Digital Cameras. Any advice? - by LancerChronics
LancerChronics on 7/5/2008 at 17:50
So summer is here, so now I'm out with my family in Colorado getting ready for my favorite pasttime besides gaming...hiking. I've been hiking many times before, but I realized that I never have any pictures of some of the views I find, probably because I dont have a digital camera. So I'm looking to get one and have narrowed it down to maybe 2 (unless you can name one thats both better and cheaper):
1) Panasonic Lumix TZ5 (10x zoom, 9MP)
2) Panasonic Lumix FX100 (4x zoom, 12MP)
Both are compact, which is what i'm looking for, since I'm hiking...generally up a mountain, and hate carrying excess weight. I like the TZ5 for the zoom, but am worried because I hear it is poor in low light conditions. I like the FX100 for the 12MP, which could mean some REALLY sharp picture quality, which I'm all for, since I will most likely be using these pictures for desktop backgrounds on my laptop(1440x900). So...Any suggestions?
Thx in advance, and potentially later.
Gingerbread Man on 7/5/2008 at 22:57
I'm not a photographer geek by any stretch, but thinking about it from a digital image point of view I'd go with the FX100. The higher resolution is probably way preferable to the zoom, particularly when you think that the raw image will be larger and sharper, and the zoom may not be all it's cracked up to be. Plus that weaker performance under low-light conditions will become an irritation even though you can correct things up and down in Photoshop.
I'd always go for resolution over zoom. There are always other lenses you can get to give you zoom, but you can't upgrade your camera's resolution (I think)
rachel on 7/5/2008 at 23:17
I don't know these models but I have a '06 Lumix FZ7 (6MP, 12x) and I have only good things to say about it. It's a very good brand and the lenses are fantastic (they're Leica).
Be careful on the ISO under low light conditions, the higher resolution you get, the harder it is for the camera to get it right so higher res does not necessarily mean the pics will always be better.
[edit] GBM, these are compacts, you can't change the lenses.
Gingerbread Man on 8/5/2008 at 04:21
My little Canon Powershot has an adapter ring for all kinds of lens attachments. I thought that was maybe pretty standard on compacts these days, but mebbe not.
I'd still take resolution over zoom, anyway.
Kyloe on 8/5/2008 at 06:06
You can't compare the resolution unless you know the CCD size. If it's the same size, the lower resolution will result in better pictures in low light conditions (unless it's less than 6 MP).
That said, the FX100 does have a much larger CCD and will probably be the better camera.
(
http://scr3.golem.de/?d=0705/Panasonic_FX100&a=52409&s=1) Left chip is the TZ4, right chip is the FX100
bikerdude on 8/5/2008 at 06:32
I have had a Nikon coolpix for the last fews years and the only thing it needs is "anti shake"
biker
LancerChronics on 8/5/2008 at 13:20
Biker: The "Anti-shake" your talking about is image stabilization, which both cameras have so it is not really a factor.
Kyloe: CCD? That's actually quite interesting to know, it does seem like the FX100 will take much sharper pictures, I just would be unable to do close-ups.
GBM: Sadly, the Panasonics do not come with any sort of adapter. are you sure your camera is compact?
I guess what it comes down to is, can I take a picture, blow it up to 1440x900 on my computer, and not get any "artifacts" (pixel look). If I could for both, I'd go with the 10x zoom, because I like taking closeup shots. If I couldn't with the 9MP, then I'd go with the FX100. Also I guess the FX100 would confer the need to do some "off-trail" adventuring so I could get closer to my target.
Edit: The TZ5 has a 1/2.33 CCD so it's slightly larger than the one pictured, but still no where close to the FX100. Also it turns out the TZ5 can also shoot the widescreen shots as well.
R Soul on 8/5/2008 at 13:44
Is it optical zoom or digital zoom? If zoom will be a factor then you need to know that.
Gingerbread Man on 8/5/2008 at 14:00
Quote Posted by LancerChronics
GBM: Sadly, the Panasonics do not come with any sort of adapter. are you sure your camera is compact?
I assumed it is... My brother and father are both photo geeks, and their cameras are big fancy things with removable stuff and bits that screw on and look very badass. I have a little one of these:
Inline Image:
http://shoponline.com.sg/images/Canon_Powershot_A620_1_s.jpgI just figure everything that isn't black with a great big snout on it is a compact. :D
IndieInIndy on 8/5/2008 at 14:01
I recently picked up a Lumix DMC-FZ8K with 12x zoom. I can get some very high quality images out of it, but the biggest problem I'm having is that all shots are shaky/doubled since the camera moves when I press the button. Doesn't matter what anti-shake settings I've selected. Sometimes the images are clean, sometimes not -- pretty much a crapshoot how an image turns out, and it's impossible to tell if a shot is blurry or not from the LCD.
Only way to get a clear, stable shot is with a tripod. Then the images come out really nice. Freehand shots are worthless unless significantly resized down.
Maybe this will improve when I'm more familiar with using this camera, but my first opinion is that the Lumix's image stabilization is next to worthless.
