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DiMAGE Z3 hands on preview

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I see the S1-IS listed at DPR:

$498.00 at eCOST.com
$474.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 at RitzCamera.com
$432.95 at Newegg.com
$499.00 at CDW Corporation
$499.00 at Dell Home & Home Office

I understand the Z3 likely will be $499-$549. The Z3 is 4 mp, the S1 and FZ-3 are 3 MP. If the image quality compares, I'd pay $50 more for the Z3. The question is how does the Z3 compare to the FZ-15? Probably be about the same cost.

---
Tom
James Rosenzweig said:
Keep in mind the current price is some $125 more than the Canon S1
and the forthcoming PanasonicDMC FZ 3. The quality of the images
should determine alot....
No information on noise and CA yet.
Click to expand...
 
The Z 3 will likely be $499. The S1 can be had for around $370. The FZ 3 is listed at $399...probably go for around what the S1 goes for...so the difference is about $125 not $50.
Tom said:
$498.00 at eCOST.com
$474.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 at RitzCamera.com
$432.95 at Newegg.com
$499.00 at CDW Corporation
$499.00 at Dell Home & Home Office

I understand the Z3 likely will be $499-$549. The Z3 is 4 mp, the
S1 and FZ-3 are 3 MP. If the image quality compares, I'd pay $50
more for the Z3. The question is how does the Z3 compare to the
FZ-15? Probably be about the same cost.

---
Tom
James Rosenzweig said:
Keep in mind the current price is some $125 more than the Canon S1
and the forthcoming PanasonicDMC FZ 3. The quality of the images
should determine alot....
No information on noise and CA yet.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
By the way...the FZ 3 has an AF assist beam. The Z3 does not. The FZ 3 has a constant aperture F 2.8 Leica lens. The Z3's aperture decreases notably at the tele end. The FZ 3 has a more powerful flash. I am waiting t see photo results to see if they are notably different..let alone the $125 price difference.
James Rosenzweig said:
Tom said:
$498.00 at eCOST.com
$474.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 at RitzCamera.com
$432.95 at Newegg.com
$499.00 at CDW Corporation
$499.00 at Dell Home & Home Office

I understand the Z3 likely will be $499-$549. The Z3 is 4 mp, the
S1 and FZ-3 are 3 MP. If the image quality compares, I'd pay $50
more for the Z3. The question is how does the Z3 compare to the
FZ-15? Probably be about the same cost.

---
Tom
James Rosenzweig said:
Keep in mind the current price is some $125 more than the Canon S1
and the forthcoming PanasonicDMC FZ 3. The quality of the images
should determine alot....
No information on noise and CA yet.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Just to make this clear...IF the Z3 produces notably better images than the FZ 3...I'd be swayed that way. I am not convinced that a 4MP is intrinsically that much better than a 3.2 MP as the actual horizontal and vertical pixel #s are only about 10-15% more. We shall see...hopefully soon.

J
ames Rosenzweig said:
James Rosenzweig said:
Tom said:
$498.00 at eCOST.com
$474.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 at RitzCamera.com
$432.95 at Newegg.com
$499.00 at CDW Corporation
$499.00 at Dell Home & Home Office

I understand the Z3 likely will be $499-$549. The Z3 is 4 mp, the
S1 and FZ-3 are 3 MP. If the image quality compares, I'd pay $50
more for the Z3. The question is how does the Z3 compare to the
FZ-15? Probably be about the same cost.

---
Tom
James Rosenzweig said:
Keep in mind the current price is some $125 more than the Canon S1
and the forthcoming PanasonicDMC FZ 3. The quality of the images
should determine alot....
No information on noise and CA yet.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I intend to shoot sports (from racecars to kids' soccer) and the fast and predictive autofocus of the Z3 is leaning me ion that direction. (That and I love my Minolta G400.) How would the FZ3 do for sports?
James Rosenzweig said:
J
ames Rosenzweig said:
James Rosenzweig said:
Tom said:
$498.00 at eCOST.com
$474.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 at RitzCamera.com
$432.95 at Newegg.com
$499.00 at CDW Corporation
$499.00 at Dell Home & Home Office

I understand the Z3 likely will be $499-$549. The Z3 is 4 mp, the
S1 and FZ-3 are 3 MP. If the image quality compares, I'd pay $50
more for the Z3. The question is how does the Z3 compare to the
FZ-15? Probably be about the same cost.

---
Tom
James Rosenzweig said:
Keep in mind the current price is some $125 more than the Canon S1
and the forthcoming PanasonicDMC FZ 3. The quality of the images
should determine alot....
No information on noise and CA yet.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Strangely enough, the S1 lowest price in Europe is 399 EUR (and this is a camera that has had time to "settle in"), while the Z3 initial lowest price is 399 EUR too, which will most likely drop after more retailers add it to their product range.
 
I have no idea! Check the Panasonic website and the Minolta website...and then wait to see how they both test out. I am as confused as you are. On paper.....everyone 'knows'..In reality...we have to wait and see..noise issues, CA, response times...shutter delay..shot to shot times...Hang on! You can look at the respective spechs for a clue....Tell me what you conclude...We have alot of assumptions being made here....Some features are clearly on one camera or another....other things....I'd like to hear more from the gentlemen who has the Z 3 in his hands about the issues mentioned...It would help. We do have to wait to see hands on with the Pansonic cameras...
abergfeld said:
James Rosenzweig said:
J
ames Rosenzweig said:
James Rosenzweig said:
Tom said:
$498.00 at eCOST.com
$474.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 at RitzCamera.com
$432.95 at Newegg.com
$499.00 at CDW Corporation
$499.00 at Dell Home & Home Office

I understand the Z3 likely will be $499-$549. The Z3 is 4 mp, the
S1 and FZ-3 are 3 MP. If the image quality compares, I'd pay $50
more for the Z3. The question is how does the Z3 compare to the
FZ-15? Probably be about the same cost.

---
Tom
James Rosenzweig said:
Keep in mind the current price is some $125 more than the Canon S1
and the forthcoming PanasonicDMC FZ 3. The quality of the images
should determine alot....
No information on noise and CA yet.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Very sorry for the Z3' AS wrong info, kind of rush to posted it yesterday so overlook the vital info in the manual. So, Z3's AS can be turn off via setup menu. I've posted the page captured from Z3's manual regarding its AS system in the following link. More or less it works just like the one in A series.

http://photohobby.net/webboard/show.php?Category=alldata&No=1146

Sorry again for mis-informed your guys. Will try to make it up by doing the review ASAP.

Cheers,
Tom
 
I know that your guys are hungry for the info. So, I will try to address some issue here first.
  • noise : So far, more or less is on par with Z2 which is very good. I've tested the long exposure just yet. Will revert back to you again on this matter.
  • CA : It's definitely unavoidable for such long zoom. So, CA is still there in some image. But from my first observation, then new lens is less prone to CA than the previous Z series.
  • Low light AF : Definitely better than Z2. However, I still want to see KM put AF assist in the next Z generation.
Until now, I can't tell much about image quality and tracking AF ability. Let me try it more extensively before I get back to your guys again.

As for the avialability, I can speak for only Thailand. Official release date here is somewhere around late Sept. The initial price of Z3 here, AFAIK, will be around 500 USD.

Cheers,
Tom
 
Thanks.

Wow.. late September. I think I'll have to cancel my pre-order, I just can't wait that long - shame on Minolta for leading people to believe that it would be released early August :(
minman said:
I know that your guys are hungry for the info. So, I will try to
address some issue here first.
  • noise : So far, more or less is on par with Z2 which is very
good. I've tested the long exposure just yet. Will revert back to
you again on this matter.
  • CA : It's definitely unavoidable for such long zoom. So, CA is
still there in some image. But from my first observation, then new
lens is less prone to CA than the previous Z series.
  • Low light AF : Definitely better than Z2. However, I still want
to see KM put AF assist in the next Z generation.

Until now, I can't tell much about image quality and tracking AF
ability. Let me try it more extensively before I get back to your
guys again.

As for the avialability, I can speak for only Thailand. Official
release date here is somewhere around late Sept. The initial price
of Z3 here, AFAIK, will be around 500 USD.

Cheers,
Tom
Click to expand...
 
akerman said:
Thanks.

Wow.. late September. I think I'll have to cancel my pre-order, I
just can't wait that long - shame on Minolta for leading people to
believe that it would be released early August :(
Click to expand...
Dont' get me wrong. Apart from Thailand, lot of places will have Z3 by early Aug like Japan and Europe. I'm sure you can get it early as well in US.

Cheers,
Tom
 
minman said:
As for the avialability, I can speak for only Thailand. Official
release date here is somewhere around late Sept. The initial price
of Z3 here, AFAIK, will be around 500 USD.
Click to expand...
The Dutch Minolta site still states that the release of the Z3 will be end of July (which is about now), but haven't spotted it in any (online) shop yet. Some onlineshop offer pre-order and the price ranges from 450 - 499 euro.
 
Have a look at this:

http://www.worldtronix.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=2634&refID=idealo

399 Euro doesn't too bad.
Gives you the chance to get a 1GB SD card.

Besides, I am working for a distributor of memory cards. The latest information that I can share is that around September Infineon start its own SD production for retail in Germany . . . so wait a little and prices of Sandisk, Toshiba etc. might drop a bit.
S913 said:
minman said:
As for the avialability, I can speak for only Thailand. Official
release date here is somewhere around late Sept. The initial price
of Z3 here, AFAIK, will be around 500 USD.
Click to expand...
The Dutch Minolta site still states that the release of the Z3 will
be end of July (which is about now), but haven't spotted it in any
(online) shop yet. Some onlineshop offer pre-order and the price
ranges from 450 - 499 euro.
Click to expand...
 
He said 450 to 499 Euro
whippersnapper80 said:
http://www.worldtronix.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=2634&refID=idealo

399 Euro doesn't too bad.
Gives you the chance to get a 1GB SD card.

Besides, I am working for a distributor of memory cards. The latest
information that I can share is that around September Infineon
start its own SD production for retail in Germany . . . so wait a
little and prices of Sandisk, Toshiba etc. might drop a bit.
S913 said:
minman said:
As for the avialability, I can speak for only Thailand. Official
release date here is somewhere around late Sept. The initial price
of Z3 here, AFAIK, will be around 500 USD.
Click to expand...
The Dutch Minolta site still states that the release of the Z3 will
be end of July (which is about now), but haven't spotted it in any
(online) shop yet. Some onlineshop offer pre-order and the price
ranges from 450 - 499 euro.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Really? Are you sure :D

Because I read on some other forum, that Minolta doesn't deem it likely, that a country would receive it earlier than any other.. I'm actually in Denmark (EU), and I have preordered the camera (it's for my mother's birthday) with a German shop, that is saying they will ship on the 28th of July (that's yesterday) plus minus 2-3 days. But if that turns out to be late september instead of now, then we will be past my mother's birthday :(
minman said:
akerman said:
Thanks.

Wow.. late September. I think I'll have to cancel my pre-order, I
just can't wait that long - shame on Minolta for leading people to
believe that it would be released early August :(
Click to expand...
Dont' get me wrong. Apart from Thailand, lot of places will have Z3
by early Aug like Japan and Europe. I'm sure you can get it early
as well in US.

Cheers,
Tom
Click to expand...
 
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