Panasonic Lumix TZ3 or Canon SD800? Want a 28mm wide angle (less interested in the telephoto), compact rather than subcompact. Looked at both in stores, similar price. Cannot decide. My first digital so do not care about the manual controls too much. I use a lot the wide angle lens in my film cameras Panasonic Lumix TZ3 or Canon SD800? Want a 28mm wide angle (less interested in the telephoto), compact rather than subcompact. Looked at both in stores, similar price. Cannot decide. My first... » Read More Panasonic Lumix TZ3 or Canon SD800? Want a 28mm wide angle (less interested in the telephoto), compact rather than subcompact. Looked at both in stores, similar price. Cannot decide. My first digital so do not care about the manual controls too much. I use a lot the wide angle lens in my film cameras « Show Less
1056892
Mica,from my research the TZ3 is the only camera with the wide angle and a 10x zoom. Add in the other features including the 3" monitor and you have a camera in a class by itself. If your the type that likes to have some flexibility in your camera settings then this is the unit for you. The TZ3 is in a class by itself for a point and shoot in this price range. No comparrison to any other cameras....
1056893
My boyfriend has the Canon & I just got the Lumix. I prefer the Lumix, it's easier to switch to different light situations because of the dial on the top. But he prefers the Canon because it's slightly smaller & fits in his pocket. I have to admit, his camera is much slimmer, but I still prefer my own.
2154579
IQ wise the 28-135mm is the superior lens. There is less barrel and pincushion distortion, and FAR fewer chromatic aberrations. And sharpness is more consistent across the focal range. I had the 18-135 on my T3i and then the 60D, and in order to get a sharp image, the lens had to be stopped down to at least f8 on the wide end and f11 on the tele end. And even then, at some focal lengths, the pictures were just plain soft no matter what. There was a significant amount of corner and edge blurring, especially at the wide end. And at the tele end, my oh my, the CA! Not just at the edges, either - color fringing was very noticeable well into the frame. The 28-135, on the other hand, is pretty sharp at its widest apertures throughout the range and quite good stopped down one stop narrower than its maximum opening at any given focal length. And pictures have very good corner and edge sharpness across the entire focal range. While image stabilization is superior on the 18-135mm, by the time you stop it down enough to get a sharp picture, you're still running up on using slower shutter speeds (which equals motion blurred images), using high ISOs and/or flash. The 28-135 lets you avail yourself of more light, so you can shoot at lower ISOs or increase the shutter speed a tad to compensate for its less sophisticated image stabilization. By the way, image stabilization on the 28-135 is effective. It's just not quite as effective as the 18-135. About the 18 vs 28mm at the wide end--unless you're shooting indoors in smallish rooms a lot, you probably aren't going to notice the difference. Looking at the EXIF data of 18-135mm sample images on the web, I've noticed that most of them are shot toward the tele end of the zoom. I certainly tend to zoom at least a little with nearly everything I photograph. I much prefer the 28-135. It focuses faster and more quietly, I can shoot at wider apertures for better bokeh and more light, and it produces great pictures with a minimum of distortion and CA.
132874
Hi Glenn,Wow, thanks for doing that research for me. You found out in minutes what has taken me weeks!!! Well I guess with what you found I will have to narrow it down to either the T90 or the ZS3. I was reading other blogs that said that Panasonic is going to introduce a ZS7 and that might result in a price decrease on the ZS3 which is always good. I've talk to some people who are big fans of Sony cameras but, when you look at the table for shutter lags, they really are not doing so well. I will take your advice and go give them a "test drive" at Best Buy before I finally buy one. Thanks again for your time, that was very nice of you ;)Isabel Hi Glenn,Wow, thanks for doing that research for me. You found out in minutes what has taken me weeks!!! Well I guess with what you found I will have to narrow it down to either the T90 or the ZS3. I was reading other blogs that said that Panasonic is going to introduce a ZS7 and that might result in a price decrease on the ZS3 which is always good. I've talk to some people who are big fans of Sony cameras but, when you look at the table for shutter lags, they really are not doing so well. I will take your advice and go give them a "test drive" at Best Buy before... » Read More Hi Glenn,Wow, thanks for doing that research for me. You found out in minutes what has taken me weeks!!! Well I guess with what you found I will have to narrow it down to either the T90 or the ZS3. I was reading other blogs that said that Panasonic is going to introduce a ZS7 and that might result in a price decrease on the ZS3 which is always good. I've talk to some people who are big fans of Sony cameras but, when you look at the table for shutter lags, they really are not doing so well. I will take your advice and go give them a "test drive" at Best Buy before I finally buy one. Thanks again for your time, that was very nice of you ;)Isabel « Show Less
687247
I'm still shopping, but the deciding factor for me is going to be the wider angle on the S95. The only way I get into photos is to hold the camera at arm's-length, and the difference between 28MM and 36MM makes a big difference to me. Since this is for my wife, where simpler is better, it would be a no-brainer if the SD4500 had the same 28MM-wide lens as the SD4000. Too bad they changed it.By the way, the f2.0 on the wider lenses makes a big difference to me, too. The SD4500 starts at f3.5.I want the better HD video features of the 4500, but will probably get a compact HD video camera for that some time in the future (where I will complain about the photo features ;-) ) I'm still shopping, but the deciding factor for me is going to be the wider angle on the S95. The only way I get into photos is to hold the camera at arm's-length, and the difference between 28MM and 36MM makes a big difference to me. Since this is for my wife, where simpler is better, it would be a no-brainer if the SD4500 had the same 28MM-wide lens as the SD4000. Too bad they changed it.By the way, the f2.0 on the wider lenses makes a big difference to me, too. The SD4500 starts at f3.5.I want the better HD video features of the 4500, but will probably get a... » Read More I'm still shopping, but the deciding factor for me is going to be the wider angle on the S95. The only way I get into photos is to hold the camera at arm's-length, and the difference between 28MM and 36MM makes a big difference to me. Since this is for my wife, where simpler is better, it would be a no-brainer if the SD4500 had the same 28MM-wide lens as the SD4000. Too bad they changed it.By the way, the f2.0 on the wider lenses makes a big difference to me, too. The SD4500 starts at f3.5.I want the better HD video features of the 4500, but will probably get a compact HD video camera for that some time in the future (where I will complain about the photo features ;-) ) « Show Less
681556
The 15mm wide angle is nice, but I had image quality issue with my copy of this lens. I don't think it's worth the money. I just recently bought the Canon 10-24mm lens and am much happier with it as a wide angle choice. Don't get sucked in by the fact that it's got a nice general purpose range. Its quality just doesn't match its cost.
1950936
Your responses have been very helpful! I have always used Sony cameras and when looking to upgrade to a good zoom, I find Sony does not have a date stamp on any of their higher end cameras :-( so I'm looking to Panasonic. My question to you is - will this Panasonic FZ18 do well when just set to automatic when used for zooming? I like GOOD pictures...but don't like fiddling with the camera and losing the "moment." Also, what is the difference between OPTICAL zoom and DIGITAL zoom? Thank you.
1638745
Also, the SD870 sacrifices a bit at the telephoto end to get a bit more wide-angle... You might also consider the A720IS in your decision, as it can run off of AA batts.
1023637
I have been going back and forth with the same question. I have read all the reviews and opinions I can find on both. After going to the local store and playing with the TZ5 and the 100 (since the 110 is not out yet) I did not find many major difference from the point of view of a novice user. The two main difference I noted were 1) the TZ5 is more compact and I really liked that, however 2) when I zoomed in with the canon on a small sign the image was crystal clear, when I did the same with the TZ% the same sign was very blurry, not even close to readable. This decided it for me. I went with canon.
501122
Thanks for the feedback. I ended up getting the Canon 17-55/2.8IS. It was more expensive, but I had come across some extra money. I've had that lens for several month now and it's awesome. The zoom range is excellent, it's great having f2.8 through the whole range, and the IS adds probably at least 3 stops. It's very sharp when I do my part, especially when it's stopped down a couple clicks. I would still love to get a lens like I described in my OP, but I'm looking at a wide angle zoom and a better telephoto lens before that one.
1721987
I have a Lumix DMC-FZ18 and a Canon SX10. I wanted to buy a camera that was a little better than the FZ18 and wait a little longer for a DSLR. Picture quality on the Canon is not as good as the Lumix. Image stabalization on the Lumix is also noticably better. I have already taken over 300 photos of the same scene with both cameras for comparison. I should have upgraded to the Panasonic DMC-FZ28 as it is getting great reviews from everyone on the web.
1678710
I was looking at them both and decided on the 850 some of the new features won out and it still does well with out the wide lens because it lets you combined images right in the camera to give the same effect. Also the 850 was on sale at bestbuy.com today for 248. Also battery life is better with the 850.
393628
The Panasonic 360 TTL flash is a must if you do a lot of night or indoor shooting. It will cost almost as much as the camera, however excellent results can be had with the much cheaper model 28 that fits a lot of other 35mm or digital camers. Get the wide angle add-on lens you don't need the add-on tele lens. Get the panason version of the Wide add-on to maintain quality edge to edge on your photos. It comes with a battery recharger and it charges very fast.
1864061
Although this is an old post, I am going to reply anyway. I owned the 28-135 and was quite happy with it. I still have a lot of photos I took with it. However, when I bought the 24-105 I quickly discovered the joys of a newer lens. Shorter on the long end, the 24-105 is outstanding for almost everything you will want to do. It is definitely worth the extra $ if you are semi-serious. If you are primarily looking for photos for yourself the 28-135 does a great job and has that extra 30mm...useful. So the answer is...what do you need? If you are going to insist on the best possible, you are going to have to get the 24-105. Either way, you will be happy. Although this is an old post, I am going to reply anyway. I owned the 28-135 and was quite happy with it. I still have a lot of photos I took with it. However, when I bought the 24-105 I quickly discovered the joys of a newer lens. Shorter on the long end, the 24-105 is outstanding for almost everything you will want to do. It is definitely worth the extra $ if you are semi-serious. If you are primarily looking for photos for yourself the 28-135 does a great job and has that extra 30mm...useful. So the answer is...what do you need? If you are going to insist on the best possible, you are... » Read More Although this is an old post, I am going to reply anyway. I owned the 28-135 and was quite happy with it. I still have a lot of photos I took with it. However, when I bought the 24-105 I quickly discovered the joys of a newer lens. Shorter on the long end, the 24-105 is outstanding for almost everything you will want to do. It is definitely worth the extra $ if you are semi-serious. If you are primarily looking for photos for yourself the 28-135 does a great job and has that extra 30mm...useful. So the answer is...what do you need? If you are going to insist on the best possible, you are going to have to get the 24-105. Either way, you will be happy. « Show Less
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I agree with Pishkado, the specs on this camera are everything I have been looking for and more. However, the P80 has not received rave reviews and this may be pushing the pixel-count envelope even more. I have had 3 DSLR's (Canon 10D, 20D, and 30D) and the IQ has been outstanding...but the cost of the bodies and lenses plus the "lug factor" is more than I want to endure now. The superzoom that has my eye right now is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K and I almost pulled the trigger on it when I saw the P90 announcement. I will also wait for the reviews and if they are disappointing, the Lumix will be my choice. I agree with Pishkado, the specs on this camera are everything I have been looking for and more. However, the P80 has not received rave reviews and this may be pushing the pixel-count envelope even more. I have had 3 DSLR's (Canon 10D, 20D, and 30D) and the IQ has been outstanding...but the cost of the bodies and lenses plus the "lug factor" is more than I want to endure now. The superzoom that has my eye right now is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K and I almost pulled the trigger on it when I saw the P90 announcement. I will also wait for the reviews and if they are disappointing,... » Read More I agree with Pishkado, the specs on this camera are everything I have been looking for and more. However, the P80 has not received rave reviews and this may be pushing the pixel-count envelope even more. I have had 3 DSLR's (Canon 10D, 20D, and 30D) and the IQ has been outstanding...but the cost of the bodies and lenses plus the "lug factor" is more than I want to endure now. The superzoom that has my eye right now is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K and I almost pulled the trigger on it when I saw the P90 announcement. I will also wait for the reviews and if they are disappointing, the Lumix will be my choice. « Show Less
1700217
Depends what you mean by "good." :) The T3i is a crop-sensor camera, so the 28mm doesn't give you as wide an angle as it would on a full-frame. However, from what I can tell, this is the best low-light wide angle lens available for Canons. It's a great lens for photographing children or pets indoors. This is the primary lens I have on my T2i. If you're interested in portrait work (of people), or low-light photography, this is really the lens you want. I imagine you already have the 18-55mm kit lens, so you have something wider-angle for outdoor or brightly-lit places.
87257
I too have the TZ3 Lumix and the lens shutter stopped working on mine. When I contacted Panasonic for repair info..(difficult to speak to a real live person)....I found out that it would cost $161.50 to look at it and I had to insure it and ship it to Illinois. That was half the cost of the camera! Did you get your lens shutter repaired? Or did you replace your camera with another one. My camera is 3 weeks beyond warranty eligibility.
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Hmm... I'm still trying out the SX but am tempted to try out the ZS3 with all the great reviews on the camera. The Canon is working all right but not as great as I would like. It might be the fact that I'm too lazy to read the instructions. It does get tiring a bit when you have to adjust the light with each shot. How's the color and focus quality in ZS3? I noticed that TZ5 have focus problems when zoomed and trying to focus on small white objects in the light. Does ZS3 have the same problem? Is ZS3 much better than TZ5? I'm not sure if it's worth it to get ZS3 if the quality isn't too much better since the price of the 2 is very different. Hmm... I'm still trying out the SX but am tempted to try out the ZS3 with all the great reviews on the camera. The Canon is working all right but not as great as I would like. It might be the fact that I'm too lazy to read the instructions. It does get tiring a bit when you have to adjust the light with each shot. How's the color and focus quality in ZS3? I noticed that TZ5 have focus problems when zoomed and trying to focus on small white objects in the light. Does ZS3 have the same problem? Is ZS3 much better than TZ5? I'm not sure if it's worth it to get ZS3 if the quality isn't too much... » Read More Hmm... I'm still trying out the SX but am tempted to try out the ZS3 with all the great reviews on the camera. The Canon is working all right but not as great as I would like. It might be the fact that I'm too lazy to read the instructions. It does get tiring a bit when you have to adjust the light with each shot. How's the color and focus quality in ZS3? I noticed that TZ5 have focus problems when zoomed and trying to focus on small white objects in the light. Does ZS3 have the same problem? Is ZS3 much better than TZ5? I'm not sure if it's worth it to get ZS3 if the quality isn't too much better since the price of the 2 is very different. « Show Less