Reading mode: Light Dark

Panasonic DMC-FZ7 not a full size camera; which one is?

Go to last post
B

Big Steve0655

Well-known member
Messages
114
Reaction score
0
Location
Biloxi, USA, MS, US
I recently took delivery of a new Panasonic DMC-FZ7 and was disappointed in the size of the camera once I unpacked it. I was fully aware of the camera's dimensions after reading it's detailed review on this forum's website but from the photographs of the camera it looked pretty much like a full size camera.

Previously I owned a Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 35mm P & S camera for 15 years; a full size camera which I liked very much; unfortunately it quit working this past February 2006. Without having to move into the digital SLR type of cameras does Panasonic market a non-SLR camera which is larger than their DMC-FZ7?

If I had to purchase a lower end model by Panasonic; lower end than a DMC-FZ7; many of Panasonic's digicams which come with IS do not come with optical viewfinders; just the LCD screens. If I was able to take good pics with my old Minolta 35mm camera for 15 years could I compromise on a new digital camera; that would be to make sure that any new digicam that I buy does come with or have an optical viewfinder and yet do without IS? My old Minolta 35mm camera which did have an optical viewfinder did not come with IS. Feedback welcomed.

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/15/06
 
Larger than FZ7? Definitely: the new FZ50 is top of the line superzoom; it has a larger sensor and therefore larger lens and somewhat larger body. Before that model, the top of the line was FZ30 which was similar size. Both are larger than FZ7. By the way, both have fixed (non-retracting) lenses which allow filters to be attached to the lens, no adapter tube. FZ50 is 10MP.

I have an FZ7 ... and don't think I didn't consider the FZ30 (top model at the time). But I actually wanted the small size- I guess I have relatively small hands - as well as the lower price, and 6MP, that was enough of a step up for me. Give the FZ7 a chance and it will take beautiful pictures for you.
 
What about my other question which was if I did want to purchase another Pany model below the FZ7; another model which did have a viewfinder but no IS could I get by w/o the IS? My steady hands and head could take the place of the IS correct?

As I said previously my old Minolta 35mm camera did have a viewfinder but no IS so if I purchase a different digicam besides the Pany DMC-FZ7 as long as that other digicam has a viewfinder but no IS I should be able to make things work; right? Assuming that my hands and my head remain very steady when I take my pics.

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/16/06
 
Does the Pany DMC-FZ50 come in any other color besides Henry Ford black? Another color like the silver and grey finish on my Pany DMC-FZ7?

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/16/06
 
I still don't know what you mean by full size camera.

This is dpreview. That means digital photography review. If you take the time to look at the full review of the FZ50 you will see a nice picture of a Silver one. Also anything else you might want to know about it.
--
FCAS #123
Old Sea Dog/cp 5400/FZ30
Galleries at http://www.pbase.com/oldseadog/galleries
 
I know what you mean. Looking at the FZ7 in pictures, it seems bigger than it is. The first time I saw it in the store and picked it up I was taken back at how small it is, but it is impressive at how much technology Panasonic can squeze into that small package. I think that is a strength of the FZ7, but if you want a bigger camera then you should consider the FZ50.
Big Steve0655 said:
I recently took delivery of a new Panasonic DMC-FZ7 and was
disappointed in the size of the camera once I unpacked it. I was
fully aware of the camera's dimensions after reading it's detailed
review on this forum's website but from the photographs of the
camera it looked pretty much like a full size camera.

Previously I owned a Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 35mm P & S camera for
15 years; a full size camera which I liked very much; unfortunately
it quit working this past February 2006. Without having to move
into the digital SLR type of cameras does Panasonic market a
non-SLR camera which is larger than their DMC-FZ7?

If I had to purchase a lower end model by Panasonic; lower end than
a DMC-FZ7; many of Panasonic's digicams which come with IS do not
come with optical viewfinders; just the LCD screens. If I was able
to take good pics with my old Minolta 35mm camera for 15 years
could I compromise on a new digital camera; that would be to make
sure that any new digicam that I buy does come with or have an
optical viewfinder and yet do without IS? My old Minolta 35mm
camera which did have an optical viewfinder did not come with IS.
Feedback welcomed.

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/15/06
Click to expand...
--
my FZ30 pictures at: http://www.memoriesinmosaic.com/16.html
 
The small ultra-zooms (Canon S3, Sony H5/2 and Panasonic FZ7) all tend to look bigger in photos and much smaller in person. I remember the first time I saw the S2/S3 in person...

And the first time I saw the FZ7 in person, and realized it was even smaller than the Canon S3, well, I knew this was a camera to consider. Like several posters above, the small size was definitely a part of the attraction of the FZ7 for me.

However, the OP's comments reinforce the critical importance of actually trying a camera out, in person/at the store, before purchasing. Definitely not a step to be skipped...
 
I have an FZ5 (forerunner of the FZ7) and bought it specifically because it IS smaller than a full size camera like the larger Panasonics. It doesn't have all the features but I love it...but then I have quite small hands. I also have a (now old) Canon S40, which I find hard to use because it's not quite big enough! Try the new FZ50...the increased size may be better for your hand grip ergonomically.
 
The Fuji S6500 kills it for Image quality but what's the point when the thing is as big as a D80 with an 18-200 on !! .. the FZ7 fits neatly in a coat pocket and that's its ace IMO and why I chose it over the "gargantuan" competition

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

 
I saw a pic of an FZ50 in silver; I had to go to Panasonic.com to see it; it's a very nice digicam but also kind of pricey for me. No one addressed my other question in a previous post which was if I dropped down to a Pany digicam below the DMC-FZ7; dropped down to a digicam which would have a nice size LCD; one that would also have an optical viewfinder and IS; most of Pany's other lower end models which come with IS do not come with an optical viewfinder.

If I had to do without one; would a camera with a nice sized LCD and a viewfinder be better to own than one of Pany's lower end digicams with IS and no optical viewfinder? From the point of someone like myself making the transition from a 35mm P&S camera to a P&S digicam; if I had to do without a feature; should I place more emphasis on a digicam having IS or one that has first; a nice size LCD and second; also comes with an optical viewfinder and has no IS?

It would be nice if Pay's website listed a catagory like camera size as one of their selectors; my old Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 P&S 35mm camera measures approximately as follows: ( 5.5" wide X 3.0" high X 2.5" deep ) at it's deepest point and 1.5" deep at it's narrowist point. For those of you who have commented to my original post; thanks for your comments although the one post which directed me to a link featuring a pic of an antique camera was probably a joke; wasn't it.

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/16/06
 
You won't get a 12X zoom and an optical viewfinder it would be impossibly difficult to make.
Big Steve0655 said:
I saw a pic of an FZ50 in silver; I had to go to Panasonic.com to
see it; it's a very nice digicam but also kind of pricey for me.
No one addressed my other question in a previous post which was if
I dropped down to a Pany digicam below the DMC-FZ7; dropped down to
a digicam which would have a nice size LCD; one that would also
have an optical viewfinder and IS; most of Pany's other lower end
models which come with IS do not come with an optical viewfinder.

If I had to do without one; would a camera with a nice sized LCD
and a viewfinder be better to own than one of Pany's lower end
digicams with IS and no optical viewfinder? From the point of
someone like myself making the transition from a 35mm P&S camera to
a P&S digicam; if I had to do without a feature; should I place
more emphasis on a digicam having IS or one that has first; a nice
size LCD and second; also comes with an optical viewfinder and has
no IS?

It would be nice if Pay's website listed a catagory like camera
size as one of their selectors; my old Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 P&S
35mm camera measures approximately as follows: ( 5.5" wide X
3.0" high X 2.5" deep ) at it's deepest point and 1.5" deep at
it's narrowist point. For those of you who have commented to my
original post; thanks for your comments although the one post which
directed me to a link featuring a pic of an antique camera was
probably a joke; wasn't it.

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/16/06
Click to expand...
 
I don't think there is an ultra-zoom Panasonic "below" (as you put it) the FZ7 with a viewfinder - the TZ1, which I understand to be an excellent camera, lacks a VF and has an LCD only.

However, you are asking questions that, in many ways, only you can answer inasmuch as whether or not you find the inclusion of a viewfinder to be essential is a matter of personal preference/personal usage. Some people are happy using an LCD-only camera; others would never buy a camera without a viewfinder of one sort or another. But there are no rights or wrongs here; it depends on what's important to you.

If it helps, I can add that the Panasonic OIS system, which I believe is on all of their digicams, is excellent and not something I'd want to do without (especially if the camera has any telephone end to it).
 
So what you seem to be implying is that I could get use to using any one of Pany's digicams which has IS and rely on the LCD to frame my pics rather than a viewfinder to do so. So now I need to shift my attention to one of Pany's digicams that would fit the bill; one of their largest yet not be similar to the DMC-FZ7.

That DMC-FZ50 in silvertone is very nice but I believe it has more bells and whistles than what I need besides the price is way out of my budget. I'm open to a suggestion as to which other Pany digicam I should consider; one with a large LCD; has IS; can be either black or silver but not so small that it could hide behind a major credit card or a deck of cards.

Since I have rather large hands I was leaning towards something in size similar to my old Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 35mm camera which is pretty close in size to the Pany

DMC-FZ50 but I'll have to consider purchasing something smaller and less expensive than the DMC-FZ50 although if my brother decided to bless me with one at Christmas I certainly wouldn't refuse it and would also make every attempt to learn how to use it; a DMC-FZ50 in silvertone or blacktone. Thanks for your comments.

Big Steve
Biloxi, Mississippi, USA
10/16/06
 
Steve. Sorry about the link to the 8 x 10 camera, yes it was a joke but the expression FULL size camera doesn't really mean anything as cameras come in all shapes, formats and sizes and I couldn't resist.

I have the FZ30 that I find to be a fantastic camera and certainly fits nicely in big hands. It could probably be found now for a lot less than you would be paying for an FZ50 and would probably more than meet your needs. Also the FZ20 is probably still available. Forget about color Black or Silver, in the end it really doesn't matter.

NEVER NEVER NEVER buy a camera without a viewfinder. Image stabilization works well and I love it but there are still times when you need to hold the camera as steady as possible and you can't do that holding the camera at arms length looking at the LCD. (Use the old familiar method.) Incidentally the viewfinders on these cameras are not generally optical, they are EVFs, that is Electronic View Finders ( Like the LCD but looking into a viewfinder.) Optical viewfinder are just that Optical.

If possible go into a good camera store and take a look at the cameras, see how they feel in your hands. At the same time it is not always good to listen to the salesmen as they have different motives for selling this or that brand/model.

You can usually get good advice here on this forum . Except when some smart SOB sends a link to an 8 x 10 sheet film camera.
--
FCAS #123
Old Sea Dog/cp 5400/FZ30
Galleries at http://www.pbase.com/oldseadog/galleries
 
On the presumption that your last post, above, is directed at me...

...no, I'm not saying that the otherwise OIS system allows one to get by with an LCD-only camera. Sorry for the confusion. These were two separate topics in my mind (because I thought they were in your mind, too).

My points are simply that (a) whether one can get by with a camera lacking a viewfinder is a matter of of personal preference, given one's style in using a camera; and (b) that, in any event, Panasonic's image stabilization system is excellent (in my experience).

Given what you've said thus far, it strikes me that the size of the camera (and probably the positioning/types of controls) is probably the biggest (no pun intended) issue for you. As such, I strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you try out any camera before you buy.

Hopefully, someone else here can comment on which of the Panasonics are best for those with large hands.

Finally, on a different note, have you thought about Canon? I believe I'm correct when I say many of that brand's cameras have VFs. The new 630/640 are somewhat larger than your typical point and shoot and not only do they have a VF, but they also have a flexible LCD system, such that one can flip out and tile the LCD for greater flexibility in shooting angles, etc. Its probably heretical to be pitching Canons on the Panny forum, but when I think of larger cameras, not to mention viewfinders, I think of those Canons.
 
Same for me....it's small size,with full manual control,manual focus,and that 36mm to 432mm f2.8 to f3.3 Leica branded O.I.S. lens!!

ANAYV
 
Dear Steve,

I, too, purchased the FZ7 specifically for its small size and light weight and I love it. My personal feelings aside, though, many of your questions about features, and some questions you might not have thought of, can be answered in the buying guide on this site. In the left margin, click on "buying guide". You can compare 2 or more cameras side-by-side, or you can search by which features might be important to you.
Hope this helps.
Mary
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top