Reading mode: Light Dark

What the ZS3 can do in *low* light

Go to last post
Trensamiro

Trensamiro

Senior Member
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
132
Location
US
.

Hi, all:

This is the sister thread of "What the ZS3 can do in good light" which I posted some days ago.

It features some sample pics taken by me showing what the ZS3 can do in low light , including both low ISO/ long exposure and high ISO , flash and no flash, wideangle and telephoto, handheld and not handheld, ...

All of them unretouched and unprocessed (save cropping and resizing), straight out of the camera.

■ Low ISO, long exposure:

25 mm, f/3.3, 1 second, ISO 160, slow-sync flash:



.

25 mm, f/3.3, 4 seconds, ISO 80, 2-pic panorama:



.

25 mm, f/3.3, 5 seconds, ISO 80:



.

■ High ISO, all of them handheld, no flash:

.

70 mm, f/3.9, 1/8 sec., ISO 800



.

35 mm, f/3.4, 1/30 sec., ISO 800 (fishy was moving):



.

150 mm, f/4.5, 1/20 sec., ISO 800:



.

25 mm, f/3.3, 1/8 sec., ISO 800:



.

25 mm, f/3.3, 1/20 sec., ISO 1000 (accurate colors):



.

25 mm, f/3.3, 1/20 sec., ISO 1000 (accurate colors):



.

300 mm, f/4.9, 1/100 sec., ISO 800:



.

200 mm, f/4.4m 1/125 sec., ISO 1000 (very windy, dark day):



.

300 mm, f/4.9, 1/125 sec., ISO 1600 (very windy, dark day):



-
See my Lumix ZS3 (TZ7) pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirepapa/

.
 
Awesome! I'm also getting really great low-light shots with the ZS3 with very little noise....very happy.





 
I think the thing that amazes me the most about the ZS3 is the great low-light shooting with such little noise....

And the camera really comes to life at dusk -- when you still have enough light in the sky for color, but it's getting dark enough that a standard point and shoot just wouldn't do it....

 
I took this sunset silhouette photo of redwing blackbirds the other night.



There is some noise but it's decently sharp even cropped way down. Not bad for being at full zoom in low light.

 
Hi,

These are very impressive "low light" shots -- I'm considering this camera (it's between this one and the HZ15w Samsung). (I use a DSLR Olympus e500 but need a little travel camera)

One question -- how is the battery life on your camera? I've heard some say that the battery life is really bad -- what is your experience?

Thanks!
Susan G.
--



http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016
 
RE: the shots of the woman etc:

Is it just me or am I not seeing much noise at ALL in these 800 and 1000 ISO pics? It does seem however there was a fair bit of light (you mentioned a dark day, but the subject is fairly well lit), but still, is there really this much lack of noise or was there some noise removal done at some point?

Extremely interesting thread, thanks for the pics.
 
Can you share what settings you used, and what mode you were in for these pictures? Did you set a max ISO?

Fantastic pictures.
 
If you also make movies, which I recommend as they are outstanding, you MUST have a second battery, as during a typical tourist day, you would use 1 battery per 1/day. That is my estimation. anyway, it is true that it requires a lot of energy, but it really worth it as it is an amazing camera that can do everything well. Not a dslr, but after second thoughts, good enough in 80% of situations. the one to beat for holidays pocketable cameras.
 
at that size, many new cameras can do well. perhaps your photos are misleading.

I absolutely LOVE this camera, but at full size, it is a bit noisy already at 80 iso, even in excellent light, so it is hard for me to imagine you did nothing on these pictures. For me, to get smooth results, it is necessary to use a noise reduction software. But good results can be obtained indeed.
 
Susan G said:
Hi,

These are very impressive "low light" shots -- I'm considering this camera (it's between this one and the HZ15w Samsung). (I use a DSLR Olympus e500 but need a little travel camera)

One question -- how is the battery life on your camera? I've heard some say that the battery life is really bad -- what is your experience?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Susan,

I've noticed no difference from any other similar camera - they just about all need two batteries to complete a busy day's photography.

I was fooled by what was being said initially and, for the first time ever, bought two spares but - after 6 months and 4000+ exposures - I've yet to need a third on any day, no matter how long it may turn out to be!

Peter

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

TZ7 pictures: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz7pics
Using the TZ5: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz5
 
My photos are completely unretouched out of the camera, except for a 10x8 crop. I hate post processing and do it as little as possible.

I get about 300 photos per battery charge set at fine large JPG (the most you can set it at). If you shoot video, it dramatically decreases. I bought a spare battery to bring with me on day-long trips, but have never had to use it.
 
RonAnnArbor said:
My photos are completely unretouched out of the camera, except for a 10x8 crop. I hate post processing and do it as little as possible.

I get about 300 photos per battery charge set at fine large JPG (the most you can set it at). If you shoot video, it dramatically decreases. I bought a spare battery to bring with me on day-long trips, but have never had to use it.
Click to expand...
Assuming that you're talking about the ZS3/TZ7, then your 300 shots figure is exactly in line with what Panasonic say in the Manual.

Maybe I dither with the zoom too much or use power in some other wasteful way - or more probably it's because I swap once down to one bar - but I frequently have to change before the end of the day, and before I've shoot quite that many!

Peter

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

TZ7 pictures: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz7pics
Using the TZ5: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz5
 
Thanks for answering my question.

Just looking through this thread and saw the pictures posted by Ron (?) -- out of the camera pictures, but they can't be handheld, right? I'm simply amazed at what this little camera can do! I'll definitely be looking into one.

Susan
--



http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016
 
Susan G said:
Thanks for answering my question.
Click to expand...
Susan - my pleasure!
Susan G said:
Just looking through this thread and saw the pictures posted by Ron (?) -- out of the camera pictures, but they can't be handheld, right? I'm simply amazed at what this little camera can do! I'll definitely be looking into one.
Click to expand...
Perhaps you know the one about "Never run when you can walk, never walk when you can stand, never stand when you can sit ....etc" ?

In the same way, my motto for long exposures goes something like "never hold your camera when you can rest it on a wall, never rest it on a wall when you can put it down and use the self-timer...." and if I go out at night I'll try to remember a tiny cheap minipod that's versatile enough, with the self-timer, to make a difference.

But a convenient windowsill can be just as good

1 second at medium telephoto.



2/3 sec at wideangle



Or even - as you can just see - a shelf! Again 1 second



Peter

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

TZ7 pictures: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz7pics
Using the TZ5: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/tz5
 
A couple of low light images converted to Black and White.



ISO 80. 1/30 handheld. Fill Flash though



ISO 400. 1/8 sec. Handheld
 
Trensamiro,

I have a zs3 and really enjoying it. Two of the night pictures you show have a shutter speed of 4 and 5 seconds. How on the zs3 are you able to set a shutter speed slower that 1 second or are you using a scene mode that lets you get a slower shutter?
 
otb2112 said:
Two of the night pictures you show have a shutter speed of 4 and 5 seconds. How on the zs3 are you able to set a shutter speed slower that 1 second or are you using a scene mode that lets you get a slower shutter?
Click to expand...
Intelligent Auto Mode ( iA ) automatically does it for you.

Based on the low light level and distance to the subject it will automatically select iNIGHT SCENERY , and then (quoting page 31 of the English Manual):

"When jitter is small (e.g. using tripod) with iNIGHT SCENERY, shutter speed can reach a maximum of 8 seconds "

which is precisely the case in my two pictures above: low light ( night ), distant subject ( iNIGHT SCENERY ), camera on a table or chair using 2-second self-timer ( small jitter ), so iA was able to select shutter speeds up to 8 seconds if needed and it chose 4 and 5 seconds respectively.

Other modes can do as well, but iA is the simpler.

-
See my Lumix ZS3 (TZ7) pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirepapa/

.
 
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