Panasonic ZS1 and ZS3 are the winners in dpreview ...

... in the dpreview Compact Super Zoom Group Test !

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q209grouplongzoom/page16.asp

Congratulations to the Panasonic "compact superzoom users", obviously the decision for Panasonic is not bad in that segment.

(from a Panny DSLR user)
Martin F.

The ZS3 is the first non-canon camera I have purchased. I love this camera and I'm glad DPreview agrees with me.
--
Joe

They didn't just 'win', panasonic really walked away with it.

I guess Panny is shedding it's long earned reputation of having noisy images. They bested both Canon and Sony- by a long shot in high ISO quality.
--

I bought the Samsung HZ10W long before ZS3 was available, then ZS3.
I am happy with both.
If the price difference is less than $50, there is no contest.
But with the Samsung priced at $100 less, it is a good alternative.

....... my TZ7 arrived just this afternoon, so it will make interesting reading.

Record delivery time by Pixmania - 3 days 2 hours (perhaps you have to know where Ischia is to appreciate just what an achievement that is!), but especially noticable since it took Amazon over 5 days just to despatch - not deliver, just despatch - the first two of the three books I'd ordered a few days earlier (when all 3 of them were showing as "in stock").

Shame that this time - and unlike they show on their website and actually did with the TZ5 - Pixmania have sent me the French-only version, and not the combined UK & French one. I guess I'll have to try printing the PDF....

I've already noticed one or two changes, such as how my shutter finger keeps futilely stabbing at the mode dial, how the camera's surprisingly smaller than the TZ5, how the histogram is no longer yellow but white, and how the TZ7's LCD image looks much bluer? Anyone else?

Peter
--
Peter - on the green island of Ischia
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/recisch

Using the TZ5: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz5

Instead of improving, Olympus has been making poorer and poorer cams by the day. Their images are even poorer than Samsungs! A pity becos I love Oly lens.

Canon is always Canon. No improvement nor "deprovement." But the competition had overtaken them. Too bad !

Panasonic is taking the Digital camera markets by storm. They have improved in leaps and bounds. Now their compacts are world beaters and their 4/3s, DSLR beaters !

I'm buying 2 cameras this year, a compact and a DSLR and they most likely shall be a Panasonic. How strange, Panny never even crossed my mind years ago.

I know is hard to believe but if you compare in Imaging Resources the G10 to the SZ3,you'll find that the SZ3 lens produce better images than the G10.

Is only when you go up to ISO1600 where you can see the larger G10 sensor a bit cleaner than the SZ3.

So the DPR review results confirm what I though about the Pany.
The SZ3 is probably the best pocket zoom camera ever made.
Luminous Landscape also picked the SZ3 as their best pocket camera.

For me 720p @ 60p h264 video, with zooming does it.
I'll wait until the prices come down a bit.

But with this HR nomination, it might never happen as the masses discover this gem.

Isola Verde said:

....... my TZ7 arrived just this afternoon, so it will make
interesting reading.

Record delivery time by Pixmania - 3 days 2 hours (perhaps you have

Click to expand...

(drool) I LOVE rabbit...

is to appreciate just what an achievement that

Isola Verde said:

is!), but especially noticable since it took Amazon over 5 days just
to despatch - not deliver, just despatch - the first two of the three
books I'd ordered a few days earlier (when all 3 of them were showing
as "in stock").

Shame that this time - and unlike they show on their website and
actually did with the TZ5 - Pixmania have sent me the French-only
version, and not the combined UK & French one. I guess I'll have to
try printing the PDF....

Click to expand...

Pixmania is the definition of 'hit-or-miss'... Considering the no. of complaints and horror stories of the service department, they probably toss every odd memo into the shredder

--

garyydpreview said:

Instead of improving, Olympus has been making poorer and poorer cams
by the day. Their images are even poorer than Samsungs! A pity becos
I love Oly lens.

Click to expand...

Olympus should drop all compact digicam production and point all that money towards their micro four-thirds products, which could become their version of something sort-of like the Sigma DP1, but with interchangeable lenses. They've lagged the digicam field for a long time now. Experience with the first of the SP series, the SP-550UZ, was enough to keep me away for good, and their p&s other stuff has been very...well....boring and of little interest compared to what everyone else has done.

I keep seeing this mentioned, but if you go to the camera database on this site, there is no mention. Does it do it on 720p video? That'd be amazing if it did.

NO it doesn't, it's 30fps, but it's good enough. I know even the Panasonic site says 60fps in the overview, but if says CCD readout is 30fps in the detailed specs page.

You'll know when you're looking at 60fps recordings, it's super smooth.

Michael Ma said:

I keep seeing this mentioned, but if you go to the camera database on
this site, there is no mention. Does it do it on 720p video? That'd
be amazing if it did.

Click to expand...

--
NIK0N D7OO/NIKK0R 24-12OVR/NIKKOR 7O-3OOVR/NIK0N 5O 1.8/SB8OO
PANAS0NIC LX-3 & ZS-3 & TS-1
PENTAXX 0PTI0 W1O
SANY0 HD1O1O

Michael Ma said:

I keep seeing this mentioned, but if you go to the camera database on
this site, there is no mention. Does it do it on 720p video? That'd
be amazing if it did.

Click to expand...

The site clearly writes the sensor records in 30p. AVCHD often 'wraps' 24p/30p FullHD into 60i, but I have no idea why they would wrap 30p into 60p. This means every frame is written twice. Not that it matter too much since AVCHD uses key frames (only records the 'difference' from frame to frame, hence wrapping 30p into 60p hardly costs any bandwidth). The only logical explanation I can come up with is maybe only 720/60p is supported natively by Pany BlueRay players.

--

Only Canon can touch Panasonic in the sub DSLR realm... Panasonic is second to non in this field.

--

Panasonic has come a long way in a relatively short time in their digicam development. Anyone remember their iPalm, PV-DC2090 (DUAL CF slots, the 2590 had a CF modem!)? Probably not many. I had both. I had the PV-DC2090 on my honeymoon and a trip to Hawaii. I only wish I have the cameras I have now back then.

IMHO Panasonic has the best P&S lineup right now followed by Canon. Everyone else has nothing but yawners especially Nikon being the DSLR king that it is.

--
NIK0N D7OO/NIKK0R 24-12OVR/NIKKOR 7O-3OOVR/NIK0N 5O 1.8/SB8OO
PANAS0NIC LX-3 & ZS-3 & TS-1
PENTAXX 0PTI0 W1O
SANY0 HD1O1O

I took the spec as face value.
But when to check the spec and it is.
"1280x720, 60P(CCD output is 30p)"

This is very misleading in my book.
If the CCD can't read at 60P, then is not 60P. !

Thanks for pointing this out.
Here is the official spec, scroll down to the bottom of the page.

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-Camcorders/Digital-Cameras/Lumix-Digital-Cameras/model.DMC-ZS3S.S_11002_7000000000000005702#tabsection

Just received my ZS3 today - thanks Crutchfield - and coming from the TZ5, I can't believe how much smaller it feels. I know it's really not that much smaller, but it sure feels it.

Not surprised Panny earned the highest marks in this. I loved the TZ5 and from what I've been reading, the ZS3 should be even better. Now, off to play with my new toy!

Gregm61 said:

garyydpreview wrote:

Olympus should drop all compact digicam production and point all that
money towards their micro four-thirds products, which could become(...)

Click to expand...

Sounds like a huge business gamble to me.

Photato said:

I know is hard to believe but if you compare in Imaging Resources the
G10 to the SZ3,you'll find that the SZ3 lens produce better images
than the G10.
Is only when you go up to ISO1600 where you can see the larger G10
sensor a bit cleaner than the SZ3.

Click to expand...

-- Even more impressive when you consider it does this with a sensor almost half its size in area and has a focal length range over twice as far 28-140 vrs 25-300!

Photato said:

So the DPR review results confirm what I though about the Pany.
The SZ3 is probably the best pocket zoom camera ever made.
Luminous Landscape also picked the SZ3 as their best pocket camera.

Click to expand...

-- Add to that many are comparing its HD video output as being as good or even better than many HD camcorders out there. With EZoom feature enables it to get out into the superzoom range when necessary for small prints, and 25mm at wa wider than most.

The SZ3 with its compact metal body size and range may be attracting even F28 and F50 users as possible relacements? I look to the next step to be a FZ28 replacement with swivel screen for HD video and better EVF. The G1 and GH1 are already very good and there is still the small rangefinder m4/3 model yet to come by year end. Pany seems to have a lot going for it just now if only their marketing were a little better.

Reportedly in Japan the G1 with two kits lens now selling as low as $600, probably why it was outselling all Oly dSLR products combined at end of last year in Japan. Just think if they did the same to G1 prices in US, maybe there would be a similar run here? Just hoping.

Photato said:

For me 720p @ 60p h264 video, with zooming does it.
I'll wait until the prices come down a bit.
But with this HR nomination, it might never happen as the masses
discover this gem.

Click to expand...

--You are probably right as already stores having difficulty keeping the TZ7 or SZ3 in stock and now Pany has a rush on both LX3 and SZ3 on their hands. Many pick these two as the perfect compact match or in combo with dSLR or m4/3rds models.

Unabashed Pany fan of TZ series
Just my two bits
safaridon

julieng said:

Sounds like a huge business gamble to me.

Click to expand...

Indeed, but still far LESS risky than selling more and more sub-par P&S units. Remember Abe, You can fool all the people some of the time... ... but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
--

Aside from the HD video, I'd have been curious to see how the TZ7 compared to the Ricoh CX1, which is only 7X.

From what I've read, is it true that the HD Video on the TZ7 is a pain in the butt to use with a Mac?