Panasonic DMC-FZ50 or Panasonic DMC-FZ35?? Or time to go DSLR? HELP ME!!!

Different engine processor. I bought my FZ50 few days before Leica did, honestly I should wait and bought a Leka version. But I'm happy, we alwais can wait for a new model, but how about loosing time and not shoot?
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battlemac said:

Doesn't the Leica V-LUX 1 version kind of fix the smearing, because of the different firmware it uses?

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--Never saw a hint of evidence that the Leica version had different firmware. Am I missing something?
-Kurt Horsley

Someone made reference to Panasonic announcing some new cameras. It looked like they had one that was not comparable at all to any of these. Any other announcements. Should I just get a DMC-FZ50 now?

If you can find a new one or not very used (you never know what you will get). Or just go for new micro 4/3s. Why not DSLR? It's just me (at least for now) - love live view, like to see what I will get before pressing the button, but it's just me. All current DSLRS have very slow live view. Problem with micro 4/3s - sensor exposure, but it is an option - get lenses that will cover from wide to tele (depends on you shooting needs) and don't change them, or be very careful when you do it, remember, when you will remove lenses - your sensor in micro 4/3s will be naked.

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I don't see panasonic coming out with an "FZ-50" replacement because they are so heavily involved (money spent) with their 4/3's line that they wouldn't want to step on it. It's sad, the 50 was one of the BEST all around superzooms. I had one for around 4 years and I'm telling you, giving it up for a DSLR was one of the hardest things I did (although it was given to my dad, so it is still in the family).
I went with a Nikon D5000 + Tamron 18-270 lens. Got some EXCELLENT shots at
an airshow this last weekend.

The only thing I didn't like about the FZ28/35 is not having manual control over everything. That was the BIG draw when I bought the 50, you have full auto everything, when you are in a hurry, and manual control when you have the time to play around. The only real downside with the 50, is the noise issue, but, if you work around it, it really isn't that big of a deal.

I love my Nikon D5000, but I will still have a soft spot for the FZ50. Sometimes manufacturers "get it right", and with the 50, they hit a home run, which might be why they never updated it....to afraid they wouldn't get any churn like they do with some of the other cameras.
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Coming to you from the beautiful Ozark Mountain Country
where if you're too busy to go fishin', then you're too busy!

V-LUX 1 still smear the reds some but I like the NR better than the FZ50.

Here are a couple of OFC shots with NR set on low at ISO 800. The noise is better in some but it's not bad enough to bother me in 4x6 prints which is as large as I print. I have a lot of other shots on my sight if you care to look. All of the ballet shots are shot with the V-LUX 1 because of no shutter noise. I shoot with the V-lux 1 and Oympus. Thease are from a recital last week. I was on the next to the back row.



This one is cropped quite a bit.



E-520.
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DonR
Please excuse my spelling.
http://donr.zenfolio.com/

Since the FZ50 and the V-LUX 1 are essentially the same camera, would it be possible to use the Leica firmware to get different/better NR features it offers?

I own an FZ20, which never worked properly. It was supposedly 'repaired' under warranty, which consisted of the repair facility holding it until the warranty ran out and when I inquired about getting it repaired properly, was shafted by Panasonic and told the camera 'had been connected to a computer': It never was as I unload the card & use a card reader, besides, it has a connection to do this. Panasonic failed totally as I think the camera was a dud to begin with.

I cut my losses, bought a Canon S3 and have had no problems.

My opinion - stay away from Panasonic, they over-hype their products and totally fail to honour their warranty.

I kept my FZ-50 when I bought my GH-1 thinking it might be a good 2nd camera, especially with that zoom range. So the other day I finally took it out and used when I was shooting video with my GH-1, and damn I realized just how lacking the FZ-50 is. For it's day, it was a pretty decent camera, especially given the price of dslr's, but it is noisy and kind of useless about 400. Even the most lowest end Canon or Nikon dslrs will give you a better picture, and a Tamron or Sigma zoom.

So look on ebay, I'll probably get it listed soon.

SF Photo Gal
Canon 1Ds MkIII/Panasonic GH-1-LX-3-FZ-50

Is the ISO400 noise statement applicable to the FZ35/38?

It'd be a sad day for me if my FZ-50 bites the dust. I've been enjoying images it's helped me get for over three years. Yeah, there's slicker newer hardware out there and if you're interested in playing with the "toys" I say go for it. For picture taking I'm very satisfied with a camera that suits what I want to do. Here's a recent shot and edit I'm pleased with.



Mark
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It is not about Firmware, but about enging processing, Firmware is a software, enging processing is a hardware, softaware is designed for a particular hardware, like you can't use a video card driver for a different videocard that that driver was writteng for.
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How you can compare 4/3s sensot and 1/1.8". Lets compare 4/3s and Mark III or Mark II, or may be Hasselblad?
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eagle_I said:

It'd be a sad day for me if my FZ-50 bites the dust. I've been enjoying images it's helped me get for over three years. Yeah, there's slicker newer hardware out there and if you're interested in playing with the "toys" I say go for it. For picture taking I'm very satisfied with a camera that suits what I want to do. Here's a recent shot and edit I'm pleased with.

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That's a super good shot eagle_I. I like it a lot.
Sky

HurricaneKid said:

Given these three options what do you think would be my best option??

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Getting shots at concerts is a tough proposition when you can't guarantee close access or use a DSLR. I figure that by now, you know the limitations and picture quality you can expect from a digicam.

There have been reports here of people being denied admission with their FZ-50. Who knows if you would ever face the same prohibition or not? The only other camera option in this camera class would be the higher end Fuji. I haven't seen reviews, but it would at least be something to check on. Since the Fuji is also in the same size range as an FZ-50, you run some risk of being denied access with this as well.

If DSLRs are routinely turned away at concerts, then you should only get one if your other "opportunities" are worth the cost. However, there is something to say about your classification of "good" glass. In my estimation, there is "bad", "good enough", and "great" glass. There are plenty of DSLR lenses that are both affordable and good enough.

If you didn't like the FZ-28, then there is really no reason to think that you would like the FZ-35. However, it looks like your choice comes to down to this or gambling with the FZ-50/Fuji large, bridge cameras.

Somehow I forgot to offer you a fourth choice to consider.

Take a look at some of the EVIL cameras from Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony. These interchangeable-lens cameras are small enough that you should have no trouble getting through the gate with a small lens mounted and then switch to one of the longer zooms once you get to your seat.

If your intention is to shoot concerts, don't get a FZ50 -- you will likely be turned away as much as any DSLR owner.

If you're really tempted by the Pentax KX, check out PentaxForums.com's for sale section -- they frequently have very new-ish KX kits for sale (used) for rather cheap. And you can always get an 18-250mm lens (Pentax, Sigma, or Tamron) for around $300. No, it's not the greatest lens in the world, but it's as good as you're going to get in a DSLR superzoom lens, and you have to keep in mind that you're putting it on a body and (most importantly) sensor that is vastly superior to any P&S superzoom camera out there.

After owning the FZ50 for two years (and loving it), I have to say that I cannot buy another superzoom camera that does not have a flash hotshoe on it. These cameras are just poor performers in low light, and even a mediocre external auto flash (doesn't have to be TTL) improves these cameras so much that it is simply a crime that they all don't have (at least simple) hotshoes on them.

I have now moved on to a KX myself (I got the 18-55mm, 55-300mm two-lens kit) which offers the better range (27-450mm across both lenses) than the FZ50 did and it's roughly the same size (the body of the KX is actually smaller than the FZ50's "body"). The 18-55mm kit lens is so-so quality, but the the 55-300mm lens is very nice lens. I will likely be replacing my 18-55mm with a better quality mid-range zoom, but I'm perfectly happy with the 55-300mm. Where the KX excels VASTLY over the FZ50 is low light/high ISO photography. And I'm not talking with the usual DSLR zealot perspective of being able to shoot a black cat in dark closet with the lens cap on -- I'm just talking about the ability to shoot clean, sharp images on cloudy day. Don't get me wrong though, the KX's 3200 ISO shots look as good (if not better) than the FZ50's ISO 100 shots, so the KX can shoot in some very low light with superior results. But the cloudy day issues with these small sensor superzooms are real, and something you have to consider if you decide to stick with that formfactor of camera. Nothing wrong with it -- again, I loved my FZ50, but that is a real limitation that you'll need to be prepared for.

By the way, gone are the days of F/2.8 throughout the FZ's zoom range. The FZ50 loses F/2.8 very quickly at the first zooming. I was letting my youngest son use my old FZ1 (which I still have in great shape) and had forgotten that it was F/2.8 throughout that whole 12x zoom range. Amazing! I think the FZ20 was the last FZ offering that.

Good luck with your decision. A lot of us diehard FZ'ers are facing/have faced the same. I was very reluctant to move on from my FZ50, but I haven't regretted it even though I do miss the camera.

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Chris
Effzeeone now has a...PentaxKayEx ???!!! WHAT?!
(Gear in profile)

There's no 'over hyping' of the FZ-50. It's a classic and it has features and a great lens that 'competitors' couldn't touch and still can't. I don't think I've read about any company being all that great with service, but Panny's cameras are supposedly THE most reliable. My experience with two of them has been 100% trouble-free.

As for the S3 it's not even in the same league with the FZ-50. No hot shoe, no manual zoom or focus, slide-trombone zoom lens (which is apparently filter-proof), and it runs on those lousy, no-good kiddie-toy AA batteries that I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. No, not even close to the FZ-50.

Midwest said:

As for the S3 ... it runs on those lousy, no-good kiddie-toy AA batteries that I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. No, not even close to the FZ-50.

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Changing the subject a little, but something for the OP to consider with any camera purchase....

After owning the Pentax KX, which also uses "kiddie-toy AA batteries", I will definitely agree with your statement above on the battery -- not even close to the FZ50.

But...that's because I'm getting DOUBLE and sometimes TRIPLE the number of shots with my "kiddie-toy AA" Eneloops with my KX as I did with my FZ50's proprietary LiIon battery. Recharge time is faster and lowly alkaline batteries can be used in a pinch. It would have to be a big pinch though, because rechargeable NiMH AA's are available everywhere and AA's aren't "chipped" like the newer Panasonic LiIon batteries so any namebrand will do. If you just have an overwhelming attraction to Lithium batteries, you can also get disposable Lithium AA's and get 4-5x the number of shots of the rechargeable LiIon.

I used to think the same way as you, but AA's are now superior...vastly...to proprietary LiIon rechargeables, especially in cameras of relatively equal size. Sure a tiny little LiIon battery is a better choice for an ultra-thin pocket camera, but the FZ50 is easily the size of current DSLRs and could easily handle 4 AA's in place of the inferior (haha) LiIon battery.

AA batteries are now a feature that I look for in a camera....to the point of almost being a requirement.

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Chris
Effzeeone now has a...PentaxKayEx ???!!! WHAT?!
(Gear in profile)

Effzeeone said:

After owning the Pentax KX, which also uses "kiddie-toy AA batteries", I will definitely agree with your statement above on the battery -- not even close to the FZ50.

But...that's because I'm getting DOUBLE and sometimes TRIPLE the number of shots with my "kiddie-toy AA" Eneloops with my KX as I did with my FZ50's proprietary LiIon battery. Recharge time is faster and lowly alkaline batteries can be used in a pinch. It would have to be a big pinch though, because rechargeable NiMH AA's are available everywhere and AA's aren't "chipped" like the newer Panasonic LiIon batteries so any namebrand will do. If you just have an overwhelming attraction to Lithium batteries, you can also get disposable Lithium AA's and get 4-5x the number of shots of the rechargeable LiIon.

I used to think the same way as you, but AA's are now superior...vastly...to proprietary LiIon rechargeables, especially in cameras of relatively equal size. Sure a tiny little LiIon battery is a better choice for an ultra-thin pocket camera, but the FZ50 is easily the size of current DSLRs and could easily handle 4 AA's in place of the inferior (haha) LiIon battery.

AA batteries are now a feature that I look for in a camera....to the point of almost being a requirement.

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I've never read that the Eneloops were special for any reason other than not just running flat in a few weeks of sitting. I KNOW you're not getting triple the number of shots as the FZ50's lith ion battery. DPreview's testing showed the FZ50 getting 360 shots on one battery charge. Their testing says the K-X gets excellent battery life on lithium batteries and 'still good' on NiMH rechargeables, but I doubt they saw over 1000 shots per charge.

In the three years I've owned my FZ50 I have bought one secondary battery just so I am not relying on just one. The battery charger it came with beats any of the contraptions I've ever bought for AA's. My total outlay in three years?

Re the chipped batteries, it won't be long and the 3rd parties will have those batteries for the later FZ cameras. Bet on it.

To each their own, but I won't buy any camera that takes AA's. Flat out will not. I gave up AA batteries and a secondary hobby I did not want - battery tending. Would you buy a cell phone or notebook PC that ran on AA's?