Panasonic Lumix

Clip Vdo Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 review

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Clip Vdo Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 review

Product Description

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3.0" Touch-Screen LCD Offers Easy, Intuitive Operation
The DMC-FX500 Lumix compact digital camera features a hybrid control system that combines joystick control with touch-screen operation. Use the joystick for basic settings and the touch-screen for others like AF/AE, Manual Operation and Slideshow functions, which can be adjusted by touching or moving a slider on the screen with your finger or with the included stylus pen.

25mm Wide-Angle LEICA Lens with 5x Optical Zoom
With both a bright F2.8 25mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens and a 5x zoom, this is one camera that does it all. The sophisticated lens system lets you capture dramatic images that convey an impressive sense of breadth and depth - remarkable for such a compact camera. The 5x zoom is great for small or distant subjects, and there's also an Extra Optical Zoom function that boosts zoom power to 8.9x in 3-megapixel resolution mode.

Intelligent Auto Mode Helps Get Great Shots in Every Situation
Set the FX500 to iA mode and let the five Intelligent Auto functions team up to help prevent shooting errors. Intelligent Exposure corrects lighting differences, so images come out just the way you see them; Intelligent Scene Selector chooses the mode that best fits the situation; MEGA Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) helps prevent blurring from hand-shake; Intelligent ISO Control helps prevent motion blur; and Face Detection helps produce clear portraits by optimizing the focus and exposure settings.
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Clip Vdo Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 review

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Clip Vdo Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 review

Product Description

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Dream of a fully automatic camera that is easy to use. Think of a camera that offers a wide scope of functionality for capturing almost all desires. Consider a camera that takes superb stills but also offers a movie mode that corresponds to HDTV quality. Imagine combining precision Leica lens in a compact, finely tuned that opens new perspectives for creativity and fun. Making the Panasonic DMC-TZ5S Lumix 9.1 Megapixel Digital Camera. Now you can fit sweeping landscapes into a single frame with the 28mm wide-angle setting. Pull in subjects from far away to capture even subtle facial expressions with the dynamic 280 millimeters telephoto setting. Ideal for traveling, the DMC-TZ5 Lumix 9.1-megapixel digital camera combines a wide-ranging LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with a handy, compact body. The Extra Optical Zoom function also extends the zoom to as 16.9x, giving even greater telephoto power. Set the TZ5 iA mode and let the five Intelligent Auto functions team to help prevent shooting errors. Intelligent Exposure corrects lighting differences, so images come out just the way of seeing, Intelligent Scene Selector selects the mode that best fits your situation, MEGA optical image stabilization helps prevent blurring from hand-shake, Intelligent ISO Control prevents motion blur, and Face Detection helps produce clear portraits by optimizing the settings for focus and exposure. The TZ5 can record motion images with sensational 1280 x 720 HD resolution at 30 frames per second (fps) to fill your new widescreen HDTV sets. Have you found your perfect camera. Do it now. Up to 4x Digital Zoom 3.0 Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD enhancement Display (460K dots) Focusing Area Normal - Wide 200 centimeters 50cm/Tele - infinity, Macro / Intelligent AUTO / Clipboard - Wide 5cm / Max 200 centimeters / Tele 100cm - infinity 8 - 1 / 2, 000 sec. Starry Sky Mode - 15, 30, 60sec. Shutter Speed Auto / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600

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Panasonic DMW-BLB13 Battery for Panasonic G1 Digital SLR Cameras Panasonic DMW-BLB13 Battery for Panasonic G1 Digital SLR Cameras

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Panasonic DMW-BLB13 Battery for Panasonic G1 Digital SLR Cameras

List Price:	$69.95
Price:	$49.95

Customer Reviews

Battery for G1
Great little battery but it costs twice what it should. The only alternative is a third party battery and I've never had one of those that lasted longer than a month or two. So, pay Panasonic's premium price and get a battery that works.

Stock item that is not so popular
I desperately need a spare battery for my newly acquired Panasonic GH-1 DSLR as it's my main tool for taking HD video on a wedding assignment in Seattle. The camera body is so new that you can hardly find the product itself, not mention its back-up battery. Fortunately, it share same Li-Ion battery with its sister product, G-1. I understand G-1 is not so popular either comparing to Nikon or Canon. Yet, it surprised me a great deal when I find it's in stock with Amazon. The item arrived within two days as promised and I had a great shooting occasion.

Great Battery!
What can I say about this battery but it is exactly what I wanted. A spare battery for my Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1. It came in a nice box in bubble wrap and came as advertised. I already charged the battery and tested it in the camera and it works perfect. It is also true that with the 1.3 firmware loaded into the G1 camera body, this is the only battery that will work. 3rd party batteries will not. I don't mind as I would probably only buy the Panasonic brand anyway. If I could, I'd give this battery 4.5 stars because I agree with some of the other reviewers that this battery is a bit pricey, but in the end I will give it 5 since it does its job well.

Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card Class 6 - 20MB/s (SDSDX3-008G, Static Pack)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card Class 6 - 20MB/s (SDSDX3-008G, Static Pack)

Product Description

SanDisk Extreme III expands its award-winning, professional line of memory cards with a new 8GB SDHC (Secured Digital High Capacity) card. The SanDisk Extreme III SDHC 8GB offers speed, performance and reliability to ensure you get the picture every time. The 8GB memory card can store over 4,000 high-resolution pictures or up to 16 hours of MPEG 4 video. (SDSDX3-008G BULK - Each unit is packed in a Anti-Static Parts Bag)

Clip Vdo Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 Commercial and Review

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Clip Vdo Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 Commercial and Review

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. buy now

Clip Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-45mm Lens

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Clip Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 14-45mm Lens

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 ($899, with lens) is a compact interchangeable lens camera that uses the Micro Four Thirds standard. When Panasonic introduced their first Micro Four Thirds camera, the DMC-G1, many folks (myself included) were disappointed that it was fairly large, and not the compact model we hoped the MFT format would deliver. Olympus upped the ante with their E-P1, which has a compact, retro-styled body that is a lot closer to what many people expected in the first place. Unfortunately, that camera was plagued by slow autofocus, no built-in flash, and the lack of a viewfinder (with the exception of the one mated to the 17 mm pancake lens).

Panasonic's new DMC-GF1 takes everything that made the DMC-G1 (and the GH1, for that matter) so appealing, and puts it into a more compact body. It's not quite as stylish as the Olympus E-P1, but it offers faster autofocus, a pop-up flash, and support for an optional electronic viewfinder which that camera lacks. Other features include a high resolution 3-inch LCD, full manual controls, an Intelligent Auto mode, and an HD movie mode.

Since a lot of people are going to be comparing the GF1 and the E-P1, I've created this chart to illustrate the differences: buy

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera Compact Protective Hard Sleeve

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:11:00 +0000

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera Compact Protective Hard Sleeve

List Price:	$16.99
Price:	$12.97

Product Description

Compact Disk Protection is the protection sleeve that allows you to easily access the camera. Has a belt loop for convenience. The camera is protected by a Velcro closure so it is secured in short sleeves even in the race. The sleeve is difficult for the full protection of the camera. Perfect for professionals and students!

Product Details

Brand: Esme

Features

Fits Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera
Premium quality protective hard sleeve
Belt loop for convinience
Secure velcro closure

Customer Reviews

Less than stellar
I really didn't care for this product. The TS1 fits inside it, but it's a very tight squeeze, making it a hassle to get the camera in and out of it. It's so tight that the piece of LED protective film I placed on the LED viewfinder quickly began to get peeled back at one corner. Also I bought this to protect the camera from dirt, grit, dust or whatever as the camera jostles around in the bottom of my knapsack all day every day. This case is very open along the sides though and won't serve that purpose well. It's a little hard to tell exactly what it's like from the photos of it here on Amazon.

fits like a glove.
the case fits the Panasonic Lumix DMC TS1. However, I did not understand why the case was shipped three days later when I ordered it on Sunday before Labor day

Panasonic VW-VBG130 1HR Battery Pack (for HDC-SD1, AGHSC1U)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Panasonic VW-VBG130 1HR Battery Pack (for HDC-SD1, AGHSC1U)

List Price:	$89.95
Price:	$64.49

Product Description

Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack

Product Details

Color: black
Brand: Panasonic
Model: VW-VBG130-K
Dimensions: .97" h x 1.44" w x 1.63" l, 1.00 pounds

Features

Genuine Digital Lithium Ion Batttery Pack from VBG Series
For use with Panasonic AGHSC1U & HDC-SD1 camcorders
1320mAh
Power Stretch
No Memory Effect

Customer Reviews

A Good Choice for HDC-SD5
The battery runs my HDC-SD5 for a full 1.5 plus hours. Just as advertised.

It's a BATTERY - NOT GOLD...
Amazingly overpriced for a battery that basically runs my HDC-HC1 for a little over an hour.

Can you say "stick 'em up"???

_____________________

2-6-09

Follow up: This battery's price has finally fallen by about 50 percent to it's current $55 +/- price now listed here. When my original review was written the going rate was around $120 IF you could find them.

BEWARE of Panasonic. *Research well* before you buy. While their prosumer line is excellent, they have no qualms whatsoever about high prices and short supplies on basic accessories for units like these.

The right tool for the job :-)
I was looking for two spare battery packs at a good deal price for my new Panasonic mini DVD camcorder model VDR-D50P. I have used after market products before with excellent results. I chose this battery and ordered two of them. They were listed as repalcements for my model.Panasonic CGR-DU06A/1B Rechargable Battery for most Panasonic Camcorders THEY DO NOT FIT. Panasonic has changed ever so slightly the size of the bracket the batttery mounts into on the cam and the charger. I was able to return the batteries to the company for a refund. After futher research on the Panasonic battery I needed, I returned to Amazon with a Panasonic part number (VW-VBG130). I did a search and it came back with more of the same thing I had bought before that did not fit. However, in the mix were several companies that listed the battery as this part number and as being an ORIGINAL, Panasonic part. This battery sells locally for AROUND $125.00 but I found it on Amazon for $55.00 plus shipping but NO TAX. I ordered two of them and they indeed are Panasonic batteries with the correct part number and they fit my camcorder. Here's the AMAZON.COM link to the CORRECT battery For the Panasonic VDR-D50P camcorder; http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000SCUWOY/ref=dp_olp_2

BY THE WAY, the link shown at the right of this review is the link to the correct battery for the VDR-D50P Panasonic. To get to the $55.00 price look down a little and to the right of the ZOOM option for the photo of the battery. you will see the link to the dealers selling them for $55.00 or so. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you contact the company before buying to get a gut feeling for the company and their attitude before you order, there are usually several optional companies selling the item if you don't get that desired "fuzzy" feeling at first.

Apparently the so called "after market" has not caught up with the fact that Panasonic has changed the mounting bracket size sligtly for the newer size batteries. This was indicated by the dealer when I returned my original purchase. I'm sure in time they will discover this change and produce the correct battery. For now, 9-30-08, apparently we have to use the ORIGINAL.

NOTE: The battery, VW-VBG130, also fits the New Panasonic SD memory card type camcorders also. I did some research on this. With the new SD card camcorders this battery will run the cam for about 60 to 70 minutes. On the mini DVD recorders like mine you will get about 50 minutes because the battery is having to move the laser head and mechanism as well as the motor that spins the DVD itself.

By the way, at this writing, 9-30-2008, there are some good deals to be had on the nice Panasonic SD card camcorders from last years models which are wonderful units and got very high user ratings. The newer units this year have no appreciable improvements over last year's model. Try looking at circuitcity.com in the "OUTLET" section. If you do not see the "OUTLET" link on the main page, simply type OUTLET in the search bar and click GO and presto you will be there and you can do a search for Panasonic Camcorders. The nice THREE CHIP model HDC-HD5 is below $500.00 at this time (9-30-2008) when you put it in your shopping cart. Wish I had one :-)

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens

From the Manufacturer

The LUMIX DMC-GF1 is the latest addition to the award-winning LUMIX G Series, which debuts as the world’s smallest and lightest system digital camera with a built-in flash. The LUMIX DMC-GF1 distinguishes itself from previous models with its elegant, compact design reminiscent of classic film cameras, yet builds on Panasonic’s success with the revolutionary LUMIX G Series of digital interchangeable lens system cameras based on the Micro Four Thirds system standard. With its compact size, user-friendly design and ability to record High Definition (HD) video and take professional-quality photos, the LUMIX GF1 continues to redefine digital photography standards.

With its lightweight body, the LUMIX GF1 provides experienced photographers with the ideal digital camera to carry with them at all times. Like its predecessors in the LUMIX G Series, the LUMIX GF1 eliminates the pentaprism found in traditional interchangeable lens cameras. Thus, this mirror-free structure allows Panasonic to dramatically reduce both size and weight.

Though small in size, the LUMIX GF1 does not compromise in advanced features. The LUMIX GF1 thoroughly optimizes the advantages of a system camera to ensure high performance, whether capturing photos or HD video. The LUMIX DMC-GF1 can record 1280 x 720 High Definition video in AVCHD Lite, a format that enables longer recording times. With a dedicated video record button, capturing video is convenient and easy. The LUMIX GF1 can also record HD Motion JPEG in 1280 x 720 and other video recording formats include: QVGA, VGA and WVGA. The LUMIX GF1 has a unique Movie Program Mode that allows consumers to adjust the depth-of-field while shooting in HD video, so background and foreground can be blurred to give creative effects--something typically only possible with expensive professional camcorders.

The LUMIX DMC-GF1 includes the new My Color mode, which includes seven preset effects--Expressive, Retro, Pure, Elegant, Monochrome, Dynamic Art, Silhouette and Custom--all which let users manually set the color, brightness and saturation levels. With the Live View function, users can see how these settings will effect the photo before they shoot, making it easier to capture the exact mood or atmosphere desired. For even more elaborate effects, users can choose from a total of nine Film modes, and set the contrast, sharpness and saturation levels for each. A custom function lets users store their favorite settings in memory. Furthermore, the exposure meter can be displayed in other shooting modes and the correlation between shutter speed and aperture is shown, with a color-coded warning that alerts users when the settings are not in the proper range.

For those users not quite comfortable with extensive manual and creative controls, the LUMIX GF1 provides a user-friendly setting that can address a beginner’s comfort level, while helping them evolve their photography skills. For instance, Panasonic’s new Scene mode, Peripheral Defocus, lets users take a photo where the foreground is in focus and background is blurred--or vice versa. This popular effect can be intimidating for a beginner, but in the Peripheral Defocus mode, by simply selecting the objects to be blurred and focused using the camera’s keypad, it is simple for photographers of any level.

Panasonic Lumix GF1 Highlights

Versatile Functions and Superb Images
The GF1 adopts the Micro Four Thirds System standard, which was developed as an extended version of the Four Thirds System standard for digital camera systems. By using this standard and developing a camera body that eliminates the mirror box and optical viewfinder unit, LUMIX was able to achieve a dramatic reduction in both size and weight compared with conventional digital SLR cameras, to create a new-generation system camera that features Full-time Live View, high-speed, high-precision Contrast AF, HD movie recording, and more. The GF1 is small enough to take anywhere yet sophisticated enough to take you as far into photography and movies as you want to go.

12.1-Megapixel Live MOS Sensor: Higher Image Quality, Lower Power Consumption
The 4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor featured in the GF1 offers the best of both worlds--the superior image quality of a CCD sensor, and the lower power consumption of a CMOS sensor. This sensor is also advantageous for photo and movie recording with its high S/N, thanks to a new circuit structure that is unaffected by the noise generated in each of the circuits. It results in clear images even when taken at high ISO sensitivity.

Extended HD Movie Recording with SLR Quality
The hybrid GF1 lets you take both high-quality photos and HD movies. You can shoot breathtaking HD (1280 x 720) movies in AVCHD Lite format (MPEG-4/H.264) backed by the high sound quality of Dolby Digital Creator. And you can record for a longer time without running out of memory because AVCHD Lite stores data more efficiently than Motion JPEG while maintaining stunning image clarity and detail. A dedicated "movie record" button on the top lets you instantly start recording movies while shooting photos, so you don't miss a second of the action.
_{*"AVCHD Lite" and "AVCHD Lite" logos are trademarks of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.}

A Built-In Flash in a Stylish Body
Some compact size cameras reduce weight by not including a built-in flash. With the GF1, the built-in flash is concealed inside the body and out of sight. A single touch pops the flash up for easy shooting anytime you want. You can also adjust the light intensity in the range of Â±2 EV at 1/3 EV steps to match your subject.

My Color Mode Puts You in Control of Your Colors
Naturally you want your photos to be unique. My Color mode on the GF1 lets you control each and every photo with eight unique preset modes in all, including a colorful Expressive mode, a soft and moody Pure mode, and a Custom mode that lets you adjust the color, brightness, and saturation just the way you want them. You can dramatically change the images of even familiar subjects to express your own creativity.

The Soft Focus of Peripheral Defocus Mode Lets You Achieve Professional Results
The GF1 automatically adjusts the focus to match the AF area you positioned while gently defocusing the foreground and background to emphasize the subject. You don't have to change the aperture yourself to take photos with the highly attractive soft focus effect of an SLR camera.

iA Mode Helps Prevent Shooting Mistakes in a Variety of Situations
Select iA mode, and the GF1 automatically activates a host of advanced functions and technologies that make it easy to capture beautiful, clear shots.

Face Recognition: This function recognizes the faces of subjects that have been registered in the camera and displays the names of up to three people. The GF1 then optimizes the focus and brightness of the registered faces. Turn Face Recognition item ON and register the person with a full-face portrait on the shooting menu in advance.
AF Tracking: Once you've focused on a subject, AF Tracking keeps the subject in focus--even if it moves--until you press the shutter release.
Intelligent Exposure: The camera can correct the brightness in parts of the image that are too dark due to insufficient lighting, backlighting or use of the flash.
Intelligent Scene Selector: The camera automatically selects whichever of five Scene modes--Portrait, Night Portrait, Scenery, Night Scenery, and Macro--best suits the situation.
Face Detection AF/AE: The camera detects when there are faces in the frame and adjusts the focus and exposure to capture them properly. This allows you to shoot beautiful portraits without any hassle.
Intelligent ISO Control: If the subject moves as you snap the shot, the camera automatically adjusts the ISO sensitivity and shutter speed to help prevent subject blur.
MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer): Gyrosensors built into the lens detect hand-shake and an O.I.S. shifts to compensate. Assisting you in getting those clear, beautiful, blur-free photos.

_{*Some functions in iA mode will not be available depending on the lens that is mounted.}

Produce Original HD Movies
Unlike most other cameras, the GF1 allows the use of My Color mode and Scene mode to record HD movies. And Motion Picture P mode lets you change the aperture for more creative HD movie recording.

iA Mode: Beautiful HD Movies with Point-and-Shoot Ease
Select iA mode, and the GF1 automatically activates a host of advanced functions and technologies that make it easy to capture beautiful HD movies.

Full-time Live View: See How the Image Will Turn Out Before You Shoot
The GF1's Full-time Live View lets you see in the LCD how adjusting the exposure, white balance, aperture and even the shutter speed will affect the shot. This makes it easier to capture a special shot or particular kind of image without shooting again and again.

Let the Exposure Meter Guide You
The on-screen meter display indicates the degree of aperture and shutter speed that can be changed within a suitable exposure range. The range in which appropriate exposure is not possible is shown in red, so you can intuitively grasp the corresponding aperture and shutter speed combinations.

Take Advantage of Leica and Four Thirds Lenses
More than 20 available Leica M/R lenses or 30 Four Thirds lenses can be used with the Micro Four Thirds System standard GF1, simply by mounting a separately purchased lens adaptor.

An Optional Live View Finder Mounts to the Hot Shoe
You can equip the GF1 with an optional 202,000-dot equivalent Live View Finder (LVF) featuring a magnification of approximately 1.04x (0.52x*) and 100% field of view. Because it displays the same information as the LCD, it is effectively used in situations where the LCD is difficult to see, such as under bright sunlight. The LVF is also handy for low-angle shots because it can be tilted vertically from 0 to 90 degrees.
_{*35 mm camera equivalent}

The High-Speed, High-Performance Venus Engine HD
The Venus Engine HD incorporates two CPUs. This not only boosts image processing speed, it also helps achieve an exceptional noise-reduction performance. Also, the two CPUs of the Venus Engine HD allow long-time movie recording in AVCHD Lite format while maintaining low power consumption. And the Venus Engine HD features HDMI output too.

Dust Reduction System Protects the Image Sensor
If dust or other foreign matter gets inside the camera when you're changing lenses, it could cling to the image sensor and show up as a spot in photos. The GF1 helps eliminate this possibility by placing a Supersonic Wave Filter in front of the Live MOS sensor. Vibrating around 50,000 times per second, the filter repels dust and other particles. This keeps the image sensor clean at all times and eliminates the need for cumbersome maintenance procedures.

HD Photos and HD Movies with VIERA Link Networking
The GF1 is equipped with an HDMI output terminal for direct transmission of digital image and sound signals. Just connect the camera to an HDTV using a single HDMI mini cable (optional). It's also easy to enjoy slideshows in which both photos and movies are played according to the recorded timeline. If you have a VIERA TV, you can control the camera's playback functions with VIERA's remote control unit.

Easy HD Image Viewing with the SD Card Slot
Simply take the SDHC/SD Memory Card from the GF1 and slip it into the card slot of a Panasonic VIERA or Blu-ray Disc player, and you're ready to view HD images. For even greater impact and entertainment fun, you can add background music and image effects to your image slideshows.
_{*To play movies recorded in the Motion JPEG format, you need the included AV cable.}

PHOTOfunSTUDIO 4.0 HD Edition Makes Photo and Movie Editing Easy
AVCHD Lite movies can be transferred to a PC from an SDHC/SD Memory Card or via the USB cable to view or edit them. You can also make a DVD disc from AVCHD Lite files by converting them to MPEG-2. The software makes it easy and fun to edit or organize a collection of photos. It features a Face Recognition function that recognizes the faces in the photos stored in your PC and lets you sort them by face. Also, photos shot with My Color mode can be categorized and viewed by style. The sophisticated interface allows you to enjoy emotion-packed slideshows with a variety of effects and music. And motion images can be directly uploaded to YouTube

SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0 SE Adjusts RAW Images Any Way You Want Them
The GF1 records original image data in RAW file format, which allows images to be developed according to your intention. A number of highly advanced functions can be applied to these RAW images by using the SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0 SE software utility, with its unique combination of high resolution and extraordinary color separation.

Customer Reviews

Finally The Digital Camera Holy Grail
Bottom line up front: The elusive compact camera with interchangeable lenses, DLSR Image Quality, DSLR Focusing speed and DSLR performance has finally been made. It is the GF1.

I live in Japan so I have been lucky enough to have been playing with this camera since 18 Sep. This camera sold out on the first day from Bic Camera in Japan so it is going to be hard to get a hold of one. Please be aware that this camera is "region" coded so if you buy a Japanese version you will not be able to change the menu language to English.

This review is equally applicable to both versions of the GF1. I personally prefer the 20MM (40MM equivalent) f1.7 lens to the 14-45MM (28-90MM equivalent) f3.5-5.6 lens for the following reasons: 1) Since the m43 is relatively small compared to a full frame sensor you need a fast lens to get shallow depth of fields. 2) As a fast lens it is far more usable in low light situations. This lens is ~2 to 3.5 f stops faster than the 14-45MM lens. What this means is that given a certain situation, if you were to select the same shutter speed you would let in 4-11 times more light (Each full f stop change changes the light by 2. Going to a small f stop doubles the light. Therefore, you arrive at how much more light there is by raising 2 to the number of f stops. 2^2=4 and 2^3.5 =11) allowing the use of a lower ISO setting or you could set a 4-11 times faster shutter speed to allow you to prevent motion blurring. 3) This lens is smaller so it makes the camera eminently more portable. What you give up is the ability to zoom with your hand. There is a work around for this and it is called zooming with you feet. However, in confined situations, you may not be able to move back are far as you need to. If this is the type shooting you routinely do then the 14-45MM zoom is probably for you. For me, and I believe for most people, I like the great flexibility the faster lens gives me and I am not usually constrained by space. Additionally, the 20MM lens, in my non-scientific tests, appears to focus faster than the zoom. Both focus fast but the 20MM feels faster.

STILLS

This camera along with the G1 and GH1 has the best contrast detection autofocus on the market. It is as fast if not faster than my Nikon D40 and is almost as fast as my D700. This is a great technological breakthrough and is what allows the camera to be smaller than a DSLR while giving nearly identical performance. With this camera you will not miss photos of your children or other fast moving subjects while you wait for your camera to focus. Bravo.

On top of the great focusing performance , this fresh design allows this camera to handle exceedingly well. In many ways it takes the best of the point-and-shoot (P+S) world and mixes it with the best of the DSLR world. It doesn't have as many dedicated buttons as my D700 but the Q Menu system works very well and allows for quick changes of most shooting parameters. There is a detailed menu system but I don't find myself using it very much while shooting. I feel that this setup allows photographers moving up from the P+S world to feel immediately comfortable on this camera while also giving experienced photographers the control they need to work their craft. It seems many reviewers find fault with the Panasonic one control click wheel that changes aperture and shutter speed (other cameras have two wheels or have a button and 1 wheel combination). I actually prefer the click wheel on this camera. With the other types of setups (which I have on the D700 -- two wheels and D40 -- 1 wheel plus button) I usually have to look away from the scene to find the other wheel or button. With the setup on this camera my finger is already close by the wheel and I just push it to change functions.

I don't know what kind of plastic Panasonic uses on this camera but I love the way it looks and feels. Also, I think having a red, white, or grey camera is cool (unfortunately only available in black in the US. The G1 was available in multiple colors but so far the GH1 and GF1 are "available in any color as long as it is black.") and this combined with its size makes it look more like a "consumer" camera rather than a "professional" camera. With the photographer unfriendly laws proliferating the world, it is nice to have an incredibly capable camera that doesn't look like a professional camera.

This is a micro-4/3s camera system. That has some pros and cons. The chip is smaller than most DSLR chips. A full frame (FX in Nikon speak) sensor is ~860 sq mm, a Nikon DX sensor is ~370 sq mm, the 4/3 sensor is ~225 sq mm, and the typical sensor used in a point and shoot range between ~25-50 sq mm. However, a 2/3 sensor like many TV shows are shot with is ~60 sq mm and a 1/4 sensor like most home video recorders is only ~10 sq mm. What does all of these numbers mean? From a "stills" perspective the 4/3 format is relatively small when compared to DSLRs. That means that for the same megapixel rating, the 4/3 sensor will have smaller photoreceptors and that means more noise. However, the 4/3 sensor is roughly 60% of a DX chip so while this is a great physics discussion, in real life you will not be able to tell the noise difference based on sensor size even with a picture blown up to 100%. This is born out by the GF1's excellent noise control up to ISO800. You can also still use shots taken at ISO 1600 and 3200 but those low light shots are usually better turned into black and whites for that noire grainy look. That is the "downside" (not really much of a downside especially when compared to the up side) of the micro 4/3 system. The upside is that because you have a smaller area to cover, you can make lenses smaller (less weight and less cost). You also get a 2x multiplication factor on your lenses. So now that 200mm lens gives you 400mm of reach. Yea. However, a down side of the 2x multiplication side is if you want to shoot wide. You need a 7mm lens to get a 14mm viewing angle and those can get pretty expensive (panasonic makes are really nice and small 7-14mm that is more expensive than this camera). The point of all of this mumbo jumbo is that this camera takes great pictures and the lenses are smaller than DSLR lenses. Less weight and smaller size with no practical image quality compromise equals great camera.

On thing that is a negative is the slow 1/160 flash sync speed. This will be very limiting for off camera flash during bright light. With such a slow sync it will be exceedingly difficult (impossible?) to get shallow depth of fields while lighting. Most people probably won't use this feature but for those that do it will be a bummer. (Super FP mode and ND filters can help with this though)

This camera, also, does not have in Camera IS. The IS is in the lenses. The reason that Canon, Nikon, Panasonic do this is they say on-lens IS performs better. From what I have seen that is a true statement. However, in camera IS is better than no IS. Also, this camera can mount lens from numerous other systems. None of those will have IS. If you have an on board IS, then all of those other lenses will now have IS. The Olympus E-P1 does have in camera IS. The camera has many flaws but that is a benefit. Also, the E-P2 is supposed to be announce on 31 Oct 09 so hopefully many of the flaws of the E-P1 will be fixed.

I also love the face recognition on this camera. When I am taking group photos, the faces that I really care about are my families'. Now I can register 6 peoples' faces and it will focus on them. Nice

VIDEO

In many ways, this camera lacks some of the features of a dedicated video recorder and doesn't do the 1080P of the GH1 or have the manual shutter speed control. So why would I want to use this camera for video. There are two main reasons. The first reason is Depth of Field (DOF). As I mentioned earlier the micro 4/3 sensor has 4 times more area than the 2/3 sensor used for many TV shows and is 22 times more area than many video recorders. Smaller sensors = larger DOF. This makes it harder to isolate your subject from the background by having the background out of focus. Pay attention to movies when you watch them and you will notice how they shift focus to "highlight" their subject. If you have wondered why you can't do that with a home video recorder, now you know. If you shoot with a F4 lens on a 4/3 system you will need a .8 aperture on a 1/4 system to get the same DOF (by the way there is no such home video recorder). The second major reason to use the GH1 is the ability to change lenses. Right now there are not many micro 4/3 lenses. However, the micro 4/3 format is so flexible that, with an adaptor you can use just about any camera lens you want (Nikon, Canon, Leica, etc). The trade off is that you lose autofocus with most non-4/3 lenses. The ability to change lenses grants two major benefits. First, you can put all sorts of exotic lenses on. For example if you put on a 7mm lens, you would give your video a perspective not often seen in home footage. On a 1/4 sensor of a video recorder you would need a 1.4mm lens to get the same perspective as the 7mm on the 4/3 system. (Most camcorders are not going to go wider than 4mm which is roughly equivalent to a 20mm lens on a 4/3 system.) Secondly, you can put exceedingly "fast" (a fast lens is one with a low aperture number. A lower aperture number means more light hitting the sensor so you can run your shutter speed faster. Hence fast lens) lenses on to get shallow DOF. You could easily put a f1.4 lens on this camera. You would need a f0.3 lens to get the equivalent DOF on a 1/4 sensor.

Anyway, it is relatively easy to make beautiful videos with this camera. It does not do 1080P. However, I don't think that will be a loss to most. The GH1 1080P files are much bigger, require more post work to achieve really good results, and, from normal sitting distances, most people can't tell the difference between 720P and 1080P. Also, in the movie mode you can set aperture but the camera will set the shutter speed automatically. This leads to a caveat that you need to be aware of when shooting movies with this camera. If you want to use the wider apertures in bright light to get the smaller depth of fields then you will need some neutral density filters to put over the lens. As a rule of thumb you want your shutter speed to be twice the frame rate. So you need to shoot at 1/120. On a bright day at f1.7 you could easily need 1/9600 to properly expose at ISO200 (Well beyond the camera 1/4000 shutter limit). 5 to 6 Stops of ND would get the camera to set the shutter speed around 1/120. If you just set the camera on automatic it will take care of the exposure for you so you can just press the record button and go. However, one of the reasons to step up to a camera like this is take some control for yourself and create some art from within.

I will finish this review by making some comparison between some other camera choices out there.

First, this camera works very similar to the G1 and GH1 so what people have said about those cameras applies to the GF1. The big difference is the GF1 is smaller, the G1 doesn't do video, the GH1 can do 1080P, the GF1 does not come with a Electronic View FInder, the GF1 separate EVF is not in the same league with the G1 and GH1, and finally, the GF1 does not have an articulated screen like the G1 and GH1 do.

GF1 vs GH1 vs G1 vs Olympus PEN E-P1 vs Canon G11 (Not yet released)

GF1

Pros:

Smallest camera in the world with DSLR performance
Blazing focus performance
Great Picture Quality
HD 720P video capability
Compatibility with nearly every lens every made including Leica, Nikon, Canon, etc (you do need to purchase an adaptor to do this and you do lose auto focus in most instances)
Great Handling

Cons:
No built in EVF (add on not in the same league as G1 and GH1)
Live View screen not articulated
Hard to find
Only Black in the US

Who's it for?: Anyone who want to have a small compact and lightweight camera that packs the performance and features of DSLR. It does nice video but not nearly as well as the GH1.

Panasonic DMC-GH1 12MP Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Camera with 1080p HD Video

Pros:

Blazing focus performance
Great Picture Quality
HD 1080P video capability
Compatibility with nearly every lens every made including Leica, Nikon, Canon, etc (you do need to purchase an adaptor to do this and you do lose auto focus in most instances)
Best EVF seen to date
Awesome articulated Live View screen
Best Implementation of video in a "stills" camera
Great Handling

Cons:
Expensive
Hard to find
Only Black in the US

Who's it for?: Anyone looking to have a camera that takes great still images and has best seen to date video integration in one package. Larger than the GF1 but worth it if you are serious about your video.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 12.1MP Digital Camera with Lumix G Vario 14-45 mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH Mega OIS Lens (Blue)

Pros:

Blazing focus performance
Great Picture Quality
Compatibility with nearly every lens every made including Leica, Nikon, Canon, etc (you do need to purchase an adaptor to do this and you do lose auto focus in most instances)
Best EVF seen to date
Awesome articulated Live View screen
Great Handling
Cheaper than GH1, GF1, and E-P!

Cons:
No Video

Who's it for?: Anyone who wants an all around great stills camera and wants to save money by not paying for video features.

Olympus PEN E-P1 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 17mm f/2.8 Lens and Viewfinder (Silver)

Pros:

Small Size
Great Picture Quality
HD 720P video capability
Compatibility with nearly every lens every made including Leica, Nikon, Canon, etc (you do need to purchase an adaptor to do this and you do lose auto focus in most instances)
Image Stabilization(IS) built into the camera not the lens (it makes no IS lenses into IS lenses!)
Styling of the camera has Cache. (I personally prefer the GF1 but there are a lot of people commenting on how nice the PEN looks)

Cons:
Abysmal focus performance (worse than most point and shoot cameras)
No flash
Incredibly poor low res live view screen (The GF1 has twice the resolution as the E-P1)

(I would really only recommend this camera to someone who has lenses from other systems that is looking to make them Image Stabilized and is willing to manually focus them.)

Who's it for? Anyone who wants to have a small compact and lightweight camera with great image quality, are not concerned about focus speed/flash and want to use the in camera IS to stabilize non-IS lenses.

Canon PowerShot G11 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom and 2.8-inch articulating LCD

Note: This camera has not been release in the US yet. It was released on 2 Oct in Japan and I got to test it a couple times since then.

Pros:
Smaller Size than any other camera listed here
All in one package and lens (28-140MM) no need to buy other lenses
Decent detail retention up to ISO 800 (up from ISO 200 for the G10)
Optical View Finder
Articulated Live View Screen
1/2000 flash sync speed!
Built in flash
Built in ND filter on Lens
Relatively Inexpensive

Cons:
IQ not in the same league as m4/3 cameras
No HD movies (640x480 is the largest movie format)
Can't swap lenses (this is both a plus and minus and there are modifiers you can put on to make the lens "wider" or "longer")
Small Sensor (1/1.7 sensor is only 43 square mm compared to 225 for the m43. This usually equates to poor ISO performance all thing being equal. It seems Canon has figured out how to make things not equal. However, if shallow depth of fields are your thing then look elsewhere.)
Construction quality as good as the G10 (No longer built from metal. Some people may list that as a pro.)

Who's it for? Anyone who wants more portable camera than any other listed here while still keeping many professional features and is willing to sacrifice a bit on IQ for an all-in-one package with nothing else to buy.

OVERALL

The Panasonic GF1 is a fantastic camera and the first to deliver on the promise of a compact camera with DSLR performance and image quality. It obviously has places in which it can improve. However, for the current state-of-the-art, this camera is the best performing small camera available. Panasonic's contrast detect autofocus has raised the bar and no more excuses can be made for this type of autofocus system. (It probably heralds the extinction of the DSLR) Based around this, Panasonic has engineered the worlds first compact camera with "DSLR" level performance and has created an outstanding stills camera with good HD video camera capabilities. It's a great time to be a photographer!

Not the holy grail - not yet
Ok - so this is hands down the best little camera available right now. But is it good enough? My humble opinion - not so. I bought this camera from Amazon a month ago - with the 20mm 1.7 lens. I have used it for a vacation in Barbados as well as street photography and 'go anywhere' type of shots. Here are my impressions.
Pros:
- Nice form factor and small size. It can easily slip into a big pocket.
- Finally, someone figured out the contrast detection autofocus. It's not perfect. On about 5% of my shots - the autofocus locked but the shot came out clearly misfocused. I found this to be acceptable, though.
- The 20mm 1.7 is a great lens - very sharp, very fast and a pleasure to use.
- The build quality is good.
- The camera feels solid, the controls are generally well laid off, and it is speedy to shoot.
- The features offered are on par or above the mid level DSLRs out there.
- Good image quality up to ISO 200.
- The display is good (especially when compared with the dinky display of the EP1), but not as good as the Nikons and Canons in the same price range (e.g. 3inch, 920k dots).

Cons:
- Overall image quality came below my expectations - for a sensor close to APS-C in size. It's head and shoulders above a compact camera, but for $900, you can get much better IQ from an entry level or mid level DSLR, especially above ISO 200.
- Low light performance is at the level of APS-C sensor a generation or two ago (think Nikon D40, not Nikon D90). This is particularly problematic in the shadows - with significant noise visible at relatively low ISOs - e.g. ISO400. The noise is also of the worst type - chrominance as opposed to luminance.
- I do not miss the viewfinder and I would not get the optional EVF for this. You have to get used to a new way of shooting with this camera - in front of you, using the screen in the back for composition. HOWEVER, in order for this to work, one needs two essential things (both missing in the GF1): an electronic horizon level (to make sure you're lining up those shots) and in body stabilization to compensate for the extra shake from not having this camera supported on three points (two hands + your face) as for a DSLR. This was the deal breaker for me. I found that the rule of thumb for DSLR - shoot at 1 over the 35mm focal length equivalent does not work for the GF1 way of shooting. For the 20mm, not image stabilized, to ensure a good shot - I would have to shoot at 1/80s.
- Other than the 20mm lens (which is great), all the other m34 lenses out there are too big - they negate the size advantage of the format. So I don't really buy the interchangeability advantage - if you want a small package, the 20mm is going to live on your camera, and you shouldn't really pay an premium over non-interchangeable package such as Sigma DP1 or DP2.
- It is overpriced at $900+. The G1 - the GF1's bigger brother (same sensor) sells as a kit for $700. Considering that G1 has a EVF incorporated, and the GF1 lacks that, I value the GF1 kit at around $600. I hope its price settles there after the initial feeding frenzy is over.
- If you are serious about image quality, you shoot raw and part of your workflow involves post processing the image. In that workflow, the GF1 is held back by the fact that the in camera choices you make (film modes, contrast correction, etc.) are not carried over to the RAW developer included with the package - Silkypix. You have to start all over again - which is annoying and a waste of time. I wish Panasonic put some resources in developing their own raw developer - like Nikon's Capture NX or Canon's DPP - this way they can carry over the settings once you get to the computer.
- If you don't shoot raw, well - you have another problem to deal with - the jpeg engine incorporated in the camera is mediocre at best. The colors are off (especially the blues) and the dynamic range of the jpegs is 2 or 3 stops below what the sensor is capable of.
- Crappy flash sync speed of 1/160. This not only applies to the underpowered built in flash, but also external flashes. The GF1 does not offer high speed flash sync like the better DSLRs out there. This is very limiting when you want fill flash on a bright Caribbean day.

So, what does this all mean? If you are looking for a small camera to carry around - either get one of the fixed lens packages from Sigma, Leica, etc. or wait until Olympus perfects the autofocus on the EP series. If you are looking for a travel camera - go for an entry level or mid level DSLR - the size and weight difference is not that great and the difference in flexibility and image quality is well worth the tradeoff. The m43 format has potential, but we're not quite there yet.

Unique camera - Kudos to Panasonic
Fantastic portable cam with decent image quality and extraordinary features. It filled the gap between my Panasonic LX3 and Canon 5DMkII as a small size camera with all the features I want. What do you get? Small package; fast great lens (20mm); DSLR IQ; HD movies; fast autofocus (+ face-recognition AF); super looks (+ pride of ownership); very sharp LCD. Importantly, you don't look like a geek when you use it in a group. The colors are very very good (I shoot raw and develop in Panasonic Silkypix in "Filmcolor A" mode).

Downsides? High ISO noise is not as good as Canon DSLRs (40D etc). AF area selection is painful, because the arrow buttons no longer can be used for their original functions. Colors of the LCD screen are not accurate. Continuous autofocus in movie mode tends to use f/1.7 & it hunts a lot. This means significant portions of the movie end up out of focus. In some auto modes (e.g.: aperture priority + auto-ISO), camera picks 1/30 exposure time, resulting in blurry photos. Current price is quite high ($900 for body+20mm). These are small nags compared to what you get.

Doubts about fixed focal length lens? Fast 40mm-equivalent lens is sufficient for ~90% of my daily shooting needs (family, kids, friends etc). Unless travelling or taking artistic shots, I don't feel the need of a different focal length. I think most casual shooters would feel the same.

You may want to consider getting a Lowepro Rezo 60 camera bag. The camera + 20mm fits snugly into that.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:28:00 +0000

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens

Price: $899.95
Product Description

The GF1 adopts the Micro Four Thirds System standard, which was developed as an extended version of the four thirds standard system for digital camera systems. Using this standard and developing a camera body that eliminates the mirror box and optical viewfinder unit, the Lumix has been able to achieve a drastic reduction in both size and weight compared to conventional digital SLR cameras, to create a new camera system generating features full-time view live, high-speed, high-precision AF contrast, recording of HD movies, and more. The GF1 is small enough to carry anywhere yet sophisticated enough to carry up to photography and film, how you want go.The 4/3-type 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor in the GF1 offers the best of both worlds, superior quality images of a CCD sensor, and the lowest power consumption of a CMOS sensor. This sensor is also advantageous for photo and movie recording with its high S / N, thanks to a circuit which is not affected by noise generated in each of the circuits. It results in sharp images even when taken at high ISO sensitivity.The GF1 hybrid can take both high quality photos and HD movies. You can shoot HD movies in stunning AVCHD Lite (MPEG-4/H.264), supported by high quality sound Dolby Digital Creator. And you can adjust for a longer time without running out of memory, because AVCHD Lite stores the data more efficient than Motion JPEG, while maintaining stunning image clarity and detail. A dedicated "record movie" button on top allows you to immediately start recording video while shooting photos, so do not miss a second of action.

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #178 in Camera & Photo
Brand: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GF1C-K
Display size: 3

Features

4/3-type 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor; clear images even when taken at high ISO sensitivity
Elegant, compact design; includes Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 aspherical lens
Capture 1280 x 720 HD video in AVCHD Lite format for longer recording time
Full-time Live View; new My Color mode
Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black) Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 12MP

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:22:00 +0000

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black) Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 12MP

From producer

The 12.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FS25 features a 5x optical zoom and 29 millimeters wide angle Leica DC VARIO-ELMAR lens, a 3.0 inch LCD and smart is the top-of-the-line FS-series model. Lumix FS models, a stylish sister-line of highly acclaimed Lumix FX-Series, combines easy operation with a sleek look, enabling both beginner and advanced users to take beautiful digital photos with a camera that slips into a pocket .

Panasonic has improved the Intelligent Auto Mode (IA) on the DMC-FS25 from previous models FS for now include tracking AF and intelligent functions for exposure, in addition to the type Mega OIS, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Face Detection. AF Tracking enables the user to "lock" the focus on a moving subject. The camera then automatically tracks the subject that moves, keeping it in focus without the need to hold down the shutter button halfway down. In addition, Intelligent Exposure helps capture natural-looking images, eliminating shadows and lights stopped blowing. It continuously monitors the light source in the shooting environment and automatically activates the backlight compensation function if it detects your subject is backlit.

IA dedicated button on the top of the camera allows the user to enter iA mode directly without the need to enter the menu. This allows the user to trigger any time iA mode changing conditions without adjusting the camera settings.

Other features of the DMC-FS25 include an image processor, Venus Engine IV, which provides an advanced signal processing and a shutter interval as short as 0.006 seconds. Venus Engine IV also supports a High Sensitivity mode that allows the recording of the camera in an environment of up to ISO 6400, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash.

Intelligent 3.0 inch LCD screen detects the lighting conditions and automatically adjusts the brightness levels for viewing in bright sunlight and dark places. It also helps to preserve battery life. The menus are clearer and easier to navigate with the option screen size. The new rules Photo Frame allows you to put borders around the pictures interesting, so when you print, postcards appear in frames. Moreover, the new My Scene setting allows users to assign their most frequently used scene modes for the setting, so you can easily access the scene instantly. The DMC-FS25 record WVGA (848 x 480) moving images at 30 frames per second in 16:9 wide-screen, as well as standard VGA (640 x 480) format.

Other features of the Lumix FS25 include:

* Macro Zoom feature allows users to pull even more subject to capture dramatic close-up shots using the digital zoom in 3x wide angle.
* Bundle PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 that features a Face Recognition function, which recognizes the faces in the photos stored on your computer, allowing the user to easily sort files by people photographed. Using the software, films can also be uploaded directly to YouTube.

Customer reviews

The Lumix DMC-FS25 offers! 5-Stars5
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 camera is an excellent point and shoot camera. It offers what it promises. The Intelligent Auto works very well in a wide range of shooting environments. A button at the top of the camera alternates between the IA function and setting the camera last year. Face Detection and Auto Focus (AF) tracking on moving objects are very cool features and useful functions, especially when you are trying to get a good shot of your children or pets. The camera works fine on MacOS X with iPhoto (although canned PHOTOfunSTUDIO software only works on a PC - but you do not need or want, if you have a Mac). The picture quality is excellent. It has a 3x optical zoom, and that's all I really need (but also has a digital zoom). The backlit display for a preview of what is realistic is capturing - I do not miss a viewfinder even outdoors in bright light. Burst Shooting with and without flash works well, even if the high-resolution photo is reduced in this way. The video recording is better than almost every point and shoot in the price range (though not as big of Lumix LX3 - about twice the list price of DMC-FS25), allowing recording 16:9 wide-screen Video: WVGA (848 x 480 pixels) at 30 frames per second. It also takes standard 4:3 (640 x 480) video. To recharge the battery you need to take the camera, but the charger is quite small, and is compatible with all the world 110-240V power, though you still need to bring an adapter. I had my camera for several weeks (used daily for photos and video) and I had only once in the office after the initial charge up. Battery door looks delicate, but goes well with normal use. In general the build quality is high, his eyes black brush is very cool, and the camera feels great expectation. It 'much easier to slip into your pocket than the Lumix-FS5. My DMC-FS25 surpass my previous Sony Cybershot DSC P200. The SD memory card is great. I have an 8GB SD card. You can get much more GB of storage for less than $ with Sony memory sticks.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 is a great camera! Advanced features are definitely worth the extra dollars Lumix DMC-FS15 and DMC-FS7 models.

Great Camera for the Money! 5
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 is a great camera for the money! Similar megapixel cameras with the same, characteristics, and the zoom ran much more when I was trying to buy a new camera. It feels durable in your hands, it seems class, and is a nice size, not too small, but small enough to fit into my husband's pants pocket. We mainly use this camera to get together with friends and family and vacations. In fact, the day when we took this camera with the mail that we left for a vacation in Florida. It took great pictures on the beach, sunsets, and a boat ride at night. It is very nice zoom for a point-and-shoot camera and all our pictures of our vacation turned out great! We were getting compliments on it our whole trip! We received a Fujifilm J10 and the camera is much better. E 'was easy to see the screen, even in full sun on the beach. The shutter speed is good (much better than the Fuji was). I had no problems taking pictures of my niece in rapid motion. The video function is good as well, do not buy the camera for this feature, but for short clips you get the job done with audio and without delays. I have not read the manual that came with the camera, but leafing through it I found many other features that are not mentioned in the product description that seemed clean. The software supplied with the camera, PhotoFunStudio is easy to use and integrates well with a PC. I was still able to save all photos in MyPictures but access through the software of Panasonic. Battery life is great too, was asked right before our trip two weeks ago and has not been loaded yet and we took about 300 photos in these two weeks!

I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a quality camera that takes pictures of great moments of everyday life, special occasions and holidays. It takes excellent pictures, do not miss a minute of our holiday and worked well when taking pictures of my niece's baby.

Love This Camera! 4
I love this camera! Is actually the second that I bought ... had its predecessor for a couple of years, then gave to my wife and got this new for me. The LCD display is huge and takes great photos and video with audio. Only complaints: Not great video found in low light conditions (even with increased exposure) and you can not zoom once you start a video. I recommend taking the time to go through the User Manual to get a handle on all features - much more than I could ever use.

Despite the shortcomings video couple, I love it and highly recommend if you want a fairly easy to use camera that small and fun.

buy now

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 12MP Digital Camera with 5x MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

List Price:	$229.95
Price:	$163.95

Product Description

12.1 effective megapixel recording * 5x optical zoom (4X zoom digital/20X total) * 3 "LCD screen with 9 automatic brightness adjustment * optical image stabilization step * wide angle for shooting landscapes and large groups * focal length 35mm equivalent: 29-145 mm * top JPEG resolution: 4000 x 3000 * face detection adjusts the settings for focus and exposure for better portraits *

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #797 in Camera & Photo
Color: Black
Brand: Panasonic
Model: FS25 Black
Dimensions: 3.82" h x .86" w x 2.28" l, .28 pounds
Display size: 3
Included Software: Yes

Features

12.1-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-size prints
5x MEGA optical image-stabilized zoom; 29mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens
Intelligent Auto (iA) mode; Face Detection
3.0-inch LCD screen
Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10K 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10K 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Editorial Reviews

Description Manufacturer

The 10-megapixel Panasonic LZ10 is perfect for anyone who expects a digital camera that blends power, performance and quality, helping to maximize the experience of digital photography. The LZ-series lenses were developed by Panasonic, passing of Leica's stringent standards to deliver exceptional optical performance for Panasonic Lumix consumers. And THE LZ10 with 30mm wide-angle lens, you can capture group photos broader and more expansive scenic shots.

To provide digital photographers with added creative elements and performance, sports LZ10 manually control the aperture and shutter speed using the IRIS camera newly adopted. When shooting manually, you can choose between three modes: A-aperture priority, S-shutter speed priority and M-manual and enjoy added control and creativity normally reserved for top models. Also new to the LZ10 is Advanced Scene Mode - a feature that gives you manual control using some of the scene modes most frequently used Portrait, Sports, Landscape and Night portrait.

While in Advanced Scene Mode, when selecting the Portrait or Sports mode, the consumer is then presented with additional settings, with the option of choosing outdoor or indoor. When selecting Landscape mode, there are options to specify if the shot is nature or architecture. For budding photographers who want even more artistic freedom, they can choose the design mode, which adds more manual controls over an aperture or shutter speed.

For those not quite ready for complete manual control, the LZ10 also features Panasonic's Intelligent Auto Mode, which consists of five distinct technologies designed to provide users with camera settings intuitive and automatic, regardless the shooting condition and without the user having to do anything manually. Intelligent Auto Mode consists of the following:

Mega O.I.S. Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the movement system of lenses to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.

Intelligent ISO can determine if the photo subject is moving and change ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur free picture.

Intelligent Scene Selector Senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and automatically selects the appropriate scene mode from: Landscape, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery.

Face Detection Panasonic's Face Detection detects up to 15 faces anywhere in the frame, even if they are moving, and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come clear and concise.

Quick AF The Quick AF (auto focus) system starts focus on the subject by just pointing the camera to the subject, thus minimizing the AF time.

The LZ10 also features a new 230,000-dot high resolution LCD, LCD screen with new intelligent, which means the 2.5-inch LCD screen detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level to offer optimal clarity in any situation, whether light or dark indoors or outdoors. The unit also includes the popular High Angle mode makes the LCD easier to see where the high standard of fire on a crowd or a large object.

Other highlights of the Panasonic Lumix LZ10 include:

* Newly added Speaker lets you enjoy a slide show with music selected from natural, slow, urban or swing tunes, or add voice to a motion video.
* Title Edit function which allows you to input text to accompany a photo, for example, names of children or travel locations.
* Ability to record WVGA (848 x 480) motion images at 30 frames per second in a 16:9 format, ideal for viewing on HDTVs, such as Panasonic Viera Plasmas and LCDs.
* The ability to shoot 1920x1080 pixel High Definition-ready photos, ideal for viewing on a widescreen plasma TV Viera 16:9 or LCD.
* The DMC-LZ10 can shoot up to 160 images with included Alkaline batteries and up to 460 images with optional rechargeable Ni-MH (2600mAh).
* A record / playback mode, which lets the photographer switch between recording and playback, while always knowing the current mode.

Product Details

It Was (Almost) Everything I Needed5
I want to start by saying that I am a loyal Canon shooter. I have both film and digital SLR cameras and love them very much. When I needed a digital point and shoot to carry with me when carrying the DSLR is not practical, I saved my pennies and bought a G9. The G9 is a fantastic point and shoot that I recommend highly.

So why am I writing a review for the Panasonic DMC-LZ10? Well, a week ago, I dropped my G9 and the lens was stuck in open position. I must send it to Canon for repair. In the meantime, however, I will not be without a digital point and shoot. I did not spend a boatload of money. My first instinct was to get another Canon. I tried several less expensive versions, especially the A590IS. This is a fine camera, and I loved the IQ sufficient (but not as much as my G9). I did not feel it in my hand or the fact that he felt a little fragile. So I started looking around ... and other brands.

During my research, the Lumix range kept popping up. I became curious. I made more specific searches. I then found that the LZ10 filled almost all my needs or desires:

1) Cost - I was not going to spend and arm and a leg on a device that would be used less, while another was in the shop.

2) Size - I wanted a camera small enough to be alone without being intrusive.

3) IQ - I wanted a camera that was able to create images with good image quality available. I wanted low noise and good resolution. I was not mistaken in thinking I'd get DSLR quality, but I did not want to play with "draft" photos.

4) control beyond pre-set "Scenes" - I am a huge fan can turn into shutter priority, aperture priority and manual. I will occasionally use the Program mode, but often flee the "scene modes" or "Creative".

5) Build quality - I like to use my camera, and I tote with me every day. Construction quality is an important issue.

6) File Format - In a perfect world, I would have liked to have RAW capability.

7) Drums - The batter propitiatory in my G9 was not much of an issue, because it uses the same batteries in my old DSLR ... The batteries but I had not already used. I was not interested in creating a new collection drums, the AA standard were so very attractive.

8) Looks - Yes, a little vanity creeps in now and again.

So how does the DMC-LZ10 stack up? Pretty darned positive that I have to say.

1) Cost - It was right in my wheelhouse. I think it's a good value for money.

Size 2) - The camera is surprisingly low without feeling Teeny. Ergonomics are good ... it feels "right" hand.

3) IQ - For a camera in this price range, I am very pleased with the picture quality. The Anti-Shake system works well, and my overall hit-to-miss ratio is very favorable. The Leica lens is a performer (although the picture will never be confused with those taken with an M8) and the wide end is very usable at 30mm (equivalent).

4) control beyond pre-set "Scenes" - Yeah ... it has shutter priority, aperture priority, manual and program modes. Of course, it also has all the "Creative" and "Scene" modes, and Panasoinc "Intelligent Auto" really makes a lot of thought for you.

5) Build quality - Unlike the Canon A590IS, the DMC-LZ10 has a mostly metal body and feels important.

6) File Format - This is the camera that disappoints me a little. There is no RAW support only JPG format.

7) Drums - Double A batteries it is. I had some Eneloop and they work wonderfully.

8) Looks - I must admit that this device does not look good. It is elegant, with a hint of retro that I really like.

So in the end, I am very happy with my choice for the Lumix DMC-LZ10. So happy in fact that I do not plan on shelves once my statements G9 Shop. I want to find a way to put it to use in my daily workflow.

Panasonic LZ10K4
This is not your old Kodak Instamatic camera, although it resembles one. This camera is in miniature. Fits in any pocket or the palm of your hand. It comes with all the bells and whistles, you need to take a series of photographs of different lighting conditions. I chose this camera on some other Panasonic cameras because it allows for manual aperture and shutter speed. Furthermore it allows for scenes timed exposure. I suggest this camera for someone a tad bit advanced in knowledge of photography. The zoom is good and the image stabilization works very well. Overall, I give this camera from 8 to 10. I took off 1 point because Panasonic could adapt a display screen 3 inches in the rear instead of 2 ½ inches and another point for the battery consumption. Keep some batteries on hand

Great camera for great Price5
I bought this camera on recommdation my brother. He did a lot of photography and said he was one of the best-priced cameras with Leica lens. I love it. The photos come out with so much clarity. The camera captures details that I can see with my own eyes. The video capabilities are nice too. I bought this with the extra memory and rechargeable batteries.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10K 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:50:00 +0000

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10K 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Product Description

It is easy to smile for the camera. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10K of 10.1 megapixel compact digital camera is simple to use, you'll be smiling behind the camera. Automated functions such as delivering professional results will satisfy you. Both wide-angle 30mm Leica DC VARIO-ELMAR and a 5x zoom, this is a camera that does everything. You can fit more in the photo as you can with a 35mm lens, so you can get more of a sweeping landscape in a single plane. The 5x zoom is great for capturing dramatic subjects of small and remote. There is also an Extra Optical Zoom function that boosts zoom power to 8.9x mode 3 megapixel resolution. Simply set the LZ10 to iA mode and let the camera do the rest. Intelligent Scene Selector chooses the mode that best fits the situation; MEGA Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) helps prevent blurring from hand shake, Intelligent ISO Control helps prevent motion blur and face detection helps produce clear portraits by optimizing focus and exposure settings. The brightness and contrast of the large 2.5 "diagonal LCD adjust automatically in 10 steps that change the conditions of ambient light, images are clear, bright and easy to see day or night, indoors or outdoors. F = 5.2-26mm (35mm Equiv. - 30-150mm) Focal Length 2.5 Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (230K dots) Field of Focus Normal - Wide 50cm / Tele 100cm - infinity Macro / Intelligent AUTO - Wide 5cm / Tele 100cm - infinity 8 to 1 / 2, 000 sec. Starry Sky Mode - 15, 30, 60sec. Shutter Speed Auto / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 (High Sensitivity Mode - Auto (1600 - 6400)) ISO 27MB Internal Memory (additional memory recommended to store more photos and video) Built-in Microphone and Speaker SD / SDHC, MultiMedia Card Slot Built-in Flash Auto, Auto / Red-eye Reduction, Forced, Coupe modes d 'DC Input, AV Output (NTSC / PAL), USB indicative PictBridge Compatible

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #1904 in Camera & Photo
Color: Black
Brand: Panasonic
Model: DMC-LZ10K
Released on: 2008-03-03
Dimensions: 3.88" h x 1.31" w x 2.44" l, .70 pounds
Display size: 2.5

Features

10-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
5x wide-angle optical zoom; Mega Optical Image Stabilized
2.5-inch Intelligent LCD screen; Face Detection
Intelligent ISO; Intelligent Scene Selector
Captures images to SD memory cards (not included)

Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:42:00 +0000

Editorial Reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

From the Manufacturer
The new Lumix ZS3 features 10.1 megapixels, a 25mm ultra-wide-angle and 12x optical zoom, which means that it has added an optical zoom camera at the award-winning series TZ-2x, further reduced its size . The ZS3 also features a Leica DC VARIO-ELMAR and high definition (HD) for video recording capability, known as AVCHD Lite.

ZS3 is the first digital camera in the world with video recording HD "AVCHD Lite." Compared with the conventional format Motion JPEG, AVCHD recordings Lite allows longer with an incredible visual quality and HD audio. This, combined with a well-considered interface control, which includes a dedicated button allows recording movies on the rear panel of the device allows the ZS3 a hybrid model that provides superb performance for both still and Image capture of motion.

The ZS3 also extends to popular Panasonic Intelligent Auto (iA) mode with the addition of face recognition - a feature that "remembers" Faces of previous plans. When a face is saved in the device will give priority to focus and exposure to capture it beautifully. With face recognition, when a familiar face is recorded on several occasions, the device will prompt users to save face. Once registered, if the face appears in the new framework, the unit will display the name specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so the face is bright and very targeted recorded.

New this year, the ZS-Series, the iA mode is also available in movie mode. It automatically selects the Scene mode most appropriate and can correct handshake, orientation and lighting problems - making iA mode your one-stop solution for capturing beautiful still images and motion. In movie mode, the ZS3, optical image stabilization (OIS) helps prevent handshake when you use the zoom to high power. Face Detection automatically detects faces within a frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast and skin tone if it turns out perfectly. Intelligent Exposure continually checks the level of ambient light and adjusts the exposure setting conditions 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 maximize the visual quality.

The imaging power of Lumix has further evolved with the Venus Engine HD, which has two processors to provide approx. 2.4x processing capability and support for AVCHD Lite and an HDMI output. It incorporates all the advanced functions and operations of camera with high performance and low power consumption. In image processing, noise, chromatic and luminance noise are reduced separately before and after signal processing. This is further refined by separating the noise two-dimensionally in the high frequency and low frequency noise. The circuit can effectively reduce the noise at low frequency to minimize unwanted noise and help create beautiful images and strong motion.

Read with the ZS-series is also easy. Just insert the camera memory card SD picture on HDTV's VIERA Viewer SD card reader for photo slideshow. Otherwise, connect the camera via a mini-HDMI cable optional, the DMW-HDC2 to VIERA Link equipped HDTV Panasonic Viera and use the TV remote to run a mixed picture slideshow and video. The ZS3 has 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:

* Increase of scene modes for both still and shooting the image of movement - Optimized for a variety of situations. There are 26 scene modes for stills and 17 for the motion picture (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self Portrait, landscape, low light, Food, Party, Candle Light, Sunset, High Sensitivity, Beach , snow, air, Pin Hole, Film Grain and underwater)
* Two new My Scene settings allow users to assign their two most frequently used scene modes for the setting, and with a simple switch, allowing access to any scene instantly.
* New Panorama Assist Mode scene allows users to draw a number of viewable photos vertically or horizontally, aligning them in a guide that overlaps the screen. Then, using photos and the software provided PanoramaMaker, users can create spectacular panoramic images.
* High-Speed Burst (Speed Priority) which triggers off approx. 10 rounds per second.
* Menus are clearer and easier to navigate with the size option screen.
* Macro Zoom function allows users to take subjects even closer to capture dramatic close-up shots using the digital zoom in the wide-angle 3x.
* Included Software: The latest version of PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition allows users to view, edit and archive the content captured with greater ease and pleasure. Still and motion images can be transferred to the computer via a USB cable for viewing and archiving. Use PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition, users can edit and remove unwanted parts of video clips recorded in AVCHD format Lite. Content recorded in AVCHD Lite can be burned directly onto a DVD disc or the software can convert content in MPEG2 format. The software also integrates the function of face recognition, which recognizes faces in the recorded images stored on the computer, making the organization and archiving of pictures with a specific person much easier. In addition, the films can be uploaded directly to YouTube.

Product Details

3rd times a charm, a Standing "O" for ZS3! 5
I have owned two before digital cameras, the first was a Canon that took good pictures, but it was too large for Pocket around and AA batteries for power. The second was a Sony Cybershot DSC-W150 which was crappy, blurry pictures in low light. Needless to say I felt an upgrade was in order.

So I'm going on a trip on the East Coast next month. My boyfriend and I are avid baseball fans. One problem: as we have not always great places, taking close-up pictures of baseball players is a real pain with 99% of compact point and shoot there. This is because the size of the camera enable 5X optical zoom. You can combine this with digital zoom, but I need not tell you how terrible it looks pixilated. Thus, my conundrum. I really wanted a compact camera with a pocket lens optic long distance without having to lug around an expensive digital SLR.

Enter the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. When I read the specs, I was in awe. 10 megapixels, 12X optical zoom. Here are the softest part of the zoom, if you plan to use small amounts of prints (4X6), you can quickly adjust the camera megapixel (MP) count from 10 to 7, 5 and 3 to yield maximum Optical Zoom 14.3, 17.1, and 21.4 honorably, without much loss of detail on the prints. I wish Panasonic would have allowed the player to control the number of MP automatically when you zoom, but this disorder is not too much to change the settings manually MP from the quick menu.

Another interesting feature: the screen of the camera is fine at 460,000 pixels, twice the number as the rival Canon Powershot SX200 IS (more information on this camera later). From the moment you see your first picture, you will quickly notice how pictures look sharper on this camera. It's a nice comfort to look at pictures on the camera in a way closer to the quality actually be seen when viewing on the computer (and possibly print them).

I also want to give kudos for the Panasonic build quality and compactness of this camera. The ZS3 is a replacement for the popular model TZ5, which was 9MP and 10x optical zoom. So they increased the resolution and added a goal of broader scope, and reduces the size by 4 inch cubes. Specs aside, I was more than satisfied that this unit will comfortably fit into my jeans pocket. It is a little larger than ultra-compact for sure, but not objectionably so. Note that the SX200 is a full 2.0 cubic inches thick, another reason why I spent the Canon. Here are some more reasons the Canon is far: the Canon has a cheesy looking flash flash popup that exceeds the top of the camera, whether you use or not (bad design decision). It is under design life of the battery as the Lumix. In addition, while shooting video, the Canon does not allow you to use the optical zoom.

Photo quality on the Lumix is excellent, although I have samples of cracking around my place so far. However, I took quite a few pictures in low light and maximum zoom levels to try to get a bad shot. So far, there has not be found. I'll put it to the test more when I travel next month, but I am very happy so far. As for the video shoot, I sampled a bit and it seems pretty solid. The camera gives you the choice of shooting video in the AVCHD boasted Lite (ideal for watching on your TV in HD with an optional mini HDMI cable standard), or JPEG if you prefer to send video clips to friends. Model this year also added stereo sound on video playback compared to the effort of mono last year. One thing I find a bit strange, the zoom is incredibly slow when shooting video. I assume that Panasonic has tried to give the user a more controlled, deliberate zoom, but unlike the photo Snappy zoom is a bit slow for my taste.

Some other minor quibbles: the wheel that controls the shooting mode is extremely loose. If you gently rub against something (a camera bag, your pocket), there are good chances that moves. When you turn on the camera, it will be digitally tell you what mode you're in, but it's still annoying when it happens by accident. Secondly, when you do a quick zoom on an object, it appears to blur the screen of the camera until the shutter button is pressed. There are ways to focus continually subject when zooming, but it drains the battery life of the camera faster. It would be nice if this feature has been incorporated automatically without such a sacrifice.

Also, I'm not a big fan of PhotofunStudio included software comes with this device, because there are other more compelling programs to view, edit and print photos (like Canon ZoomBrowser best program). Finally, this is not the camera to buy if you're in manual controls. There are a ton of preset scenes that can be used (night, portrait, baby, sunset, food, etc.), and you can adjust items such as flash, white balance and ISO max level, but supposed to be a simple point and shoot for casual shooters. Note that the Lumix has an intelligent auto mode (IA) that will analyze shooting conditions and take the stage right, flash and exposure settings without any user. This camera screams simplicity but there are plenty of tweaking on the normal and scene modes to keep the vast majority of amateur photographers happy.

Regardless of these nitpick, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is an impressive device, unbeatable for those who want the best of both worlds: a big zoom compact. It's a bit expensive at $ 399, but you get a lot of camera for your hard earned money. I have no doubt that my third digital camera is a great buy and a staple in the long term for my trips.

Oh my God, what a camera! 5
I have a pro friend who got a copy of this notice for a couple of days. He let me use it for one of them, as he has not shot with a point and shoot in a long time. I ordered mine in the first hour. What a camera. The zoom on this baby is amazing. He has a true wide angle and long range. Pictures on both ends of the range are sharp and have good color saturation. I almost drooled when I printed samples. They are flat the best point and shoot JPEG images that I had the pleasure to take. The raw files would be nice, but are not available, neither is much in the way of manual exposure control. As a bit of a control freak, I thought it would be a problem, but honestly, how intelligent selection of Panasonic is brilliant to get good, the net exposure. Development is rapid, even in low light. Flash seems to be very good or superior, or horrible. I took 400 pictures and a short film on my first trip and the battery still had juice. Face detection, it was as fast and accurate. Holding the camera in hand, pointing it in the general direction of people on the street without anyone noticing obtained by systematically favoring good. Oh, the image stabilization works well, too.

The camera is small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, but unless you wear heavy denim is just to heavy to be comfortable. It fits better in a jacket pocket or a jacket, though. The compact has certainly improved performance in low light since I bought my last. I am perfectly usable shots at ISO 400. A key bit of noise and they print fine at 11x14. At ISO 1600, you can always use a Flickr image size, again with a race through a transformer noise Noise Ninja.

He has a new video mode that uses half the normal memory mov files it also supports. But to find their location on the map is a bit of a scavenger hunt first. They are also a pain to deal with. I ran a program to convert them into H.264. This makes editing easier. Do it first thing. You can even use the optical zoom during filming, although the emphasis may be a little slow. The videos are much better than the Flip is all I have for movies.

Great zoom, great pictures, great lens size reasonable, scary accurate method of automatic switching, wow!. If she had a little more manual control, it would be better, then again, I have hundreds of really nice images. So no complaints.

Excellent zoom and features, has chosen this course IS5 the Canon PowerShot SX200
Even if I have a Nikon D80 DSLR, I needed a more compact point and shoot replacement for my Canon S60 camera aging batteries die. After reading some reviews and a visit to a local camera store, I decided to choose the ZS3 over competitors Canon SX200 IS with very similar characteristics. 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 features and the fact that it is still manufactured in Japan (versus the Canon is now made in China) won on 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 machine - screen is large and bright, facial recognition is being treated, the zoom is remarkable for a camera of its size and video quality is excellent for a camera. Only downside is that, as used camera store said - engines autofocus inside the Panasonics seem to be strong enough - ie if you aim the camera around of chance, can you hear the motor whirling away as it refocuses on potential targets. I enjoyed this purchase and I would recommend this unit to anyone seeking an easy-to-point use of high quality and shoot with 12x optical zoom.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

noreply@blogger.com (sawasdee) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:32:00 +0000

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)

Product Description

Records ZS3 HD moving pictures with a good 60 frames per second with 1280 x 720 pixels. It uses the AVCHD format (MPEG-4/H.264) format, via lite AVCHD, which stores less data than other formats and thus enables you to make more minutes of HD moving images before running out of memory . Just set the camera mode in iA, aim and shoot. The camera does the rest. It automatically determines the most suitable mode stage and helps to correct the blur, focus, and lighting problems. With the iA mode, it is easy to get results, plain beautiful. In ZS3, iA mode can be used during the shooting motion ZS3 images.The packs a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR with 12x optical zoom in a compact. This versatile photographic tool lets you shoot everything from panoramic views of the vast wide-angle 25mm setting plans dynamic 300mm telephoto. And the ability to make the peaceful purpose of the system allows you to capture even subtle nuances of performances and scenes in your travels.
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Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #60 in Camera & Photo
Color: Black
Brand: Panasonic
Model: ZS3 Black
Dimensions: 4.07" h x 1.29" w x 2.35" l, .45 pounds
Display size: 3
Included Software: Yes

Features

10.1-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-size prints
12x MEGA optical image-stablilized zoom; 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens
Capture HD video in "AVCHD Lite" format
Intelligent Auto (iA) mode; Face Recognition feature
Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)