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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other features of the Lumix ZS3 include:

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

 

Product Features

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

 

Customer Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buy Nikon Coolpix P90 12.1MP Digital Camera with 24x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 3 inch Tilt LCD

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List Price: $369.00
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Experience even closer encounters with Nikon Coolpix P90 aos, with 12.1 effective megapixels and an incredible 24x optical Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens for stunning prints as large as 16×20 cm. The camera’s bright 3.0-inch high-resolution vari-angle LCD screen and electronic viewfinder make it easy to compose and share your photos. And Nikon, new 4 Way VR image stabilization makes great picture taking incredibly simple. Nikon, Portrait New smart system that automatically detects your subjects face, a picture as she smiles and warns you when they blinked.

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

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

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

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

4-Way VR image stabilization

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

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

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

Nikon, Portrait Smart System:

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

 

Product Features

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

 

Customer Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Also read our best camera Canon Digital Rebel XSi

Buy Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zoom in film
You can zoom while shooting movies.

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

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

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

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

 

Product Features

12.1-megapixel resolution

27mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens; 18x optical zoom with POWER O.I.S.

HD movies with 1280 x 720-pixel resolution; AVCHD Lite format

2.7-inch TFT LCD screen

Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

 

Customer Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So far, I have been pleasantly surprised!

What I like about the FZ35:

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

What I’m not so crazy about:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Buy Canon PowerShot SX20IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch Articulating LCD

Customer Rating:
List Price: $369.00
Best Price: $329.22
See our option price

Discover the HD difference. With the classic, stylish PowerShot SX20 IS, you can produce stunning HD movies and beautiful pictures. Loaded with features, it’s got a high power, wide-angle 20x optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer, 12.1 megapixels, a large 2.5-inch vari-angle LCD, Blink Detection, and more.

The PowerShot SX20 IS is equipped with many of the same features as a higher-end camera: an ultra-powerful zoom, eye-popping resolution and advanced picture-improving technology. Of the 12.1 megapixels of resolution give your photography incomparable depth and ensure that every part of an image can be enlarged and cropped without loss of quality when editing the image even if you choose to print the image. It can create crisp, clear 13 x 19-inch posters.

PowerShot SX20 IS Highlights   

Wide-angle lens with 20x optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer
The PowerShot SX20 IS features a 20x optical zoom lens with a focal length of 5.0-100mm (35mm equivalent: 28-560mm), which allows you to shoot a scene from wide angle to telephoto. The camera uses a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) for fast, quiet, energy-efficient lens movement with precise control. Focal length is conveniently indicated on the lens.

 The lens is optimized to fully exploit its zoom length and wide shooting angle in consultation with the camera high resolution of 12.1 Megapixels. UD glass effectively suppresses chromatic aberration, while enhanced negative refractive power ensures that distortion at the wide angle is also corrected. Further aberration is controlled with the inclusion of a double-sided aspherical glass-molded lens and ultra-high refractive index lens.

The Canon SX20 IS is equipped with canon’s renowned optical Image Stabilizer Technology that automatically detects and corrects camera shake – one of the leading causes of fuzzy or blurred images. Even when zoomed in, you can steady, clear, beautiful pictures that you Recent modificationes proud to shoot and share. And Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer Technology is convenient to use. It works perfectly with or without flash.

Use the optical zoom while shooting 720p HD movies with superb stereo sound 
If you long for the convenience of an advanced camera that also makes for great movies, the new PowerShot SX20 IS can record video in stunning High Definition (1280 x 720 pixels). The camera makes it easy to enjoy HD movies (and still photos) on your HDTV with a mini-HDMI connector for direct connection to a high-definition monitor. You’ll enjoy the HD experience without degradation of image or sound in the signal, plus the ability to display up to 130 thumbnails at a time.

Enhanced Smart AUTO intelligently selects the correct settings
Set the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS to ‘smart’ car and you’re ready for maximum enjoyment of your pictures every time. It is a relaxing and satisfying way to shoot, because you can concentrate fully on your subject to know that the camera under the technical details. Canon advanced technology analyzes your situation and intelligent shooting conditions. Then automatically selects the setting up of 22 specially-defined settings. So whether you flowers, an enchanting sunset, or shoot your friends in the park, you can rest assured that you get dramatic, memorable images.

Recording Modes
Advanced presets for the best possible photos under certain conditions. With 24 shooting modes, you’re ready for that shot comes your way.

DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Canon’s own DIGIC Image Processors have long set its cameras from the competition, and new DIGIC 4 is the bar even higher. Faster, more accurate noise reduction ensures better picture quality, even at high ISO speeds.

iSAPS Technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the advanced DIGIC 4 Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, exposure and white balance.

Large 2.5-inch vari-angle LCD makes viewing easy

The camera 2.5-inch LCD screen gives you the big picture, whether you’re shooting, reviewing or showing off your images. This high-resolution screen offers a crisp, clear picture to make shooting, playback and camera, aos menu functions especially convenient. Clear and bright, it also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light. It also has an electronic viewfinder that sharp images when you shoot a close-up with Super Macro shooting mode offers.

These AA batteries camera lets you quickly power up
Conveniently, you do not have to worry about running the battery or having to recharge them. Since AA batteries can be purchased from any store, simply get new room where you go – no special power adapters or chargers are needed.

What’s in the Box

• PowerShot SX20 IS Body
• AA-size alkaline battery (x4)
• Neck Strap NS-DC4
• Lens Hood LH-DC50
• Lens cap
• Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
• USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU
• Stereo Video Cable STV-250N

 

Product Features

• High-powered 20x wide-angle optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer
• Capture 720p HD movies with stereo sound; HDMI output connector for easy playback on your HDTV
• 2.5-inch Vari-Angle System LCD; improved Smart AUTO intelligently selects from 22 predefined shooting situations
• DIGIC 4 Image Processor; 12.1-megapixel resolution for poster-size, photo-quality prints
• Powered by AA batteries (included); capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included) 

 

Customer Review

SX20 IS Great Hybrid Camera For Video And Stills, September 6, 2009
By  B. Massey “massmanjr” (TX United States)

Let me start off by saying that I’m not a professional photographer. My decision to purchase the SX20 IS was based on a desire to get an excellent still shot camera, with high capacity zoom, that also had HD Video (720p) capabilities. So, I began my research and spent many hours scouring the web to make an informed decision. I had narrowed my choice to the Canon SX20 IS and the Panasonic DMC-FZ35.

Here are some of the key specs of each camera:

Optical Zoom (Canon: 20, Pana: 18)
Still image files (Canon: Not Raw, Pana: Raw)
Articulating LCD (Canon: Yes, Pana: No)
720p HD video per 2 GB (Canon: 10 min 33 sec, Pana: 15 min)
Video file format (Canon: .mov, Pana: AVCHD Lite)
Battery Type: (Canon: 4 AA, Pana: Li-ion rechargeable)
Stereo Audio (Both)
SD Card Storage (Both)

[...].

In the end I decided to go with Canon for a few key reasons:

#1. The articulating LCD (pull out, tilt/move) was a key factor, as I wanted to be able to shoot from many different angles. It came in handy very soon–the second time I used the camera–I was able to whip out the LCD and get some decent shots at a football game when I had to raise the camera high over my head to shoot over the folks standing in front of me.

#2. The ability to easily share video files. The .mov file format is a more widely accepted format, which can easily be shared (without processing/conversion). The files are accepted on sites such as You Tube. The files can be played with Quicktime and other media players (e.g. VLC). Although the Panasonic camera uses a format which is more compressed and allows more data to be stored on an SD card, the file format is not as wide spread and not as easy to share with others, without converting the file.

#3. Consumer Reports rankings for last year’s model: Canon #1, Pana #5 (SX10 IS & Pana DMC-FZ28). I suspect the SX20 IS will follow the same trend this year when Consumer Reports releases their test results for 2009.

#4. Canon takes AA batteries. This makes the camera slightly heavier, but you’ll always be able to get economical batteries in a pinch, without the need for buying a proprietary lithium ion battery. May I recommend Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries. I bought some new on Amazon. They are excellent. I haven’t charged them yet and I’ve taken 120 pictures and 40 minutes plus of 720p video. I’ve also played back the pictures and movies on my TV/Projector and transferred all files to my computer, using the same batteries, without charging them. And they are “..still going…”

Here are some sample pictures taken with the SX20 IS. Keep in mind that Flickr doesn’t display the full, original picture which was taken in maximum resolution (in auto mode). [...].

I’ve taken some great up-close family shots and macro shots. They look great and are very detailed. I took some night/action pics (with the flash) and adjusted the shutter speed and ISO settings and the pictures looked great, given the conditions.

[...].

I apologize for the camera jitter in advance as I didn’t have a tri-pod and I was in a tight area in the Stadium when I took the shots.

I must admit that I am thoroughly impressed with the video quality/resolution. I shot sample video from my 1 year old camcorder (Panasonic SDR-H40, a standard definition hard drive camcorder) and shot the same footage with the SX20 IS. The difference in quality was amazing. Not only was the Canon much sharper, but the richness and vibrance of the colors was so much better. I sold my SDR-H40 on Ebay within two days. I now will have only one camera to shoot stills and 720p HD video–the Canon SX20 IS. The videos from the SX20 IS looked awesome–on both my 32 inch 720p LCD and my 100+ inch screen via a 720p DLP projector. I connected the camera with an HDMI cable and bam, I was ready to watch great video and view still shots “on the big screen.” See the above referenced links for video footage yourself. If I were given the opportunity to watch a football game shot in standard definition by ESPN or an HD version of the same game, shot with the SX20 IS (on a tripod, without my hand jitter), I’d pick the latter in a heart beat.

No buyer’s remorse here! If you are looking for an SLR type camera, that does awesome stills and great 720p HD video (both zoomable at 20x optical), you’d be hard pressed to get more bang for your buck then the SX20 IS on Amazon.

One minor issue I’ve noticed is that when zooming in/out while shooting video, you can here a slight “click” when you initiate the zoom and when you stop the zoom. There is NO noise heard while the lens is zooming/telescoping in/out; the “click” is only heard when the zoom is initiated and when the zoom is stopped. The “click” is not that noticeable. I had to shoot footage in silence, after the kids had gone to bed, in order to distinguish the “click.” In most shooting environments I don’t expect it to be much of an issue.

Best of luck with your purchase decision.

P.S. By the way, the owner manual states that you must use the Canon software to transfer images/movies from the camera to a PC, else movies will not transfer (frames will be dropped) correctly and images shot vertically may be transferred in the horizontal orientation. So, don’t just do a copy/paste of the files them self from the SD card. Keep this in mind as you view sample video on the web.

—————————————————————————-
I bought the SX20 because I had good luck with the SX10, September 4, 2009
By  Kirk Tuck “Kirk Tuck” (Austin, Texas)

I shoot all kinds of stuff with all kinds of cameras. I am a working photographer who shoots for advertising and corporate client as well as to make images for my own books about photography. Over the last two years I’ve been using small cameras like the Canon G10 and the SX10 for more and more of my work. In the studio, shooting set up shots or small products these cameras shine by dint of their easy to use Live View and increased depth of field. When I bought the SX 10 it was for the long range of the zoom lens which meant I could shoot anything from a construction site to tight shots of the cabins at the top of the construction cranes. I’ve done some portraits with studio lights and an SX10 and they were also very usable. I wish the SX 10 and SX 20 had raw file capability but they don’t. That just means I have to be a bit more careful about WB and exposure. I’ve used the SX10 at outdoor swim meets and found that the lens performs better than expected right out to the end.

So, why the SX 20? Recently I’ve been asked to do more and more little video snippets for clients and for my publisher and while I like the results from the SX10 I wanted real HD video for the times that a medical practice has asked for video clips for both their website AND for power point and other uses. I wanted the extra detail for the times that they use the clips in projected presentations. The price point works.

I’ve spent a couple days testing the SX 10 and the results are very, very good. The front mounted microphones are of very high quality and the sound for most applications is very acceptable. Would I like a mike input? You bet! Does that sour the deal? Not in the least.

The image quality of the stills is just as good as the SX 10 at low ISO’s and about 1/2 a stop better at 200 and 400. I’ll chalk that up to the new digic processor.

All in all the build quality and the easy operation make the camera a winner for me. These days clients are more interested in using images and video in a wide range of multimedia and the SX 20 is a great tool for anything that’s headed to the web. I still own traditional DLSR cameras and use them but left to my own devices I find the smaller sensor cameras to be highly competent and very usable.

With an SX20 and a G10 I feel like I can handle just about anything except shots that call for narrow depth of field. Traditional photographers may not want to hear that video is becoming a required skill but that won’t make it go away. This camera is a cost effective way to get your feet wet, find your way around and get your feet wet. I like it.

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Use The Foilage Setting For Best Color Pics, September 12, 2009
By  S. Barcomb (New York)

I received the camera a few days ago. I wanted a good quality camera for all-around, basic shooting. The main features that attracted me were the wide angle/zoom lens and the video option.

I am not an expert, or even an experienced amateur. I just want to be able to point, shoot, and take decent pics and some occassional vidoe.

In my opinion, the best eye-pleasing pictures are those that show the vibrant colors and color variations – all other things being equal. I’ve experimented with various settings and taken the same shots with those various settings, and compared shots taken with Auto, Landscape, Portrait, etc. against the Foilage setting [SCN/Foilage], and the Foilage setting is by far the best for bringing out the colors (which it is meant to do anyway). Compared to those pics taken using the Foilage setting, the ones taken in the other settings are dull – not that they aren’t decent pictures in the other settings, just compared to the Foilage pictures they are dull(er). So for basic shots, I will probably use the Foilage setting most of the time for all-around shooting – the pictures are beautiful. One problem I expect with this, is to get to the Foilage setting, you must use the top dial set to SCN, then using the free-spinning dial on the back, select foilage. Problem is, after taking shots and letting the camera hang against your body, the free-spinning dial may be prone to be moved to select another setting…

One of the issues I do have, is not being able to choose to set the Auto-Focus frame to the center of the screen for many settings – such as Auto… I’m not crazy about the “smart focus” which chooses which subject(s) that it thinks is the main subject(s) – in my case of shooting mostly non-people so far, this “smart-focus” has been wrong. I think most of us non-pro photographers usually center our subject anyway, and even if we don’t, we should still have the option of keeping the AF frame in the center… One other thing that hasn’t worked for me is connecting it to HDMI on my TV. I’m going to take it to Best Buy and try it there. If it still isn’t working, I hate to send it back because it is a good camera, but I would like the HDMI feature to work to see my videos in true HD.

In summary, the wide-to-zoom feature is great, takes very good pictures (especially in Foilage), takes excellent video. The video option is excellent – you can take pics while filming, and you can simply press the video button in the back to start taking video even if you’re in a picture-taking setting – very nice feature.

If you’re not a pro photographer and want to have a great all-around camera, this is definitely a good buy. I hope I can get my HDMI/TV feature to work so I can keep my camera…

.

See also Nikon Coolpix L20, cool and cheap camera