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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 15 October 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 20 July 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 11 May 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 05 May 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 28 April 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 21 April 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 01 April 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 26 March 2009 - |
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- 5 |
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- 21 March 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 17 March 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
DPInterface 's conclusion / rating - 15 October 2009 |
“ The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 (now also known as the Lumix TZ7) improves upon a line of very good compact super-zoom digital cameras from Panasonic. The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 doesn’t seem to like following the megapixel craze with a comparatively modest increase of resolution to 10 megapixels, up from 9 on its predecessor (compare that to the 10 MP to 12 MP jump we saw on other cameras this year). Instead, the Lumix ZS3 introduces several small improvements, sorta like fine-tuning an already-great camera.
The biggest change, in my opinion, is the new 12X optical zoom lens on the ZS3. With megapixels hitting the roof in terms of quality and practicality for compact cameras (for now…), it seems like wider lenses and bigger screens are the latest trend nowadays. The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 features a 12X lens that starts out at a rather wide 25 mm, reaching a very nice 300 mm at full telephoto, and it comes with optical image stabilization and your choice of two zooming speeds.
Ergonomics have been tweaked very slightly on the Lumix ZS3, with a more rounded right hand grip and new dedicated movie button. Build quality is just as good here, except I’d like to see a more rigid, less flimsy door over the bottom compartment.
The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 is almost entirely a point-and-shoot camera, save for the fancy white balance adjustment feature and faux bulb mode. There are plenty of scene modes, automatic and “Intelligent” bells and whistles and relatively simple operation and easy to use menus that you don’t exactly have to pick up the manual if you just want to start snapping casual photos. Face detection and face recognition are both around to help with ‘people shots’. What the ZS3 lacks is manual exposure control – which is what I wanna complain about here. If some competition (namely the Canon SX200 and Samsung HZ10W/HZ15W I’ve reviewed, and the upcoming Fujifilm F70EXR).
The Lumix ZS3 also has a nice movie mode – 720p HD recording, stereo sound, optical zoom and stabilization, continuous AF, even a wind filter is available – pretty much one of the best movie modes you can find in a compact camera. Unfortunately, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3’s AVCHD Lite recording codec is both a big plus point and a downside as well; on one hand, it’s really efficient and produces smaller files than MOV-MJPEG… but on the other, the output files typically need to be decoded first before they can be played on most players. There are two workarounds: you could plug the camera directly to your HDTV or download the Video LAN player (Windows and Mac versions available) to view AVCHD Lite movies without decoding anything, or you could pick the less efficient MOV-MJPEG codec to record.
The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 does pretty well in the image quality department (save for softness), producing detailed photos with good noise control and little lens flaws. The Lumix ZS3’s processor does use some mirrors and smoke in order to produce the pictures you see out of the camera; automatically removing redeye and color fringing, and apparently reducing lens distortion. Well, I’ve got no qualms with that – what I do have against the camera’s processing is the slight softness and graininess it introduces while trying to produce smooth photos.
There’s little to not to like about the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 AKA Lumix TZ7 – it has a big and wide 12X lens stuffed into a relatively compact body, it has a large, sharp display, plenty of scene modes and bells and whistles, and most importantly, good performance in terms of speed and image quality. Sure, there are a few minor quirks that need to be ironed out, but the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 is a worthy successor last year’s TZ5 and gets my recommendation if you want a nice point-and-shoot compact super-zoom... ”
DPInterface's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DigitalTrends 's conclusion / rating - 20 July 2009 |
“ The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 goes to the top of the list for sub-$400 digicams. With its 12x wide-angle zoom, compact size and very good high-def video, the camera comes close to our two-in-one fantasy device. It’s not perfect though with its lack of manual settings, hard-to-obtain super sharpness in stills and video and other issues we’ve detailed here. When you search the web for ZS3 prices, you’ll rarely find it going for less than list—and that tells you all you need to know about this highly-regarded camera... ”
DigitalTrends's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
Steves-digicams 's conclusion / rating - 11 May 2009 |
“ Leading Panasonic's new Lumix series of cameras is the DMC-ZS3, a very powerful, full featured compact digicam. Sporting a 12x Leica optical zoom lens, Venus Engine HD processor, Mega O.I.S. (optical image stabilization) and iA (intelligent auto) mode, it has been designed to be more versatile and capable than other digicams. Its main feature is the ability to capture HD video using the AVCHD format. This allows for the camera to capture more HD video while using less memory. To accent the HD capture, Panasonic has included a Dolby stereo mic and the ability to zoom while shooting.
Although it isn't the smallest digicam on the market, its features and capabilities more than make up for the size. A hand grip on the right side makes the camera fit well enough into your hand that allowing operation of all cameras features with just one hand, including the mode dial and navigating the menus. There is also a dedicated movie button on the back, meaning that you do not have to put the camera into movie mode to record as it's always ready. Framing and viewing your images is done via the 3-inch, 460,000 dot LCD screen. It is one of the highest quality screens that we have seen on a compact digicam, showing you more detail than ever before. It is easy to see in all lighting conditions including direct sunlight, and thanks to the auto power LCD mode, you will never have to adjust the brightness.
Bottom Line - Panasonic's new Lumix ZS3 is an outstanding new addition to the Lumix line. Packed full of features, you will be able to find a way to shoot in even the most difficult of situations. The 12x optical zoom lens makes this one of the most versatile cameras of the market, while the O.I.S. makes the 300mm telephoto end functional as a handheld. All of this combined with good performance and excellent image quality, the MSRP of US$399.99 makes this an excellent choice for anyone looking for a little more out of their compact camera... ”
Steves-digicams's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
LetsGoDigital 's conclusion / rating - 05 May 2009 |
“ With the launch of the Panasonic LUMIX TZ7, we were curious to see which specifications Panasonic had changed in order to continue the success of its predecessors. We were pleasantly surprised to see the amount of effective pixels kept relatively low and the optical zoom lens replaced by a newer version with an even larger range. The ingredients were all there to offer Panasonic a chance to keep up or even increase its market share in this segment. However; it won't be that easy this year. In addition to the ongoing worldwide financial crisis, there are other rivals in the field that have enhanced their assortment with similar cameras, which might make it hard.
Our first acquaintance with the TZ7 in practice was pleasant and very similar to the experience we had earlier with its predecessors. The handy compact format is definitely a plus and it stands for easy shooting in combination with the large zoom range supported by the MEGA O.I.S. system. We have mainly compared the pictures taken in practice combined with the technical DIWA tests to those of its predecessor. From this, we can conclude that the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ7 has generally improved.
Yet, we do have some comments on a small number of items. We think it's high time to change the command dial on top of the camera, so that it won't unintentionally change the setting as easily as it does now. Besides that, the shiny buttons on the back may look nice, but you can't always read them properly, especially in bright sunlight as the buttons tend to shine as brightly as the sun! The shortcut to start recording a video is very comfortably placed right underneath your thumb, but it does make for many unintended videos. As a user you can probably get accustomed to these flaws, although competitive brands prove that it can also be done otherwise.
It's also sad that the Panasonic LUMIX TZ7 has to give in when it comes to noise compared to its predecessor, despite the slight increase of the amount of effective pixels with 1 Megapixel. The TZ7 performs well to excellently up to and including ISO 400 to only show visible noise at ISO 800. Thankfully, the MEGA O.I.S. image stabilizer helps in not having to use a high ISO that soon, but it remains a pity.
On the other hand; the dynamic range of the Panasonic TZ7 has slightly improved and is able to produce details in the light and dark areas in a picture without getting white-washed or blotted, up to and including ISO 800. What we are particularly fond of is the optical quality of the 12x zoom lens. The 25-300mm range is almost consistent as for its quality, which is quite an achievement. As manufacturer, you can only wish for a lens like this and the fact that the Panasonic DMC-TZ7 has been equipped with it is without question an advantage. This brings us to the final conclusion; the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ7 is a worthy successor of the TZ5. Although there are some minor flaws and the TZ7 does drop a stitch when it comes to signal/noise ratio, this camera still belongs to the absolute top of the current Megazoom cameras. Once you know how to use the MEGA O.I.S. to its maximum potential, thus working your way around the high ISO values, you will possess a high quality Megazoom camera with the Panasonic LUMIX TZ7. A top model!... ”
LetsGoDigital's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
DigitalCameraReview 's conclusion / rating - 28 April 2009 |
“ The Panasonic TZ models have long been some of our favorite cameras around here, earning high marks from forum members and our staff testers alike for their versatility, simplicity, and solid all-around performance. The ZS3 builds on this strong foundation, starting with a redesigned lens that is, if anything, even sharper than the original TZ lens while adding 25mm wide-angle coverage. The ZS3's still gets Panasonic's superb 3.0 inch high-res LCD as well, and with better-than-ever Intelligent Auto performance, novice shooters aren't left out either.
Whether the ZS3 ultimately achieves the seamless "hybridization" that Panasonic claimed for this new model in its integration of video and still captures is an open question. Video performance is quite possibly the best you'll find on a still camera, though casual shooters may be frustrated by a lack of post-processing options for the camera's highest-quality 720p video files. If you're able to put this, as well as few image quality and usability niggles, behind you, though, the ZS3 looks like another clear advancement in Panasonic's compact ultrazoom line.
The ZS3 is certainly not without its flaws, but for the time being, it looks like Panasonic has yet again come up with the camera to beat in this increasingly crowded niche... ”
DigitalCameraReview's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 21 April 2009 |
“ Covering a range from 25-300mm, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 is a great companion, whether you're going out for a walk or on a long trip. Panasonic took a few simple steps to make the ZS3's interface easier to use, and the results will appeal to most users. What I liked most was having a zoom lens that was long enough to encompass my vision: allowing me to shoot both very wide angle and reach out a little further than normal with a 300mm-equivalent zoom. Though image quality is a little soft in the corners at wide-angle, distortion is low at both zoom settings, and overall image quality is excellent. Luminance noise is a little high for our taste at low ISOs, but chroma (color) noise is quite low, and neither is a major factor in printed output until you get to 13x19-inches or higher, at least up to ISO 200. Movies are also quite good, and I appreciate the light gray mask that shows which video aspect ratio you have selected. As we saw with the TS1's Face Recognition mode, it was good but not great, so enjoy the face detection instead, which is indeed great. Overall, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 offers a lot of photographic power, covering wide and telephoto with better quality than many larger cameras, and slipping quietly into a pocket or bag. It's just the type of camera that photographers would keep with them when they don't want to carry an SLR, and would be a great backpack or biking camera, when weight, size, and versatility are important... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DCResource 's conclusion / rating - 01 April 2009 |
“ The other big selling point on the DMC-ZS3 is its movie mode. Panasonic advertises the ZS3 as a camera/camcorder hybrid, and rightly so. The ZS3 records video in high definition (1280 x 720) with stereo sound, and full access to both the optical zoom and the image stabilizer. It even has a dedicated button for movie recording. The new AVCHD Lite codec allows you to keep recording until your memory card fills up, allowing you to put 30 minutes of continuous HD video onto a 4GB SDHC card. (Do note that European models of this camera are limited to 15 minutes per clip.) The bad news is that AVCHD isn't easy to work with. You can't just open up a movie and expect it to play in Windows Media Player. Instead, you have to use Panasonic's PhotoFunStudio software, which unfortunately cannot export movies to more commonly used formats. Mac users are really left out in the cold; Panasonic doesn't provide anything to view the movies, though I found that VLC can view them, and Toast can convert them to other formats. If you don't want to deal with AVCHD Lite, you can switch back to good old Motion JPEG -- just expect bigger files and shorter recording times (you can still record at 720p, though)... ”
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 26 March 2009 |
“ The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a compact, pocketable point-and-shoot camera that takes great photos with the added bonus of HD video. Although the DMC-TZ7 no longer has the travel zoom market to itself, with the likes of Canon, Olympus and Samsung all recently launching rival models, it's still the leader of the pack, mainly thanks to the the new 12x zoom lens and improved video recording. The lens in particular is a real triumph, providing both an ultra-wide 25mm angle of view and a 300mm telephoto setting that really will cover virtually every photographic situation that you'll encounter. The icing on the cake is the apparent lack of distortion at ether end of the range, no mean feat for such a small folded optic. We suspect that Panasonic are performing some behind-the-scenes processing to help out in this department, but who cares when the images looks this good? The inevitable increase from a 9 to 10 megapixel sensor doesn't make any real-world difference and thankfully hasn't come at the expense of image quality, with the TZ7 maintaining similar noise performance as the TZ5 at comparable ISO speeds. I'd be happy to use ISO 100-400 for most photos, with ISO 800 reserved for low-light situations, on a par with most of its main competitors. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 dealt extremely well with chromatic aberrations, macro performance is improved, and the dependable Mega OIS anti-shake system is present and correct.
The DMC-TZ7's video mode may offer the same 720p, 1280x720 pixel resolution as the TZ5, but Panasonic have made some real advances here. The new AVCHD Lite mode almost doubles the recording time in HD quality compared with Motion JPEG, although 3rd-party software support for playback and editing is patchy to say the least. You can still use the very effective 720p Motion JPEG mode though if you want to edit your video. There are also big improvements in sound quality, with much less background noise and the ability to clearly make out individual voices, even in a crowd. You can use the zoom lens during recording, although this is tempered somewhat by the slow zoom speed and awkward continuous auto-focusing, with the subject often being blurred before becoming sharp again as the camera tries to refocus. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 is definitely not a replacement for a dedicated HD video camcorder, but it undoubtedly provides some of the best HD movies that we've seen from a compact camera, making it perfect for more casual users. The HDMI port makes it easy to connect the TZ7 to a HD TV, although we would have liked to see a suitable cable included in the box.
In summary, the DMC-TZ7 is the best travel-zoom camera yet. Even the annoyingly loose Shooting Mode dial and slightly higher launch price don't detract too much from what is simply a fantastic camera. One of the best compacts of 2008 just got even better... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 5 |
Complete review here
TrustedReviews 's conclusion / rating - 21 March 2009 |
“ Panasonic has done it again with the TZ7, producing a well-designed and exceptionally versatile camera ideal for travel, but also well suited to just about any type of general snapshot photography. Build quality, design, performance and image quality are all excellent, it has a useful range of easy-to-use features, and of course it also has a superb HD video option with stereo sound... ”
TrustedReviews's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
CameraLabs 's conclusion / rating - 17 March 2009 |
“ Panasonic may no longer have the compact super-zoom market to itself, but the latest Lumix TZ7 / ZS3 remains a highly compelling camera that’s likely to sell by the bucket-load. It takes the already excellent Lumix TZ5 with its 720p video, 3in / 460k screen and multiple aspect recording, and enhances it with a wider and longer lens (with impressive quality), more efficient video recording (while retaining the older mode for easier editing), improved face detection, an HDMI port and an extra Megapixel.
It’s an impressive specification, but this time Panasonic finds itself up against an equally compelling rival from Canon. Then there’s the TZ6 / ZS1 and earlier TZ5 models which may not boast the latest features, but still deliver long zooms in small form factors at more affordable prices. As always, compare the features and pricing carefully.
Ultimately while there’s now more options to compare, the Lumix TZ7 / ZS3 remains a great choice, updating the compelling pocket super-zoom concept with the latest features. In short, one of the best compacts on the market just got better, and as such we can easily award the Lumix TZ7 / ZS3 our Highly Recommended rating... ”
CameraLabs's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
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