panasonic dmc-zs35w digital camera with 3.0-inch tft lcd review for sale

I purchased this camera in the hopes of using it as a decent travel camera on a recent trip to the Philippines. Based on it"s specs and mostly the ability to wireless transfer photos to my mobile devices, I took a chance on it. I was fully aware of the limitations of point and shoot cameras, having owned several in comparison to the DSLR"s I also owned, but I wasn"t looking to get really amazing shots on this trip, but certainly really good ones weren"t out of the question. However, in using the camera in a variety of situations (indoor, outdoor, low light, bright day), I would say that the results fell incredibly flat. Beyond the Programmed Auto mode (which was average at best), all of the other modes were consistently poor and inconsistent. In the lead for this poor performance was the HDR mode, which rendered somewhat average to poor landscape pictures, and absolutely terrible portrait pictures (all portrait pictures would have this "fake" skin tone). But by far the biggest issue I had with this camera was the incredibly slow performance of all menu and shooting functions. From start-up to first shot, it was always a minimum of 5 seconds. This is an infinite amount of time when your perfect moment could be gone that quickly. The same lag extended to switching camera modes as well. This became maddeningly frustrating many times during my trip, as I would have to wait for the camera to play catch-up, and often would miss the shot I had intended. I hope they can fix this with a firmware update in the future, but considering many of the "reviews" I"ve read on this, it"s not looking like there is enough negative feedback to make this happen any time soon.

After years of using Canon products, my first foray into another manufacturer"s camera was sorely disappointing, and probably one mistake I will be careful to avoid in the future.

We tested the camera’s ability to produce accurate colors by using it to photograph an industry standard color chart. The chart, manufactured by color gurus GretagMacbeth, shows 24 colors from around the spectrum. Imatest analyzed the images of the chart and output the following depiction to show the variations in color. The inner vertical rectangle of each tile shows the ideal colors from the original GretagMacbeth chart, the outer frames show what the Panasonic TZ3 produced, and the inner squares show the ideal color corrected for luminance by the software.

Colors are generally close to what they should be, but to get a better idea of how correct or erroneous colors are the following graph is provided. It shows each of the 24 colors around the spectrum. The ideal colors are shown as squares and the TZ3’s colors are shown as circles. The line connecting the shapes shows the degree of error and saturation can be determined by the direction the camera’s color is moving. The outer edges of the frame are oversaturated while the center is undersaturated.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 performed extremely well. Hardly any of its colors are very far from where they should be. Its saturation is nearly perfect too at 101.3 percent. The camera’s 5.17 mean color error score is one of the best we’ve seen from a compact digital camera, and so is the overall 11.61 color score.

The presets didn’t perform as well as they should. Under cloudy outdoor light, the auto setting was more accurate. The same can be said of the other presets. The only preset that performed better than the auto setting was tungsten light, and both tungsten and auto weren’t very accurate anyway. The presets should generally be avoided. Either chance it with the auto setting or be sure with the custom setting.

The Panasonic TZ3’s 7.2-megapixel resolution is an upgrade from previous slim ultra-zoom models. We tested the TZ3’s resolution to see how effective it is at capturing all the details and nuances in our industry standard resolution chart. Using the TZ3, we photographed the chart at various exposure settings and uploaded the pictures to Imatest imaging software.

The software analyzed the images and selected the sharpest one, which was taken using an aperture of f/4.7 and a focal length of 20mm and the lowest ISO setting of 100. More descriptive numerical resolution results are output as units of line widths per picture height (lw/ph), which describes the number of alternating black and white lines of equal thickness that the sensor can detect across the frame without blurring them together.

The 7.2-megapixel TZ3 resolved 1729 lw/ph horizontally with 1.7 percent oversharpening and 1635 lw/ph vertically with 1.65 percent undersharpening. The earlier TZ1 oversharpened images, so this seems to have been addressed and fixed in this model. The TZ3 performs better than average for its pixel count and certainly better than its Lumix sibling, the 7.2-megapixel Panasonic FX50. That camera read 1342 lw/ph horizontally and 1232 lw/ph vertically.

Good news for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3: its 7.2 megapixels capture a good amount of detail, which puts it above average comparable digital cameras.

In the bright lighting of our studio, most cameras should automatically choose the lowest ISO setting possible. The TZ3’s automatic ISO setting instead chose ISO 200 and produced more noise than it should have in such nicely lit conditions. Think your bright outdoor pictures are perfectly clean? Think again – or use the manual ISO settings.

The noise is generally quite low. Even at the highest ISO 1250 only 1.7 percent of the image is speckled with noise, as opposed to 4 or 5 percent in many other compact digital cameras. There is a reason for this though. The TZ3 applies an in-camera noise reduction system between ISO 200 and 400, which accounts for the slight dip in noise on the chart.

The in-camera noise reduction has its drawbacks. When looking at the solid colors of the image up close, it looks like areas have been smoothed over, sacrificing details. Overall though, the noise reduction has a positive impact on high ISO images. Shots of faces taken with the TZ3 would bode well because of the smoothing and lack of color-noise.

*With the studio lights dimmed to 60, 30, 15, and 5 lux, we set out to determine how functional the camera is in imperfect lighting situations. We photographed the color chart in these low light conditions and ran them through Imatest software, which output the following pictures with the same tiles as in the color section above.

The Panasonic TZ3’s images are well-lit and accurate with the mean color error staying under 7.5. This is fantastic! The mean percentage of noise stayed under 2 percent, which is also pretty incredible for such dim conditions.

Long exposures are possible on this camera, but only at ISO 100 in the Night Scenery and Starry Night shooting modes. We test all of our long exposure tests at ISO 400, and this camera’s longest exposure at this setting is only 1 second. Thus, we’re skipping this portion of the low light review.

Nevertheless, whether you’re at a candlelit restaurant, fireworks show, or evening party, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 should provide well-lit, clean, and accurately depicted images.

We test the dynamic range of digital cameras by photographing a backlit Stouffer film step chart at different ISO settings. The Stouffer chart has a row of rectangles ranging from extremely bright to extremely dark. The ISO sensitivity directly correlates to the dynamic range of the image. Generally, the higher the sensitivity is boosted, the less detail and tones captured. Below is a chart showing the manual ISO settings on the horizontal axis and the number of exposure values captured on the vertical axis.

Surprisingly, the dynamic range actually increases from ISO 100 to 200 which is very uncommon. This was tested several times but the results came out the same every time. Both the 100 and 200 settings garnered excellent results at or above 8 exposure values. After 200 though, the dynamic range takes a steep dive and then continues its shallow dip into the lesser end of the range. The lesson to take from this test: if you want interesting photos with lots of dynamic range, limit your ISO selection to 100 or 200.

The Panasonic TZ3 takes its sweet time starting up and extending its lens before snapping its first shot. The official time came to 2.7 seconds, so have your camera on long before the action happens.

There are three burst modes on this digital camera. The high burst mode snaps 5 pictures in 1.5 seconds with each shot coming 0.4 seconds after the previous one. The low burst mode took the same 5-shot burst but at a more leisurely pace with each shot coming a half-second after the other. The infinite burst mode snapped pictures at the same half-second pace but recorded until the memory card was full. It’s unclear why Panasonic even includes the low burst when the infinite moves at the same pace and records for much longer.

This camera’s metering and auto focus system are slow. It took them 0.6 seconds to get their acts together and snap a picture. When the exposure is locked, though, things are snappy and the shutter lag is hardly measurable.

Under the same lighting we performed the color test, we shot footage of a video test chart. The colors weren’t as accurate as they were in still images; the mean color error shot to 13 and saturation to 116.4 percent. The average amount of noise remained fairly low at 0.385 percent of the image. This is actually quite good when compared to other compact digital cameras; most movie modes perform far worse than the still recording modes.

The image became much softer when the lights were dimmed to 30 lux. Colors suffered with a mean color error of 15.4. The inaccuracy of the color is one thing, the awful saturation is even worse. It dropped to only 63.2 percent, making the colors look extremely dull and lifeless. The average amount of noise jumped considerably to 1.26 percent of the image, more than in any of the still images even at the highest 1250 ISO setting.

Footage of the video test chart was loaded into Imatest software and analyzed much the same way still images are analyzed. The results are output in the same line widths per picture height (lw/ph) measurement too. The Panasonic TZ3 resolved 267 lw/ph horizontally with 17.3 percent undersharpening and 545 lw/ph vertically with 5.6 percent undersharpening. These numbers aren’t great and should still keep the camcorder market healthy.

Like most modern point-and-shoots, the Panasonic Lumix TZ3 lacks an optical viewfinder. Instead, the camera is equipped with a well-endowed 3-inch LCD screen. The LCD has a 100 percent field of view that enables users to accurately compose a frame when using the monitor; images shouldn’t cut off at the top or bottom the way other LCD viewfinders often do. The downside to a camera without a viewfinder is that users are forced to frame their photos using the LCD, which is a drain on battery power. To compensate, Panasonic includes Power Save and Auto Review modes that allows users to change the increments for how long the LCD or camera stays on.

Thanks to the large screen size and sufficient resolution, TZ3 will instantly get a nice view of their images following the shot. The images can be magnified by 16x, allowing users to check focus on-the-spot. A group of people huddled around the camera should be pleased with the large screen, though it does solarize slightly when viewed off-axis. The monitor showed significant solarization, however, when viewed at extreme vertical angles. Overall, the LCD is a nice feature with its large size, ample pixel resolution, and 100 percent field of view.

Equipped with flash functions for Auto, Auto and Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync and Red-eye Reduction, Forced On and Forced Off, the Panasonic TZ3 covers basic flash functions. Unfortunately, the camera does not have a soft flash mode that many point-and-shoots offer, which would have greatly benefited the TZ3’s overpowering flash.

Panasonic also adjusted the focal range on this camera. While the TZ3 and the older TZ1 both carry 10x zooms, the TZ3’s lens extends from f/4.6-46mm (equivalent to 28-280mm in traditional 35mm film format), while the TZ1’s optics provide a more-magnified 35-350mm equivalent focal range.

To assist the TZ3’s far-reaching zoom lens, Panasonic included optical image stabilization to reduce blur. Panasonic’s Intelligent Image Stabilization system - tagged MEGA O.I.S. - is an optical stabilization system designed to reduce handshake. The camera also offers Intelligent ISO Control, which boosts sensitivity to freeze moving subjects.

The zoom lens focuses at a range of 1.64 feet in normal mode and 6.56 feet – infinity in telephoto mode. With an aperture range from f/3.3 – 11, the lens provides ample depth of field for portraits or landscapes. The lens is constructed of 11 elements in 9 groups with 3 aspherical lenses, 4 aspherical surfaces, and 1 ED lens.

The Panasonic TZ3 isn’t the thinnest camera around, but then again, who said you have to be thin to be beautiful? The TZ3 has some curves to it and still retains an attractive look. The stainless steel body maintains a clean design that should make any owner of this compact camera proud. All the buttons, despite placement, are engrained well into the body with tight seals, supplying a reassuring click upon depression. The camera has an overall luxurious appeal, more in the vein of a four-door sedan, than a sporty two-seater.

Measuring 4.20 x 1.47 x 2.37 inches, the Panasonic TZ3 isn’t the smallest or largest compact camera around. The camera bridges the gap between a pocket-friendly point-and-shoot and a higher zoom compact camera. The TZ3 isn’t made to go clubbing with and won’t fit comfortably in a pants pocket. It is, however, portable enough to fit comfortably into a jacket pocket. The camera’s tight seals and covered port system will allow it to be securely transported.

At 8.16 ounces (about half a pound), the TZ3 is heavier than many point-and-shoots because of its metal exterior, but it is still light enough for any traveling backpacker. Its size and weight lends itself to active vacationers rather than socialites who like their cameras as tiny as their cell phones.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ3 handles well, especially compared to other point-and-shoots. The slopping right hand grip on the front of the camera and a small bump on the back provide sufficient support, especially for one-handed shooting and self-portraits. Handling would have received higher marks if Panasonic had included extra rubber gripping, but hey, we can’t always have it all. As usual with point-and-shoots, left-handed photographers will be out of luck. The lens is flush to the edge of the camera, making it difficult for users to place their left fingers there without obstructing the field of view.

The Panasonic TZ3’s menu system is easy on the eyes. With an effective color scheme (red for record, green for play) and easy-to-read font, the menu interface makes navigating the camera’s functions simple.

When the mode dial is set to the record mode, the camera displays two tabbed menus: (1) Rec (for Record for exposure and focus controls), and (2) Setup (for camera settings). The menu uses a combination of text and icons. There are one-too-many text abbreviations that might have users scratching their heads. For instance, a user might have to stop for a second to realize that "Col. Mode" really means "Color." The menus also display icons that require the user to flip through the manual to decipher. For example, users are supposed to know that an icon of six squares with an arrow on top represents the Fine Quality setting.

The Panasonic TZ3 is a fairly easy to use camera right out of the box. With a target audience of advanced point-and-shooters, the camera fairs well for its handling and easy-to-read menu system. Improvements to the button placement and menu abbreviations would make a future edition of the camera a superior compact ultra-zoom.

Panasonic’s auto mode is called Simple mode, represented by a heart shape on the mode dial. As the name implies, the basic auto mode limits manual control so that users can shoot spontaneously without having to consider exposure details or the like. Simple mode uses fixed settings: auto white balance, Intelligent ISO , multi-pattern metering, and one-area AF.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ3 offers a good amount of control for recording videos. The camera captures QuickTime Motion movie files with sound in standard 4:3 aspect ratio or at wide 16:9. Users have the option to change file size and record at a standard 640x480, email resolution of 320x240, or a wide 848x480 resolution at either 10fps or 30fps, up to 2GB.

The TZ3’s movie mode provides smooth video recording with the option to change white balance setting and metering modes. Unfortunately, users cannot change the zoom or the focus once recording has started. Users can, however, set zoom and focus before video capture begins. There are no built-in editing movie functions like splicing, but users can record videos in black-and-white or sepia.

For those times when you spontaneously spot Bon Jovi at the library, a fast drive mode is necessary to catch as many pictures as possible. The Panasonic TZ3 offers three types of drive modes to take photos in succession. Users can access High speed, Low speed, and Free shooting (as Panasonic calls it), through the Record menu, Intelligent ISO, Macro, or Scene 1 and 2 menus.

With the exception of zoom, users can change most of the control options (such as image quality, white balance, and metering) in the drive modes. Burst speed is reliant on image size/quality and ISO sensitivity settings. ISO 400 or higher slows down the consecutive shooting - most likely due to the application of additional high ISO noise reduction. The camera’s High and Low speed shooting allows for full resolution shooting at 3fps or 2fps, respectively, at Fine or Standard quality. The Free mode allows for unlimited consecutive shooting at 2fps until the memory is full. A counter is displayed on the monitor, indicating the remaining storage space.

The benefit of the Panasonic TZ3’s updated 3-inch screen is that users can check out their photos on the spot. The playback mode can be accessed in two ways. First, users can view photos using the "Rev" (Review) button on the four-way controller, which accesses a limited playback mode, but offers quick access to view a photo while still in Record mode. Second, when the mode dial is set to Play, a full range of editing tools is available.

Users can view their images as 9 thumbnails, 25-thumbnail, calendar view, or as singles. As single photos, users can magnify images up to 16x, so they can check for focus and blinking eyes. Playback mode also includes built-in editing functions such as trim, rotate, and dual display, which gives a preview of two photos side-by-side.

With a healthy dose of 21 scene modes, the Panasonic TZ3 covers the basics with presets like Portrait and Landscape and then adds some interesting modes, including Aerial Photo and Underwater modes (to be used with an optional underwater housing case).

Panasonic also updated the scene modes with the addition of Sunset and Pet modes. The Pet mode is an interesting feature. Like the Baby1 and Baby2 scene presets, the camera documents the age of the child or animal after setting the subject’s birthday to the camera’s built-in clock/calendar. While EXIF data with time stamp information is already attached to every image, the pictures in Pet and Baby modes spell out the exact month and day of the subject’s age, such as "2 month, 19 days."

Users can access scene modes through Scn1 and Scn2 positions on the mode dial. Each preset mode is represented with an icon. Additional text descriptions of the modes - and even reminders - appear when necessary. The camera defaults to the last selected shooting mode before the user turned off the camera. The extensive list of presets is dispersed between two scene modes (Scn1 and Scn2). It’s not really necessary to have two scene modes, but the duo of settings reduces the number of buttons users need to push before getting the easy preset button mode that has their preferred combination of camera settings.

As with most point-and-shoots, the Panasonic Lumix TZ3 offers manual control of white balance, ISO sensitivity, metering, and AF settings. However, the camera does not offer control over shutter speed or aperture like higher-end compacts or SLRs.

Users have a fair amount of control over the auto focus system. With both single and continuous focus, users can switch between five settings: spot focusing, 1-area focus, 1-area high speed, 3-area, and 9-area. The camera is capable of focusing normally at 1.64 feet and beyond. Zoomed in, the camera can accurately focus at 6.56 feet to infinity or 1.96 feet to infinity when zoomed out.

The camera also offers a Macro focus mode, located on the top mode dial, for close up photos. With a focal range of 3.28 inches to infinity in telephoto macro mode, the camera effectively captures details at close range.

In practice, the TZ3"s auto focus system worked well in wide, normal, and macro shooting. The camera handled low light and low contrast scenes effectively, and was able to track moving subjects well in ample lighting.

Like the majority of point-and-shoots, this 10x optical zoom camera does not provide a manual focus setting. This is unfortunate since the TZ3"s large screen would offer an ideal focusing window.

The Panasonic TZ3 offers basic exposure control. It has a standard exposure compensation range of +/- 2 in 1/3 steps. With live preview, even beginners will be able to identify the exposure modes. As a safety net, there is also a bracketing option that takes 3 frames in succession at +/- 1 in 1/3 steps.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ3 offers a well-rounded metering system. The metering options are multi-pattern, center-weighted, and spot at 1, 3, or 9 points.

The Lumix camera offers a strange mix of white balance options. It has the basics - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, and Shade - but leaves out a fluorescent setting, a key setting that most point-and-shoots offer. Despite its lack of a fluorescent mode, the auto white balance still produced decent results under fluorescent lights.

The camera does offer a few advanced features. Uses can view white balance functions with the live preview without having to set it. The TZ3 also allows users to set white balance manually.

One of the TZ3’s biggest upgrades is its new Intelligent ISO system. Marked by the "I" icon on the mode dial, the Intelligent ISO system detects motion and sets the ISO and shutter speed accordingly, making the function ideal in fast-paced situations such as shooting sports or trying to capture running kids. With Intelligent ISO, the camera can focus at 0.16 feet from the subject in Macro or at 6.56 feet in Telephoto mode. There is a limit of ISO 400, 800, or 1250 when using the Intelligent ISO system.

Other ISO options are Auto (at 200 ISO), 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1250 at full resolution, a higher sensitivity setting that comes with the updated Venus Engine III processor. The TZ1’s ISO topped out at 800 (in auto mode), making the TZ3 more flexible in low-light.

The Panasonic TZ3 has automatic and manual shutter speed controls. Users can manually select from the following preset slow shutter options in the main menu: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 second. For automatic settings, the camera has a range of 8 to 1/2000 of a second or longer exposure settings of 15, 30, or 60 seconds in Starry Sky Mode. Like most self timer settings, the shutter speed is set for either 2 or 10 seconds, enough time for the photographer to jump into a group photo.

The Lumix TZ3 selects the aperture automatically. In wide shooting, the camera captures at f/3.3 – 8.0 (in 2 steps), allowing enough light to pass for accurate exposures at ISO 400 or more. In telephoto, however, the camera captures a limited f/4.9 – 11.0 (in 2 steps) that might have users boosting ISO sensitivity to compensate.

The Panasonic TZ3 has plenty of picture options, which are accessed through the main menu. Picture size depends on one of the three selected aspect ratio options:

Panasonic TZ3 users who want to experiment with shooting will be able to do so with the camera’s picture effects modes, available for still and video recordings. Color modes include Standard, Natural, Vivid, Cool, Warm, Black and White, and Sepia. This allows a user to shoot in black-and-white without having to convert color after capture through a computer editing program. There isn’t a dedicated contrast or hue mode, but the camera does offer the Vivid option to intensify color.

The Panasonic TZ3 comes with a motley crew of programs. The Lumix Simple Viewer 1.2E is an extremely basic organizer with a split-screen design. The left side of the screen displays thumbnail views of the photo collection, and the right side shows an enlarged view of the selected photo and extensive EXIF data. Photos can be divided by Latest Pictures, My Favorites (that can be selected in the camera) or by Date Folder. There is a Rotate function and Enlarge options for full-screen slideshows, but the program lacks other editing functions such as crop or red-eye fix, typically found in other basic software. While the program’s design is nice, it isn’t worth installing because of its limited capabilities.

The Panasonic TZ3 has a plastic hinged door on its right side to keeps its ports safe. Below the door is an AV Out port for television connection and DC In port for USB computer connection. We prefer to see rubber port covers on compact point-and-shoot models, since they"re generally more effective in keeping out dirt and moisture.

For users who want to bypass the computer altogether, the PictBridge-compatible Panasonic TZ3 comes with a convenient Print Mode feature, a dedicated print button on mode dial. Users can easily connect the camera to a PictBridge-compatible printer via a USB connection. The camera gives options for the number of prints, sizes, and layout. *

*The Lumix TZ3 is compatible with SD, SDHC, and MMC media. The camera also carries 12.7 MB of internal memory, which is enough to store 2 still 4:3 images at full resolution. The memory media shares a slot with the batteries.

Clipboard – Because this camera if marketed to the world traveler, the Panasonic TZ3 comes with a new Clipboard feature that captures text and graphics with image stabilization and high zoom, ideal for keeping timetables and maps stored on the camera. The Clipboard shoots at a fixed 4:3 aspect ratio and can record 5 seconds of audio, enough time to record "¿Donde está la cerveza?" attached to a map of the city. The Clipboard feature stores the images on the 12 MB of internal memory so that users can easily access the important information through the mode dial.

*World Clock / Travel Date *– This feature helps the globe trotter remember what day it is. With the world clock and travel date information, users can keep their photos accurately documented with correct time zones. The camera returns to a default Hometown clock once the travel date has expired.

Optional Underwater Housing – The Panasonic Marine Case (DMW-MCTZ3) can be purchased for an additional $259.95 to protect the camera during underwater shooting. The optional marine case weighs more than 7 pounds and allows for 120 feet of submergence.

With a price tag of $349, the Panasonic TZ3 is a good value for a select niche market of consumers looking for a small point-and-shoot with a longer, stabilized zoom lens. There are plenty of image-stabilized, 10x optical zoom cameras out there, but none retain the point-and-shoot simplicity and basic design of the TZ3.  It competes with tiny, itsy-bitsy point-and-shoots that don’t offer the high zoom, and heavier, SLR-styled compacts; however, no other camera currently offers its feature set in a point-and-shoot design.

Panasonic Lumix TZ1 – Bargain shoppers may also be interested in the Panasonic Lumix TZ1, which has similar features but not the high price tag. As the predecessor to the TZ3, the TZ1 carries a 5-megapixel count, less than the TZ3’s 7.2 megapixels. The TZ1, last year’s version of the TZ3, is fitted with the same 10x Leica lens with optical image stabilization. Although the TZ1 was introduced at the same initial price, it can now be found online for less. Users will have to forfeit the TZ3’s higher ISO settings of up to 3200 (at lower resolution) from the TZ1 maximum of 1600 ISO (at lower resolution) and a smaller 2.5-inch LCD screen versus the TZ3’s 3-inch display. The TZ1 is a viable option for consumers who want to 10x optically stabilized zoom lens, but don’t care about the newer Intelligent ISO Control or Clipboard feature.

Nikon Coolpix S10 – The 6-megapixel Nikon S10 had an introductory price of nearly $400, but Nikon has marked it down to the same price of the Panasonic TZ3 at $349. With the Nikon S10, users will gainWi-Fi capabilities, face priority, and a swiveling, but smaller 2.5-inch LCD screen. Both have 10x optical zoom with optical image stabilization, or as Nikon calls it, sensor-shifting "Vibration Reduction." The Nikon S10 also records video but lacks the wide 16:9 shooting of the Panasonic TZ3.

Point and Shooters – The Panasonic TZ3 is made for advanced point-and-shooters who may be looking for a longer zoom upgrade from their first digital camera. Basic users will also enjoy its automatic features, while mature point-and-shooters will also benefit from more control options.

*Budget Consumers *– The Lumix TZ3 falls in the mid-range, $300 category. It definitely isn’t the cheapest camera around since there are basic automatics that sell for about $100, but the TZ3 is a well-priced camera for a 10x optical zoom.

Gadget Freaks – Gadget lovers won’t be too impressed with the Panasonic TZ3, since other cameras offer similar features. The one thing that might grab their attention is the fact that the long lens camera can go underwater with the help of an optional marine housing.

*Manual Control Freaks *– Not so much. While the Lumix TZ3 has some controls for shooting aspect ratio, white balance, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity, the camera lacks Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority or full manual modes. Those who lust for full control should consider other compacts that offer more manual options.

Pros / Serious Amateurs – Serious hobbyists or professionals would have better luck with higher zoom compacts or SLRs, but they might consider the Panasonic TZ3 as a back up camera for vacationing.

As the follow-up camera to the TZ1, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 offers many improvements. Panasonic added an Intelligent ISO Control system, Clipboard function, wider focal length and higher ISO sensitivity. The Panasonic TZ3 fills a niche market of travelers who long for a high zoom that is still compact. This 10x zoom camera with optical image stabilization meets the need of advanced point-and-shooters who are looking for an upgrade to their first digital camera. With the option to purchase an underwater casing, the travel-friendly TZ3 is ideal for capturing photos in a variety of conditions. In terms of image quality, the TZ3 is far superior to its predecessor, displaying impressive color reproduction, wide dynamic range, and solid video performance. For consumers looking for a portable, automatic camera with a long, optically-stabilized lens, the TZ3 is one of the best values on the market.

Panasonic ZS35 features a 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 20× zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 24mm focal length on the wide end and remarkable super telephoto reach at 480mm.

Panasonic ZS35 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. ZS35 has a native ISO range of 100 - 3200 which can be boosted to 6400 but unfortunately, Panasonic ZS35 doesn"t have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Nikon Coolpix P7000 in the same price range.

Panasonic ZS35 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. GoPro Hero11 Black with its 27.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Panasonic ZS35 vs GoPro Hero11 Black or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Panasonic ZS35 has a Tilting 3.00-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 460k dots. Tilting screens are more photography oriented while Fully articulated screens are highly preferred by videographers. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

Unfortunately Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 doesn"t have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

ZS35 doesn"t have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 (Lumix DC-TZ200) (Compare) or Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) (Compare).

Panasonic ZS35 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11 b/g/n) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our ZS35. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

With Panasonic ZS35, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30p fps and save in and MPEG-4 formats. Full HD resolution of Panasonic ZS35 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

Microphones, Speaker and Headphone ConnectionsPanasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 has a built-in Mono microphone and a Mono speaker. On the other hand, Panasonic ZS35 doesn"t have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Nikon Coolpix P7000 in a similar price range.

If you are getting into videography and want to know what are the must-have video accessories for your camera, read our article:Panasonic ZS35 Other Features

Panasonic ZS35 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 21 points to choose from. Panasonic ZS35 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Panasonic ZS35 has a score of 28 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theZS35.

Panasonic ZS35 has a score of 64 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Panasonic ZS35 has a score of 23 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theZS35.

Panasonic ZS35 has a score of 58 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Panasonic ZS35 has a score of 22 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theZS35.

Currently, Panasonic ZS35 has an Overall Score of 42/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 is ranked #134 out of 631 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #670 out of 1255 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

Best Price Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) Best Price Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) User Reviews We recommend that you take the time to read as many of our Best Price Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) reviews as you can. Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) we recommend.

Best Price Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) Best Price Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) User Reviews We recommend that you take the time to read as many of our Best Price Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) reviews as you can. Panasonic DMC-ZS35W Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch TFT LCD (White) we recommend.

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Like its predecessor, the FZ80 is a ‘bridge’ camera that attempts to provide many of the handling and operational characteristics of an interchangeable-lens camera without the cost and lens changing hassles.

Many of the improvements featured in the FZ80 should appeal to casual snapshooters and movie recorders. Most significant among them are the inclusion of 4K video and Panasonic’s 4K Photo modes, for which you’ll need a UHS speed Class 3 SDHC or faster memory card to take advantage of them.

Although imaging performance results were a mixed bag, for a family snapshooter, young traveller or anyone who wants a simple, ‘go anywhere’ camera, the DC-FZ80 is light enough to be easily carried, compact enough to slip into a backpack and affordably priced for a 4K capable device.

Panasonic’s new Lumix DC-FZ80 is a welcome update to the popular FZ70, which was released in mid-June 2013 (and which we didn’t review). Like its predecessor, the FZ80 is an entry-level model that sits below the FZ300. Its sensor is still a 1/2.3-inch ‘type’ chip, but its resolution has increased from 16.1 to 18.1 megapixels and the new camera offers a formidable array of 4K Photo and movie modes.

Physically, the FZ80 closely resembles its predecessor, although it’s not quite as tall, marginally wider and 10 grams heavier. The lens is the same DC Vario 3.58-215mm f/2.8-5.9, which covers a focal length range equivalent to 20-1200mm in 35mm format. Its optical design  has 14 elements in 12 groups and includes six aspherical elements, nine aspherical surfaces and three ED elements. Panasonic’s Power O.I.S. stabilisation system is included.

Like its predecessor, the FZ80 is a ‘bridge’ camera that attempts to provide many of the handling and operational characteristics of an interchangeable-lens camera without the cost and lens changing hassles. It will therefore appeal to photographers who want a ‘do everything’ camera with minimal complications.

Many of the improvements featured in the FZ80 should appeal to casual snapshooters and movie recorders. Most significant among them are the inclusion of 4K video and Panasonic’s 4K Photo modes. However, you’ll need a UHS speed Class 3 SDHC or faster memory card to take advantage of them.

Other improvements to the camera’s capabilities and functionality that could make it appealing to purchasers are listed in the What’s New section below.

The 4K video and 4K Photo modes are likely to present the main appeal to new buyers, although equally important improvements have been made to other features and functions. The FZ80 supports 4K UHD video recording using the MP4 format with frame rates of up to 30fps plus a 100Mbps bit rate. The frame is cropped both top-to-bottom and horizontally in 4K movie mode and autofocusing speeds are reduced.

The maximum clip length is 15 minutes and recording will cease when the file reaches 4GB in size. A special 4K Live Cropping mode enables users to move a Full HD frame around a 4K frame while recording to simulate pans and zooms while leaving the camera in a fixed position.

There are two settings ““ 20 sec. and 40 sec.”“ which define the length of the movie clip. Because the recording is at Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, the quality loss associated with digital zooming doesn’t apply.

Panasonic’s 4K Photo shooting modes make their way into this entry-level model, among them the  4K Burst  mode which records 4K video while the shutter button is held down, the  4K Burst (S/S)  mode, which starts recording when the shutter button is pressed stops when this button is pressed a second time, the  4K Pre-Burstmode which starts recording when it is selected and store the last 30 frames captured before the shutter button was pressed.

The various  Post Focus  functions give photographers the ability to select different points of focus within the same image.  Integrated Focus Stacking allows users to program the focus shifting sequence in order to utilise the highest performing aperture while also increasing the depth of field in the final image.

Wi-Fi support is another important new feature that will appeal to some potential buyers, although some will regret the lack of NFC support. Panasonic’s Wi-Fi is basic, but effective, and requires users to pair the FZ80 with smartphones or tablets running the Panasonic Image App to enable wireless image transferring and remote camera control.

The monitor also offers touch-screen controls that are in line with other recently-released Panasonic cameras although, unlike more up-market models, the screen isn’t articulated. Touch focus and touch shutter release enable users to focus quickly on subjects and record the shot, ensuring important areas are sharp

The EVF’s resolution has risen even more, from 20,000 dots in the FZ70 to 1,166,000 dots in the FZ80, which provides a much clearer, sharper view with a high 60-fps refresh rate. It offers 0.46x equivalent magnification and 100% frame coverage as well as dioptre adjustment but there’s no eye sensor so you must use the nearby button to switch between the two displays.

Autofocusing has also been enhanced with the number of sensors doubled and DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology added to further reduce focusing times. DFD calculates the distance to the subject by evaluating two images with different sharpness levels based upon a high 240-fps signal exchange speed. Panasonic claims focus can be achieved at approximately 0.09 seconds, particularly with longer focal length settings.

Two shutter options are now available: mechanical and electronic. The mechanical shutter covers much the same range as in the FZ70 but the electronic shutter supports speeds as fast as 1/16,000 second and covers a useful range for shooting movies. However, if you want to take long exposures, you’re still limited to one of the fully automated modes, which restricts which camera controls you can use.

Other relatively minor changes include support for in-camera battery charging via the supplied USB cable and a wide variety of in-camera special effects, contained within the Create Control,  Photo Style and Picture Adjustment settings plus the 24 pre-programmed Scene Guide modes. The battery capacity has fallen from 400 shots/charge to 330 shots/charge (CIPA rated) or 240 shots/charge with the electronic viewfinder.

It’s a pity Panasonic chose to stick with the 1/2.3-inch MOS sensor, when so many other manufacturers are moving to 1-inch chips for their compact digicams. The difference is significant: the former measures roughly 6.7 x 4.55 mm, while the latter is 12.8 x 9.6 mm. That can result in a huge difference in image quality and the camera’s sensitivity range.

Panasonic is never very forthcoming about the details of its image processors, although we assume the Venus Engine chip in the FZ80 is relatively recent and equipped with up-to-date processing algorithms. The sensitivity range in the new camera has been expanded downwards to ISO 80 but the upper limit remains at ISO 6400. It’s safe to assume the new processor is also able to handle the 4K processing speeds.

Like most Panasonic digicams, the FZ80 provides four aspect ratio settings: 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and 1:1. Typical file sizes for the sensor’s native 4:3 aspect ratio are shown in the table below.

Like other Panasonic cameras, the FZ80 offers two recording formats: MP4 and AVCHD. 4K movies can only be recorded in the MP4 format, which also supports the two high-speed recording modes (with reduced resolution). The table below shows the settings available in PAL format countries like Australia.

Time-lapse and Stop Motion Animation are also available. The maximum file size for any movie clip is 4GB, although a 4K recording is restricted to 15 minutes when using SDHC cards; not with SDXC cards. As far as we’ve been able to determine, you can’t capture a still picture while recording a movie clip.

Nothing much has changed in the playback functions and Panasonic continues to offer  Silkypix software as its raw file converter. We have repeatedly shown Silkypix produces TIFF files with  lowerresolution than the JPEGs directly from the camera so we’ve given up trying to use it. So, since this camera will be mostly used for shooting JPEGs, we’ve only presented the results of our Imatest tests on JPEG files from the review camera in this review.

Image quality was quite good, given the small sensor in the review camera and the very long zoom range of the lens, both of which can compromise resolution and gamma. Subjective assessment of JPEG shots straight out of the camera showed them to be a little soft, although amenable to unsharp masking. Colour accuracy was generally very good.

Imatest showed   the review camera to be not quite capable of meeting expectations for an 18-megapixel sensor, although it came very close with the best resolution we measured for JPEG files. As mentioned above, we chose not to report on the results we obtained from RW2.RAW files because the Silkypix converter delivered much lower resolution than we obtained from the JPEGs recorded at the same time.

The performance of the lens was linked to both focal length and aperture, with the highest resolution achieved at the 9mm focal length with an aperture of f/4. With a minimum aperture of f/8 and a maximum of f/5.9 at full optical zoom, you quickly run out of apertures as you zoom in.

Lateral chromatic aberration is probably corrected automatically in the camera, although we found no evidence of coloured fringing in the test shots we took. The graph below shows all measurements fell well within the negligible zone (to the left of the red line).

Autofocusing was nice and fast in bright lighting and the camera was able to lock onto and track moving subjects in these conditions. However, some hunting occurred in low light levels, particularly with low-contrast subjects.

The lens was also quite flare prone and produced numerous artefacts when a bright light source strayed into the frame. Contrast tended to fall off at the longest focal lengths, although some of the loss was recoverable with post-capture processing. The 4K Photo modes and other in-camera processing effects performed as expected.

Although we expected the 4K video to be as good as we’ve obtained from previous Panasonic cameras we’ve reviewed, it fell short. We think this was partly because the lens wasn’t as sharp as the interchangeable lenses we’ve used previously but also because the camera was unable to keep pace with subject movement because the same blurring affected the Full HD movie recordings.

As expected, the slower of the two High-Speed recording modes (1280 x 720 pixels at 200 fps), delivered clips in which most frames were nicely sharp. We tried recording with the VGA at 400 fps mode but all the frames recorded were blurred. Presumably this setting requires careful pre-focusing.

Audio quality was good enough for amateur use but nothing to write home about. We had few issues with wind noise and the camera’s microphone didn’t seem to pick up the operational noises when the lens was focusing or being zoomed.

We carried out our timing tests with a 32GB Panasonic SDHC UHS-1 U3 card which has a maximum write speed of 90 MB/second and is fast enough to support 4K movie recording. The camera powered up in approximately one second.  We measured an average capture lag of less than 0.1 seconds, which was eliminated with pre-focusing. Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.4 seconds without flash and 2.5 seconds with flash.

In the continuous high-speed shooting mode, the review camera recorded 44 high-resolution JPEGs  in 7.3 seconds before slowing, which equates to a rate of 10 frames/second. It took 11.9 seconds to process this burst.

With the 4K Burst mode, the review camera recorded 76 high-resolution JPEGs at a resolution of 3328 x 2496 pixels in 7.6 seconds without stopping. Processing of this burst was completed within 2.4 seconds of the movie being captured.

The DC-FZ80 is an average performer that will suit photographers who mainly view their images and movies on a screen because such displays will make the issues associated with the small image sensor and extended-range lens less obvious. Built-in Wi-Fi enables users to post their shots on social networks, display them on TV sets and download them to a computer with minimal hassles, so it’s a suitable choice for an undemanding socially-active shooter.

Serious enthusiasts would normally never buy this type of camera, even though it supports raw file capture (any those who want to use the FZ80’s raw files should wait until the format is supported by decent file conversion software). But for a family snapshooter, young traveller or anyone who wants a simple, ‘go anywhere’ camera, it’s light enough to be easily carried,   compact enough to slip into a backpack and affordably priced for a 4K capable device.

Panasonic lists the FZ80 on its website at AU$599 but so far most of online resellers who have it listed are requesting ‘pre-orders’ and asking for a deposit of $200. The situation’s much the same with off-shore resellers, although some have it listed for around US$400, which works out at just under AU$520 with current exchange rates. Add in shipping and insurance costs and you’re bound to find it cheaper at an Australian retailer.

Focus system/range: 49-area Contrast AF with   Quick AF, Continuous AF (during motion picture recording), Touch AF/AE Function, Touch Pad AF, Touch Shutter, MF Assist, Touch MF Assist, AF+MF, Focus Peaking, One Shot AF (Set the Fn button in custom menu to AF-ON), Low Light AF modes; range: 30 cm to infinity; macro to 1 cm

Power supply: 7.2V, 895mAh, 6.5 Wh   Li-ion Battery Pack with USB Power Charging; CIPA rated for approx. 330 images/charge (rear monitor), 240 images/charge (EVF)