ZR1 vs. ZS3- Mega vs. new Power O.I.S. I have been doing a side by side comparison of the zR1 vs the ZS3 and have read the comments. Beside the very desirable focal length of the ZS3, I am wondering whether the new technology of the "Power" O.I.S. in the ZR1 vs. the older "Mega" O.I.S. in the ZR3 might make a hugh difference for night shots and therefore override the desirability of the 25-300 in the ZS3? Video is not that important, would be nice but I am more of a 'still' shooter - also use it alot on scenery and night shots. Could anyone give me their opinions on comparing the two cameras? I have spent hours on this and would like some intelligent or knowledgeable help asap. (We're going to the Galapagos in 3 weeks and need to add this camera to the trip..) Thanks ahead! Carolyn P. ZR1 vs. ZS3- Mega vs. new Power O.I.S. I have been doing a side by side comparison of the zR1 vs the ZS3 and have read the comments. Beside the very desirable focal length of the ZS3, I am... » Read More ZR1 vs. ZS3- Mega vs. new Power O.I.S. I have been doing a side by side comparison of the zR1 vs the ZS3 and have read the comments. Beside the very desirable focal length of the ZS3, I am wondering whether the new technology of the "Power" O.I.S. in the ZR1 vs. the older "Mega" O.I.S. in the ZR3 might make a hugh difference for night shots and therefore override the desirability of the 25-300 in the ZS3? Video is not that important, would be nice but I am more of a 'still' shooter - also use it alot on scenery and night shots. Could anyone give me their opinions on comparing the two cameras? I have spent hours on this and would like some intelligent or knowledgeable help asap. (We're going to the Galapagos in 3 weeks and need to add this camera to the trip..) Thanks ahead! Carolyn P. « Show Less
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Thank you for your help and relay of information. I have purchased the ZS3 and absolutely love it! It just came, so am eager to spend some 'quality' time with it.
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Sorry, I can't offer any feedback, but I found it funny that someone else is having the same dilemna with the same 2 cameras. So I will also be intersted in hearing any input as well. Is the video capability really worth it?
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I too am stuck! Although POWER is supposedly better than MEGA I think either would be sufficient... I've read places that POWER is more of a software improvement and just processes things faster. Mechanically they are similar.It comes down to video as you both mentioned. I'm off to France in 3 weeks and would like a camera upgrade from 5 years ago. But which?! lolOne other thing I was thinking about with MJPEG vs AVCHD: Since MJPEG uses twice as much space, you'd need twice as fast a card to keep up with the video being written to it, otherwise you'll get dropped frames/choppiness. I too am stuck! Although POWER is supposedly better than MEGA I think either would be sufficient... I've read places that POWER is more of a software improvement and just processes things faster. Mechanically they are similar.It comes down to video as you both mentioned. I'm off to France in 3 weeks and would like a camera upgrade from 5 years ago. But which?! lolOne other thing I was thinking about with MJPEG vs AVCHD: Since MJPEG uses twice as much space, you'd need twice as fast a card to keep up with the video being written to it, otherwise you'll get dropped... » Read More I too am stuck! Although POWER is supposedly better than MEGA I think either would be sufficient... I've read places that POWER is more of a software improvement and just processes things faster. Mechanically they are similar.It comes down to video as you both mentioned. I'm off to France in 3 weeks and would like a camera upgrade from 5 years ago. But which?! lolOne other thing I was thinking about with MJPEG vs AVCHD: Since MJPEG uses twice as much space, you'd need twice as fast a card to keep up with the video being written to it, otherwise you'll get dropped frames/choppiness. « Show Less
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Panasonic note that Power OIS nearly doubles the effectiveness of Mega OIS. It reportedly is aimed at low-frequency movement as found in pressing the shutter button and other sudden movements as opposed to a regular (meaning "repeating") and small tremor as found in muscle tremor. Now ... if someone would actually create an easy, repeatable, and valuable way to test and measure camera stabilization performance ....
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you may want to search the customer reviews on these cameras. I've seen comparisons of the 2 in the reviews and usually, the ZS3 wins out. one reviewer said the difference in the ois wasn't noticeable. hope that helps.
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To Tom Martin or anyone who can help, excluding video, why is the EOS 50D 15.1MP a higher quality than the T1i or T2i?I'm trying to decide between the three and when I look at the list of specs for them, they all seem almost identical from what I can tell. I'm sure I'm missing something. Does the 50D have a more rugged build?Thanks to anyone who contributes an opinion on this.
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Michael, I own a Panasonic DMC-FZ30. If I had the money I would switch to this S100 for one main reason, that being low light capability. The 30 is limited to ISO 400, I see the 50 can go all the way up to 1600 so that may do the trick. Other than that I'm quite happy with the 30. I've had it three years, taken 1000's of photos of which I'm pretty happy. However the low light limits me quite often. The 30/50 have sensors much smaller than the s100. I think Fuji would have been better off with the large sensor they used but with 8 megapixels which would have improved photo quality, especially at the higher ISOs. The megapixel race is one of the biggest problems in the digital camera arena today. There again the 50 and S100 aren't that far apart in the megapixel race but look at the size of the Fjui sensor - wow! I would enjoy the 2 1/2 inch LCD over the 30/50's 2". I wouldn't miss the rotating feature on the Panasonic as I mostly use it in vertical modes and the Fuji provides that. Another thing I'd want is better video. Even though the three cameras have the same specs I'm disappointed with the Panasonic results. The video from my 30 aren't as good as my wife's Sony W50 point-and-shoot. I guess I'd have to hold them in my hand to compare the Fuji 100 vs the Panasonic 50. My conclusion for you? If I had the 50 in hand already I wouldn't be looking to upgrade. The Panasonic is bound to have more noise due to the smaller sensor. The Fuji looks like it has less noise but there are rampant complaints about purple fringing although most say it only shows up on hard contrast shots. The Panasonic is better at purple fringing but worse on noise - choose your weakness. Battery life is awesome on my 30 and it is indicated to be lower on the S100. Are these differences worth the difference in price (50=$579 S100=$655 9/19/08 on Amazon). If it was me purchasing today I'd go for the S100. What did you decide?
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I have the same problem. I like the Nikon but it just came out. The Panasonic has very good reviews including the zs1. I believe the zs1 is just as good of a camera as the zs3 except for video. I would still like some opinions on the nikon s8000 vs panasonic zs1 or zs3.
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At this point, I'd say the 30D really doesn't have a lot of discernable advantages over the prosumer XTI model, besides availability. Historically, the higher end cameras have had sturdier chassis (which I would assume is still the case) as well as more configurable features and functions. Oh and resolution. Duh. Now that the XTI has been significantly improved, it seems only logical that the 30D is next in line for upgrades, probably before the actual release of the XTI. Or maybe the 30D will be killed entirely. I'm waiting for the XTI.
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I have the Z28 and like most everything about it. My biggest complaint, and tell me if this is true of all cameras in this class, is when cropping photos. If i crop a photo to zoom it in a bit it always goes grainy. I didnt expect this from 12mp camera. Is the Megapixel rating really not a factor for smooth grain??
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- Bigger lens and bigger sensor: 58mm instead of 37mm - New image sensor: 1/2.6", 8.5 million pixels (compares to 1/3.2" 3.3 million pixels). Brighter but potentially noisier given smaller pixel pitch - New DIGIC DV III image processor - 10x optical zoom (instead of 12x). However digital zoom 1.7x supposedly has no quality loss (due to high pixel count) - Pre-recording of 3 seconds (requires camcorder to be in standby mode) - Manual max gain controls: auto, 0,6,12,18dB - SMPTE color bars and test tone for calibration - Red, green or yellow peaking: highlight areas of the image that are in focus (also B/W option) - Zebra patterns 70 / 100 IRE (to indicate areas of overexposure) - Face detection technology - Video snapshot (shot recording intended for uploading to computer) - Custom dial. Assignable: exposure, focus (easier to control this way), assist functions, mic level, gain level - Left/right Mics on the sides of the camcorder. Pro: potentially better stereo seperation; cons: potentially you pick up more handling noises (slashcam.de measured slightly higher noise levels, no test on channel seperation) - Higher price: $1300 and $1100 (+$300). Prices go down normally after couple of months NOTE: copied from this thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1146246
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The ZS20 is generally considered very inferior in image quality when compared to *anything else*. ZS15 would be better if you want a pocketable camera.
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I'm also trying to decide if the Canon XS or XSI is right for me. I own the original 6.1mp Canon digital Rebel slr and am wondering if now is a good time to upgrade? I used to shoot primarily landscapes while traveling, but am doing more portraits now that I have kids. The Digic III processor definitely caught my attention, but I'm wondering how much of a difference in the cameras will I notice?
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Hi, Douglas! I saw what you discussed about the lances and the whole camera and I want to ask you if you have any experiance with Nikon Coolpix 5700 (I have that one) and how is it against Canon DigitalRebel XT? Is it much more I'll "earn" if I switch to Canon? Thank you in advance!Ivan Hristov, Houston, TX
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Does anyone know the differences in the sensor size for the two cameras? Megapixel count doesn't necessarily mean better PQ, but a larger sensor does, right?
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I was all set to buy the SX200 and have been a die-hard Canon fan for many years, but I am not ready to dismiss the ZS3. Yes the camaralabs.com review (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/index.shtml) talks about the focus issue on the ZS3 but overall the review is very favorable and it is unclear whether it is an issue in all situations or just the challenging scene in the sample video. Furthermore the Canon SX200 not only does not zoom during video, but auto focus is disabled altogether in this mode. I think I would rather have my focus hunt a little than go completely out of focus as the subject moves. I was all set to buy the SX200 and have been a die-hard Canon fan for many years, but I am not ready to dismiss the ZS3. Yes the camaralabs.com review (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/index.shtml) talks about the focus issue on the ZS3 but overall the review is very favorable and it is unclear whether it is an issue in all situations or just the challenging scene in the sample video. Furthermore the Canon SX200 not only does not zoom during video, but auto focus is disabled altogether in this mode. I think I would rather have my focus hunt a little than go... » Read More I was all set to buy the SX200 and have been a die-hard Canon fan for many years, but I am not ready to dismiss the ZS3. Yes the camaralabs.com review (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/index.shtml) talks about the focus issue on the ZS3 but overall the review is very favorable and it is unclear whether it is an issue in all situations or just the challenging scene in the sample video. Furthermore the Canon SX200 not only does not zoom during video, but auto focus is disabled altogether in this mode. I think I would rather have my focus hunt a little than go completely out of focus as the subject moves. « Show Less
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I just ordered the ZS7. I first tried the F80 but returned it after finding pictures had a remarkable amount of compression artifact. All the files come out around 4 MP (max) and faces start to look like pastel when you zoom in. That said, it does perform better in low light. If you don't care about HD video consider the F70, which I read is better. (For that matter, the ZS3 is supposed to be better, but I want the bells and whistles.)
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I do not know how it compares to the dmc zs8. In my research I found that the zs25 was a newer version of the zs20. A few people seemed to prefer the zs20, however, I am extremely happy with my zs25. It has 20X optical zoom and is small enough to put in a pouch to carry on my belt anytime. These were my major criteria, though I preferred also to have a viewfinder. The only camera with a viewfinder that would go in a small belt pouch was a a Fuji camera, but its zoom was only 4X, so I sacrificed having the viewfinder in order to get a belt pouch size camera with the 20X zoom. My zs25 if fantastic. It comes with a brief user manual, so if you want a complete user manual you would have to print it from your computer, and it 150 pages long though I only printed about 100 pages. Lastly, I decided that the belt pouch recommended by Amazon to go with the camera seemed a bit tight on the dimensions, so I bought my pouch from B&H Photo on line (free shipping) the pouch that they recommended for that same camera. It had about 1/4 extra inch on the width dimension that works just fine, enabling the camera to slip out of the pouch easily when I pull on it. Hope that helps. The zs25 is a great camera. The 20X zoom means a lot to me for a small carry anywhere camera. I think that series by Panansonic may be the only ones available with these two features (hi zoom and belt pouch size) combined, at a great price.
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Hey Michael, I compared the two but wasn't able to notice any difference. I have the version II and it works great. For the record, I've used the Z finder and this one is on par with it. I'm assuming that the new one has some minor fixes or changes, but I can't really tell the difference. Best of luck!
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Have you tried the ZD710?? I bought one at Walmart also, a few weeks ago. I returned it. I personally didn't like it. I didn't like how noisy the pictures were and they really weren't that sharp. I am not sure if that was just my experience or I had to high of expectations for the ZD710 camera. I also didn't like trying to take any shots when any one was moving because the pictures turned out awful. So anyway, I returned it and am looking for something else.
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Late to respond, but my previous camera was a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ18, a point and shoot camera which I thought took outstanding pictures...until I bought the DMC-FZ150. Holy cow! What a jump in performance that even an unsavvy enthusiast like myself can actually use. I am, however, shocked by the price increase. I had to buy it online because it wasn't available locally but with the reviews and my past experience with Panasonic, I took a deep breath and did it, purchasing it through Amazon for $439 in early April 2012. I consider it top echelon of the "amateur" use cameras.