There is not enough I can say about the Panasonic LUMIX ZS3/5.
The ZS3 blew me away last year when it allowed me to finally get what I always wanted : an amazing camera with amazing video capabilities.
10-12 MP
25mm wide angle lens
12x Zoom
H.264 720p HD compressed & clear video - better than all my s**tty tape camcorders combined - easy.
iA automatic mode - scary how good this is.
Small form factor (but not too small).
Brilliant, large screen
Giant red video record button for quick access - a life saver.
This thing went everywhere with me and it did everything I needed. I can't say enough about this camera.
I bought the ZS3 when it came out for $389 in early 2009 - right before Panasonic's shortages. When the price dropped to $239 in 2010 - i told all my friends about it - 4 bought this camera and they all agreed it was simply the best digital camera for the price point the have ever bought.
** This is the camera that made CANON s**t it's pants ***
And now the ZS5 id $229!!?? This thing is a steal!
What they don't show in that pic is the APS-H sensor, which is about halfway between Red and Grey. Canon's top-end 1D-series uses this 1.3x crop factor sensor.
What people need to understand is that megapixels don't mean crap. 12 megapixels coming from a 1/3 inch sensor is going to look like horse s**t at 100% crop, whereas 12 megapixels coming from a full-frame sensor (example: Nikon D700) is going to look very sharp at 100% crop.
What also matters is the lens. DSLR cameras have one very large advantage over compacts besides sensor size: interchangeable lenses. While most compact digital cameras are designed with large-aperture lenses, the focal length is just too small to do anything. Of course, the focal length "35mm equivalent" is bumped up because of the small size of the sensor, but when you take into account diffraction, lens elements, zoom vs prime and the quality of your glass, compacts just don't cut it.
You're also going to get a very large depth of field with compact digital cameras. This is a combination of the focal length, and the tiny image sensor. What photographers want is a shallow depth of field, to separate the subject from the background. This is also a large factor in film-making, where productions look cheap when both the subject and the background are in focus.
You should consider the S95 releasing at the end of August if you have an extra $100 to spend. It adds some neat features like 720p video recording and hybrid image stabilization.
I would have been even futher impressed if the author had mentioned all of the (quite frankly, amazing) tricks, bells and whistles you can unlock using the Canon Hack Development Kit. I use it on my 's5 is' and it turned a respectable point and shoot into nearly the best camera I could buy without making the SLR jump.
I keep a crap little compact digicam in my camera bag though, for those times when a large, heavy DSLR is just too obtrusive.
I suppose the only thing compact digital cameras do better than DSLRs is macro shots. My DSLR lenses only focus to 0.45 metres, but compacts can focus to almost any distance (heck, my old video camera could focus on its own lens filter!).
I'm a DSLR guy myself (Olympus E410, just recently Canon 550D), but I have to admit I'm very surprised on the zooms available on these little cameras! Not too shabby.
I have to agree, some of these new ones are cramming 14MP in a tiny sensor, my Nikon D5000 has 12MP on a APS-C sensor, you want a lower pixel density not a higher one. If you look at most of these images at 100% they look like s**t, if they took that 14MP and re-sized the image in camera to 7MP it would look better. Also at 14MP that's a B3 sized print, the size of a double spread in a newspaper, most people barely get prints anymore and even then they rarely print over 5x7. But in the consumer world you need a metric, and in this case it's MP, i wish it was a reasonable pixel density but it won't be, but even MP is a bit of a moot point for consumers now, super-zooms (i'd rather have super-wide), image stabilization and other features are being pushed a bit more.
I do have a Canon A1100 compact for a digital companion to my DSLR, but i also have a ton of 35mm film camera's i shoot, and a couple of medium format (this size wipes the floor with 35mm sensors) ones as well, a projected slide is something to behold.
If i was stuck buying a non-slr type camera i'd save my money and get the new Canon S95, has a bigger sensor (2/3" in your image) and half the pixel density of most 1/3" types, metal body and i have to say that canon compacts are excellent for colours and vibrant images and load of other stuff.
moewashereAug 25, 2010Buried
There is not enough I can say about the Panasonic LUMIX ZS3/5.
The ZS3 blew me away last year when it allowed me to finally get what I always wanted : an amazing camera with amazing video capabilities.
10-12 MP
25mm wide angle lens
12x Zoom
H.264 720p HD compressed & clear video - better than all my s**tty tape camcorders combined - easy.
iA automatic mode - scary how good this is.
Small form factor (but not too small).
Brilliant, large screen
Giant red video record button for quick access - a life saver.
This thing went everywhere with me and it did everything I needed. I can't say enough about this camera.
I bought the ZS3 when it came out for $389 in early 2009 - right before Panasonic's shortages. When the price dropped to $239 in 2010 - i told all my friends about it - 4 bought this camera and they all agreed it was simply the best digital camera for the price point the have ever bought.
** This is the camera that made CANON s**t it's pants ***
And now the ZS5 id $229!!?? This thing is a steal!
bugmenot2Aug 25, 2010Buried
You can find a Canon S90 for under $300.
peaceshotAug 25, 2010Buried
The problem with these is the size of the image sensor.
http://images.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/tut_digital_sensor-sizes.png
In the above pic:
Yellow = most compact digital cameras.
Blue = most consumer video cameras
Red = prosumer DSLRs (Canon 7D)
Big grey box = professional DSLRs
What they don't show in that pic is the APS-H sensor, which is about halfway between Red and Grey. Canon's top-end 1D-series uses this 1.3x crop factor sensor.
What people need to understand is that megapixels don't mean crap. 12 megapixels coming from a 1/3 inch sensor is going to look like horse s**t at 100% crop, whereas 12 megapixels coming from a full-frame sensor (example: Nikon D700) is going to look very sharp at 100% crop.
What also matters is the lens. DSLR cameras have one very large advantage over compacts besides sensor size: interchangeable lenses. While most compact digital cameras are designed with large-aperture lenses, the focal length is just too small to do anything. Of course, the focal length "35mm equivalent" is bumped up because of the small size of the sensor, but when you take into account diffraction, lens elements, zoom vs prime and the quality of your glass, compacts just don't cut it.
You're also going to get a very large depth of field with compact digital cameras. This is a combination of the focal length, and the tiny image sensor. What photographers want is a shallow depth of field, to separate the subject from the background. This is also a large factor in film-making, where productions look cheap when both the subject and the background are in focus.
[/camera nerd]
eleeteAug 25, 2010Buried
Canon PowerShot.
kinggorillaAug 25, 2010Buried
I don't think I can trust a camera with a picture of a clown on it
bugmenot2Aug 25, 2010Buried
You should consider the S95 releasing at the end of August if you have an extra $100 to spend. It adds some neat features like 720p video recording and hybrid image stabilization.
giveerAug 25, 2010Buried
I would have been even futher impressed if the author had mentioned all of the (quite frankly, amazing) tricks, bells and whistles you can unlock using the Canon Hack Development Kit. I use it on my 's5 is' and it turned a respectable point and shoot into nearly the best camera I could buy without making the SLR jump.
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK
peaceshotAug 25, 2010Buried
By "Blue" I meant cyan.
I keep a crap little compact digicam in my camera bag though, for those times when a large, heavy DSLR is just too obtrusive.
I suppose the only thing compact digital cameras do better than DSLRs is macro shots. My DSLR lenses only focus to 0.45 metres, but compacts can focus to almost any distance (heck, my old video camera could focus on its own lens filter!).
gvoakesAug 24, 2010Buried
u dont c y? i do.
skunkman62Aug 25, 2010Buried
very cute with the spelling. let me guess, you're a 14 year old girl
phyx726Aug 25, 2010Buried
I really don't know s**t about cameras but I do know that my father's 30 year old Nikon SLR took better pictures than my cybershot.
bosskeyAug 25, 2010Buried
http://www.whattheduck.net/sites/default/files/WTD95_0.gif
fabiandiazAug 26, 2010Buried
i want the pentax now
ultrafezAug 26, 2010Buried
The ZS5 is also known as the TZ8 in some countries.
peaceshotAug 25, 2010Buried
"Seems Canon makes the best cameras overall." Don't you let any Nikon fanboys hear that.
http://www.cnet.com.au/panasonic-lumix-dmc-ft1-339294668.htm
Take a look at that one.
teacher2beAug 25, 2010Buried
I'm a DSLR guy myself (Olympus E410, just recently Canon 550D), but I have to admit I'm very surprised on the zooms available on these little cameras! Not too shabby.
muzza001Aug 25, 2010Buried
they are awesome, i'm looking at getting one
bugmenot2Aug 25, 2010Buried
I'm looking at some samples from the ZS5 online and the stills seem just decent. The video is really nice, though. Clean image even in low light.
katanaAug 25, 2010Buried
I have to agree, some of these new ones are cramming 14MP in a tiny sensor, my Nikon D5000 has 12MP on a APS-C sensor, you want a lower pixel density not a higher one. If you look at most of these images at 100% they look like s**t, if they took that 14MP and re-sized the image in camera to 7MP it would look better. Also at 14MP that's a B3 sized print, the size of a double spread in a newspaper, most people barely get prints anymore and even then they rarely print over 5x7. But in the consumer world you need a metric, and in this case it's MP, i wish it was a reasonable pixel density but it won't be, but even MP is a bit of a moot point for consumers now, super-zooms (i'd rather have super-wide), image stabilization and other features are being pushed a bit more.
I do have a Canon A1100 compact for a digital companion to my DSLR, but i also have a ton of 35mm film camera's i shoot, and a couple of medium format (this size wipes the floor with 35mm sensors) ones as well, a projected slide is something to behold.
If i was stuck buying a non-slr type camera i'd save my money and get the new Canon S95, has a bigger sensor (2/3" in your image) and half the pixel density of most 1/3" types, metal body and i have to say that canon compacts are excellent for colours and vibrant images and load of other stuff.
mattharvey716Aug 25, 2010Buried
You know what I like about imgur?
Its how it works