubt that my third digital camera is a terrific buy and a long-term staple for my travels.

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Oh my goodness, what a camera!, March 28, 2009
By  Michael McKee “mystic cowboy” (Port Townsend, WA United States)

I have a pro friend who got a review copy of this for a couple of days. He let me use it for one of them, as he hasn’t shot with a point and shoot in a long time. I ordered my own within the first hour. What a camera. The zoom on this baby is amazing. It has a true wide angle and a long reach. Photos on both ends of the reach are sharp and have good color and saturation. I almost drooled when I printed out the samples. They are flat out the best point and shoot jpegs that I’ve had the pleasure of taking. Raw files would be nice but aren’t available, nor is much in the way of manual exposure control. As a bit of a control freak, I thought that would be a problem but honestly, Panasonic’s smart mode selection is brilliant at getting good, sharp exposures. Focusing is fast, even in low light. Flash seems fine, neither superior nor awful. I took 400 images and a short movie on my first outing and the battery still had some juice. It also has fast and accurate face detection. Holding the camera in my hand, pointing it in the general direction of people on the street without being obvious got consistently good focus. Oh, the image stabilization works very well, too.

The camera is just small enough to fit in a shirt pocket but unless you’re wearing heavy denim it’s just to heavy to be comfortable there. It slips fine in a vest pocket or jacket, though. Point and shoots have definitely improved in low light performance since I bought my last one. I got perfectly usable shots at 400 ISO. A little noise touch up and they print fine at 11×14. At 1600 ISO you can still get a usable Flickr sized image, again with a run through a noise processor like Noise Ninja.

It has a new video mode that uses half the memory of the normal mov files that it also supports. But finding where they are on the card is a bit of a treasure hunt the first time. They are also a pain to process. I ran a conversion program to turn them into H.264 format. That makes editing much easier. Do that first thing. You can even run the optical zoom while shooting movies, though focus can be a bit slow. Videos are much better than those from the Flip that is all I own for movies.

Great zoom, great photos, great lens, reasonable size, scary accurate automatic mode switching, wow!. If it had a bit more manual control it might be better, then again, I’ve got a few hundred really nice images. So no complaints.

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Excellent zoom and features, chose this over the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS, April 14, 2009
By  Helldiver (Toronto, Canada)

Although I have a Nikon D80 DSLR, I needed a more compact point and shoot camera replacement for my aging Canon S60 with dying batteries. After reading a couple of reviews and a visit to a local camera store I decided to choose the ZS3 over the competing Canon SX200 IS with very similar features. Although the Canon is more familiar to me and has more manual features, the compact size of the Panasonic with better battery life, robust video functions and the fact that it’s still made in Japan (versus the Canon which is now manufactured in China) edged out the Canon for me personally (you may want to try both to decide for yourself). So far I have been very happy with this versatile camera – screen is big and bright, facial recognition is neat, zoom is remarkable for a camera of its size and the video quality is excellent for a camera. Only downside is that like the camera store employee said – the autofocus motors inside the Panasonics do seem to be quite loud – i.e. if you are aiming the camera around randomly you can hear the motors whirling away as it refocuses at different potential targets. I enjoyed this purchase and I would recommend this camera to anyone who is looking for a easy-to-use, high quality point and shoot with 12x optical zoom.

You  may also want to read this, Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD

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Experience even closer encounters with Nikon Coolpix P90 aos, with 12.1 effective megapixels and an incredible 24x optical Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens for stunning prints as large as 16×20 cm. The camera’s bright 3.0-inch high-resolution vari-angle LCD screen and electronic viewfinder make it easy to compose and share your photos. And Nikon, new 4 Way VR image stabilization makes great picture taking incredibly simple. Nikon, Portrait New smart system that automatically detects your subjects face, a picture as she smiles and warns you when they blinked.

12.1-megapixel resolution for stunning prints as large as 20 x 30 cm

24x optical wide-angle (35mm equivalent focal length: 26-624mm) Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens provides exceptional pictures throughout the zoom range

Bright 3.0-inch vari-angle LCD screen and electronic viewfinder make it easy to compose and share your photos with friends and family

New concept, EXPEED image processor ensures high-quality pictures with stunning color and sharpness

4-Way VR image stabilization

• Nikon Optical VR image stabilization compensated for the effects of camera shake by moving the image sensor
• Motion Detection automatically detects moving subjects and adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to compensate for camera and subject motion hake
• High ISO 6400 capabilities, sharper results when shooting in low light or capturing fast moving subjects. ISO 3200 and 6400 are available at 3MP or lower resolution
• Nikon, Original Best Shot Selector (BSS) automatically takes 10 shots while the shutter is pressed and saves the sharpest image

Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture priority and manual exposure settings give ultimate control over your photos

New Sports Continuous Scene Mode for shooting up to 15 fps to 45 frames when the resolution is set to 3MP or lower

Nikon, Portrait Smart System:

• In-Camera Red-Eye Fix automatically fixes most instances of red eye in the camera. You may never see red-eye
• Face-Priority AF – Nikon, face aos find technology that automatically focuses on faces
• Smile Mode automatically releases the shutter when your subject smiles
• Blink Warning displays a warning, then the camera detects the subject has blinked

Product Features

• 12.1-megapixel resolution for photo-quality prints to 16 x 20 cm
• 24x optical wide-angle (35mm equivalent focal length: 26-624mm) Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens
• 3.0-inch vari-angle LCD screen and electronic viewfinder
• Nikon Photo Smart System, Red-eye correction, Face-priority AE and more
• Capture images to SD / SDHC memory cards (not included)

Customer Review

A New Player In The Point & Shoot Realm, March 19, 2009
By  J. D. McGyver

As with all new electronic toys, I had to take this particular model for a test drive before wrapping it up as a gift for a family member who is absolutely sold on nothing else but point and shoot cameras. Myself owning several Nikon & Canon film/DSLR systems over the years, I have to admit that I’ve never been a huge fan of point and shoot cameras. Surprisingly I did find that the Nikon P90 was definitely worthy of a second look. By far, this camera is a major leap over the much maligned Nikon P80.

Packed with an incredibly sweet 24x optical zoom (26-624mm) lens, the 4 way Vibration Reduction system incorporates Optical Image Stabilization to an ISO capability of 6400. In Sport Continuous Scene Mode, the P90 is capable of 15fps high-speed shooting at up to 45 frames per burst. When shooting outdoors in various transitions I was pleasantly surprised that the P90 operated smoothly without the usual demons associated with the older P80 system. It delivered an array of great photographs in both auto, sports and manual modes that required absolutely no editing.

Like all point and shoots, the P90 does have its limitations indoors. However, this system can be tweaked to deliver some outstanding indoor photographs. The bottom line is proper settings. A basic fix is the VR (Vibration Reduction) feature. This should be activated, especially indoors. For those that insist on shooting in auto mode and in low light situations, the noise gremlins are indeed going to be noticeable due to a higher preset ISO. This will undoubtedly lead to dark and out of focus photographs. To alleviate that scenario I suggest that if auto is the preference, try shooting in a stationary, programmed auto mode. This will at least give the photographer options to work with.

Another great feature is its 3″ tilting LCD screen. The LCD screen has a protective anti-glare coating. The tilted screen is a nice tool especially for shooting in the prone position. I only question the extension arm’s durability over time. Add in the Best Shot Selector (BSS),Red-Eye, Smile and Blink Proof features and you have the whole package.

In video mode, average quality is produced at 24 frames per second at 16:9 aspect ratio. HD would have been a sweet addition. As with all new digital cameras it comes down to memory card speed and top shelf batteries. Use of no name batteries can easily short out the system or leak. I recommend that buyers spend the extra bucks on SDHC cards and a durable tripod. The Nikon Coolpix P90 comes packed with (1) EN/EL5 Li-ion rechargeable battery, battery charger, USB cable, audio/video cable, strap, lens cap, one year warranty and software cd.

Seasoned point and shoot owners will undoubtedly enjoy all the bells and whistles that are packed onto this system. Indeed, it is the next best thing to a DSLR. As with all point and shoots the bottom line is convenience. Overall, I remain impressed with the Nikon P90.

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It’s a Point & Shoot camera, March 21, 2009
By  A. L. Smith “Back Country Photographer” (American Southwest)

The Nikon Coolpix P90 is what it is, a Point & Shoot Camera. It is not a DSLR and was never designed to replace a DSLR. Duh!

I do a lot of back country travel both in 4X4 vehicles and on foot and the P90 is a dream come true. It’s light and packs easily on my belt, it’s versatile and the super zoom lets me frame shots without climbing all over a mountain. It has easy to use controls and I can shift in seconds from a macro shot of a cactus blossom to an action shot of a javalina running along the river bottom. I would love to take the DSLR guy on some of my hikes and let him pack a camera, tripod and three or four lenses around for the day. I wonder who will get all the shots and who will still be several miles back trying to shift lenses!

Honestly, I’ve been the whole SLR/Darkroom route and I have eight film cameras and a dozen lenses sitting in a box in the closet. I started using digital cameras back when you paid a lot of money for a 2 megapixal camera. I bought a Coolpix 4500 and took almost 3000 pictures with it. I banged it around, dropped it in the dirt and it never stopped taking really good pictures.

Nikon knows how to make great cameras and the Coolpix P90 is a great camera. Don’t let the “flamers” fool you with their horrific reviews. They buy a Point & Shoot camera and complain bitterly that it doesn’t do the same thing a DSLR does. Wow, I suppose the same person buys a Saturn and complains because it doesn’t handle like a BMW M6.

I’ve been playing with my new P90 and have over a hundred pictures in 5 days. It’s going to be a great camera and a fantastic travel companion.

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Like a Dream, March 27, 2009
By  Malachi A. Richardson

This camera has sparked my interest as a photography hobbyist. The zoom issues described in previous reviews are easily solved by tweaking the iso, aperture or shutter speed. The camera also has several settings such as aperture or Shutter priority modes to assist with evenly regulating exposure making it easy to use for 1st timers. After reading the manual every picture i took came out in amazing quality. The tilt screen makes taking pictures at impossible angles easy. The 24 inch zoom lets you take close ups from impossible lengths.
it also comes with Vibration reduction to stabilize said zoom shots
Noise reduction to help when high iso is necessary.
Auto and manual whitebalance settings
In camera digital lighting and editing.

.

Also read our best camera Canon Digital Rebel XSi

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List Price: $399.95
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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 features AVCHD Lite, High Definition (HD) video recording capabilities, combined with a powerful 27mm wide angle, 18x optical zoom Leica DC lens.

A successor to the popular FZ28, the FZ35 packs enhanced creative functions combined with the power to HD video, including motion zoom capabilities to fully benefit from the 18x zoom shooting. The operational layout of the FZ35 has a dedicated video record button, making it a true hybrid – a model that seamlessly performs at capturing still and moving images – while providing a smooth and easy operation in each mode.

For users looking for more creativity when shooting both video and still images, the Lumix FZ35 delivers. New manual controls and creative options include:

• Creative Movie Mode: Allows the user to the shutter speed and aperture manually even more impressive films. Changing the shutter speed does special effects for films, which is particularly suited for capturing fast moving subjects. The ability to control the aperture is useful when multiple subjects at different distances.
• My Color Mode: This special feature gives free rein to the creativity of the user. The color, brightness and saturation parameters can be freely adjusted while seeing how the adjustments affect the picture, live on the monitor.
• High Dynamic Mode: help a scene with a moderate exposure to catch, although the scene is both bright and dark regions are present.

The 12.1-megapixel FZ35 is equipped with the custom POWER Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), which double the repression, the power leaves compared to the conventional Mega OIS image stabilization system, and ultra-high speed Auto Focus ( AF) for capturing action scenes as they happen. Moreover, the super-powerful 18x optical zoom lens, it is easy to subjects far or take dramatic close-ups to catch.

With the improved energy-efficient image processing LSI – The Venus Engine HD – the FZ35 has a longer battery life of approximately 470 photographs, making it the ideal choice for active enthusiasts. As with all Panasonic Lumix cameras, the FZ35 is equipped with intelligent Auto (iA) mode, an intuitive suite of technologies, including Face Detection, Intelligent Scene Selector, Intelligent Exposure and Face Recognition. The improved Face Detection, the FZ35 can recognize up to three faces, while taking pictures and allows users to specify the age of the scheduled topic. In infants younger than 3 years old are enrolled, the camera will automatically switch to baby mode when the baby appears to be in the frame.

AVCHD Lite – Beautiful HD movies, extended recording time
The FZ35 record HD movies in 1280 x 720-pixel resolution. It uses the AVCHD format Lite (MPEG-4/H.264) to achieve a higher image quality, while storing less data than the conventional Motion JPEG. Plus, the FZ35 is equipped with an HDMI output for direct transmission of digital video and audio signals. Simply connect the camera to an HDTV using a single HDMI mini cable (optional) for quick and easy slide show enjoyment.

27mm wide angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens and 18x optical zoom A bright F2.8 Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens ranges from 27mm wide angle to 486mm telephoto at all. In combination with the double * corrective force of the improved power OIS, it allows to capture without a clear shake hands, even in the telephoto range.
* Panasonic comparison

Creative Movie Mode
You can set the aperture and shutter speed any way you want. This mode gives you a wider range of expressive possibilities to explore in your film.

Zoom in film
You can zoom while shooting movies.

Stereo microphone
This camera is equipped with Dolby ® Digital Stereo Creator, enabling dynamic, true-to-life audio records to bring the power of your HD images.

IA mode (Movie)
You can also use iA mode to shoot movies, and let the camera do all the work for you.

High-speed response for very intuitive shooting
Enjoy high-speed 1.2-second start-up and AF speeds of about 0.3 seconds, and up to five consecutive shots at 2.3 fps in full resolution. You can also take up to 470 photos with a single battery charge (CIPA). This comfortable level of performance you can even the most volatile shutter opportunities.

My Color mode puts you in control of the color
In this mode, you can feel free to color, brightness and saturation parameters. This makes it easier and more fun to create interesting, expressive images to create. Adjust the settings that best suits the shooting conditions and your expressive intent, and then enjoy your own pictures.

Product Features

Customer Review

New King of the MegaZoom crowd., September 22, 2009
By  J. Holdahl “GreenShoes” (South Dakota)

As a serious amateur, I’ve been fortunate enough to own a number of point and shoots including Panasonic, Fuji, several Nikon’s, & a couple of Canon’s. All have had their strong points and I’m not a brand loyalist by any means, but after a couple of weeks, I must say I absolutely love this camera.

My first impressions were ones of pleasant shock. The camera seemed smaller than in the pictures and if it seemed smaller, it seemed doubly more so in terms of weight. Compared to my SLR this thing is an absolute lightweight but very well built and certainly heavier than the smaller ‘in your pocket’ point and shoots. A great balance…although I wouldn’t want to drop it. Some strategically placed silicone on the housing would make this a bit more rugged without much if any impact on cost. Powerup is about as fast as you can bring the camera up to your face – amongst the best of the point and shoots. Controls are easy to use and I like the mini joystick for making on the fly adjustments in manual and scene modes. The menus are fairly well laid out although some items I had to resort to the manual to find their location for the first time.

The iA or Intelligent Auto function gave consistently above par picture quality, although I was always able to tweak it better myself (this could have been as much preference as anything). The AVCHD and HD movies worked absolutely flawless with my Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]. (NOTE:Make sure you lowlevel format these SDHC cards a COUPLE of times BEFORE first use). I do wish that you could use the normal shutter release instead of the dedicated movie button on the back face when in movie mode. I kept forgetting and tried to stop the movies using the shutter button instead of the record button. Minor nuisance, but will be overcome as I get my brain wrapped around the change in button locations.

The battery worked well past 300 stills and about 35 clips, so I am very pleased with it with the LCD display being used for most of the shots. I purchase another spare battery;Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera/Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery, also available here at Amazon, and it appears to be working about as well as the original Panasonic (a great buy). The EVF or Electronic View Finder was very handy, although most of the overlaid information is very hard to distinguish in the small EVF. I CAN’T BELIEVE PANASONIC DIDN’T INCLUDE A RUBBER BOOT FOR THE EVF! Please someone, anyone, make it as an accessory.

The EZ or Extra Zoom function is quite handy. Using this feature, you can shoot at lower resolutions and get more effective zooming power out of the camera…over 30x and it works very well. The LCD screen is clear and crisp, but its performance in high ambient light is about average. Thank goodness for the electronic view finder mentioned above.

Image stabilization is the absolute best amongst my camera collection and is especially noticeable in low light and full zoom. I was pleasantly surprised how well I could take indoor pictures at night with a simple tweak of the exposure. Far better than any of my other point and shoots, although nowhere near my SLR.

The standard 3picture burst mode was fairly standard and unimpressive, but the 10pics per second for speed priority and 6 pics per second in image priority burst mode worked well for catching difficult shots like geese landing on the water and children jumping out of swings, but I still wish the resolution and picture quality was better in these modes. Still, for a point and shoot, it’s ability to catch the fast action is at the top of it’s class.

The lens cap interferes with zoom, but the camera will kindly remind you that you have left it on with a 17,000 volt discharge…just kidding…it will tell you on the LCD screen.

LIKES: Ease of use, picture quality, zoom and extra zoom, HD movie, lightweight, stop action. BEST Point and Shoot I’ve ever owned ! ! !

DISLIKES: (all minor) No eyepiece boot for EVF, lens cap interferes with zoom, tripod mount interferes with battery/memory door when in use. Only 10 sec. max on the built in timer.

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Small but Mighty, October 15, 2009
By  S. Hock “slhimages” (Bethlehem, PA)

I previously purchased the Canon SX20is and used 2 weeks. I found the images just a bit too soft for my taste. Too bad because all other facets of the camera was great. But, to me image quality is everything. If it can’t produce a crisp image, I don’t want it. Perhaps I was spoiled by the excellent SX10is I was switching from.

Desperate for an inexpensive Hi Def video camera for a client project, I decided to give the dual Panasonic FZ35 a try. I had used a Panasonic LX2 for several years and liked it, so I figured why not even though Panasonic is not a manufacturer one would normally think of first for a high quality still camera.

So far, I have been pleasantly surprised!

What I like about the FZ35:

1. The super sharp Leica lens! Having 18x zoom in such a small package.(Sharper than SX20is)
2. Metal tripod mount
3. VERY Reasonable price for all the features included. Seems a bargain to me.
4. The fact you also get very nice HD video in one package is a bonus.
5. Excellent macro mode. If you like macrophotography you’ll like this camera.
6. Relatively simple controls/interface once familiar. (You do have to read the manual)
7. Has 46mm filter threads for add ons.
8. Full time battery indicator.
9. Optional wide angle and telephoto lenses are available if desired.
10 Better than most image stabilization system.
11. Many focus & exposure options.

What I’m not so crazy about:

1. Buttons & switches are quite small and seem rather delicate.
2. Manual as PDF (what a pain). I’ll take mine paper, thank you.
You might as well print it out right away. You’re gonna need it!
3. Smallish Electronic ViewFinder (Not just this one either. They all leave me wanting.)
4. Construction and light weight give a slight feeling of cheapness.
5. Proprietary Panasonic battery.
6. Location of media card in battery compartment.

Is it perfect? Nope. Are any of them? Even the $5,000 ones?

What do I miss most when switching from my NIKON? That bright, super clear viewfinder.
Will it clip highlights? Sure, if you don’t set it up right. They all do. High dynamic range is not usually a feature on most consumer cameras.
Can it take a sharp picture? You Bet! In macro especially, you’ll love the clarity of the image.

Newbies purchasing this … make no mistake, this is a complex little piece of gear. Sure, you can use it on intelligent AUTO if you want, but what a waste. You have to LEARN this camera to get the most out of it. And don’t expect to learn it in a day or even a week. Used properly it will yield beautiful, sharp images. Buy it and shoot, shoot, shoot and you’ll get the hang of it. Why not? The “film” is cheap!

By the way, purchase a Class 6 SD card right away. That way if you want to play with the HD movie function you can. Some cheap SD cards can’t write fast enough for HD video use. If you have a hi def TV you’ll love it.

Beware though, HD video files get HUGE fast! Uploads to YouTube (or anywhere else) can take quite awhile. A 1 minute, 36 sec. clip equals 491 MB and over 4 hrs to upload via DSL.

If you get serious about HD video, or enjoy doing critical focus photography, PLEASE, buy a decent tripod and USE it. Camera movement is the main enemy of sharpness. At the low ISO settings required to get the most out of these small sensors, keeping the camera still is extremely important. Don’t expect stabilization systems to entirely solve “jitter” problems at very low shutter speeds!

High end users take note: In the Custom controls there is an separate adjustment for contrast, saturation, noise reduction and sharpness. YEA ! Somebody is listening.

Nov. 5, 2009. I’ve made nearly 1000 shots with this camera and I’m impressed and still very happy with it.

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First impressions of the DMC-FZ35, September 2, 2009
By  Michael A. Duvernois (Minneapolis, MN United States)

This is the first of the Panasonic Lumix superzooms that I’ve had an opportunity to use extensively. I regularly use both small point and shoot digital cameras (Canon SD550 and a waterproofed Canon S100) and digital SLRs (Canon 5D and Rebel XTi), but this is definitely a different sort of beast. It’s nearly the size and weight of a DSLR with a lens that is noticeably long in use. It’s sold as straddling the line between the two categories and it initially seems that way. But the more that I think about it, the more I think this camera really fills a different niche. If you’re a serious photographer, a DSLR is really the way to go. You get full control over the images, a large sensor size, a selection of lenses, and filter options. If you’re that person, this is hardly a replacement, and for the compact point and shooter this is a massive camera. Where this camera wins out is for a very simple kit covering wide angle (27mm equivalent for a 35mm camera) and the stunning 18x zoom. You’ll be able to do most everything passably with this camera and with no additional lenses. Maybe this is the camera to put in the glovebox of your car? It’ll always be there, and you can get most any shot with it. No preparation needed. Okay, enough thinking about who wants the camera, how does it work?

Well, it works pretty darned well. The image stabilizer seems to work extremely well, especially at moderate zoom (say 50-150mm equivalent), the battery lasted about 300 shots with some flash use in there, and image quality (subjective, not measured scientifically) was quite good. The camera was a bit slow to react at times though and the face detection works only occasionally. Still, that leaves this a solid camera for what I think is a quite good price. If you’re not going to take advantage of the DSLR capabilities, this is a good functional camera for you. Or an excellent second camera for simplicity.

Pros: 18x zoom with a genuine wide angle, solid construction, good battery life, image stabilization that works, one size might well fit many

Cons: big for a point and shoot, slow acting at times, gimmicky features are, well, gimmicks

You may also want to read this amazing digital camera, Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP

Customer Rating:
List Price: $248.95
Best Price: $145.99
See our option price

Available in a variety of choice
Dark blue, Silver

Sony Cyber-shot DSC W290 camera combines style with strength and intelligence. The W290 comes in 4 sophisticated colors and a stylish look. With the W290 taking great photos is now easier than ever. The iAuto fashion goes beyond the traditional auto mode, thinking and working for you, recognition of scenes, lighting conditions, faces and automatically adjusts camera settings sharper images, and blurry photos with faces more natural skin tones and less. The W290 also has HD movie mode, recording in 720p for capturing your precious moments on video. Set, review and share your memories on the large 3.0-inch (230k dot) LCD screen.

Cyber-shot DSC-W290 Highlights

12.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
A powerful 12.1-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch Super HAD CCD image sensor helps you capture gorgeous images with superb contrast and clarity down to the smallest detail. With 12.1 megapixels, you beautiful, photo-quality prints up to A3 + (13×19 inches) size, or crop your images and still way high-resolution images.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 5x optical zoom
The professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 5x optical zoom lens brings distant subjects closer for great outdoor, sports, travel and photographs.

Angle
A 28mm wide angle lens shows more of the scene you shoot, so you capture more complete images when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes, or architectural scenes.

3.0-inch Clear Photo LCD (230k pixels)
Generous 3.0-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD screen offers crisp, natural colors that makes it easy to compose pictures, read menus and photos, even in bright sunlight.

BIONZ image processor
The BIONZ processor delivers high resolution and fast performance you expect from a Sony digital camera.

Intelligent Auto Mode
Unlike traditional automatic mode, Intelligent Auto (iAuto) thinks for you, the recognition of scenes, lighting conditions, faces and adjusts the settings caused bright images with natural skin tones and faces blur minder. Enjoy all the technology without the Auto mode. Take a picture of a child on the playground, landscape shots, a beautiful flower or an indoor birthday party.

HD Movie
Put more of your memories in High Definition (720p) video. Record HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format for stunning big-screen home movie playback. Take up to 29 minutes in 720p format (or up to 2 GB) per film.

Intelligent Scene Recognition
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) mode automatically conditions eight different types of scenes (Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight with a tripod, Portrait, Landscape, Macro) and within one second of 1/30th detects selects the appropriate camera settings. iSCN has 2 modes: Advanced and Auto. In Auto mode the camera takes a single shot using the optimal settings. In Advance Mode, the camera takes a picture with the standard automatic settings, and in difficult lighting conditions (low light or backlight) immediately takes a second picture with optimized setting so you can choose what to keep.

Face Detection Technology
Face Detection Technology detects up to eight individual faces and controls flash, focus, exposure and white balance for accurate, natural skin tones with reduced red-eye to bring. It can also give priority to children or adults. Newly added Face Detection Motion adjusts ISO sensitivity and shutter speeds up the face when motion is detected, causing the subjects blur face.

Face Priority Selection
Focus, exposure and white balance for a particular face is now easier with selectable visual memory, even if the subject leaves the frame. This feature is ideal for weddings and other events, the goal is always to focus on one particular person.

Anti-blink Function
It is frustrating to think you’ve captured that perfect shot only to revise it later and discover one of your subjects blinked just as you press the shutter button. The Anti-blink function works to counter blinking and squinting help. When the camera is set to Soft Snap, the Anti-blink function imposes two images, recording only the photo with less squinting. If a flash is detected in other shooting modes, a warning will be displayed after the recording you make.

Red-eye reductions
Helps common red-eye problems.

Smile Shutter technology
The popular Smile Shutter technology automatically detects and captures a smiling face. Simply activate by pressing the Smile Shutter button and the camera will smile when it happens to capture. You can also select subject priority (Adult or child Priority or by using the cross-key buttons on the camera) and the degree of Smile Detection Sensitivity to high (small smile), medium (laugh) or low (grin). Great replacement for self-timer, once everything is ready smile and the camera will capture a smile.

Double Anti-blur Solution
The combination of Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and high ISO sensitivity helps compensate for shaky hands, minimizes blur and allows flash-free shooting to preserve the mood.

Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
Optical SteadyShot image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help blur without affecting image quality to avoid.

High Sensitivity mode (ISO 3200)
High ISO allows for faster shutter speeds, so you can take pictures indoors or in low light without the need for a flash. In addition to High Sensitivity Mode (ISO), you can select up to eight ISO settings (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) when shooting in Program Auto Mode to adjust sensitivity to your shooting conditions.

Dynamic Range Optimizer Standard and Plus
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) Standard and Plus uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine the best exposure and contrast settings for almost every conceivable environment. The result is a more natural images with clearer details that better match what your naked eye. DRO is particularly effective when shooting backlit portraits or any scene with dramatic contrast between background and foreground lighting. DRO Plus allows for even greater optimization by analyzing each region of an image and performing additional image processing.

Useful photo features
Choose from 13 convenient photo features rapid adjustment for specific shooting conditions. Photo modes include iAuto, Easy, Program, and Scene Selection, such as high sensitivity, Landscape, Soft Snap, Twilight Portrait, Twilight, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Underwater and Gourmet Mode. Gourmet mode lets you capture the mouth watering culinary creations with all the color and clarity of the images you see in gourmet magazines.

9-point autofocus
Because an off-centered subject can be shot more interesting, a 9-point auto focus system measures nine precision focus points, allowing you greater creative freedom to compose your photos.

Burst mode
You can burn up to 100 photos in about 0.62 seconds (for each resolution, a high-resolution VGA mode. Results may vary based on settings and Memory Stick media is used).

Function Guide
This beginner-friendly optional function helps navigate through the various functions and settings displaying the description of chosen functions or settings on the LCD screen.

Simplified Buttons
Buttons and menus have been simplified to the fastest and easiest customer experience. Shooting dial focus on customer type: Easy, Intelligent Auto, Scene, Program and Film. Also frequently used functions like zoom, Play and Delete buttons are easy to hard. All other functions can be found under a menu button.

Easy shooting mode
Easy shooting mode, even beginners can take great photos. In Easy Recording program, easy to understand simple instructions displayed on the LCD screen and the camera switches to all auto settings with iSCN so you just picture without worrying about settings. The menu is also easier to play small, but straight ahead to provide operational features for those who fear that choosing the wrong settings.

High Resolution 16:9 Mode
Using the High Resolution 16:9 mode, images with high resolution images in the 16:9 aspect ratio favored by HDTV. This setting is ideal if you are planning your viewing images on a compatible HDTV and invite friends and relatives as part of a slideshow.

Memory Stick Duo Convenience
The Cyber-shot DSC-W290 camera accepts Memory Stick PRO Duo media (sold separately).

Stamina Battery Power
Provides extended battery life and capacity when using a fully charged lithium-ion battery. The included battery supports up to 220 shots.

Easy Image Management
Easy Image Management takes the hassle out of sorting large amounts of image data, so you can quickly select the desired pictures. Images can be viewed in four convenient ways: by Standard Folder view, Date view, Event view and Favorites showing only user-selected images. You can also use the power of Face Detection technology to filter by face type (choices include all people, children, infants, and smiles).

In-Camera retouching
Retouch and enhance your photos on the road with 10 in-camera editing functions: cut, Red-Eye Correction, Soft Focus, partial color, fisheye lens, Cross Filter, Radial Blur, Retro, Happy Face and Unsharp Masking effects.

Multi-purpose Resize function
The Multi-purpose Resize function lets you change the aspect ratio of an image in the camera, so you can adjust images if necessary, whether you want to view them on a compatible HDTV, or e-mail them / upload them to a blog.

HDTV compatibility
View your pictures and videos in stunning high definition on a Sony BRAVIA or similar HDTV using the optional VMC-MHC2 HD output adapter cable (sold separately).

PhotoTV HD
Bring your photos to life and enjoy highly detailed, sharp images with PhotoTV HD-capable Sony Bravia HDTV. PhotoTV HD fine tunes settings on your HDTV such as sharpness, gradation and color images that look more like actual printed photographs to display.

Wide Zoom Display
To use the entire image of the compatible HDTV screen (sold separately), Wide Zoom display automatically expands standard 4:3 and 3:2 images to 16:9.

PHOTO MUSIC function
PHOTO MUSIC combines images with music (5 minutes per track) for fun and entertaining slide shows to produce. The standard visual effects (Simple, Nostalgic, Active and Stylish). You can choose from pre-loaded tracks on the camera or transfer your own from a compatible PC (sold separately).

Picture Motion Browser Ver. 4.2.02
Sony PMB (Picture Motion Browser) PC software offers a simple, easy to use way to capture video and still images on your PC, as well as sort, edit, and output to data disc and the Web (compatible computer with internet connection required). Finding your images with PMB is easy to view calendar and search Wikipedia. Face search you can filter on faces (one or several) and a specific person’s face. Share pictures and videos on popular sites with Media Services function.

Product Features

• 12.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
• 5x optical zoom, 28mm wide angle Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, optical SteadyShot image stabilization
• 720p high-definition movie capture, BIONZ image processor
• 3.0-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD screen, Face Detection and Smile Shutter technology
• 11MB built-in memory, images onto a Memory Stick Duo / PRO Duo media (not included)

Customer Review

Great camera with some set backs, April 24, 2009
By  BOGY. (CT)

This camera does take great pictures. These days the cameras are very easy to operate with all of the auto settings and advanced face detection and scene recognition – it’s hard to mess up a shot. This camera is no exception and makes the user feel like a pro when taking pictures. However, here are some things to think about when buying this camera:
1) The controls are on the right rear side of the camera. In particular the W/T buttons and the directional pad/button – the W button is hard to press and the left side of the dpad as well. For some reason they are right up against the right side of the 3″ screen which causes a problem and you have to either reposition your finger or use your nail to press the buttons I mentioned. No, I don’t have large fingers – it is just a design flaw. The buttons are set below the screen – if they were raised there would not be a problem. If you really want to see what I mean look at the pictures here on Amazon and zoom in on the back panel picture. Something I never noticed before but the directional button even has a part of the 3″ LCD frame cut out because it is so close to the button. See for yourself….
2) The video is crisp and clear (720p) but you CAN NOT ZOOM while shooting video. Compared to the T500, T700, T900, T90 ect where you can zoom when recording video. Very disappointing and if someone here mentioned that in their review I wouldn’t have bought the camera – I bet people here don’t even own the damn thing. The steady shot works well too by the way.
3) There is a rattle when you shake the camera. This is apparent only when the camera is turned on so I think it is the lens cover(s) which retract and automatically opens and closes when you turn the camera on. The lens protector is very fragile and when closed you can push it open with your finger unlike the DSC-N1 that I had which was like solid doors covering the lens.
4) This thing is BIG! OK it’s not huge but compared to the W300 It’s thick. I know, it has a 3.0″ screen compared to a 2.7″ screen but it is heavier and thicker than the W300 and the T series but I want to compare apples to apples.
5) Switching from menus and functions is a bit slow. There is definitely a processing delay with video and some pictures that I took too. I wouldn’t begin to throw a number out there (seconds) but it is definitely slower than the W300 for good comparison. Turning the camera on – slight lag – lens pops out – it’s just a lot slower than the N1 and W300.
6) There is NO docking cradle, memory or a case provided with the camera. I like the new battery charger which does not have a power cord but has plugs that flip out so you just plug it into an outlet and walk away – when the indicator light is off you are done charging – really good idea!
7) You need two hands to operate this camera. With the W300 you can work the zoom and shutter button with your right had with ease. Not so with the W290. Watch that left hand too! The RF illumination is located right where you might put your left forefinger. Careful.
The shutter button is on top of the camera along with the power button and a new SMILE button. The smile button will automatically engage the smile detector and will snap a shot automatically when activated. Very cool. However, the button, along with the power button is so small and inset that you really have to wonder if you are pressing it or not. You do feel a click I should say so it isn’t that bad I guess.

Canon – who’s that? I don’t use their products – Sony only baby. This is a great camera but could be better. Like the T700 the T900 came out and fixed a lot of issues. The W300 is a better camera than the W290. I am sure they will come out with a W400? It will be great I am sure! Get this W290 camera for the price and basic functions as a starter camera.

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Sharp, April 16, 2009
By  R Lovan “mrfollicle” (USA)

+This camera takes amazing pictures. Sharp, vivid, crisp, (insert synonyms here).

+Having such a high resolution is nice and the wide angle lens is great. It also has a little extra zoom than other point-and-shoots, which is another great feature. The smile detection feature is fun for about 30 minutes, but ultimately useless. (At least to me….)

+It has tons of little features and settings and even allows for some “editing” on the camera like red-eye removal and such.

-I do wish i could mess with the settings a bit more though. I like to be able to manually set the exposure time and mess with other things as well. These are unaccessible to the user. Regardless, it takes great pictures without me fiddling with things, so perhaps it is best. Though I do wish it had a long exposure setting to take some cool lightning shots or mess with light graffiti, but I think I’ll live.

-Also, you can’t zoom while shooting video. This is a bit of a frustration as well.

+The camera itself is amazingly small for it’s high resolution and hi-def video capabilities.

+Its construction is solid and the black looks pretty slick.

+Great “bang for the buck” camera. Simple enough for the family or girlfriend to use, and enough features and good enough quality for some more creative shots of my own. (and I don’t feel girlie carrying it, though there are other colors if that’s your thing…)

——————————————————————————-
Easy to use, fantastic photos, April 27, 2009
By  Bay Wiz (SF, CA)

I previously owned the Sony T500 because our family needs a camera that can take HD video, but also great photos in one package. I recently upgraded my personal camera and was going to hand down the T500 to my wife, but she did not like the all touchscreen controls. She prefers physical dials and buttons. So I sold off that camera and went in search of one with similar or better features that would be easy to use.

I ended up going with the W290 and it easily surpasses the T500 in photo quality. Right out of the box she was taking great photos on the auto setting. Low light shooting is problematic for all point and shoots, but the W290 did much better than I expected, just don’t expect miracles. The 3 inch screen is gorgeous. I don’t think I could ever go back to the 2.7 screens anymore.

The W290 is also priced well. It does cost more than a Flip HD or those other pocket HD camers, but purely from a video standpoint it’s far superior. From the much larger lense to the bigger screen, there is no comparison. Then you add the full features of a quality camera and it’s a no brainer. She’s very happy with it.

You also might want to read Canon Digital Rebel XSi

Customer Rating:
List Price: $389.95
Best Price: $189.12
See our option price

Zoom in on the 10.1-megapixel DSC-H20 Cyber-shot digital camera and the best shot. With its impressive Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 10x optical zoom wide-angle, it’s easy to capture the moment with impeccable detail. A 3.0-inch touch screen makes viewing your pictures a breeze and the ingenious iAuto mode takes the guesswork out of choosing the best camera settings when you are not sure which one to choose. There’s also a built-in technologies such as optical SteadyShot image stabilization that reduces blur and Smile Shutter mode that automatically captures a smile when it happens. Feel like recording HD video? The H20 captures crisp, 720p videos that can be viewed on your HDTV. There is even an anti-blink function to help anyone look their best and in-camera photo retouching.

Cyber-shot DSC-H20 Highlights

10.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
A powerful 10.1-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch Super HAD CCD image sensor helps you capture gorgeous images with superb contrast and clarity down to the smallest detail. With 10.1 megapixels, you beautiful, photo-quality prints up to A3 + (13 x 19-inch) size, or crop your images and still come away with a high-resolution images.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 10x optical zoom
The professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 10x optical zoom brings distant subjects closer for great outdoor, sports, travel and photographs.

3.0-inch Clear Photo LCD (230k pixels)
Generous 3.0-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD screen offers crisp, natural colors that makes it easy to compose pictures, read menus and photos, even in bright sunlight.

BIONZ image processor
The BIONZ processor delivers high resolution and fast performance you expect from a Sony digital camera.

Intelligent Auto Mode
Intelligent Auto (iAuto) mode goes beyond the traditional automatic settings by recognizing and adapting to circumstances of the scene and lighting, enhancing natural skin tones and reduce blur. By integrating advanced features such as Intelligent Scene Recognition, Face Detection and optical SteadyShot, iAuto you can take advantage of the latest Sony Cyber-shot technology without automatic mode. Whether you shoot wide landscapes, capturing action playground, or taking photos on a birthday or wedding shower, iAuto will optimize your camera settings to help you get away with a great shot to ensure.

HD Movie
Put more of your memories in High Definition (720p) video. Record HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format for stunning big-screen home movie playback. Take up to 29 minutes in 720p format (or up to 2 GB) per film.

Intelligent Scene Recognition
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) Mode automatically detects eight different types of scenes and, in just 1/30th of a second, selects the appropriate camera settings: Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight using a tripod, Portrait, Landscape, and Macro. iSCN has two modes: Auto and Advanced. In Auto mode the camera takes a single shot using the optimal settings. In Advance Mode, the camera takes a picture with the standard automatic settings and, if in difficult lighting conditions (low light or backlight) immediately half picture with optimized setting takes, so you can choose what to keep.

Face Detection Technology
Face Detection Technology detects up to eight individual faces and controls flash, focus, exposure and white balance for accurate, natural skin tones with reduced red-eye to bring. It can also give priority to children or adults. Newly added Face Detection Motion adjusts ISO sensitivity and shutter speeds up the face when motion is detected, causing the subjects blur face.

Face Priority Selection
Focus, exposure and white balance for a particular face is now easier with selectable visual memory, even if the subject leaves the frame. This feature is ideal for weddings and other events, the goal is always to focus on one particular person.

Anti-blink Function
It is frustrating to think you’ve captured that perfect shot only to revise it later and discover one of your subjects blinked just as you press the shutter button. The Anti-blink function works to counter blinking and squinting help. When the camera is set to Soft Snap, the Anti-blink function imposes two images, recording only the photo with less squinting. If a flash is detected in other shooting modes, a warning will be displayed after the recording you make.

Red-eye reductions
Helps common red-eye problems.

Smile Shutter technology
The popular Smile Shutter technology automatically detects and captures a smiling face. Simply activate by pressing the Smile Shutter button and the camera will smile when it happens to capture. You can also select subject priority (Adult or Child Priority or touch subject on screen) and indicate the degree of Smile Detection Sensitivity to high (small smile), medium (laugh) or low (grin). Smile Shutter is also a good replacement for the self-timer. Just laugh when everyone is ready, and the camera will automatically capture the image.

Double Anti-blur Solution
The combination of Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and high ISO sensitivity helps compensate for shaky hands, minimizes blur and allows flash-free shooting to preserve the mood.

Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
Optical SteadyShot image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help blur without affecting image quality to avoid.

High Sensitivity mode (ISO 3200)
High ISO allows for faster shutter speeds, so you can take pictures indoors or in low light without the need for a flash. In addition to High Sensitivity Mode (ISO), you can select up to eight ISO settings (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) when shooting in Program Auto Mode to adjust sensitivity to your shooting conditions.

Dynamic Range Optimizer Standard and Plus
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) Standard and Plus uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine the best exposure and contrast settings for almost every conceivable environment. The result is a more natural images with clearer details that better match what your naked eye. DRO is particularly effective when shooting backlit portraits or any scene with dramatic contrast between background and foreground lighting. DRO Plus allows for even greater optimization by analyzing each region of an image and performing additional image processing.

Useful photo features
Choose from 13 convenient photo features rapid adjustment for specific shooting conditions. Photo modes include iAuto, Easy, Program, and Scene Selection, such as high sensitivity, Landscape, Soft Snap, Twilight Portrait, Twilight, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Underwater and Gourmet Mode. Gourmet mode lets you capture the mouth watering culinary creations with all the color and clarity of the images you see in gourmet magazines.

9-point autofocus
Because an off-centered subject can be shot more interesting, a 9-point auto focus system measures nine precision focus points, allowing you greater creative freedom to compose your photos.

Burst mode
You can burn up to 100 photos in about 0.62 seconds (for each resolution, a high-resolution VGA mode. Results may vary based on settings and Memory Stick media is used).

Function Guide
This beginner-friendly optional function helps navigate through the various functions and settings displaying the description of chosen functions or settings on the LCD screen.

Simplified Buttons
Experience the simplicity of buttons and menus that focus on the most used functions. The shooting song focuses on the type of use: Easy, Intelligent Auto, Scene, Program and Film – the most used functions like Play and Delete buttons are easy to hard. All other functions can be found under a menu button.

Easy shooting mode
Easy shooting mode, even beginners can take great photos. In Easy Recording program, easy to understand simple instructions displayed on the LCD screen and the camera switches to all auto settings with iSCN so you just picture without worrying about settings. The menu is also easier to play small, but straight ahead to provide operational features for those who fear that choosing the wrong settings.

High Resolution 16:9 Mode
Using the High Resolution 16:9 mode, images with high resolution images in the 16:9 aspect ratio favored by HDTV. This setting is ideal if you are planning your viewing images on a compatible HDTV and invite friends and relatives as part of a slideshow.

Memory Stick Duo Convenience
The Cyber-shot DSC-H20 camera accepts Memory Stick PRO Duo media (sold separately).

Stamina Battery Power
Provides extended battery life and capacity when using a fully charged lithium-ion battery. The included battery supports up to 220 shots.

Easy Image Management
Easy Image Management takes the hassle out of sorting large amounts of image data, so you can quickly select the desired pictures. Images can be viewed in four convenient ways: by Standard Folder view, Date view, Event view and Favorites showing only user-selected images. You can also use the power of Face Detection technology to filter by face type (choices include all people, children, infants, and smiles).

In-camera retouching
Retouch and enhance your photos on the road with 10 in-camera editing functions: cut, Red-Eye Correction, Soft Focus, partial color, fisheye lens, Cross Filter, Radial Blur, Retro, Happy Face and Unsharp Masking effects.

Multi-purpose Resize function
The Multi-purpose Resize function lets you change the aspect ratio of an image in the camera, so you can adjust images if necessary, whether you want to view them on a compatible HDTV, or e-mail them / upload them to a blog.

HDTV compatibility
View your pictures and videos in stunning high definition on a Sony BRAVIA or similar HDTV using the optional VMC-MHC2 HD output adapter cable (sold separately).

PhotoTV HD
Bring your photos to life and enjoy highly detailed, sharp images with PhotoTV HD-capable Sony Bravia HDTV. PhotoTV HD fine tunes settings on your HDTV such as sharpness, gradation and color images that look more like actual printed photographs to display.

Wide Zoom Display
To use the entire image of the compatible HDTV screen (sold separately), Wide Zoom display automatically expands standard 4:3 and 3:2 images to 16:9.

PHOTO MUSIC function
PHOTO MUSIC combines images with music (5 minutes per track) for fun and entertaining slide shows to produce. The standard visual effects (Simple, Nostalgic, Active and Stylish). You can choose from pre-loaded tracks on the camera or transfer your own from a compatible PC (sold separately).

Picture Motion Browser Ver. 4.2.02
Sony PMB (Picture Motion Browser) PC software offers a simple, easy to use way to capture video and still images on your PC, as well as sort, edit, and output to data disc and the Web (compatible computer with internet connection required). Finding your images with PMB is easy to view calendar and search Wikipedia. Face search you can filter on faces (one or several) and a specific person’s face. Share pictures and videos on popular sites with Media Services function.

Product Features

• 10.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
• 10x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
• 720p high-definition movie capture; BIONZ image processor
• 3.0-inch (230K pixels) LCD; Face Detection and Smile Shutter technology
• 11MB built-in memory; capture images to Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo Media (not included)

Customer Review

Everything I wanted and needed in a camera, May 13, 2009
By  Petra Springer (Middlefield, Ohio)

I am no expert when it comes to photography but enjoy taking good pictures of my family and friends. I have kids in sports and I like to take my own pictures for picture giving. I read many reviews (for hours) on various cameras and endet up with this one here. I first was going to get the DSC-H50 (one step up from the DSC-H20). When I went to the store to buy it, however, it was to large for my taste. It was to big to fit in a pants pocket and even for my small purse it was quite large. Here are the main reasons why this camera is awesome!

This camera here is not as compact as your typical slim camera (due to the 10x zoom), but it is small enough to fit in a purse or even a jacket/pants pocket if need be.

This camera has a burst mode so you can hold down the shutter and the camera will take numerous pictures, thus making it ideal for action shots. I took it to a Volleyball tournament and got unbelievable shots of my daughter serving and hitting! I cought her in mid air more then a few times…just what I had hoped for. I also took pictures at a track meet and got kids jumping hurdles…the pictures look almost like magazine shots!

This camera is extremely easy to use in the easy and auto adjust mode! It tells you everything on the screen. You can start shooting pretty much right away…it’s that easy! The manual is good to have for reference and questions and if you really want to get to know your camera.

The zoom is great and plenty! I took pictures from the mezzanine onto the Volleyball courts and could get nice close up shots! 10x is plenty for me!

The battery life is also impressive, as long as you keep your screen on a regular bright setting. First I had it set to “bright” and the battery didn’t do well. Then I set it to normal and it lasts a long time. I took about 150 shots and not a single bar was missing from the battery!

It has a rechargebale battery so you don’t have to keep buying regular batteries. Also, it does say that you can get a international charger so the battery charger can be plugged in anywhere in the world. (Still have to get that myself). What a nice option.

The quality of the pictures is also great! I took a team photo and my daughter took it to a practice to show the others. They choose the picture to use in a frame as a gift to the coaches. It turned out so good and all I did was push a button!

When shooting pictures, it has a option for the file size you select. If you know you want to email pictures, or for example if you sell on eBay and want to download pictures onto the ebay site, you select the small file size and shoot pictures that way for working with them online. For pictures that you use for portraits for example, you choose a larger file (pixels I guess), and that way it does not distort the picture when you enlarge it. That is also extremely easy to figure out!

Last but not least…I plugged it into my pc with the supplied USB cord and retrieved the photos the same way I always did in the past. I have not yet added the picture cd that came with it, but my guess is that it will work very good. I also took the 2GB SD card to Wal mart and made nice prints (you have to purchase the pro duo stick seperate…look for the “Sony pro-Duo Stick” cost about $13-$15). The 2 GB is plenty for me, I think it holds about 400 pictures).

Great camera…I have not found a flaw yet!

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mostly pleased, August 28, 2009
By  sheeroses “sheeroses” (md, usa)

After much research and trying out a few cameras (Panasonic Zs1 being its main competitor) I am settling for this sony H20. The picture quality in the H20 was just much more clear. The Panasonic Lumix Zs1 had inconsistent performance and I found some pictures to be very grainy and unpleasing. I was lured in by the Panasonic’s wide angle lens and several scene selection modes, but in the end none of those matter if your picture is grainy and not of printable quality. The biggest positive about this camera is its consistently good picture quality and performance. I took this camera with me to Southeast Asia and was able to get good pictures out of a moving car and at all zooms both indoors and outdoors. I was able to get some stunning pics with the lumix but only at times and for each good pic I had about 20 bad ones, and when your traveling or trying to capture a moment you just don’t have time to shoot 20-30 frames to get a good one. For this Sony camera to be truly perfect I really wish it had a wide angle lens, a panoramic assist function (like the Sony HX1 which is much bigger and not much better pic quality but the panoramic function is incredible), a more compact design with a built in lens cap and flash so the cap doesn’t pop off every time you take a picture. I looked and looked for the perfect camera and with those added features this would be it, but for now I will settle for this camera and hopefully sony will add those functions and improve this camera in its next upgrade. If you are looking for a compact travel camera that is several steps up from the normal 3x zoom and takes consistently good crisp pictures in various settings I would recommend this camera. It is not nearly as bulky as DSLRs making it a very easy travel companion, and it takes better pics than the other competing cameras in its range as well as some mega zoom cameras.

UPDATE: November 2009-
Before I left on my trip to Turkey and Europe I ended up purchasing another camera, the Canon Sx10is. This camera was more expensive and bigger both things I was initially trying to fight against, but I am so glad I went for this extra investment because the pictures I have been able to take on my trip (panoramic and regular) have come out absolutely stunning, all on auto setting, and using the panoramic assist function. It is a little bulkier then the sony but it still fits in my purse and the results in the pic quality are incredible.I figure I will probably not come back to these places and get the opportunity to take stunning pics again, so the slightly more money and bulk ended up being no bother when I will have very memorable pictures to look back on my trips. Look for my review and uploaded pics on the canon powershot page. If you can afford it and can take slightly more bulk, this camera ended up being the ultimate winner for me, and was everything I was trying to force the sony to be. I wanted to offer this option to those who are looking for something a little more then the sony has to offer. check out this canon before deciding.

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Great Camera!! Best Value!!!, May 12, 2009
By  TechGeek (Texas)

I bought this camera for a two week trip I was about to take. I also purchased an extra extended battery and an 8GB memory card for the camera. The main reason I purchased the camera was for its ability to take pictures quickly. I looked through consumer reports and this one was one of the top rated cameras. The cost is very good for this quality camera. I could take a picture withing a couple of seconds after turning the camera on and I could take a picture again less than a second later. This camera also has great battery life. Even if you just use the included battery, you can still get around 3-400 pictures (assuming you are not using flash). The zoom on the camera is great. It is a 10x optical zoom and additional 7x digital zoom. This gives you the power of a 17x zoom. If you take your picture at 17x zoom, you can then zoom in on your picture another 8x under the “review your pictures” menu. This camera is also small enough to fit into a small over the shoulder camera bag. It fit into my old camera bag that I used to have a small Olympus camera in. I recommend this camera for ages 16 and up. It is a great camera that it comparable to any SLR camera. I think it is better than a SLR because it is so much smaller than any SLR you could purchase.

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