Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 14.1 MP and Canon SX30IS 14.1MP I'm trying to compare Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 14.1 MP and Canon SX30IS 14.1MP but am not even sure how to read the specs. i've been told that some cameras have a museum mode or something that will save only the best (most in focus) of a burst of shots. That seems like a great feature for wildlife photos. I also take shote in dimly lit conferences with no flash. Can anyone recommend one of these over the other... or another cameral altogether? Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 14.1 MP and Canon SX30IS 14.1MP I'm trying to compare Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 14.1 MP and Canon SX30IS 14.1MP but am not even sure how to read the specs. i've... » Read More Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 14.1 MP and Canon SX30IS 14.1MP I'm trying to compare Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 14.1 MP and Canon SX30IS 14.1MP but am not even sure how to read the specs. i've been told that some cameras have a museum mode or something that will save only the best (most in focus) of a burst of shots. That seems like a great feature for wildlife photos. I also take shote in dimly lit conferences with no flash. Can anyone recommend one of these over the other... or another cameral altogether? « Show Less
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Les, thanks much. Very helpful, although I'm still torn. Yes, it would be great to hear from people with hands on experience or to see a review by a pro. I'm going on a trip in November, so will buy something before then.
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How much better is the Image Stabilization? I have a Lumix FZ28 thanks. Bill
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I purchased the HX1 and returned it quickly. The IQ was good for a bridge camera but otherwise, the camera was awful. The flash fill was uneven and commonly used functions are only accessible by diving into the menu and hunting for them. The camera is slow and the LCD is awful. The LCD is the same resolution as the one on the FZ40 but the FZ40's screen is much clearer. The HX1 locks up while files are writing and you can't even zoom. I am not surprised that Sony is likely leaving the bridge camera segment.
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Here's a link to a good review of the the new Canon SX30is as compared the the Panasonic FZ-40: http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sx30-is/11432.htmlBottom line: for still images, they preferred the new Canon 35x mega-zoom; for video the nod went to the Panasonic FZ-40.
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Neither of these cameras will do well in low light (indoors) without flash. The lenses aren't bright enough and the sensors aren't big enough,
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I liked my older model of the Panasonic Lumix - only thing - I dropped too many times and now it's not working and I really want to get a new camera - but am hesitant about another brand - I am hoping this is the one to get and the people that said the quality wasn't good - I'm hoping that they are wrong. If you print "zoomed" photos - they are usually not as good unless you have an SLR with a zoom lens. I figured that would be the case here.
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The SX30 IS has been replaced by the SX 40 HS and I believe the FZ100 has been replaced by the FZ150. Both addressed problems with the previous models There is very little out about the Canaon yet, but the emerging consensus regarding the two is that the Canon has better image quality (very good quality for this kind of camera). The Panasonic's images while very good, do not match the Canon's and it doesn't have as much zoom (the Canon's and Nikon's zoom range is essentially the same), but it offers more features, including RAW, and significantly better LCD. Both have an articulating display far superior in operation to the Nikon. The SX30 IS has been replaced by the SX 40 HS and I believe the FZ100 has been replaced by the FZ150. Both addressed problems with the previous models There is very little out about the Canaon yet, but the emerging consensus regarding the two is that the Canon has better image quality (very good quality for this kind of camera). The Panasonic's images while very good, do not match the Canon's and it doesn't have as much zoom (the Canon's and Nikon's zoom range is essentially the same), but it offers more features, including RAW, and significantly better LCD. Both have an articulating... » Read More The SX30 IS has been replaced by the SX 40 HS and I believe the FZ100 has been replaced by the FZ150. Both addressed problems with the previous models There is very little out about the Canaon yet, but the emerging consensus regarding the two is that the Canon has better image quality (very good quality for this kind of camera). The Panasonic's images while very good, do not match the Canon's and it doesn't have as much zoom (the Canon's and Nikon's zoom range is essentially the same), but it offers more features, including RAW, and significantly better LCD. Both have an articulating display far superior in operation to the Nikon. « Show Less
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I have a Gh1 and three Olympus ep1, ep3, and an Omd, regarding photography all this Cameras are better than Panasonic, on video part always Panasonic is better! But you said slower what do you mean by that? Focusing speed in OMD is very fast but it is not like a DSLR camera!, it is fast engh for street photography beside it has in body stablizer which is amazing and it is dust and weather resistant ( body and the kit lens ) read more about them in many photo blogs and pick the one which is better for your need!.
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Very bad in my experience with it. It's a good camera outdoors, especially on sunny days. Indoors, the combo of the long zoom and small sensor make for dark pics and/or blurry pics. Almost all cameras are trade-offs. This one's trade0offs were not for me. The FZ150 is a much better camera and the FZ200 is probably better yet. The FZ200 is expensive, so not a truly fail comparison. It is also bigger.The best compact in the world right now (my belief and that of many others) has a 3 -4 x zoom and a 1" sensor and costs $650 --- the Sony RX100. It's the same size as the ZS15 or maybe even a bit smaller. I wish it were cheaper !!! :-). Very bad in my experience with it. It's a good camera outdoors, especially on sunny days. Indoors, the combo of the long zoom and small sensor make for dark pics and/or blurry pics. Almost all cameras are trade-offs. This one's trade0offs were not for me. The FZ150 is a much better camera and the FZ200 is probably better yet. The FZ200 is expensive, so not a truly fail comparison. It is also bigger.The best compact in the world right now (my belief and that of many others) has a 3 -4 x zoom and a 1" sensor and costs $650 --- the Sony RX100. It's the same size as the ZS15 or... » Read More Very bad in my experience with it. It's a good camera outdoors, especially on sunny days. Indoors, the combo of the long zoom and small sensor make for dark pics and/or blurry pics. Almost all cameras are trade-offs. This one's trade0offs were not for me. The FZ150 is a much better camera and the FZ200 is probably better yet. The FZ200 is expensive, so not a truly fail comparison. It is also bigger.The best compact in the world right now (my belief and that of many others) has a 3 -4 x zoom and a 1" sensor and costs $650 --- the Sony RX100. It's the same size as the ZS15 or maybe even a bit smaller. I wish it were cheaper !!! :-). « Show Less
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Yes this card would work in your Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7, but I think you would be better off buying Sandisk SDHC Extreme Class 10 UHS-1 Memory Card. The SDHC are a little more expensive but they can be written to at least 40 times faster. Some of the SDHC cards are rated even faster than that. If you use an regular SD card you could experience wait time in video and high speed burst photography. Secondly: get a card size of at least 16GB or even 32GB. You can fill a 2GB card up rather quickly with the higher resolution cameras.
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Here is a nice review of Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 on youtube by cameralabs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g4icsP8kRE
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I think I will buy the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 hybrid camera when more positive reviews are available, probably in April. It has stereo sound recording, usable zoom while taking video and 3" 460K resolution LCD. The only minor drawback with it is it does not support manual mode. There is no RAW mode too at this time, but that's software and they can easily add that later in new firmware. It also costs about $50 more than the SX200. Of course the SX1 IS is better, but that is a different class of camera and too bulky for light traveling.
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I'm a bit of a lens snob too, being a contax shooter. I bought the Lumix fz50 for my wife and it arrived yesterday, and let me tell you, it is fantastic; best digital camera I've ever held. We considered the nikon d80, but my wife preferred the LCD preview on the Lumix, and although it is easy to use, the manual options are versatile. FZ50 is not lighter than the nikon, but on the other hand, it has a 420mm Leica lens, so it does the job of two lenses.The price is incredibly low, I think because once you get out of the 300 dollar range, people think they need skip over to a DSLR. They're wrong! Lumix provides all you need with a Leica lens. I'm a bit of a lens snob too, being a contax shooter. I bought the Lumix fz50 for my wife and it arrived yesterday, and let me tell you, it is fantastic; best digital camera I've ever held. We considered the nikon d80, but my wife preferred the LCD preview on the Lumix, and although it is easy to use, the manual options are versatile. FZ50 is not lighter than the nikon, but on the other hand, it has a 420mm Leica lens, so it does the job of two lenses.The price is incredibly low, I think because once you get out of the 300 dollar range, people think they need skip over to a... » Read More I'm a bit of a lens snob too, being a contax shooter. I bought the Lumix fz50 for my wife and it arrived yesterday, and let me tell you, it is fantastic; best digital camera I've ever held. We considered the nikon d80, but my wife preferred the LCD preview on the Lumix, and although it is easy to use, the manual options are versatile. FZ50 is not lighter than the nikon, but on the other hand, it has a 420mm Leica lens, so it does the job of two lenses.The price is incredibly low, I think because once you get out of the 300 dollar range, people think they need skip over to a DSLR. They're wrong! Lumix provides all you need with a Leica lens. « Show Less
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The previous model went to F8.0 and it also took the same memory card size. The previous model shot raw and jpg but I see no mention of raw on the Olympus website for this camera. I'd like to see some photos at 26x before I buy it. There are only 2 things that bother me about the previous Olympus ultra-zoom and that is the 4 batteries - I'd much rather have a battery pack as it's easier to insert and close the battery cover and that if you take a photo using the viewfinder, the finished image still flashes on the LCD screen. Took me a long time to not be distracted by that.
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I find it frustrating that the. Sx40 does not take pictures fast enough. I don,t want to use burst mode. After reading that it has 1 sec. Between shots which is a built in feature I m. Thinking of returning it for one that can shoot faster. Any suggestions oncameras that shoot faster and are just as good?
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Hi, I was wondering if you could elaborate more on your response? I am trying to decide between these two cameras. I love the look of the Lumix photos taken in good lighting, but I have read many reviews commenting on the weakness of the Lumix in low-light situations. I read one person's comment that they returned their Lumix ZR3 for a Canon SD940 to have better overall quality of photos regardless of the lighting situation. Can you tell me what your experience has been with this?
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blanchedebeaulieu, The FH20 is a much newer camera with more developed technology. The number of megapixels has little to do with the quality of the camera or the pictures from the camera. The size (and quality) of the sensor are far more important and I believe each of these cameras has the same sensor. With the FH20 you'd be getting a newer camera, with greater zoom, new instead of refurbished and for less money. While I think each of the cameras would prove satisfactory to you, I don't think there is really any doubt- go with the FH20. Also, I haven't read anywhere of anyone complaining about a Panasonic lens, whether it's licensed from Leica or not. I'd put more faith in the Amazon guarantee and Panasonic warranty than the label on the lens (For what it's worth, I often buy refurbished- computers, ipods, ipod speakers- and the only time I've had a problem was with a refurbished camera. Sure, it's a small sample size, but I wouldn't recommend refurbished in this category). Hope my experience helps you.
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Hello Amy. I see that you've not gotten a reply yet for a few days. I own the Canon SX130is camera that is nearly identical to that of the next version, the SX150is. I even owned the previous model of mine now, SX120is. THe only reason for the upgrade was to get HD video and stereo sound. Other than that, I loved that camera too. I've not studied the others you are deciding on but just looked them over. THere's not a "night & day" major difference between them. Differences of 2x zoom power is not major IMHO. Frames per second in burst mode shooting is. Size may be a factor too. But I can tell you why I like my camera. A manual flip up flash allows unmistakeable control over the flash and keeps the camera from waisting power charging for a flash that you didn't need for that shot. The option of complete manual settings is a must. And the advantage of using AA batteries gives you limitless flexibility of power. Don't let the negative reviews tell you that you cannot take lots of photos with this camera. If you get some high capacity rechargable batteries and enough for an extra set, you'll be good. Several here have recommended Sanyo Eneloop brand cells. That they come precharged and hold that charge for extended periods of storage time. A friend of mine used them and swears by them. I use Ansmann 2850 mAh batteries (which are higher capacity) and they give me nearly 200 more shots in my Canon SX20is than what is rated in the camera manual.
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The manual is available on line so you can research your own particular use.http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/LUMIX+Digital+Cameras/Compact+Cameras/DMC-LF1/Manuals/12501956/index.html
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I believe it's only 3X, not much. I sold the 14-42mm and bought a 14-45mm since it's a much better lens (metal mount instead of plastic, smooth zoom instead of sticky zoom). To offset the zoom problem I got a 45-150mm lens which covers my needs and produces very good pictures, even at max zoom. A good all-in-one zoom lens giving extensive zoom range would be very expensive for this camera -- you can get great zoom range in a fixed lens camera but you lose out with a lower resolution range [see Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ70 16.1 MP Digital Camera with 60x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black) (I wanted a lens that would be usable up to ISO 3200/6400, which the G5 does very well). I believe it's only 3X, not much. I sold the 14-42mm and bought a 14-45mm since it's a much better lens (metal mount instead of plastic, smooth zoom instead of sticky zoom). To offset the zoom problem I got a 45-150mm lens which covers my needs and produces very good pictures, even at max zoom. A good all-in-one zoom lens giving extensive zoom range would be very expensive for this camera -- you can get great zoom range in a fixed lens camera but you lose out with a lower resolution range [see Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ70 16.1 MP Digital... » Read More I believe it's only 3X, not much. I sold the 14-42mm and bought a 14-45mm since it's a much better lens (metal mount instead of plastic, smooth zoom instead of sticky zoom). To offset the zoom problem I got a 45-150mm lens which covers my needs and produces very good pictures, even at max zoom. A good all-in-one zoom lens giving extensive zoom range would be very expensive for this camera -- you can get great zoom range in a fixed lens camera but you lose out with a lower resolution range [see Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ70 16.1 MP Digital Camera with 60x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black) (I wanted a lens that would be usable up to ISO 3200/6400, which the G5 does very well). « Show Less
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Everyone complains about the "crowded" MPs on a "small" sensor, but can't you just take lower MP pictures and still take advantage of the upgraded features of the SX30IS? That is, you don't have to use ALL 14.1 MPs to take pics. You can scale picture size back in the settings (at least in the older model I have) and get higher "quality" pics (less noise but a smaller picture). I think this is something critics should keep that in mind. A 35X is a great attraction, especially for a sports fanatic like me who takes pics from far away at some events and 720p video is as well. Everyone complains about the "crowded" MPs on a "small" sensor, but can't you just take lower MP pictures and still take advantage of the upgraded features of the SX30IS? That is, you don't have to use ALL 14.1 MPs to take pics. You can scale picture size back in the settings (at least in the older model I have) and get higher "quality" pics (less noise but a smaller picture). I think this is something critics should keep that in mind. A 35X is a great attraction, especially for a sports fanatic like me who takes pics from far away at some events and 720p video... » Read More Everyone complains about the "crowded" MPs on a "small" sensor, but can't you just take lower MP pictures and still take advantage of the upgraded features of the SX30IS? That is, you don't have to use ALL 14.1 MPs to take pics. You can scale picture size back in the settings (at least in the older model I have) and get higher "quality" pics (less noise but a smaller picture). I think this is something critics should keep that in mind. A 35X is a great attraction, especially for a sports fanatic like me who takes pics from far away at some events and 720p video is as well. « Show Less