TZ3 tip website

http://www.freewebs.com/tz3tippages/

I thought i would give it a go so here is the beginning. Feel free post tips to add here or email me

Wow, I have had this in mind for a long time, but being as lazy/buzy as I am, never managed to start it. Althouh, I had collected several (at least for me) interesting threads from here, and copy pasted the most relevant things into a text file. But good going there, mate!

Following is a pretty long text, but I'll just copy/paste it here without any formatting. Usually there is the title of the thread mentioned in the beginning, so searching the forum could be a bit easier.

-Jouko

...and here we go:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"TZ3 hidden ISO values"

Possible ISO values are: 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250 and 3200.

Having TZ3 could be enough but I gathered some info (before I bought it) from pbase.com and picasaweb.google.com while exploring pictures shot with TZ3's.

For example, the possible shutter speeds are:
1 sec. and above :
60,
30,
15,
8, 6.4, 5,
4, 3.2, 2.5,
2, 1.6, 1.25,
1

Under 1 sec. 1/X given:
1.25, 1.5, 2,
2.5, 3.2, 4,
5, 6.4, 8,
10, 13, 15,
20, 25, 30,
40, 50, 60,
80, 100, 125,
160, 200, 250,
320, 400, 500,
640, 800, 1000,
1300, 1600, 2000

Note how they are in 1/3 steps (same as ISO values).

Some aperture info:

focal length: 4,6mm (1x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,3, aperture 2: 8
focal length: 4,9mm (1,07x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,4, aperture 2: 8
focal length: 5,2mm (1,13x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,5, aperture 2: 8
focal length: 5,5mm (1,2x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,6, aperture 2: 8
focal length: 5,8mm (1,26x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,7, aperture 2: 9
focal length: 6,2mm (1,35x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,8, aperture 2: 9
focal length: 6,5mm (1,41x zoom) - aperture 1: 3,9, aperture 2: 9
focal length: 7mm (1,52x zoom) - aperture 1: 4, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 7,3mm (1,59x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,1, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 7,8mm (1,7x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,2, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 8,2mm (1,78x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,2, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 9,1mm (1,98x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,3, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 9,5mm (2,07x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,4, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 10,2mm (2,22x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,5, aperture 2: 10
focal length: 11mm (2,39x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,5, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 11,8mm (2,57x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,6, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 12,7mm (2,76x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,6, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 13,7mm (2,98x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 14,7mm (3,2x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 15,7mm (3,41x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 16,9mm (3,67x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 18,4mm (4x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 19,5mm (4,24x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 20,9mm (4,54x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,7, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 23,1mm (5,02x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 24,2mm (5,26x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 26mm (5,65x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 27,9mm (6,07x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 29,2mm (6,35x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 31mm (6,74x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 32,7mm (7,11x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 34,8mm (7,57x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,8, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 37,5mm (8,15x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,9, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 39,1mm (8,5x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,9, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 42mm (9,13x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,9, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 43,3mm (9,41x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,9, aperture 2: 11
focal length: 46mm (10x zoom) - aperture 1: 4,9, aperture 2: 11

Here the interesting thing is that 2x zoom and more uses close (4,5 ~ 4,9) aperture values.

And some more information I forgot:

except for the fireworks mode, TZ3 prefers to use the wide aperture for each focal length until the shutter speed reaches 1300 (or 1000 for 27,9mm and more). This is probably a limitation of the shutter speed for those apertures and the next step after 1/1300 sec (or 1/1000) is changing the aperture and shutter speed goes to 1/250 (or 1/200).

In fireworks mode, shutter speed can be controlled - 1/2 - 8 sec when OIS is off (aperture is between 8 and 11) and 1/16 - 1 sec when OIS is on (aperture is between 3.3 and 4.9)

==========================================================

Next image was shot at the full 7MP resolution and ISO 800, 1/10 sec at f3.3, with Neat Image applied, and gets me a little more excited about the possibilities with this camera. This is the best/cleanest ISO 800 image I have produced with the TZ3...

This next image is was captured using the same parameters as above, with the exception the ISO picked by the camera was 400. The exposure was 1/15 sec at f4.9 at 420mm, with subsequent noise reduction in Neat Image..

==========================================================

"Settings on TZ3"

Mwahaha said:

WB = AWB
ISO limit = 400

Click to expand...

I use "normal" mode and "Auto ISO," limits ISO to 200 without flash, 640 with

Mwahaha said:

Aspect Ratio = 4:3
Pict.size = 7M
Quality = fine
Metering mode = ( )

Click to expand...

Center weigted

Mwahaha said:

AF Mod = ????

Click to expand...

I use single area H.

Mwahaha said:

Burst = I'm switching on this one
ContAF = ????

Click to expand...

OFF is the best

Mwahaha said:

AF Assist lamp = Off
Slow shutter=1/8

Click to expand...

Mine's at 1 second.

(((continues)))

"TZ3 DOES do fireworks!"

The trick is to follow the manual,
which says if you leave IS on in Fireworks mode,
you get 1/4 second exposures. Turn it off...
Well, then you can get exposures ranging from under
2 seconds to greater than 5 seconds, to wit
(1st one at 1.6 sec, -1/3 EV bias):
This one at +1/3 EV, 2.5 sec:
This one's at 5 seconds, +1.33 EV:
You can see the rest at my Smugmug gallery, starting at:
http://john-reed.smugmug.com/gallery/2762845/7
One thing about fireworks: You CAN'T get slow shutter
speeds with OIS engaged, it MUST be OFF. Therefore,
you MUST use a tripod or other stabilizer to get the
range you need. Hope you like my captures?

==========================================================

"Anybody else dissatisfied with TZ3?"
I'd defy you to get photos of that kind of quality from
a cellphone? Here's what I'll bet you're doing: I'll bet
you're setting ISO at 100. When you do that, you severely
limit the internal flash range, so that yes, shots will
look grainy and dark, kinda crummy. If you set the ISO
selection to Auto, and stay in the "normal" mode for shooting,
that's how you could duplicate my shots. Incidentally,
I didn't print all these shots, only the ISO 500 shot,
at 8X10 size, from an 80% crop of the image. Very nice,
sharp print, no post-processing done on it at all.

==========================================================

"TZ3 Macro"
The instruction manual, on page 46, says at maximum tele setting
(using the macro dal setting) you need to be at least 3.28 feet/one meter
away from the subject, but that does not tell the entire story. If I
remember correctly from the post I mentioned above, from 1x to 2 or 3x,
and at 9x, you can focus closer than at the other zoom settings. Go back
and find that post and you'll have your answer. If you are just setting
the camera to Macro and moving in closer than 3 feet at any and every setting,
you are going to have issues with close focusing...you need to know the best
settings and get at the right distances from the subject.

Here's the thread I started about TZ3 close focusing:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=23780522
Summary of the results:

• Keep zoom at 2X or below when you want to get close to your subject (3 inches or less).
• Use 8X-10X (9X is best from my tests) if you want to get a good blow-up from a distance.

The longer zoom is much more likely to give good shots with flowers,
and will give you nicely blurred backgrounds.
And of course, get a good focus (solid green rectangle and green dot)
before taking the picture.

(((continues)))

"TZ3 Close Focusing Quirks"

One of my few complaints about the TZ3 is that the close focusing seemed unpredictable

compared to the Canons of my experience. I discovered some interesting quirks when playing

with it. As an aerospace test engineer, nothing would do but a thorough test. So I developed
a detailed evaluation to investigate how the camera’s close focusing capability
changes over the zoom range.

For each zoom “position” – bumping the zoom lever the smallest amount – I measured

the closest focus distance (from the barrel extension) and also measured the resulting

field-of-view (in 4:3 aspect ratio), while noting the indicated maximum aperture.

A suspended sheet of metric graph paper was the target (see REALLY boring second photograph

below). I collected results in Macro, Intelligent ISO (I ISO) and Normal modes, but didn’t

bother to get FOV data for the longer focus distances (at 3X to 6X) because it was wider
then the graph used as the target.

And being a good engineer, I created a spreadsheet and graph with the results. The graph

below will probably be more useful to any who are interested, but I’d be happy to share
the detailed numerical results if requested.

Conclusions:

• For the closest focusing, AVOID zoom ratios from 3X to 6X, and also 10X.
• Best “TeleMacro” (smallest FOV at a distance) is at 9X in Macro or I ISO.

A few more observations:

• Closest focus and smallest FOVs are at 1X through 1.5X (where indicated maximum

aperture was f3.8). The minimum focus is 43-45mm throughout that range, and the smallest
FOV is 52 x 39 mm (1.5X in 4:3, shown below). The next zoom position (“1.6X”)
jumped up to focus of 75 mm.

• Macro, I ISO, and Normal all have the SAME close focus results from 3X to 7.5X.

(Yup, that surprised me, too.)

• At 9-9.5X the close focus distance is a very usable 630 mm, and then it jumps to 850 mm at 10X.

• Indicated maximum aperture changed rapidly from 1X to 2X, where it was f4.4.

• I could repeatedly find eleven zoom “positions” between 1X and 2X, six until 3X,

then gradually decreasing to two between 9X and 10X.

• FOV in Normal mode stays roughly constant at about 150-200 mm width.

Focus in Normal was more ‘consistent’ then the other modes.

Having done all this, I’m now much more satisfied with the close focusing capabilities.

I just keep the zoom under 2X if I can get really close, and zoom to 9X for shots from
a distance with some ‘bokeh’ advantages as well.

After all that, the plot with the results, followed by the smallest FOV photo. As noted

on the graph key, the solid blue line is close focus in Macro and I ISO modes, the solid

green line is Normal mode focus; the dashed lines are the Field-of-View (width in 4:3

aspect ratio) - red for Macro, purple for Normal. Use the scale on the right for FOV width.

My apologies is if my graphing skills didn't make it clear.

The red-dashed line shows minimum field-of-view width for Macro -

use the scale on the right for FOV. The purple dashed line is similarly the Normal FOV width.

In Macro, following the solid dark blue line shows close focus (using the vertical scale on the left):

43-45 mm from 1X to 1.5X
75-90 mm from 1.6X to 1.10X
123-405 mm from 1.11X (last bump before 2X indicated) to 2.9X
600-1250 mm from 3X to 5X (same for Normal mode)
1100-900 mm from 5.3X (first bump within 5X) to 6.0X (same for Normal mode)
850-750 mm from 6.3X to 8.5X
630 mm at 9X
620 mm at 9.5X
850 mm at 10X

I was making measurements at lower image sizes as Lorrie requested and discovered two new features:

1. At an indicated f3.8 (what I'd called "1.5X zoom," the TZ3 will focus at less then an inch

from the tip of the barrel, regardless of image size. That's half the documented minimum range of 5cm!

2. At lower image sizes, the magnification increases. Or said another way,
the image gets larger at less then 7Mp.

At the same minimimum focus distance (at "1.5X" as described in 1. above)
the FOV width was 37mm at 7Mp, 32mm at 5Mp and only 24mm at 3Mp.

The 'bottom line' for the sweet spots you requested:

At 7Mp, I'd use less then 2X (f3.3-4.2), or 9X for TeleMacro
At 5Mp, I'd use less then 3X (f3.3-4.4), or 11X for TeleMacro
At 3Mp, I'd use up to 3X (f3.3-4.4), or 14X for TeleMacro

I'd use the setting that shows f3.8 for the absolutely closest focus (about 25mm/one inch)

(((continues)))

Slightly more detailed results (I haven't done any plots for smaller Mp counts):

For 5MP image size:
Up to 2.0X, the minimum focus is 55mm or less
From 7X to 12X, it is 850mm or less
11X gives closest "TeleMacro" at 700mm
Worst close focus is at 6X, where I measured 1150mm

For 3Mp image size:
Up to "2.6X" (3rd bump from 2X toward 3X), the closest focus is 55mm or less
From 8X to 15X, it is 900mm or less, except at 11X
14X gives closest "TeleMacro" at 700mm
Worst close focus is at 7X and 11X where I measured 1000m or more.

For comparison, here's how I would summarize close focus at 7Mp:
Up to "1.5X", the minimum focus is 55mm or less
From 6.3X to 10X, it is 850mm or less
9X gives closest "TeleMacro" at 630mm
Worst close focus is at 3.6X to 6.0X, where I measured 950mm or more

I realized last night where to find the "3.5 Mp" setting, as you describe - sorry about that!

I just did a few quick spot checks that I'll confirm with more extensive tests
in the next few days. In the meantime, I'd suggest using the following:

For subjects that allow you to get REALLY close, use zoom that results in
apertures of f3.3-3.8 (less then 2X). The minimum focus distance is basically
constant in that range at about 25mm/one-inch (from the barrel tip).

Then there's the next range with apertures up to f4.2-4.4 where the minimum
focus distance is under 80mm/3 inches.

For TeleMacro, the closest focus/max magnification seems to be at one zoom ratio down from

the max, i.e., 12X in 16:9, 3.5 MP, where the max is 13X. Close focus is 650-700mm (25-28 inches).

The lower megapixel (image size) settings will give you more magnification down to
2Mp (in 16:9) or 3Mp (in 4:3).

The worst close focus is using 'mid-zoom' ratios of 3-7X or so, where it jumps up to 900mm or more.

Those 'rules' seem to work for any of the various TZ3 aspect ratio and image size combinations.

==========================================================

"Post Processing ..."

OK, there have been some grumblings about TZ3 image quality --
and some of those have been from me. But, I've found something that I sure think

has made a huge difference for the better in my post-processing, and I suppose the TZ3's

"problem" is pretty simple: "the brights are too bright, and the darks are too dark."

Perhaps this has something to do with "dynamic range" -- indeed, the smaller the sensor,

the more megapixels you pack onto it, the less dynamic range you're going to get.

Or, perhaps it has to do with in-camera processing -- I suppose "too much contrast,"
as it cranks the brights and the darks beyond where, to my eyes, they should be.

At any rate, I found that using my editing program's "Lighten Shadows / Darken Highlights"

control made things much, much better. I've been using ACDSee since the days of Windows 3.0,

and I'm pretty happy with it in its current "Pro" version -- it has just the amount of

editing capabilities I need, and it lets me save the settings I want to use over and over

again as "presets" I can use quickly and efficiently. So, after some messing around, I came

up with a preset for a rather minimal amount of shadow lightening and highlight darkening,

along with a setting for the "color boost" the feature will apply. All sliders go from "0"

to "100," and I settled on a figure of "25" for each one. Here's what the control looks like:

[PIC 03]

You can see that I saved it as a preset with the name, 25-25-25-25-25.

Now then. I've processed a couple dozen shots that I intend to post and comment upon,

and I certainly invite everyone's comments regarding them. However, one thing I've learned

is that pictures sure don't look the same as posted in this forum as they do in ACDSee or

any of my other editing programs -- perhaps it has to do with whatever this forum software

does to enable the "click on the photo to expand" feature. Whatever the case, I'm going to

make my comments in regards to how they look in my editing programs, and if those comments

don't seem to correspond to how you see them here, then I would invite you to download the

pictures to your system, and check them out in your image viewers and/or editors of choice,
rather than just looking at them how they appear in this forum.

From what I have seen, the TZ3 pictures look far more "balanced" in this forum than they do

in my editing programs -- the brights are less bright, and the darks are less dark, thus the

forum display seems to do a lot of what I'm talking about here. But, I can go through the

same images in my web browser -- before plugging them into a forum message here -- and see

that they do indeed look how they look in my editing software. So, unless you're just going
to post your images exclusively here, I think it's worth playing around with the
shadow/highlights processing I'm talking about.

Oh. I've resized everything to 900 pixels wide. "Original" shots are simply resized and saved

at "85%" JPEG compression quality. "Processed" shots get the 25-25-25-25-25 shadow/highlights

processing, then get resized to 900 pixels, then get hit with a small shot of unsharp mask,

then get saved with the same compression setting. File names are the same, except for an "o"

in there for "original" and a "p" in there for "processed." That said, let's get on with it!

I'll start with a couple of image pairs for this message, then I'll add a few more messages
with more images.

First up -- an image I've posted before, the Oregon State capitol building. Here's an
"original," followed by a "processed" version:

(((continues)))

"TZ3 Settings"

For starters in outdoor lighting, you may want to try:

iISO Max400
Standard colour
-2/3 EV
Flash off
OIS (2)
Single AF (H)
7 MP

For flash shots you can try "Baby Scene mode" this will lower the harsh output from the flash.

In normal image mode, the TZ3 will not sharpen as much as other cams do.
This might look like soft images.

If you want more sharpening out of the cam, you have to select "vivid" image mode.
But this comes with more saturated colors. And I don't know if you want that.

==========================================================

"A couple of TZ3 images from beginner"
"Re: Nice doggy, nice doggy..."

It was pet mode scene, continous shutter and I just kept the shutter pressed
until the dog shoved the soggy duck into my groin.

I didn't set the auto preview up properly so the screen blanked out between
each shot which make it tricky.

I placed each image as a different layer in photoshop, and then made each one
50% transparent. I then moved the layer so the tree lined up with the tree from

the image underneath and did this for each image resetting back to 100% transparent
(which is not transparent at all in photoshop speak). I then cropped the final
set of images and saved off each one. It then looked as if each image was taken
from exactly the same place.

I also ended up with a single image with all the layers just begging to be played
around with, hence the composite.

Though you may have already discovered this, you cannot drop auto review while
in burst mode. To get it out:

Step 1: Set camera to single shot mode (turn off burst mode)
Step 2: Turn off Auto Review
Step 3: Turn burst mode back on

You now have the camera set to burst mode without auto review.

I think it was centre weighted... these piccies were really just to see what
the camera could do without much tweaking so I didn't take much notice.

==========================================================

"EV setting"

I keep my EV set to -.33 or 1/3 of a stop, on all of my cameras most of the time.
That is under normal sunny conditions.

You will find that highlights are under much better control, colors are richer,
and the images will be much sharper.

Later in the day, under cloudy skies, or early morning I usually set my cameras to EV 0.

There isn't really a definite requirement for setting EV at -0.3 ..it is to a large extent

a kind of caution .. as that setting can and does tend often to help or stop highlights

blowing out or giving you a pic on which you are less able to do a lot on later PP-ing.

I used Fuji compacts for maybe 12 months before I turned to the TZ3 by choice .. and on Fujis,

they do exceptionally well with high ISO's but that sensitivity does tend to lean it

towards OVER-sensitivity to highlights or any quite brightly exposed situations , so setting

back EV is maybe a bit more of a sensible thing with those. The Panny sensor of course is not

that sensitive and if you look at EXIF data in lots of pics you will see that EV 0.0 has been

used - many users are quite happy to leave it at that. Maybe it's MY Fuji regime of use ,

but I always still tend to use -0.3 most regularly , and for me anyway, it STILL does what I

think a good job for starters. It's a lot easier to bring up Shadows a little (if EV -0.3 has

slightly darkened them) than to grind away trying to get some detail out of an excessively

shot highlight - and with such as whites or any really bright lit item, it CAN go over so easily...

Try it at EV 0.0 , and same shot at -0.3 .. on a sequence of general shots. You'll soon see
what YOU think is best for YOU. Conditions vary.

One big advantage with the TZ3 (and others) is that EV adjustment is merely a touch on that

top quadrant switch, then a click to adjust less or more and out you go - so you can very

easily adjust .. or (probably as I do in honesty) leave it at -0.3 MOSTLY, for simplicity,
but knowing it is readily changed if I think it is better to do so.

Thanks so much for your responses. I have tried both settings and I agree that there is

an advantage to that adjustment, especially on bright, sunny days where overexposure may

be a problem. I reallly do like the ease of adjustment on this particular camera!

==========================================================

"TZ3-Indoor tips and aspect ratio question"

I suggest using Intelligent ISO. I set mine to a max of ISO 800; I've read others keep it

at ISO 400. What I've found is that iISO often selects a lower ISO number than I may choose

on my own. It even picks intermediate ISO numbers that I can not, such as ISO 360.

I'm not much for putting a digital camera on auto ISO, but in this case, I think the TZ3

iISO does a good job; so I don't have to fuss with a lot of settings in low light. If I

shot is really that important in low light, the camera goes on a camera support and I
use the lowest ISO and trigger the shutter button with the self-timer.

(((continues)))

"TZ3 Frustration"

Joge said:

when using the zoom they are very dark.

Click to expand...

The full zoom will take an object that is 30 meters away, and make it LOOK like it's

3 meters away. Do you expect any flash to illuminate an object 30 meters away from it?

none can. Do position your night objects within a circle of 2.5 - 3 meters around the camera.

Joge said:

Adjusting the ISO only results in very grainy pictures.

Click to expand...

True. try to stay put on the 100, or maximum 200 with or without flash.

Joge said:

Metering = Spot
AF Mode = 1-area High Speed

Click to expand...

When zooming, you usually aim at a spot. Try the spot AF.

Joge said:

Cont. AF = On

Click to expand...

Disable that. Use the shutter half press - full press method, patiently...

Joge said:

AF Assist = On

Click to expand...

Redundant - maybe even problematic - in daylight.

Joge said:

D-Zoom = On

Click to expand...

Set this one to off, always.

Joge said:

Metering = Spot

Click to expand...

NOT good to use unless you're in a very, very, very specialized kind of situation.

A typical situation would be where you would want to meter a subject in front of a

very bright background, so you need to tighten your metering to ignore everything

else in the frame. I would recommend using one of the "center weighted" metering options, instead.

Joge said:

AF Mode = 1-area High Speed

Click to expand...

I don't recommend this, either. "High speed" to me means "hurry it up and don't

worry so much if you get it wrong." I recommend just the "normal" 1-area mode, and

let the camera take as much time as it wants to truly get the best focus it can get.
Again, it seems to me that the "high speed" setting is for certain, more trying
situations, and not the best case for everyday, common shooting.

Joge said:

Cont. AF = On

Click to expand...

This just means that the camera is focusing all the time (and eating up your

batteries about five times faster), rather than focusing only when you half-press

the shutter. This might be good for shooting moving subjects, but otherwise, turn it off.

Joge said:

Color Mode = Natural

Click to expand...

Yes, indeed, bear in mind that Natural creates unsaturated, unsharp images.

If you like the results from your Canon camera, this is the polar opposite of what
you've been getting out of the Canon. I very most definitely recommend using the

Standard setting instead, and even give Viivid a good try, as you might prefer it the best.

Joge said:

The scene modes are not bad but they all seem to set the ISO too high causing grainy pictures.

Click to expand...

Well, again, the TZ3 is using higher ISO settings in order to get enough light to create

a picture. So long as you use a mode or a setting that allows the camera to automatically
adjust the ISO, it might well choose a higher one, especially if you're indoors.

I generally leave the ISO at "100" when I'm in "Normal" shooting mode. And I've been

pretty happy with my results so far with the camera on "Intelligent ISO" when shooting indoors.

If you weren't so fearful of high ISO, you'd do better. Set your camera in Auto ISO,

I say, and stay away from the I ISO mode for good image quality. In Auto ISO, you're

limited to 200 without flash, 640 with flash, and the higher ISO with flash is NEEDED

to improve flash range, AND to brighten up image shadows and thus reduce noise. I have

printed large prints using Auto ISO up to 640 and no noise was evident in the prints.

(((continues)))

"A TZ3's Midsummer..."
"Lightroom: For some photos individually..."

Unless mentioned no setting adjusted "as is" from Camera.

This is highly dependent on the subject also, heres what I thought looked good,
your shots & PP vary depending on content. The TZ3's response to cyan/blue seems
quite different to the 20D's profile, I'll check it against a colour checker SG
target under studio lighting conditions and see how the colours are affected for

under/over exposure. (Why? = accurate sky colour / or muddy shadows) - and just to

see. [Note this is already in the TZ3 review since the Greatag colour checker is present...]

Brightness +37, Highlight recovery 51,
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3MidSum/content/P1010217_large.html

Contrast +29, Exposure 0.42, fill 2, highlight recovery 20, sharpen 27.
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3MidSum/content/P1010218_large.html

Sharpen +34
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3MidSum/content/P1010230_large.html

As shot / no adjust.
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3MidSum/content/P1010232_large.html

For the Church shot

Sharpen +32, Contrast +36, Saturation -4, Vibrance +15, exposure +0.52,

highlight recover 100 (!?!?!) - Luminance smoothing +18 (at 100% theres noise even at ISO 100)

http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3MidSum/content/P1010362_large.html

Part 1. For "Standard" Colour...

Turned out to be far more difficult than I thought, mainly due to the way the
Aqua/Blue channels are handled in the TZ3, any fiddling there causes pretty
bad colour damage. So e.g with a known (but not profiled) shot such as this:



from the 20D (warning large file)

In lightroom, adjusting the colour sliders for the TZ3 doesn't make much sense
due to it adjusting absolute? rather than relative to the existing image data?

at least thats how I see things e.g red,orange,yellow,green,aqua,blue,purple,magenta
to bring a shot from the TZ3 under the same conditions (aka poor mans profile)

theres more than the expected amount of chroma noise due to the luminance changes in those channels.

1. The original "as is" (besides resize for web) shot from the TZ3
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/content/P1000003_large.html

2. To the colour chart (almost by the numbers)
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/content/P1000003_1_large.html

2. Lightroom template:- http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/templates/TZ3-To-SG.lrtemplate

3. To the chart adjusting luminance only
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/content/P1000003_2_large.html
3. Template:
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/templates/TZ3-LuminanceToSG.lrtemplate

The above actually gives better response for the chart but seems to bring out
the chroma noise present in the sky...

4. Tweaking blue so sky doesn't have so much noise (didnt work)
http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/content/P1000003_3_large.html
4. Template http://ohidunno.com/dpr/TZ3-SG/templates/TZ3-Blues.lrtemplate

So in summary, black adjustment may help but the colour space seems pretty inflexible

to strong adjustment, if you wish to keep the response fairly accurate that is.....

I'll see how natural fairs, might be easier to simply blacks and fill light + recovery,
and add some contrast...

Surprising to see the sky noise at ISO 100 if post processed

Anyhow try the templates with your own photos if thats possible and modify accordingly...

...phew, finally.

Apparently there was a limit for size of one post, had to split this into quite a many parts... apologies for that, the readability suffers quite a bit - I should have just posted this text file instead

-Jouko

Joge said:

...phew, finally.
Apparently there was a limit for size of one post, had to split this
into quite a many parts... apologies for that, the readability
suffers quite a bit - I should have just posted this text file
instead

Click to expand...

Man somebody has been busy while i was asleep! Stellar effort Joge, much appreciated. I have to go to work now so i'll start compiling all this and put it on the site tonight.

bumpity bump

Interesting how quickly the lens loses its ability to let in a lot of light. I'd suspected as much from using the camera. Zooming in past 2X you only have a maximum aperture of f4.5, not much different than f4.9 all the way at 10X.

An important factor given that image quality decreases rapidly at anything above ISO100. As a consequence, when lighting levels are low, I try not to zoom or I use a small tripod.

But that's the compromise you have to make for having a compact camera with such an amazing reach.

Björn

galleries: http://www.pbase.com/viztyger

I think I didn't meet any EZ related tips so I will add one:

There are two possible ways for an EZ feature to be implemented.

1. From 1x to max zoom it uses the whole sensor and then smaller and smaller parts until the limit is reached.

2. From 1x until the limit is reached, smaller and smaller parts of the sensor are used until the limit is reached and then the optical zoom takes the action.

Unfortunately, EZ in TZ3 (and probably in all Pana cameras) is implemented in the second way. So in most of the cases, there is no benefit of using a smaller resolution except for the image size (on the SD card).

For example EZ 13x means that from 1x to 1.3x the sensor area is cropped and then optical zoom is applied.

After a week I am pleased with the camera which I purchased mainly for the zoom and size of camera as I do have another camera which apart from the zoom has always produced good results. In particular I like the EZ up to x15 - amazing.

Can anyone give me tips on taking backlit (sun) shots of landscape and other outdoor shots apart from people/faces?

I think "backlight" in simple mode covers backlit faces?

I have played a bit with the flash trying to find out how the TZ3 chooses the ISO. There were some good conclusions.

As the manual states, TZ3 uses ISO from 100 to 640 when set to AUTO. Also the distance limits are

1.6m for ISO 100, 2.3m - 200, 3.3m - 400, 4.7 - 800 and 4.2 - auto (which is actually for ISO 640).
I used spot metering and spot focus and got the following results.

distance/ISO:
30cm/100
70cm/100
110cm/100
150cm/125
190cm/125
230cm/160
270cm/250
310cm/250
350cm/400
390cm/500
430cm/500
470cm/640

There was some deviation from the distances above and that's the reason I missed ISO 200 and ISO 320 in that test. If the test was more precise, I am sure I would have had all the ISO values in the range 100-640 based on the focus distance.

I made a similar test but this time from a fixed distance and changing only the zoom. My expectations here were that the ISO would rise when zooming because aperture is going from 3.3 at 1x to 4.9 at 10x. Everything was exactly as I expected:

F-number/ISO:
3.3/100
3.5/125
3.8/125
4.0/125
4.2/160
4.4/160
4.7/200
4.8/200
4.9/200

My 3 next tests confirmed that ISO is 2 times more at 10x then at 1x.

One final note - all tests were held in "good" conditions - indoor light, so I was able to get all the values in the range.