Panasonic Lumix Digital Cameras - How To Know When You're Buying a Good Camera

Panasonic Lumix Digital cameras have a very good reputation for quality "well built" cameras, reliability and sharp, clear pictures, even when taken in less than ideal conditions,.

Have you been to Best Buy lately? There are tons of cameras to choose from. They were not created equal. And price is not always a good indicator of quality. You are ahead if you buy one that doesn't suffer from one of the three most common digital camera problems. In this article I will go over these three problems and give you and what to look for before your next purchase. The 3 Problems are:

1. Low Light

2. Speed

3. Image Quality

You don't have to be a professional to want your digital camera to take good photos even if the light is not perfect. You might not want professional quality photos of your 4th of July picnic or your nephew chasing your mother's cat up the Christmas tree, but I'm sure you don't want it to look like it was taken in the middle of the night or through a veil.

1. Low Light. Is not the only reason some cameras have poor image quality though. Yes, your computer photo program can fix some of the color problems, make them sharper. But there are limits. You need colors not to bleed, brown hair that's brown with no halo effect, green eyes that are green, and so on.is not always essential.

2. Speed. If you're like many people, though, you do have times when your kids or your pet does something funny and you want to take several photos one after the other. Before they stop. But if your camera has to catch its breath after every shot, you miss out on a lot of good memories.

3. Image Quality. Is the end results of your work. Poor Image Quality will give you distortion and poor sharpness with your pictures.

So, now that you know what the three main problems are with digital cameras, how do you avoid them?

You avoid them by buying a camera that doesn't have them. Some of the best ones are made by Panasonic. The Panasonic Lumix line is one of the most popular today.. You know a camera maker is doing great when they win the "Most Reliable Manufacturer" award given by a leading independent consumer magazine. Panasonic has won this award since 2006.. Or when a study of thousands of cameras finds that Panasonic cameras perform better for longer as happened in 2010.

The ranking was: Panasonic, Fujifilm, Olympus, Sony and Canon. So, you're better of with a Panasonic camera. The difference between the others is really slight. The difference between Panasonic cameras and Fujifilm is pretty significant. The difference between Panasonic and the #10 is huge. (Casio cameras, ranked #10, has a failure rate that's more than two times that of Panasonic cameras.) It doesn't matter if you're talking Panasonic Lumix digital cameras or traditional ones.

The cheaper the camera, the more likely it is to have problems. And that's true for all cameras. So, if you can afford to spend a few more dollars, do.

So, the odds are very good that you're not going to run into one of the three most common problems digital cameras tend to have if you go with a Panasonic Lumix Digital Camera. Price-wise, they make cameras from entry-level ones to the super expensive, super-professional ones. The odds are good that you won't have problems with Fujifilm and the other that immediately followed Panasonic in the 2010 study.

The Panasonic Lumix Digital Cameras Or the Canon SX30 IS are both superb digital cameras. Their popularity is growing by leaps and bounds. they have Stereo Sound (Canon is known to excel with their Super Zoom). Both of these cameras are excellent choices and will greatly help to eliminate the 3 Main Digital Camera Complaints.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10MP Digital Camera Review

Design: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 fits in an attractive, compact body and comes in blue, silver, black and red, featuring a large 3-inch LCD. Weighing in at 7.7 ounces with dimensions of 2.4 inches by 4.1 inches by 1.3 inches, the camera would fit nicely in a jacket pocket. The shutter has switched places with the mode dial but this feels more natural. A mode switch dial allows you to go from camera and movie modes to program exposure modes.

Specifications: With 10MP and a 12x Optical zoom the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 packs a little bit more power with the same angle of view for 16:9 and 4:3 aspect modes. The lens covers a nice focal range, 25-300mm-equivalent, with maximum aperture at f3.3-4.9. The camera offers a 1280x720 30fps (720p) HD video in AVCHD Lite with stereo and a mini HDMI output. The Intelligent ISO allows ISO 400, ISO 800 or ISO 1600 with a minimum shutter speed setting of 1 second to 1/200 of a second..

Features & Performance: While the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 offers basic exposure compensation, macro, flash, and self-timer modes, it will also automatically choose standard or tele-macro zoom. The camera's Q menu offers options for LCD brightness, aspect ratio, picture size, intelligent exposure, white balance, ISO sensitivity, AF mode and burst shooting. Performance-wise it powers on and shoots in about 2.3 seconds. Focus time is 0.5 second in good light, and 1.1 seconds in dimmer conditions. Shot-to-shot takes a bit more than 2 seconds with burst mode from 1.9 to 2.3 frames per second. Photo quality is quite good for its class. The images taken on these cameras have excellent color, are well saturated and sharp. All in all, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is the perfect upgrade from point-and-shoot enthusiasts who want an automatic model with more power.

Underwater Digital Camera Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3

Fresh out the technology gate, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 is already turning heads and raising eyebrows, not to mention flying off the shelves. The third generation of the TS series, the camera itself is designed for the active lifestyle (or maybe just the careless college kid) and has more features than can fit on the box.

First and foremost, the Lumix TS3 is an underwater camera. There are a lot of cameras out there for the more active, outdoors crowd - but they aren't meant for under water. The Lumix TS3 is a waterproof digital camera up to 40 feet, making it great for snorkeling and boat trips, but not for diving. The underwater digital functionality of the Lumix TS3 is one of four main selling points for the rugged camera. Additionally, the TS3 is a shockproof camera up to 6.6 feet, according to the MIL-STD 810F Method 516.5-Shock test standard. Essentially that just means the camera is internally prepared to withstand a fall from a moderate distance. It still gets dings and the lens is capable of scratches, but the vital components of the camera are safe.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 is also a dustproof digital camera to the IP6X standard, meaning the finer particles of dust stay out of the chassis of the camera during hikes, sports, and beach trips (though leaving it in the sand still isn't a smart idea). The fourth major feature of the camera's durability is its ability to withstand cold temperatures: the Lumix TS3 is a freeze-proof digital camera down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, a normal temperature for activities like skiing.

The GPS function on the shockproof digital camera shouldn't be confused with a common location-finding feature. Rather, it's more for geo-tagging the exact location of where the photo was taken. The GPS initially takes a while once booted up, so it's not something to do in a hurry. But it is fully functional (particularly in open areas) along with the compass, altimeter, and barometer. And not a common feature found on an underwater digital camera.

But regardless of ruggedness, the most important part of a camera should always be the picture quality. With some setting adjustments, the 12.1 megapixel underwater digital camera with a LEICA DC 28mm wide-angle lens takes wonderful outdoor pictures and fantastic 1920 x 1080 AVCHD video. But there are distinct drawbacks.

The flash is either on or off, and that leads to extremely flash-washed pictures in low-light situations. The IAuto mode and Active Outdoor Scene modes lend greater functionality to the generally abysmal point-and-shoot automatic modes, though the best decision is to always find the proper settings manually. The IAuto mode is geared towards outdoors shots, so it can lead to grainy photos otherwise, thanks to the high isolation and fast shutter speeds. That being said, the fast-motion action pictures with this waterproof digital camera are exceptional to anything else in the market, thanks in part to the high-speed CCD sensor and Venus Engine FHD.

The 3D photo mode feels like more of a gimmick and less of a practical feature, though it is available for a user with time to take the 20 panning shots necessary - and the VIERA 3D television at home to view it on. The Lumix TS3 does offer some incredible shutter speed options for night shots - up to a 60-second exposure - that are rare for regular point-and-shoots, much less an underwater digital camera. The 2.7-inchd LCD screen minimizes glare but still doesn't do the pictures justice. The best results always come after being cleaned up a little on the computer, though the white balance, auto-focus features, and other quick adjustments made available on this underwater digital camera do allow for the user to take great pictures pre-final adjustments.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 is the top in its class for a handheld camera. But it's also in a rare class. It's an underwater camera, a shockproof camera, a dustproof camera, and a freezeproof camera. And after all that, it's still a great digital camera - for the right lifestyle. The versatility of the camera does lead to some sacrifices when it comes to basic indoor shooting, but the overall quality, durability, and feature-list of the Lumix DMC-TS3 makes it the best choice for an active owner.