I plan to buy this camera, since i broke my other one and I don’t want to spend more than 300 USD coz now we’re changing cameras every 18 months or so…has anyone used it?? What do the Pros think?
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3/4505-6501_7-33543456.html?tag=mncol;lst;1
Thanks.
I’m interested to hear people’s thoughts on this camera as well. The Lumix zs3 was the camera I had decided on last year when I lost my previous camera. Based on the reviews I read it seemed like the best pocket sized camera for my purposes. But at that time I couldn’t find anyone at Guanghua or Nova or anywhere else that I looked that had them in stock, and because I wanted a new camera right away (my kid’s kindergarten “graduation” was the next weekend) I ended up going with what was the 2nd choice based on my research – the Canon SX200.
Overall I’ve been fairly happy with the Canon, but it has a couple drawbacks that bug me: (1) no dedicated video capture button (which the Lumix has, on the Canon you have to spin the mode wheel every time between stills and video), and (2) no optical zoom while shooting video (which the Lumix also has, and to me is a massive drawback on the Canon).
My Canon also now has a couple scratches in the lens as well, so at some point before too long I’ll probably be looking for a replacement. So right now I’m wondering whether to go for the zs3 or (a) maybe wait for whatever the next generation of the zs3 is, or (b) maybe wait for the Sony NEX-5 (even though to be pocketable I’d have to go with the non-zoom lens for the NEX-5).
threadjacking! 
Been there done that meself.
give me your opinions people, I needs me a camera.
It’s a solid point and shoot camera. I used my friend’s ZS3 before, it’s just during the night times you would need to adjust a few settings for different situations. Besides that, this is a great camera! HD video is not too shabby either, but can have oddball adjustments if you move from different color tone rooms while recording.
Tons of sample photos found at Flickr here… http://www.flickr.com/cameras/panasonic/dmc-zs3/
Thanks. Appreciate it! That’s what I thought.i really don’t need night time shots, mostly capturing the children’s activities is what I do, so it sounds OKay!!
I have that camera. It’s good.
What about this Panasonic?
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35
I’ve had a Lumix for several years… it’s really good so I was thinking of upgrading to this model.
Kenneth
I really like Lumix cameras. I currently have the DMC - FX65. It’s a bit smaller (I think) than the one you’re looking at and the features are different but it’s perfect for what I want it for (a camera that reliably takes decent shots with an OK zoom and fits in my jeans pocket).
My previous Lumix was stolen when someone broke into our apartment but I’d had it for more than 2 years with no problems. The battery on both cameras lasts for ages and they both take good shots in poor light so I’d assume this goes for all Lumix cameras. The lens is good and the screen has very good picture quality. The videos aren’t bad either with reasonable sound. It’s way better than my boyfriend’s similarly priced Nikon.
I definitely recommend Panasonic Lumix cameras, choosing the right model comes down to what you want to use it for. I also found that price varied considerably depending on where I went. I got the best price at a small camera store away from the city center where I could bargain with them, although it probably just depends where it’s on sale at the time.
Darn!!! :fume: The camera is out of stock of th 3c stores. They took it off the shelves to promote the ZS7 which is like 15K…grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…one week too late.
Did you try Bo-Ai Road, Nova or the computer market?
Can you order online?
shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item … R&ROWNO=14
shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item … 0&ROWNO=11
shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item … I&ROWNO=24
shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item … Z&ROWNO=14
ZS7 for 12k monday.com.tw/gdsale/gdsale.asp?gdid=2106738
Saw it at NOVA -the ZS3- but it was like 14 thousand.
Thanks Icon and Lost Swede.
Do you think buying online is safe as in original stuff and undamaged etc.?? I don’t really know. The prices online reflect the 3c prices. Thanks again!!!
I bought my previous camera from PCHome and it arrived brand new in a box, so I don’t see why there should be a problem buying online. Some are grey imports though, usually the really cheap ones.
[quote=“divea”]Thanks Icon and Lost Swede.
Do you think buying online is safe as in original stuff and undamaged etc.?? I don’t really know. The prices online reflect the 3c prices. Thanks again!!![/quote]
I use a 7-11 to make payment in cash, get my receipt, and ship it to a 24/7-stay-at-home-friend for PC Home. Been working fine for me this year! Wished the USA had a similar payment system - always felt uneasy using credit card online.
Thank you all. I finally bought my camera today. Didn’t buy the ZS3, coz mostly it has been phased out. I got the ZR3…same features more or less, good video quality, 14 Megapix, looks nice. My first panasonic camera and I am happy it has a Leica lens. So snappity snap I go.
Divea -
Congrats. It probably has so many cool features on it that it will take you a year just to learn them all.
Digi cameras now are so easy to use and give such good results that you will be very happy.
And “film” is really really cheap!.. :discodance:
(thats a joke)
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Divea -
Congrats. It probably has so many cool features on it that it will take you a year just to learn them all.
Digi cameras now are so easy to use and give such good results that you will be very happy.
And “film” is really really cheap!.. :discodance:
(thats a joke)[/quote]
Thanks. It isn’t all that complicated, the ZS7 has an inbuilt GPS and manual settings for aperture and speed, not this one. It just has some good zoom capabilities and nice video settings.
Well film is cheaper these days, sometimes the husband uses his SLR and instead of getting prints made, he gets a CD done…but it’s only to use all the film he stocked up on
IMHO, Panasonic are a lot more user friendly and ergonomic than Canon or Nikon or any of the other big names. Leica lenses are heavy but boy, do they make up for it.
Told you mine was dropped, lense did not crack -even though the body was totalled. It was Frankesteinenized and volia, there it goes again.
We just bought the ZS3 last night.
As always, our lives are too hectic, time is too short, so we went to one isolated camera store nearby, after dinner, before my daughter’s bedtime, with our car double-parked in front of the store, so we were in a hurry, needed to look, compare, decide and buy, as my daughter squirmed, my wife complained and nervously peered at the car every few seconds and urged me to “just make a decision.”
So I did. I bought it and we got ripped off. Shouldn’t have bought it in such a hurry (we’ve made lots of big purchases, including my laptop computer in exactly the same circumstances) and shouldn’t have bought it there, as I already learned the proprietor is a liar.
He had shown me another model in its box, which seemed remarkably cheap, so I played with that model until (a) he eventually revealed that someone had purchased that camera and had it for two weeks and (b) I discovered a speck on the screen. I told him there appeared to be dust on the lens, so he looked at it, blew on the lens, looked at the LCD panel, wiped it with a rag, then concluded there appeared to be a flaw in the LCD panel. FUCKING LIAR! He ACTED like he only discovered then the flaw, but of course he knew damned well it was defective. He was faking it.
We should’ve walked out right then, but our time is so precious I didn’t want to waste another evening leaving work early to cross town and go shopping. And my wife was telling me “make a decision.” So I did. I bought the ZS3.
It looks like a great camera and I’m sure I’ll be very happy with it. I’m pleased, too, that it has a 3 yr warranty, because I don’t trust the bastard who sold it to me. But we got ripped off. I tried to bargain him down, but he wouldn’t budge. He threw in a free 8 gb card and a nice carrying box and a mini-tripod, but we paid NT$14,900.
My wife checked the internet afterwards and bitched and moaned. I told her fine, let’s return it. She says too much hassle and he won’t take it back. I told her then if that’s our decision no more bitching and moaning about it. If we keep it, that’s our decision and let’s move forward. I think we will.
Too bad about the crappy store and the high price, because it appears to be a really nice camera and I think we’ll be happy about it. In truth, though, the model below it (8X zoom instead of 12X zoom) probably would’ve been just fine, and it is smaller and lighter.