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Anyone like the LZ8?

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I am more attracted to the FX35 with the 25mm wide-angle. If the LZ8 has real manual controls, then it might tip the scale.
 
chrswggl said:
Anyone else really interested in the LZ8? IS, semi-wide angle, 5x
zoom, manual controls, for only $180. Seems like the ultimate
bargain to me.
Click to expand...
We'll see what the IQ is like, but I'd agree that it is a nice little camera. Not as stylish as some though. I actually prefer the LZ10's slightly wider angle.

--
Androo
http://Androo.smugmug.com
 
It's kind of a new line since the earlier LZs were so different, so no one
here really knows yet, it's too new.

As for image quality, the red bleeding at ISO 400+ seems gone with the
new Venus 4 engine and other NR artefacts are probably similar to most
comparable models from other manufacturers, and lens quality probably
better than average since the lens got the Leica badge this time.

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
Ehrik said:
As for image quality, the red bleeding at ISO 400+ seems gone with the
new Venus 4 engine and other NR artefacts are probably similar to most
comparable models from other manufacturers, and lens quality probably
better than average since the lens got the Leica badge this time.
Click to expand...
We shall have to wait and see.

I don't share this excitement for VE IV, so far at least it looks like a VE III with a bleed fix, maybe its a tad better.

Prior panasonics have fallen flat on their face when you challenge them with lower light conditions, we will have to find out how this new engine does..so far, from the early samples, its not looking like a big improvement.

I honestly wish it was, but again..I think pannie are lagging behind others in sensor tech, and trying to cover up the difference with NR processing.
--



Clint is on holiday! Soon to return! ;-)
 
Barry Fitzgerald said:
I don't share this excitement for VE IV,
Click to expand...
It's not excitement, I don't expect miracles.

But look at the FZ18 vs the other two 18x zooms. Or against the H9 or the
S5IS. The high ISO noise handling is very similar, with the colour bleeding
being the feature that have relegated the FZ18 to the last place (or second
last above the H9) for high ISO in some people's tastes.

Remove the red bleeding and they are all about the same, just as ugly at 100%.
But with increasing pixels counts 100% views are of diminishing relevance
anyway.
Member said:
I honestly wish it was, but again..I think pannie are lagging behind
others in sensor tech, and trying to cover up the difference with NR
processing.
Click to expand...
Maybe but for all the talk about that I've seen zero evidence presented.
JPEGs are not evidence of sensor performance.

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
Ehrik said:
But look at the FZ18 vs the other two 18x zooms. Or against the H9 or
the
Click to expand...
The H9 is just a weak camera. I would not wish it on someone I didnt like! Sony are IMO poor at jpeg processing too.
Ehrik said:
S5IS. The high ISO noise handling is very similar, with the colour
bleeding
being the feature that have relegated the FZ18 to the last place (or
second
last above the H9) for high ISO in some people's tastes.
Click to expand...
Canon are pretty good at lower ISO levels, when it gets to ISO 400+, then they fall down a fair bit. But pannie just smudge out the problems, more so than canon appear to, IMO. Pannie are convinced removing all luminance (or most of it), noise is a good thing, I dont share that desire.
Ehrik said:
But with increasing pixels counts 100% views are of diminishing
relevance
anyway.
Click to expand...
I am not talking about 100% views, its about mostly lower light conditions, and jpeg processing. Some pannies offer RAW, and great, most do not though.
Ehrik said:
Maybe but for all the talk about that I've seen zero evidence presented.
JPEGs are not evidence of sensor performance.
Click to expand...
Well if panasonic cannot get their jpeg processing sorted out, and do a better job, its a shame, as in other areas they are very good. If their sensors were better, then they would need less NR processing. That is the way forward.

--



Clint is on holiday! Soon to return! ;-)
 
Barry Fitzgerald said:
Ehrik said:
But look at the FZ18 vs the other two 18x zooms. Or against the H9 or
the
Click to expand...
The H9 is just a weak camera. I would not wish it on someone I didnt
like! Sony are IMO poor at jpeg processing too.
Click to expand...
Ok. But the Fuji and Oly were compared to the FZ18 and it was not much
between them. A couple of other review sites (Cameralabs etc.) even
felt the FZ18 was slightly better and posted crops to support it.
Member said:
Member said:
S5IS. The high ISO noise handling is very similar, with the colour
bleeding
being the feature that have relegated the FZ18 to the last place (or
second
last above the H9) for high ISO in some people's tastes.
Click to expand...
Canon are pretty good at lower ISO levels,
Click to expand...
Yes. Excapt for CAs and such things.
Member said:
when it gets to ISO 400+,
then they fall down a fair bit. But pannie just smudge out the
problems, more so than canon appear to, IMO. Pannie are convinced
removing all luminance (or most of it), noise is a good thing, I dont
share that desire.
Click to expand...
There were some TZ5 samples posted recently, Photographyblog (?),
some were operator error, but there was an ok ISO 500 of a couple of
acrobats indoors. I downsized it bicublicly to about 20x27cm on screen (8x11"),
a touch of USM, and it had a pretty tight grain in the shadows, no visible noise
in the midtones and up and good detail. I wouldn't expect much bigger usable
size out of a 1/2.5" at ISO 500. From any camera.
Member said:
Well if panasonic cannot get their jpeg processing sorted out, and do
a better job, its a shame, as in other areas they are very good. If
their sensors were better, then they would need less NR processing.
That is the way forward.
Click to expand...
So where are those demonstrably (=RAW) better sensors? It would be
interesting to see how much the difference is, wouldn't it?

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden

In fact, a DSLR sensor made up from the pixels of P&S cameras would have even better image DR than current DSLR sensors do. The (possibly temporary) roadblock is high ISO. -John Sheehy

 
Ehrik said:
In fact, a DSLR sensor made up from the pixels of P&S cameras would
have even better image DR than current DSLR sensors do. The (possibly
temporary) roadblock is high ISO. -John Sheehy
Click to expand...
Ehrik, that is just nonsense..I would avoid the John Sheehy stuff if I were you, its deeply flawed, and real world is rather different.

--



Clint is on holiday! Soon to return! ;-)
 
I knew you'd appreciate that quotation. ;-)
Barry Fitzgerald said:
Ehrik said:
In fact, a DSLR sensor made up from the pixels of P&S cameras would
have even better image DR than current DSLR sensors do. The (possibly
temporary) roadblock is high ISO. -John Sheehy
Click to expand...
Ehrik, that is just nonsense..I would avoid the John Sheehy stuff if
I were you, its deeply flawed, and real world is rather different.
Click to expand...
The key concept is " image DR". Each pixel will have less DR because its
well capacity is much less and its read noise is not so much better than
a DSLR.

But many tiny pixels together will have a compound well capacity
comparable to a bigger pixel covering the same area and the read
noise seen as an average over that bigger area will be less (for low
ISO). Those are the results the quote built on.

For high ISO, (some) DSLR CMOS sensors are able to get a lower read
noise so at present time the smaller pixels will have less image DR for
high ISO.

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
Andrew Butterfield said:
chrswggl said:
Anyone else really interested in the LZ8? IS, semi-wide angle, 5x
zoom, manual controls, for only $180. Seems like the ultimate
bargain to me.
Click to expand...
We'll see what the IQ is like, but I'd agree that it is a nice little
camera. Not as stylish as some though. I actually prefer the LZ10's
slightly wider angle.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean, but that also means packing in two more megapixels. I think, even with the slightly larger sensor, this will mean marginally more noise. It's also $70 more. I've been looking at the LZ8 as a cheap and feature-packed carry around when I don't want to use the DSLR.

--
http://picasaweb.google.com/chrswggl
http://www.dreamstime.com/resp514474
 
I do like this camera spec, but still few questions:
  • What about flash performance on LZ8, it uses battery, will it be more powerful than TZ3?
  • 32mm vs 28mm? camera for vacation/family/kids, landscape is not my preference, but son’s football games (I do not pretend on proff. here, just decent photos)
  • Manual settings (aperture, shutter) is it useful for general/amateur photography, Could you give examples of scenes I can use it? (I used to use it on film, but with new dig. almost never, as auto work fine).
Thanks in advance

--
Bohdan, CP 3100
 
Hi,

Anyone have any comments on the body material of the LZ8? I need to make a purchase in the next couple days but am leery of purchasing this one sight-unseen after picking up an LZ7 in the store. That thing felt pretty flimsy.
 
Thanks, that is helpful. Last question-is it pretty small? Comparable to a Canon Elph in size or bigger?
Appreciate your feedback!
 
I just purchased the camera for my wife...o.k., and myself. It came Saturday after 4 weeks of research and comparison...and much information from this site...thanks to all of you who contribute so much! It came down to this camera or the Ricoh R7 but the clencher for us was i) the seemingly more robust construction, ii) seemingly higher quality optics and IQ, and iii) AA power source and, and of course iv) the ~$90 lower price tag.

I'm waiting on the 2G card before posting pics...it should be in today. My initial reponse is: i) smaller than I expected from online images, this is a good thing, and the wife likes the black case, ii) has a solid look and feel with bright/sharp LCD, iii) comprehensive offering of Auto and Manual modes, and iv) my initial reaction to image quality is better than good.

All the pics taken so far have been in the iA mode, 5meg resolution (7 pics with onboard memory). As opposed to describing the image quality I would rather post pics to let you judge...and as before I will wait until I get the external memory.

I will follow-up a.s.a.p
--
NBForest
'measure twice-x-thrice - cut once'
 
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