Panasonic Lumix Series (FZ3, FZ10, FZ20)

"Jessie Miletop" wrote in message ...

Greetings. I've been using film SLR's for over 20 year, and the time is
right for me to take the digital jump. I have decided to NOT go in the DSLR
direction for a few years. I's like to buy an SLR type digital camera as my
first digital capture source. I'm particularly interested in the Panasonic
Lumix ZLR series, largely because of the convenient all in one lens, IS,
and image quality that I've seen in sample photos.

I can't make up my mind. The FZ3, FZ10, and FZ20 have all gotten amazing
reviews compared to other models in their classes. I know the FZ3 has the
least MegaPixels of the three, and some of the features on the FZ10 and
FZ20 are more advanced. I like the small size of the FZ3, but I've only
seen it in silver. Does this model also come in black like the others?

Sorry for all the questions. This will be my first digital camera and I
don't want to make a rushed purchase.

Thanks in advance for any advice that comes my way.

Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy. This
is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have it. It
gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and it has the
best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR level. :-)

Lukas Varossieau wrote:
[]
Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy. This
is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have it. It
gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and it has the
best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR level. :-)

Thanks for your opinion, but that model lacks image stabilisation which is
a most helpful feature for using long zooms effectively.

David

"David J Taylor" wrote in message ...
Lukas Varossieau wrote:
[]
Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy. This
is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have it. It
gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and it has the
best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR level. :-)

Thanks for your opinion, but that model lacks image stabilisation which is
a most helpful feature for using long zooms effectively.

Thank you for your opinion, but not everyone requires that particular
feature, as nice as it may be. And please get your facts in order. The
Olympus C-8080 is not a long zoom by any means. It is a wide zoom. I
wish it was wider than 28mm, but the lens has virtually no distortion
throughout the zoom range. I find that to be a more helpful feature,
but that's just me.

Lukas Varossieau wrote:
"David J Taylor" wrote in message
...
Lukas Varossieau wrote:
[]
Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy.
This is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have
it. It gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and
it has the best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR
level. :-)

Thanks for your opinion, but that model lacks image stabilisation
which is a most helpful feature for using long zooms effectively.

Thank you for your opinion, but not everyone requires that particular
feature, as nice as it may be. And please get your facts in order. The
Olympus C-8080 is not a long zoom by any means. It is a wide zoom. I
wish it was wider than 28mm, but the lens has virtually no distortion
throughout the zoom range. I find that to be a more helpful feature,
but that's just me.

My facts /are/ in order, thanks very much!

As the OP was asking about the longer zoomed Panasonic series (up to
432mm), IS will be very important to them.

Once you have tried image stabilisation, you don't want to go back. Even
with the limited zoom on the Olympus (just 140mm), IS would certainly help
get sharper pictures in low light conditions. Don't take my word,
though - try it for yourself and see.

If you want a wider zoom, then the Nikon Coolpix 8400 would be a good
choice, with its 24mm wide-angle. It seems that affordable consumer
optics are not yet up to a 24 - 432mm IS zoom.

David

"David J Taylor" wrote in message ...
Lukas Varossieau wrote:
"David J Taylor" wrote in message
...
Lukas Varossieau wrote:
[]
Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy.
This is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have
it. It gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and
it has the best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR
level. :-)

Thanks for your opinion, but that model lacks image stabilisation
which is a most helpful feature for using long zooms effectively.

Thank you for your opinion, but not everyone requires that particular
feature, as nice as it may be. And please get your facts in order. The
Olympus C-8080 is not a long zoom by any means. It is a wide zoom. I
wish it was wider than 28mm, but the lens has virtually no distortion
throughout the zoom range. I find that to be a more helpful feature,
but that's just me.

My facts /are/ in order, thanks very much!

As the OP was asking about the longer zoomed Panasonic series (up to
432mm), IS will be very important to them.

Ok, my error.

Once you have tried image stabilisation, you don't want to go back. Even
with the limited zoom on the Olympus (just 140mm), IS would certainly help
get sharper pictures in low light conditions. Don't take my word,
though - try it for yourself and see.

I am very happy with the camera the way it is, thanks anyways. Also, I
could not try it on my camera because the feature is not included. It
is not necessary.

If you want a wider zoom, then the Nikon Coolpix 8400 would be a good
choice, with its 24mm wide-angle. It seems that affordable consumer
optics are not yet up to a 24 - 432mm IS zoom.

Thank you, but I'll stick with the Olympus.

The Oly has no IS and has a wide zoom. I have owned the Oly in IMHO the
picture quality on the Panasonic Z20 is better even with less pixels. The
Z20 also has a better Macro mode. For my purposes the Z20 is the superior
camera

Greg
"Lukas Varossieau" wrote in message
om...
"Jessie Miletop" wrote in message
...

Greetings. I've been using film SLR's for over 20 year, and the time is
right for me to take the digital jump. I have decided to NOT go in the
DSLR
direction for a few years. I's like to buy an SLR type digital camera as
my
first digital capture source. I'm particularly interested in the
Panasonic
Lumix ZLR series, largely because of the convenient all in one lens, IS,
and image quality that I've seen in sample photos.

I can't make up my mind. The FZ3, FZ10, and FZ20 have all gotten amazing
reviews compared to other models in their classes. I know the FZ3 has the
least MegaPixels of the three, and some of the features on the FZ10 and
FZ20 are more advanced. I like the small size of the FZ3, but I've only
seen it in silver. Does this model also come in black like the others?

Sorry for all the questions. This will be my first digital camera and I
don't want to make a rushed purchase.

Thanks in advance for any advice that comes my way.

Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy. This
is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have it. It
gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and it has the
best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR level. :-)

isnt the 8080 only a 7X ?

"Lukas Varossieau" a écrit dans le message
de om...
"Jessie Miletop" wrote in message
...

Greetings. I've been using film SLR's for over 20 year, and the time is
right for me to take the digital jump. I have decided to NOT go in the
DSLR
direction for a few years. I's like to buy an SLR type digital camera as
my
first digital capture source. I'm particularly interested in the
Panasonic
Lumix ZLR series, largely because of the convenient all in one lens, IS,
and image quality that I've seen in sample photos.

I can't make up my mind. The FZ3, FZ10, and FZ20 have all gotten amazing
reviews compared to other models in their classes. I know the FZ3 has
the
least MegaPixels of the three, and some of the features on the FZ10 and
FZ20 are more advanced. I like the small size of the FZ3, but I've only
seen it in silver. Does this model also come in black like the others?

Sorry for all the questions. This will be my first digital camera and I
don't want to make a rushed purchase.

Thanks in advance for any advice that comes my way.

Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy. This
is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have it. It
gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and it has the
best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR level. :-)

"Chuck" wrote in message ...
isnt the 8080 only a 7X ?

The 8080 is 5X, actually. It's strenghts are not in the zoom so much as the high resolution & wide
angle capabilities it offers. You mix in a 5x zoom on a wide angle lens and you have a pretty good
outfit for both outdoor shooting as well as group photos, etc. If you want to spy on your neighbors
then the Panasonic Lumix 12X series is the way to go...

"Lukas Varossieau" a écrit dans le message
de om...
"Jessie Miletop" wrote in message
...

Greetings. I've been using film SLR's for over 20 year, and the time is
right for me to take the digital jump. I have decided to NOT go in the
DSLR
direction for a few years. I's like to buy an SLR type digital camera as
my
first digital capture source. I'm particularly interested in the
Panasonic
Lumix ZLR series, largely because of the convenient all in one lens, IS,
and image quality that I've seen in sample photos.

I can't make up my mind. The FZ3, FZ10, and FZ20 have all gotten amazing
reviews compared to other models in their classes. I know the FZ3 has
the
least MegaPixels of the three, and some of the features on the FZ10 and
FZ20 are more advanced. I like the small size of the FZ3, but I've only
seen it in silver. Does this model also come in black like the others?

Sorry for all the questions. This will be my first digital camera and I
don't want to make a rushed purchase.

Thanks in advance for any advice that comes my way.

Be certain to look at the Olympus Camedia C-8080 before you buy. This
is the best of the current ZLR type cameras. I know. I have it. It
gets better reviews than the other 8 megapixel models, and it has the
best build. Image quality is outstanding - at the SLR level. :-)

Chuck wrote:
isnt the 8080 only a 7X ?

The Olympus isn't even that - just a 5X zoom from 28 - 140mm (with f/3.5
at the long end). It has no image stabilisation. For wide-angle the
Nikon 8400 is the only camera offering 24mm out-of-the-box.

The Panasonic FZ20 zoom is up to 432mm and maintains the wide f/2.8
aperture throughout the full zoom range, and the camera has the image
stabilisation so helpful with the longer zooms.

Cheers,
David