Why I changed from Canon to Panasonic Lumix

I have been a loyal ‘Canon Man’ since I bought my first Ixus S200 in 2002, and have upgraded them almost annually with the latest version. They are beautifully designed and constructed cameras, no doubt about it.

But a few weeks ago, I did the unthinkable. I bought a Lumix TZ5. Why? In a word, ‘wide-angle’. Ever since a friend showed me her beautiful wide angle shots of the grand canyon, in deep rich colour, I couldn’t live any longer with my old 3:2 Canon format. It was just too limiting. I also realised that wide-angle is a more natural way of looking at the world because our eyes capture almost a 180 degree perspective.

I know Canon makes a wide angle compact (or 2), but the range is so limited compared to the Lumix range. With the TZ5 I also got a 10X zoom, Leica lens, high definition video, and the easiest menu system in the world. Most importantly, it is so much fun to use and has reignited my love of photography.

I hope this doesn’t sound like an ad for Lumix, because it's definitely not. Lumix are probably not yet as good as Canon are at dealing with noise at higher ISO levels (which is a big issue for many people), I did experience some software problems with my Lumix at first (now rectified), and the Lumix brand does not have the cache of the Canon brand. But I think its fair to say, they are catching up very rapidly. A litmus tests will be how well the new Lumix LX3 performs against the G9 or G10.

The Tzx's have been good cameras. The only thing that has ever prevented me from buying one was manual mode. I just don't understand that one.

Dj

Gilcot, I can relate in many ways. I have been a Canon man since my first Canonet rangefinder purchase when I was about 12 or so. I had a film Rebel and upgraded to a digital Rebel XTi. When planning to purchase a compact camera for my upcoming trip to San Francisco, I initially looked only at Canons. Then somehow I caught wind of the TZ5... I was torn between some of the Canon compacts and the TZ5 for a while, reading countless reviews and forum posts, and ultimately I ordered the TZ5 mostly due to the lens.

I've been very happy so far, and I am so grateful I won't have to lug a DSLR, 18-55 and 55-250 with me through the streets of SF! I won't say I have 'changed' from Canon to Lumix, because I still love my XTi and plan to use it frequently. But there is certainly room for me to love both! And make the choice of which to bring based on the photography, the length of trip, and so forth. And my enjoyment of the TZ5 is making me look at some of the other Lumix models with built in 18x zooms, in an intermediate form factor... maybe I'll wind up with three cameras!!

I totally believe the adage that the best camera is the one you actually take with you -- I think that sums it up!

:Scott

http://blusteryday.smugmug.com

The only problem with the tz5 is the image quality is poor ... not just compared to DSLR's, but also compared to other P&S. I bought one last month and returned it. The images were poorly focused. My 5 year old Nikon P&S did a far far far better job.

I am sorry, panasonic is just not there in image quality.

I am not sure if something was wrong with your TZ5 or you didn't have the latest firmware, but the picture quality I get with my TZ5 is excellent, the IQ and sharpness is second to none. I think they are better than my Canon SD870is.

DjarumBlack said:

The Tzx's have been good cameras. The only thing that has ever
prevented me from buying one was manual mode. I just don't understand
that one.

Dj

Click to expand...

I used to think the same, based on 50 years of photography, but with the "modes" and other controls, I find I don't miss manual controls at all.

Try one - you'll like it! Maybe you can find a used TZ1 to try, before making the jump to a brand-new TZ 5, or the like.

-Erik
--



http://www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ 'ohlsonmh'+yahoo gets me

Gilcot...

I really think Panasonic has to try harder and innovate more, because they don't have a history of building cameras. They were primary known (and still pretty much are known) as a company that makes electronic gear and small kitchen appliances.

I can think of four major trends in digital cameras that were forced on the industry by Panasonic:
1. Optical Image Sabilization
2. Wider and wider lenses
3. Superzoom cameras
4. RAW shooting ability

Today, just about everyone is including IS on their compacts and IS on many of their SLR lenses. And this is years after Panasonic made it virtually standard on almost all of their models. Even the cheapest ones.

And while everyone offers a few cameras that do down below 35mm, Panasonic has offered you exactly 29 such cameras.

Similarly, everyone now has a superzoom camera. Even Nikon has one. But Panasonic has released 18 cameras with zoom ranges of 10X or greater. Not only do they go longer than the competition, they even go wider. Who can deny that the FZ18 has spawned imitators?

And Panasonic seems to be making RAW capture ability a standard feature on their better models. The ones aimed at photo enthusiasts. Remember the uproar when Canon dropped RAW ability from the G7? Well, they had to bring it back on the G9, because the target market for that camera wanted it.

Panasonic still has issues with noise, but seems to be working on improving it. Their cameras are known more for innovation and versatility than they are for perfection. But, to be honest... perfection in 100% crops just isn't what MOST counsumers are looking for. Even if we gearheads do. So, I'd say they understand their customers better than some other makers do.

Panasonic will never be the market leader. Just like BMW has never had a car on the "top 10 sales list." But as long as Panasonic keeps innovating and claiming their market share, they will have a strong influence on everyone else.
--
Marty
http://flickr.com/photos/7735239@N02/sets/72157604030772272/detail/

Panasonic FZ7, FZ30, LX2

happyme said:

I am not sure if something was wrong with your TZ5 or you didn't have
the latest firmware, but the picture quality I get with my TZ5 is
excellent, the IQ and sharpness is second to none. I think they are
better than my Canon SD870is.

Click to expand...

I could be, but the tz5 shots I have seen here seem to have that out-of-cocus quality about them too. This was just poor IQ. I could not convince myslef why I should go from a 4 MP, 5-year old camera to a 9 MP latest camera but still go down in image quality.

TZ5 is a beautiful camera to look at, but one that gives poor image quality.

In spite of the fact that you state it categorically, Surinder, this is still only your opinion, not fact. There are many beautiful images posted on this forum taken iwith the TZ3 and TZ5.
jkwex

Over the years I have used a lot of cameras. During the film days I owned both Canon and Minolta SLRs, and liked both. Since the digital age of photography I have had Olympus, Sony, Nikon, and Canon cameras. I still own most of them including a Minolta DSLR.

My main camera up until I bought my TZ5 was the Canon SD870is which I still consider a great little camera. What motivated me to buy another camera was that I wanted one with a good telephoto lens. I looked at the Nikon P80 and the Sony H50 and decided they were bigger than I wanted since I really loved to size of the Canon SD870is.

My son was with me and pointed out the display with the TZ5. I played with the camera in the store and it felt right. It was a silver model but when I realized Panasonic made a black model, and I decided if I wanted the TZ5, I would get the black model.

I went on DPreview, Steve's Digicam, and a few other sites and decided that the TZ5 would meet my desires. I shopped on line and found that Amazon had a good price on the black model. So I ordered it. So far I love this little camera.

Even so it is just a P&S, there is still a learning curve to make this camera work to your benefit. In fact that goes for any camera.

This is my first Panasonic digicam and I'm a very happy camper.

Surinder:

The problem is you. I may be conducted to think that you never tried one. Even my 5 years old gran-sun gets excellent focused photos. Please do not insist and don't be a trouble maker, at least on this forum. You have the right to your opinion, but if it is an honest one, which seems not be the case, and you may be confused with a ...
Joao

ssppss said:

surinder wrote:
I could be, but the tz5 shots I have seen here seem to have that
out-of-cocus quality about them too. This was just poor IQ. I could
not convince myslef why I should go from a 4 MP, 5-year old camera to
a 9 MP latest camera but still go down in image quality.

TZ5 is a beautiful camera to look at, but one that gives poor image
quality.

Click to expand...

surinder,

As I read your posts, I'm wondering if the TZ5 you bought had a similar problem to my FZ50. I was getting slightly out of focus shots using the 10 MP setting. I was ready to return the camera and posted my problem here on DP. That thread ended up being a long one.

Then I found that photos taken at resolutions less than 10 MP "during the same period" had the sharp focus I had hoped for. I was going to keep my FZ50 and just use it in the 8 MP or lower modes.

After about 600 shots, focus using the 10 MP mode started slowly working. By about 800 shots focus in the 10 MP mode was working 100%. It has continued to work 100% to date.

Just one strange experience,
Skyglider

Urbanito said:

Surinder:
The problem is you. I may be conducted to think that you never tried
one. ...
Please do not insist and don't be a trouble maker, at least on this
forum.

Click to expand...

By no means do i wish to be a troublemaker. I gain nothing by it. I am just posting my honest opinions. But I do realize that this is a Panasonic forum and TZ5 is a popular (if not the most popular) camera. I thought that a contrarian opinion may not be unwelcome, but I am probably wrong. It seems that anti-tz5 posts may not be welcome here. So I will stop posting here (will stay in corner the woods ... in the other forums).

(Just to conclude: While it is quite possible that my copy of the tz5 was bad, many of the tz5 photos posted here do not look that great either. Many seem to have that typical out-of-focus soft focus.)

Sorry for offending anyone.

Well put. Top Man!

Gilcot said:

I have been a loyal ‘Canon Man’ since I bought my first Ixus S200 in
... Most importantly, it is so much fun to use and has
reignited my love of photography.

Click to expand...

Very well put, and you're captured my sentiments exactly. I've had many Canons A-series and S-series, and have really enjoyed them.

But, I really, really like my TZ5 (more so than my old TZ3). Decent picture quality, which though not as good as my F30, I can still accept given all the other great features that have made it really fun for me as well. The overall "package"" is what really makes it.

The design and interface of Panasonics have been great, and now their image quality (which needed much improvement) seems to have significantly improved as well (TZ5 vs TZ3, and LX3? too please!).

I'm really excited too, about the LX3. Seems just about right in term of features, size and capabilities. Expect it to make a great companion to my TZ5.
-M1

mackey1001 said:

Gilcot said:

I have been a loyal ‘Canon Man’ since I bought my first Ixus S200 in
... Most importantly, it is so much fun to use and has
reignited my love of photography.

Click to expand...

Very well put, and you're captured my sentiments exactly. I've had
many Canons A-series and S-series, and have really enjoyed them.

But, I really, really like my TZ5 (more so than my old TZ3). Decent
picture quality, which though not as good as my F30, I can still
accept given all the other great features that have made it really
fun for me as well. The overall "package"" is what really makes it.

The design and interface of Panasonics have been great, and now their
image quality (which needed much improvement) seems to have
significantly improved as well (TZ5 vs TZ3, and LX3? too please!).

I'm really excited too, about the LX3. Seems just about right in term
of features, size and capabilities. Expect it to make a great
companion to my TZ5.
-M1

Click to expand...

We returned a TZ5 well my ex did recentl , bought and returned it, had IQ dissapointments over 100 iso most problems , It does have a great spec though, BUT like you say here picture quaility is not as good as a F30. saying that tried and returned as well by my buddy girlfriends C G9 .

IQ was also dissapointing at over 200 iso we thought and noisy, , If the IQ gets a little better = TZ6 I will buy one next time round if has similar spec, so usefull a camera.

I do still have fun using my mint condition loved so much lovley lovely old friend a FZ2, great fun to still use for days out and holiday trips, despite its tiny viewfinder and screen,.

Now strange but perfectly true only , Just 2MP that camera can get very close to my F30s brilliant IQ, I use if possible just 50 or 100 ISO ,

Was the only Panny I kept out of two bigger FZ s bought since 2004, reasons well because of its small size, and it fits my small hands , and not least its still amazingly good photo IQ, Now D40 rules of course ,but allways love my panny . Rhoda *

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