 "Pocket sized pleasure" | 2009-11-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: AQNHEQA0A50VY |
I have been very happy with my Canon Powershot S2 but wanted a pocket camera with some of the same features. There were two things I really needed: a 10 - 12 X lens and a flash-off override that would assure that the flash did not default to "on" when changing modes or restarting. The first was easy to find, but the flash issue was harder. I finally went into a local camera store and looked at various models and confirmed that the Lumix DMC ZS1 really had that function and not merely one that changed the setting temporarily.
When I got the Lumix home, I discovered that it had the third feature, too - The ability to bracket my shots, take three shots automatically at slightly different F-stop equivalents. I hadn't even tried to look for that feature in a pocket camera, even though it is one of my favorite features when in areas with uncertain or varying light. This camera greatly exceeds my expectations. And Amazon's prompt delivery let me shoot the fall colors before the leaves were gone, and capture many sunsets and the harvest moon rising. |
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| "Quick & Dirty Review" | 2009-11-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2IMZY3Q9J4F94 |
This camera is by far the best digital camera I've ever owned. If you want something that simply WORKS, and WORKS WELL... this is hands down a fantastic option!
I'm no professional photographer, far from it... and the fact that this camera lets me take professional-looking photos is phenomenal! Absolutely love it... GREAT bang for buck. Now I'm going to buy one for my wife too... hers will be silver though :). |
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 "Very good for travel, and general use" | 2009-11-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3TU618RIP1SGL |
The ZS1 is a fine camera. I find the ZS1 to be a great camera for traveling for several reasons:
1) It is highly portable
2) It takes good images
3) It has good video (good still shots and respectable video combined in such a small size is a wonderful thing when you don't want to lug around a lot of gear.)
4) The wide angle lens is fun and useful
On the downside, the images are not "spectacular". The images are very good, just not great! So, if you want the eye-popping color and contrast offered by many SLR cameras/lenses, the ZS1 is not going to be able do that. However, compared to a few other point & shoots I have used, the ZS1's images are very good.
Also, as with most point & shoots, even the ZS1 cannot compare to the speed of picture-taking offered by an SLR. So, if you are taking a lot of pictures of children, sports, etc., point & shoots as a class sometimes miss the shot. The ZS1 is no different. I miss a lot of shots with the ZS1, because children do not like to sit still very long.
Video loses quality quickly in low-light, as is often the case, even with dedicated video cameras.
On balance, though, the ZS1 is a very good camera. If you want portability, very good images and video, and do not care too much about being able to snap images rapidly, then the ZS1 is an excellent choice. It is also a SUPERB choice for traveling when you do not want to carry a lot of gear - I took mine to France for 10 days. The ability to do still shots and video with one compact camera was AMAZINGLY pleasant.
All in all, I recommend the ZS1. |
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| "First impressions - super camera!" | 2009-11-07 |
| - Reviewed By User: AXP9IFUN2G3IZ |
I'm a big Canon fan. Indeed I almost bought the SX120IS super zoom instead of this one. But I wanted the ability to have a super wide angle setting (25 mm) that the Canon camera just can't deliver. (The SX120IS only goes out to 36mm on the wide end.) Also, I saw in a number of reviews where the SX120IS exhibited higher than average barrel distortion on its wide angle zoom range whereas the Leica made lens on the Lumix ZS1 shines in exhibiting virtually none of the lens distortions that plague many zoom lenses.
Though I've only had the Lumix ZS1 for a few days, I can tell you this:
1. The Leica zoom lens on this camera really is as good as others have been raving about.
2. This camera takes great shots both indoors and out.
3. The build quality of this camera is excellent. It's nearly all metal in construction and very solid.
4. I'm not experiencing any of the useability problems that I've read in other reviews. The controls are
very well laid out. I don't have a problem with the dial placements or the menus or anything of that
nature.
Another criticism I've read about the ZS1 is that it doesn't have aperture or shutter priority picture taking modes. In my opinion, there are more than enough settings to obtain the desired shutter speed or aperture control that you would need. Indeed there is a minimum shutter speed setting readily available!
So far, in my early use of this camera, the only "fault" I can find (if you can call it that) is that the automatic white balance setting isn't always perfect in indoor light. This is true with any digital camera of course and there are ways to manually correct this.
Though I've been taking pictures for nearly 35 years, I haven't owned a lot of cameras. I tend to find a camera I like and then use it "forever". If these first impressions hold out, I'm going to be using my Lumix ZS1 for a good long time.
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| "Great All Around Camera." | 2009-11-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: AMTQZJP5NB1EW |
| Standard point and click cameras do not provide the picture quality of this camera...in my opinion. Only differene is that this point/click is a bit larger than the standard point/clicks...but worth the size when it comes to quickness and quality. Appears that the smaller the camera, the slower as well. I am happy with this camera. |
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| "Good first impression" | 2009-11-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3IXRU3NVQBI80 |
| I have had this camera for about a month. It replaces a Canon SD850IS. The mechanism in the Canon that extends and retracts the lens failed suddenly after a little over a year of light use. Obviously I cannot comment on the durability of the Panasonic. I wanted a camera I could carry in my shirt pocket that would give me very good image quality and serve for family snapshots as well as scenery shots. The lens range on this camera is ideal for me and makes the camera a very versatile point and shoot device. Image quality seems superior to the Canon I had. I am an older person with an older person's eyesight, and the LCD screen is the best of the few I have used in daylight situations. This camera has fewer features than many, which is not at all a problem for me. I wanted a point and shoot camera and the feature set is more than enough, in my opinion, for this sort of use. The controls seem comfortable and easy to use to me. I get excellent results from macro shots to full extension of the long range lens and the camera does the thinking for me. That's not what many enthusiasts want, but as a take along camera that doesn't get in the way and yet is almost instantly ready to capture very good images of anything from a wildflower by the road to a wide angle indoor scene to pulling in a heron on the other side of a stream I find it serves very well. Thus far my only disappointment has been the battery. Battery life seems very good, however the camera software will not allow use of aftermarket batteries, or at least those not approved by Panasonic, and I didn't find any that were. I had to order the Panasonic battery and it took weeks to get one--every retailer I found online was out of stock when I ordered. This may not be a bad thing given the stories of counterfeit and dangerous batteries from you-know-where, but plan on paying around $40 for a second battery. |
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