Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :)

DO NOT be fooled by this camera's ISO ratings of 800 and 1600; they are
totally useless for anything larger than a 3.5" x 5" print. Panasonic uses
incredibly steep noise reduction techniques and the result is a picture
almost totally devoid of details. ISO 400 is this camera's practical limit.
Other than that, it's a very nice camera, and the smallest "super-zoom"
camera on the market.

If you want a compact that can really shoot at high ISOs, take a look at the
Fuji F30. Not as long a zoom, but incredible at high ISOs for a point and
shoot.

<prejac DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1148690835.422241.223740@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
> Hi everybody.
>
> I often go to concerts and NEVER get any good pictures with my HP
> Photosmark935 camera. So I have looked around and I found this fairly
> affordable camera:
>
> Panasonic Lumix 5.0-Megapixel Digital Camera
> Model: DMC-TZ1S
>
> It has a bunch of seemingly relevant features:
>
> Up to ISO1600, 10x optical zoom, optical image stabilizer and a bunch
> of other bells and whistles.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with this camera? Does anyone by any
> chance have a handful of sample photos? If you do, feel free to send me
> a couple at kingkeld @ sbcglobal.net.
>
> I would really appreciate your help. I am seriously considering this
> camera but would hate to buy something that I really can't use.
>
> Thank you very much,
>
> Keld Petersen.
>
 >> Stay informed about: Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :) 

prejac RemoveThis @gmail.com wrote:

> Hi everybody.
>
> I often go to concerts and NEVER get any good pictures with my HP
> Photosmark935 camera. So I have looked around and I found this fairly
> affordable camera:
>
> Panasonic Lumix 5.0-Megapixel Digital Camera
> Model: DMC-TZ1S
>
> It has a bunch of seemingly relevant features:
>
> Up to ISO1600, 10x optical zoom, optical image stabilizer and a bunch
> of other bells and whistles.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with this camera? Does anyone by any
> chance have a handful of sample photos? If you do, feel free to send me
> a couple at kingkeld @ sbcglobal.net.
>
> I would really appreciate your help. I am seriously considering this
> camera but would hate to buy something that I really can't use.

In answer to a discussion on another thread I put up a set of shots in not
very bright room lighting and all supported ISOs using an FZ7, which while
not the identical model should give you an idea of how well Panasonic's low
light capability works. You'll find it here
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723%40N00/sets/72057594139656149/>.
Full size are included. Note the color cast--that's the result of the
automatic white balance being unable to deal with the lighting. Going to
less light than this resulted in the autofocus failing to function, even on
the shots posted if you look closely you'll see that it didn't quite have
lock on the face.

I don't recommend a Panasonic for low light--it's just not very good at it.
If however the technical quality of the images I posted is "good enough"
then go for it.

There simply isn't a good low-light cheap camera. The Fuji F30, which
should be shipping this month, probably has the best sensor of any
point-and-shoot for low light situations (it goes to 3200 and if it's like
the F10 and F11 that should actually be usable at those speeds), but the
rest of the camera is pretty ordinary. Price should be in the same
ballpark as the TZ1. For what you describe it would probably be a better
choice.


--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
 >> Stay informed about: Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :) 

prejac.DeleteThis@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi everybody.
>
> I often go to concerts and NEVER get any good pictures with my HP
> Photosmark935 camera. So I have looked around and I found this fairly
> affordable camera:
>
> Panasonic Lumix 5.0-Megapixel Digital Camera
> Model: DMC-TZ1S
>
> It has a bunch of seemingly relevant features:
>
> Up to ISO1600, 10x optical zoom, optical image stabilizer and a bunch
> of other bells and whistles.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with this camera? Does anyone by any
> chance have a handful of sample photos? If you do, feel free to send
> me a couple at kingkeld @ sbcglobal.net.
>
> I would really appreciate your help. I am seriously considering this
> camera but would hate to buy something that I really can't use.
>
> Thank you very much,
>
> Keld Petersen.

Good though the Panasonic range of cameras are, the larger sensor on a
DSLR will produce much higher absolute sensitivities, and perhaps
therefore you should start saving your pennies! In the Panasonic range, I
would recommend the FZ20 with its f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom
range.

There is a dedicated newsgroup for such SLR-like cameras here:

rec.photo.digital.zlr

where you will find Panasonic and other camera users.

David
 >> Stay informed about: Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :) 

prejac.TakeThisOut@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi everybody.
>
> I often go to concerts and NEVER get any good pictures with my HP
> Photosmark935 camera. So I have looked around and I found this fairly
> affordable camera:
>
> Panasonic Lumix 5.0-Megapixel Digital Camera
> Model: DMC-TZ1S
>
> It has a bunch of seemingly relevant features:
>
> Up to ISO1600, 10x optical zoom, optical image stabilizer and a bunch
> of other bells and whistles.
>
> Does anyone have any experience with this camera? Does anyone by any
> chance have a handful of sample photos? If you do, feel free to send
> me a couple at kingkeld @ sbcglobal.net.
>
> I would really appreciate your help. I am seriously considering this
> camera but would hate to buy something that I really can't use.
>
> Thank you very much,
>
> Keld Petersen.

Good though the Panasonic range of cameras are, the larger sensor on a
DSLR will produce much higher absolute sensitivities, and perhaps
therefore you should start saving your pennies! In the Panasonic range, I
would recommend the FZ20 with its f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom
range.

There is a dedicated newsgroup for such SLR-like cameras here:

rec.photo.digital.zlr

where you will find Panasonic and other camera users.

David
 >> Stay informed about: Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :) 

Thank you everybody for your inputs.

I think I'm going to hold my breath a little (and miss taking pictures
at the HIM concert on the 31st) and see what the F30 has to offer.

Again, Thanks!
Keld.
 >> Stay informed about: Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :) 

Thank you everybody for your inputs.

I think I'm going to hold my breath a little (and miss taking pictures
at the HIM concert on the 31st) and see what the F30 has to offer.

Again, Thanks!
Keld.
 >> Stay informed about: Advice on Panasonic camera requested, please. :)