dymekd wrote: the mega-zoom is useless without a tripod.

I agree. I'm always looking for a fence post.

Soapie0 wrote:I can't believe there's anybody left that doesn't have a digital camera

That's like saying "I can't believe there's anybody left that doesn't have a TV."

People need/want new ones. It's not a one-time purchase.

Husband has been bitching about his Canon for over a year now, but has been unable to decide on a new camera to buy. So, this is is what he is getting for Christmas, dammit.

I'm convinced by all the comments that he'll like this camera. Thanks, Woot community! Merry Christmas.

mxwjs wrote:does anyone know which camera it is on this list, i could not find the model.
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/panasonic/#models

Yep - not there. Did you notice the heading: "Stat Fest '99"

Hmmm.

kmith wrote:With all these problems why don't you use MS Movie Maker?

Yecchh.

There are a lot of good guides here, which reference free and inexpensive software for authoring, converting, editing etc.

is there a limit to the micro sd memory you can add to this camera. i can use a 16 gb card if i want. i know some camera's limit the size you can install.

149.99 everywhere.......Woot is loosing its
edge in beating the competition

rinverso wrote:is there a limit to the micro sd memory you can add to this camera. i can use a 16 gb card if i want. i know some camera's limit the size you can install.

SD memory cards 8 MB – 2 GB

SDHC memory cards 4 GB – 32 GB

SDXC memory cards 48 GB – 64 GB

excelerater wrote:149.99 everywhere.......Woot is loosing its
edge in beating the competition

links?

excelerater wrote:149.99 everywhere.......Woot is loosing its
edge in beating the competition

refurb froogled

Does the battery pack work with other camera's. The thing I worry about is the battery being discontinued or hard to get in a few years.

Does this have the Slow Motion View feature like the Casio Exilim, or anything similar?

geo8rge wrote:Does the battery pack work with other camera's. The thing I worry about is the battery being discontinued or hard to get in a few years.

I've been able to find batteries for cameras that are many years old, whether on specialty sites or ebay (they've worked fine).

For example, I just looked up the Kodak EasyShare Z7590, which was released in Feb. 2005, and there are plenty of places to buy the battery.

clampert wrote:Does this have the Slow Motion View feature like the Casio Exilim, or anything similar?

It doesn't look like it - a search for "slow motion" in the manual came up snake eyes.

It is $140 brand new, free shipping at amazon.

update: oops. It was a different model at Amazon. 8x zoom.

NightGhost wrote:refurb froogled

get eyeglasses.....froogled $195 to $260 refurbed

NEW 20X Casio for $199 from dealnews.

$200
Casio Exilim EX-FH20 9.1MP 20x Zoom Digital Camera for $200 + 1-cent s&h
Until December 12 at 9 pm ET, Pennywise.biz offers the Casio Exilim EX-FH20 9.1-Megapixel Digital Camera in Black for $199.99. With 1 cent for shipping, that's tied with our mention from three weeks ago and the lowest total price we could find by $96. It features a 3" LCD, 20x optical zoom, video mode with YouTube support, face recognition, contrast detection autofocus, 31.9MB internal memory, SDHC/MMC+ slot, and PictBridge and USB 2.0 connectivity

Does one have the ability to change lenses?

ericdawson wrote:Does one have the ability to change lenses?

No.

dbains wrote:Does the camera have a stitching function?

No.

remisser wrote:Anyone know if this can zoom while filming video?

Most likely, NO. This is essentially a STILL camera. With the mic so close to the lens, you'd get all kinds of motor noises as it moves. Buy a real video camera if you want real video features.

Scot_Douglas wrote:......
Also, I don't know if it has been mentioned yet - Panasonic uses a battery detection routine in their current camera firmware. What this equates to is that it can recognize the battery brand, and will shut itself off if you try to use a cheaper replacement battery. You can get around this by an extensive internet search to find an older version of firmware to downgrade your camera to. I did this because other reviews mentioned short battery life - and I didn't feel like spending $65 on an extra "Panasonic" brand battery.

Which version of the firmware works, which doesn't ?

I found a link to firmware v1.1 HERE

Any way, In for 1.

I hope it arrives in time for Christmas.

sdc100 wrote: As far as I can tell, there are no free or inexpensive video editors

I got Pinnacle Studio here a while back for $79.95 with a "green screen" cloth included and a ton of effects. It's been really quite good and I use it in my work to make in-house videos.

Having said that, GET A FRIGGIN' video camera, not a still camera that happens to do videos!!!

rinverso wrote:get eyeglasses.....froogled $195 to $260 refurbed

I could be wrong, but I think NightGhost's point in posting the refurb froogle was that $149 posted by excelerator was incorrect--you just made the point clearer.

radi0j0hn wrote:Most likely, NO. This is essentially a STILL camera. With the mic so close to the lens, you'd get all kinds of motor noises as it moves. Buy a real video camera if you want real video features.

Yes it can zoom but noisy.

radi0j0hn wrote:Most likely, NO. This is essentially a STILL camera. With the mic so close to the lens, you'd get all kinds of motor noises as it moves. Buy a real video camera if you want real video features.

there have been a few replies earlier in the thread that said it DOES zoom while shooting. There have even been some links to sample movies shot with this camera which demonstrated it and there was no motor sound that I could hear.

ericshmerick wrote:The ZS7 is basically the Leica.

I, for one, don't see how Leica is okay with Panasonic basically releasing Pana-Leica models at a MUCH cheaper price. There's NO way I'd ever buy a real Leica when I can get 95% of a Leica in a Panasonic (the 5% is reserved for "Leica tuned firmware").

The hardware is identical and some fancy firmware will never convince me to shell out an exponentially higher price for the Leica branded camera.

Leica USA has been doing this for years. Back in the 35mm point & shoot days, they had Minoltas with a little more dolled-up cosmetics for a ton more money. No "firmware" then!

In for one.

I've owned Panasonic point and shoots for 7 years, starting with the FZ20 and then moving up to the FZ28. Took thousands of photos. Then moved up to DSLRs and just recently sold the Panasonics. But sometimes I don't want to lug the DSLR so I was starting to look for a reasonable pocket camera, and this is it.

Some answers to previous issues:
- The FZ28 developed a spot inside the sensor, and Panasonic replaced it for free, in a week. Thumbs-up for customer service for me.
- I used third-party batteries for the FZ20 with no issues.
- In general, the more the megapixels, the worse the low-light performance because each pixel takes in a lower percentage of light. But software technology is more-or-less keeping up with noise reduction.
- This may be the best camera for the money today. Tomorrow, there will be a different best camera for the money.

kliu0x52 wrote:When it comes to capturing action (so a slow shutter is not an option) in bars or clubs (so flash, with its disruptiveness, is not an option), you NEED good high-ISO performance. And for that, you NEED a low pixel density sensor. Large-sensor cameras (read: DSLR) are, by far, the best way to go here.

If, for some reason, a DSLR is not an option for you, then you will need a Fujifilm EXR camera (the EXR is a special sensor and pixel layout that makes it possible to effectively halve its pixel density when necessary; conventional sensors can't do this) (e.g., F70EXR, which can be had for a similar price refurbed, if you can find it, a F80EXR, which can be had new for sub-$200, or the F300EXR, which is sub-$240). Here are tips for shooting EXR cameras in concerts/bars/clubs.

So, to answer your question, no, this camera is not well suited for that purpose (in fact, the ZS5/6/7 has a higher pixel density than their ZS3 predecessor--not good).

Let's not forget the laws of physics here. Regardless of the sensor, a larger aperture (f/stop) is needed to let more light in at any given ISO. You'll need something like f/1.8 to get good shots unless your camera has really good 64,000 ISO! The "kit" lenses that come with most DSLR cameras spend a lot of time at f/5.6. Compact cameras are often worse. Spend $2,000 for a decent lens.

I'm not sure if it means that quantities are running low, but Woot! just posted a "LAST CALL" for this product on facebook.

Do Panasonic cameras offer any on screen options to aid in composition?

On modern Canon cameras there is an option in the menu called "Disp. Overlay" where you can choose, Grid Lines, 3:2 Guide or Both. On some Nikon models there is a grid available. This, strangely enough is my deal maker/breaker.

Someone stated, "- In general, the more the megapixels, the worse the low-light performance because each pixel takes in a lower percentage of light."

Can someone please point out a reference to this so-called fact?

BTW, I see a shocking lack of understanding regarding apertures/ISOs and their resulting shutter speeds. It takes more than magic fairy dust to make a decent exposure.

Typical office/ gym lighting shots: ISO 400 1/30th @ f/5.6 (typical compact lens when zoomed).

The solution is to get a lens with a bigger "hole." And look at the VARIABLE aperture of you lens. It will spend most of it's time at the smaller aperture. So you f/3.3-f/9 (maximum aperture) is really an f/9 that sometimes is f/3.3 when used at wide angle.

ISO 800 only gets you to 1/60th, 1600 only 1/125th and 3200 finally starts getting better at 1/250th...still not enough for stopping fast action.

dbains wrote:Does the camera have a stitching function?

It has a scene mode called "Panorama Assist" but I haven't been able to find out exactly what that does. I'm guessing it's like the mode in my Canon S80 that locks the exposure settings, gives you alignment guides in the LCD, and maybe names the files in a way that you'll be able to find them later. This gives you nice raw material for a third-party stitching program (Photoshop, Autopano, etc.) to assemble into panoramas.

Of course, with the 25mm lens you won't need to use that mode quite so often. In for two, one for me and one for an Xmas present!

I can hear the motor running (akin to humming) when zooming and (louder) clicking when I stop zooming. If a light source is in view I may get a purple verticle streak in the LCD screen and on the resulting movie. The purple streak doesn't show up on a pic unless it's a picture taken during a video sequence.

Well, it's all academic now...

NightGhost wrote:It doesn't look like it - a search for "slow motion" in the manual came up snake eyes.

Thanks, NG, I appreciate the reply.
Is there any other way to ensure that exact special moment is being caught, other than Slow Motion View?

I wonder if the video function can be used with the same effect, i.e. extracting stills out of it, since mov is a sequence of jpgs. Does anybody know? Maybe some software to do that?

I apparently didn't get the last one, but must have been close. My purchase confirmation came 91 seconds after sell-out.

radi0j0hn wrote:Someone stated, "- In general, the more the megapixels, the worse the low-light performance because each pixel takes in a lower percentage of light."

Can someone please point out a reference to this so-called fact?

--
Was posted by someone else earlier, but here is one link:

http://consumerist.com/2010/01/another-reason-to-avoid-giant-megapixel-point-and-shoot-cameras.html

As you correctly point out, the way to get good low-light performance is to use fast lenses (the old Panasonic FZ20 had a f/2.8 lens that was 2.8 thought the entire X12 zoom range!) or good high-ISO performance, available only on good SLRs.

Or, take the photo and post-process it with Neat Image or equivalent which takes out the noise.

elliotm00 wrote:--
Was posted by someone else earlier, but here is one link:

http://consumerist.com/2010/01/another-reason-to-avoid-giant-megapixel-point-and-shoot-cameras.html

As you correctly point out, the way to get good low-light performance is to use fast lenses (the old Panasonic FZ20 had a f/2.8 lens that was 2.8 thought the entire X12 zoom range!) or good high-ISO performance, available only on good SLRs.

That Panasonic with the f/2.8 goes for around $100 used on eBay! 5 MP camera.

arthurecpi wrote:I apparently didn't get the last one, but must have been close. My purchase confirmation came 91 seconds after sell-out.

Lucky you, you made it!