Panasonic Lumix TZ3 or Canon SD800? Want a 28mm wide angle (less interested in the telephoto), compact rather than subcompact. Looked at both in stores, similar price. Cannot decide. My first digital so do not care about the manual controls too much. I use a lot the wide angle lens in my film cameras Panasonic Lumix TZ3 or Canon SD800? Want a 28mm wide angle (less interested in the telephoto), compact rather than subcompact. Looked at both in stores, similar price. Cannot decide. My first... » Read More Panasonic Lumix TZ3 or Canon SD800? Want a 28mm wide angle (less interested in the telephoto), compact rather than subcompact. Looked at both in stores, similar price. Cannot decide. My first digital so do not care about the manual controls too much. I use a lot the wide angle lens in my film cameras « Show Less
1056892
Mica,from my research the TZ3 is the only camera with the wide angle and a 10x zoom. Add in the other features including the 3" monitor and you have a camera in a class by itself. If your the type that likes to have some flexibility in your camera settings then this is the unit for you. The TZ3 is in a class by itself for a point and shoot in this price range. No comparrison to any other cameras....
1056893
My boyfriend has the Canon & I just got the Lumix. I prefer the Lumix, it's easier to switch to different light situations because of the dial on the top. But he prefers the Canon because it's slightly smaller & fits in his pocket. I have to admit, his camera is much slimmer, but I still prefer my own.
814961
I had a Canon PowerShot SD800, which also has a wide angle lens. In my opinoin, WIDE ANGLE is WAY MORE VALUABLE than higher zoom. I find that I often "can't back up far enough" to get the shot I want ... for many situations, wide angle is super useful. Zoom doesn't help nearly as much.. you're likely to get blur, etc. I'm now searching for a reaplacement and I will ONLY buy one with wide angle. I'd recommend the same for you. thx
1578626
I highly recommend you put this question in the Nikon forum on photo.net. Experts there can give you a better answer than me. Most seem to agree that the TC 1.4 III is a very good telecom better but the majority think the 2.0 is not so good. Personally I have both and have had good success with them. The 800 mm lens is a beast and can only work with a good tripod which will add at least a $1000 to the final price. IThe size and weight mean you have to be very committed if you are going to take this lens into the field. A good prime like the f2.8 300mm is about as much as I would be prepared to use if I were walking about with the camera. It is even possible to do hand held shooting with a lens like this, though tiring, and you get good results with the TCd. Good luck with your photography.
552822
I have been tossing and turning over this very same dilema. After MUCH research, I have settled on the sd800 for the following reasons: #1- The .28 wide angle lens (great to have indoors and for group shots!!) #2- 7.1mp is PLENTY! Don't get up in the more mp is more trap! It just slows down picture taking, transferring and printing. Unless you are literally making posters, it is impossible to distinguish any difference between 7mp and 8mp. #3- The 2.5" screen looks huge in person, but the 3" (which I thought I wanted) leaves no room for your right thumb. This might sound stupid, but I've held both cameras, and it felt like I had to really work to keep my thumb off of that 3" screen (again, avoid the "more is more" draw). These, along with the price were enough to tip the scale for me. Hope this helps!
1442810
I agree with Pishkado, the specs on this camera are everything I have been looking for and more. However, the P80 has not received rave reviews and this may be pushing the pixel-count envelope even more. I have had 3 DSLR's (Canon 10D, 20D, and 30D) and the IQ has been outstanding...but the cost of the bodies and lenses plus the "lug factor" is more than I want to endure now. The superzoom that has my eye right now is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K and I almost pulled the trigger on it when I saw the P90 announcement. I will also wait for the reviews and if they are disappointing, the Lumix will be my choice. I agree with Pishkado, the specs on this camera are everything I have been looking for and more. However, the P80 has not received rave reviews and this may be pushing the pixel-count envelope even more. I have had 3 DSLR's (Canon 10D, 20D, and 30D) and the IQ has been outstanding...but the cost of the bodies and lenses plus the "lug factor" is more than I want to endure now. The superzoom that has my eye right now is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K and I almost pulled the trigger on it when I saw the P90 announcement. I will also wait for the reviews and if they are disappointing,... » Read More I agree with Pishkado, the specs on this camera are everything I have been looking for and more. However, the P80 has not received rave reviews and this may be pushing the pixel-count envelope even more. I have had 3 DSLR's (Canon 10D, 20D, and 30D) and the IQ has been outstanding...but the cost of the bodies and lenses plus the "lug factor" is more than I want to endure now. The superzoom that has my eye right now is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K and I almost pulled the trigger on it when I saw the P90 announcement. I will also wait for the reviews and if they are disappointing, the Lumix will be my choice. « Show Less
1055795
Amazon asked that I reply to you so I guess I must.I sold this lens and the Panasonic camera about 4 years ago. It did not do much for me. I am much happier with a good DSLR and telephoto lenses. Sorry I cannot be of more help.
844348
I was all set to buy the SX200 and have been a die-hard Canon fan for many years, but I am not ready to dismiss the ZS3. Yes the camaralabs.com review (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/index.shtml) talks about the focus issue on the ZS3 but overall the review is very favorable and it is unclear whether it is an issue in all situations or just the challenging scene in the sample video. Furthermore the Canon SX200 not only does not zoom during video, but auto focus is disabled altogether in this mode. I think I would rather have my focus hunt a little than go completely out of focus as the subject moves. I was all set to buy the SX200 and have been a die-hard Canon fan for many years, but I am not ready to dismiss the ZS3. Yes the camaralabs.com review (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/index.shtml) talks about the focus issue on the ZS3 but overall the review is very favorable and it is unclear whether it is an issue in all situations or just the challenging scene in the sample video. Furthermore the Canon SX200 not only does not zoom during video, but auto focus is disabled altogether in this mode. I think I would rather have my focus hunt a little than go... » Read More I was all set to buy the SX200 and have been a die-hard Canon fan for many years, but I am not ready to dismiss the ZS3. Yes the camaralabs.com review (http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/index.shtml) talks about the focus issue on the ZS3 but overall the review is very favorable and it is unclear whether it is an issue in all situations or just the challenging scene in the sample video. Furthermore the Canon SX200 not only does not zoom during video, but auto focus is disabled altogether in this mode. I think I would rather have my focus hunt a little than go completely out of focus as the subject moves. « Show Less
1563170
Ok. I ended up trying both Canon SX200 and Panasonic ZS1. I didn't get the ZS3 because the price is much more for functions that aren't important to me. I decided that I am still better off with a point and shoot so I returned SX200 and kept ZS1. Although some of the shots came out great from the SX200 after doing some manual adjusting, I can't afford to take that much time for every shot on my trips. The auto function of Canon is very poor and that makes it rather inconvenient. ZS1 quality is similar but easier to use when there isn't enough time to take pictures. I like it so far.
209419
I really like the Panasonic ZS30. I do not have the Fuji f900, although I've heard nice things about it. Google www.dpreview.com. I think they have professional reviews of both cameras. Might also try www.whatdigitalcamera.com. Another good place for professional reviews is www.cameralabs.com. If you go to www.whatdigitalcamera.com, it is a British magazine, and the ZS30 is known as the TZ40 in Europe - same camera. Both the Fuji and the Panasonic are highly rated. Another option to consider - Panasonic has announced that the ZS40 - next upgrade - will be coming out in March. It will have a 30X zoom, RAW shooting, and EVF, and several other new features. Might want to check that one out if you can wait a bit.
2038468
I have the same problem. I like the Nikon but it just came out. The Panasonic has very good reviews including the zs1. I believe the zs1 is just as good of a camera as the zs3 except for video. I would still like some opinions on the nikon s8000 vs panasonic zs1 or zs3.
1950936
Your responses have been very helpful! I have always used Sony cameras and when looking to upgrade to a good zoom, I find Sony does not have a date stamp on any of their higher end cameras :-( so I'm looking to Panasonic. My question to you is - will this Panasonic FZ18 do well when just set to automatic when used for zooming? I like GOOD pictures...but don't like fiddling with the camera and losing the "moment." Also, what is the difference between OPTICAL zoom and DIGITAL zoom? Thank you.
1700217
Depends what you mean by "good." :) The T3i is a crop-sensor camera, so the 28mm doesn't give you as wide an angle as it would on a full-frame. However, from what I can tell, this is the best low-light wide angle lens available for Canons. It's a great lens for photographing children or pets indoors. This is the primary lens I have on my T2i. If you're interested in portrait work (of people), or low-light photography, this is really the lens you want. I imagine you already have the 18-55mm kit lens, so you have something wider-angle for outdoor or brightly-lit places.
287141
I don't think the T300 is in the same class as the G10 and LX3, in terms of features and image quality. I'm a Canon guy and I really wanted to get the G10. But it was a marginal improvement over the G9. And the low light performance is still lacking. I tend to shoot a lot of indoor and night time pics, so the LX3 was a better choice for me. But if you're more of an outdoor daylight shooter, the G10 blows the LX3 away. And I have to say that Canon has a better menu system and user interface. The Panasonic UI takes some getting used to. I would highly recommend browsing through Flickr to get an idea of the image quality that comes from each of the cameras. It should help you decide on the best camera for your needs. And Amazon uses automated scripts to adjust pricing. If a Marketplace reseller offers it for a lower/higher price, the Amazon price will drop/increase by X dollars. So if you're looking for the best price from Amazon, it helps to be a little obsessive and check every half hour or so. :-)
2018169
I went to the camera store today to compare these two cameras and came away with a definite lean toward the FZ18 vs the TZ3. The three big negative factors for the TZ were: 1. There was significant color blurring (red text on white background) when magnifying comparable shots (the FZ was clean); the compression noise was also significantly higher on the TZ3. 2. The image stabilization on the TZ3 at 12X zoom was WAY inferior to the FZ18 at 18X. I had a LOT of trouble getting one clear shot out of 10 tries at 12X with the TZ3, while the FZ18 gave perfect 18X images 9 out of 10 times. I don't know why this might be, and I checked all the settings on both cameras to be sure I wasn't comparing apples to oranges, but these results are real. 3. The TZ3 does not have a viewfinder and I have found that in bright sunlight outdoors a viewfinder is a huge plus. All this said, the TZ3 is still a nice camera for the size - it is pocketable (in baggy pants) while the FZ18 is not. -- Just my 2 cents. _eric
844344
By the way, Panasonic.com doesn't have much info on the ZS3. But Panasonic.net has an entire minisite for it! If you haven't checked it out, here's the link below. Very impressive that they spent so much time providing detailed info. Says a lot about their commitment to the product and consumer segment.http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/compact/zs3_tz7/index.html
11416
well, the TZ3 is more for outdoor/good light photos.... its bad for low-light(because the flash is weak, and the anti-noise algorithm employed by the processor for high-ISO blurs out fine detail)..... consider your priorities.... zoom, type of surrounding for shooting, size, price...
1940851
Thanks again. I'll be deciding by the end of the week, because I'll have to return the Canon by Saturday! Another thing re: the Panasonic is that you can attach certain lenses to it to extend the zoom and possibly some other stuff. I like that Idea. I love cameras with big wide lenses on them!Take care, and thanks for your thoughts.