 New King of the MegaZoom crowd. |
| Review Date: September 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. Holdahl, South Dakota |
As a serious amateur, I've been fortunate enough to own a number of point and shoots including Panasonic, Fuji, several Nikon's, & a couple of Canon's. All have had their strong points and I'm not a brand loyalist by any means, but after a couple of weeks, I must say I absolutely love this camera.
My first impressions were ones of pleasant shock. The camera seemed smaller than in the pictures and if it seemed smaller, it seemed doubly more so in terms of weight. Compared to my SLR this thing is an absolute lightweight but very well built and certainly heavier than the smaller 'in your pocket' point and shoots. A great balance...although I wouldn't want to drop it. Some strategically placed silicone on the housing would make this a bit more rugged without much if any impact on cost. Powerup is about as fast as you can bring the camera up to your face - amongst the best of the point and shoots. Controls are easy to use and I like the mini joystick for making on the fly adjustments in manual and scene modes. The menus are fairly well laid out although some items I had to resort to the manual to find their location for the first time.
The iA or Intelligent Auto function gave consistently above par picture quality, although I was always able to tweak it better myself (this could have been as much preference as anything). The AVCHD and HD movies worked absolutely flawless with my Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]. (NOTE:Make sure you lowlevel format these SDHC cards a COUPLE of times BEFORE first use). I do wish that you could use the normal shutter release instead of the dedicated movie button on the back face when in movie mode. I kept forgetting and tried to stop the movies using the shutter button instead of the record button. Minor nuisance, but will be overcome as I get my brain wrapped around the change in button locations.
The battery worked well past 300 stills and about 35 clips, so I am very pleased with it with the LCD display being used for most of the shots. I purchase another spare battery;Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera/Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery, also available here at Amazon, and it appears to be working about as well as the original Panasonic (a great buy). The EVF or Electronic View Finder was very handy, although most of the overlaid information is very hard to distinguish in the small EVF. I CAN'T BELIEVE PANASONIC DIDN'T INCLUDE A RUBBER BOOT FOR THE EVF! Please someone, anyone, make it as an accessory.
The EZ or Extra Zoom function is quite handy. Using this feature, you can shoot at lower resolutions and get more effective zooming power out of the camera...over 30x and it works very well. The LCD screen is clear and crisp, but its performance in high ambient light is about average. Thank goodness for the electronic view finder mentioned above.
Image stabilization is the absolute best amongst my camera collection and is especially noticeable in low light and full zoom. I was pleasantly surprised how well I could take indoor pictures at night with a simple tweak of the exposure. Far better than any of my other point and shoots, although nowhere near my SLR.
The standard 3picture burst mode was fairly standard and unimpressive, but the 10pics per second for speed priority and 6 pics per second in image priority burst mode worked well for catching difficult shots like geese landing on the water and children jumping out of swings, but I still wish the resolution and picture quality was better in these modes. Still, for a point and shoot, it's ability to catch the fast action is at the top of it's class.
The lens cap interferes with zoom, but the camera will kindly remind you that you have left it on with a 17,000 volt discharge...just kidding...it will tell you on the LCD screen.
UPDATE: A new megazoom runoff was conducted by Digital Photography Review in June of '07 and can be seen here: [...] or you can cut to the results here: [...]
To say the FZ35 stacked up well would be an understatement, but as they point out in the above review, you will likely not be disappointed with any of the other fine cameras in the pack. The review, however, will help you to pick one that works best for your needs and preferences. (I'm still super happy and winning contests with my amateur photos).
LIKES: Ease of use, picture quality, zoom and extra zoom, HD movie, lightweight, stop action. BEST Point and Shoot I've ever owned ! ! !
DISLIKES: (all minor) No eyepiece boot for EVF, lens cap interferes with zoom, tripod mount interferes with battery/memory door when in use. Only 10 sec. max on the built in timer.
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Small but Mighty
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| Review Date: October 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: S. Hock, Bethlehem, PA |
I previously purchased the Canon SX20is and used 2 weeks. I found the images just a bit too soft for my taste. Too bad because all other facets of the camera was great. But, to me image quality is everything. If it can't produce a crisp image, I don't want it. Perhaps I was spoiled by the excellent SX10is I was switching from.
Desperate for an inexpensive Hi Def video camera for a client project, I decided to give the dual Panasonic FZ35 a try. I had used a Panasonic LX2 for several years and liked it, so I figured why not even though Panasonic is not a manufacturer one would normally think of first for a high quality still camera.
So far, I have been pleasantly surprised!
What I like about the FZ35:
1. The super sharp Leica lens! Having 18x zoom in such a small package.(Sharper than SX20is)
2. Metal tripod mount
3. VERY Reasonable price for all the features included. Seems a bargain to me.
4. The fact you also get very nice HD video in one package is a bonus.
5. Excellent macro mode. If you like macrophotography you'll like this camera.
6. Relatively simple controls/interface once familiar. (You do have to read the manual)
7. Has 46mm filter threads for add ons.
8. Full time battery indicator.
9. Optional wide angle and telephoto lenses are available if desired.
10 Better than most image stabilization system.
11. Many focus & exposure options.
What I'm not so crazy about:
1. Buttons & switches are quite small and seem rather delicate.
2. Manual as PDF (what a pain). I'll take mine paper, thank you.
You might as well print it out right away. You're gonna need it!
3. Smallish Electronic ViewFinder (Not just this one either. They all leave me wanting.)
4. Construction and light weight give a slight feeling of cheapness.
5. Proprietary Panasonic battery.
6. Location of media card in battery compartment.
Is it perfect? Nope. Are any of them? Even the $5,000 ones?
What do I miss most when switching from my NIKON? That bright, super clear viewfinder.
Will it clip highlights? Sure, if you don't set it up right. They all do. High dynamic range is not usually a feature on most consumer cameras.
Can it take a sharp picture? You Bet! In macro especially, you'll love the clarity of the image.
Newbies purchasing this ... make no mistake, this is a complex little piece of gear. Sure, you can use it on intelligent AUTO if you want, but what a waste. You have to LEARN this camera to get the most out of it. And don't expect to learn it in a day or even a week. Used properly it will yield beautiful, sharp images. Buy it and shoot, shoot, shoot and you'll get the hang of it. Why not? The "film" is cheap!
By the way, purchase a Class 6 SD card right away. That way if you want to play with the HD movie function you can. Some cheap SD cards can't write fast enough for HD video use. If you have a hi def TV you'll love it.
Beware though, HD video files get HUGE fast! Uploads to YouTube (or anywhere else) can take quite awhile. A 1 minute, 36 sec. clip equals 491 MB and over 4 hrs to upload via DSL.
If you get serious about HD video, or enjoy doing critical focus photography, PLEASE, buy a decent tripod and USE it. Camera movement is the main enemy of sharpness. At the low ISO settings required to get the most out of these small sensors, keeping the camera still is extremely important. Don't expect stabilization systems to entirely solve "jitter" problems at very low shutter speeds!
High end users take note: In the Custom controls there is an separate adjustment for contrast, saturation, noise reduction and sharpness. YEA ! Somebody is listening.
Nov. 5, 2009. I've made nearly 1000 shots with this camera and I'm impressed and still very happy with it.
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First impressions of the DMC-FZ35
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| Review Date: September 3, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Michael A. Duvernois, Minneapolis, MN United States |
This is the first of the Panasonic Lumix superzooms that I've had an opportunity to use extensively. I regularly use both small point and shoot digital cameras (Canon SD550 and a waterproofed Canon S100) and digital SLRs (Canon 5D and Rebel XTi), but this is definitely a different sort of beast. It's nearly the size and weight of a DSLR with a lens that is noticeably long in use. It's sold as straddling the line between the two categories and it initially seems that way. But the more that I think about it, the more I think this camera really fills a different niche. If you're a serious photographer, a DSLR is really the way to go. You get full control over the images, a large sensor size, a selection of lenses, and filter options. If you're that person, this is hardly a replacement, and for the compact point and shooter this is a massive camera. Where this camera wins out is for a very simple kit covering wide angle (27mm equivalent for a 35mm camera) and the stunning 18x zoom. You'll be able to do most everything passably with this camera and with no additional lenses. Maybe this is the camera to put in the glovebox of your car? It'll always be there, and you can get most any shot with it. No preparation needed. Okay, enough thinking about who wants the camera, how does it work?
Well, it works pretty darned well. The image stabilizer seems to work extremely well, especially at moderate zoom (say 50-150mm equivalent), the battery lasted about 300 shots with some flash use in there, and image quality (subjective, not measured scientifically) was quite good. The camera was a bit slow to react at times though and the face detection works only occasionally. Still, that leaves this a solid camera for what I think is a quite good price. If you're not going to take advantage of the DSLR capabilities, this is a good functional camera for you. Or an excellent second camera for simplicity.
Pros: 18x zoom with a genuine wide angle, solid construction, good battery life, image stabilization that works, one size might well fit many
Cons: big for a point and shoot, slow acting at times, gimmicky features are, well, gimmicks |
Very good camera for the money; very convenient to use
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| Review Date: October 28, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Cop3, Savannah, GA |
I've had the FZ35 for about 3 weeks now. I have found nothing of substance to gripe about yet. The camera has a lot of features and since I have a day job it will take a while to really learn how to get the most from this camera, but the effort is worth it. Getting started is easy with the simple booklet that comes in the box; yes, it would be nice to have the entire manual in print but I downloaded to my laptop and read a little more each week as I fiddle with the camera, so slowly but surely I'm getting the big picture, so to speak, of how to operate the fz35.
I finally got around to using the supplied video cables tonight and learned I could hook the camera up to the hdtv. This past Sunday morning was sunny and inviting so I went into the yard and took pictures of flowers and assorted closeups mostly, in the fish pond, butterflies, even a hummingbird, using the different settings and priorities, the flash, and so forth. Tonight I watched a slide show of all the pictures on my hdtv, complete with music (it's programmed into the camera in several different styles). The picture quality on the tv was incredibly good; several photos were extreme closeups of a butterfly on the ground and the particles of dirt below the butterfy's wings were clearly visible on my 37" screen.
Picture quality and features aside, this camera is easy to use for the beginner who can gradually improve their skills by using the shutter speed/aperture priorities or manual mode, or automatic, or choose one of the many scene modes depending upon the situation. The camera boots up quickly and the delay between shots is acceptable, if not blazingly fast. (There is a setting for taking several shots in quick sequence, if needed.) The flash is strong and recycles fairly quickly. the camera won't fit in your pocket unless you're Captain Kangaroo, but with its accessories it'll fit into a small camera bag. I purchased the wide angle and exta zoom lenses because they came on sale, but really, you don't need them given the range of the supplied Leica lens. The controls are fairly easy to use and intuitive; I really like the design of one convenient button to toggle directly back and forth between the lens finder and the lcd screen on the back of the camera; all digital cameras don't feature that.
Sure, not much is perfect in life, but this camera is close enough for me.
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Excellent Camera & Excellent value
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| Review Date: October 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Charles F Ferrara, |
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 is exceptionally versatile. I am a serious photographer and I was looking for a quality point & shoot that was more portable than an SLR. This camera has filled this need splendidly. Years ago, I would have needed a bag of lenses and a tripod to get some of the shots that it successfully took with little effort.
During a recent trip, I put the image stabilization to the test with extremely low expectations. On a very overcast day, I took several fully zoomed telephoto shots of the landscape (at 12 MP resolution) from a moving car - on an interstate. Although a few were blurry, most of them came out exceptionally sharp. I was pleasantly surprised how well the camera held up under these circumstances, where shooting is normally impossible.
Another important feature for me is the filter threads (46 mm) so I can use a polarizer on outdoor shots (which is a must for any serious photographer). This was the only camera in its class to offer threads. With most of the competition, only their SLR's offer this. Additionally, a UV filter is always a good idea to protect your lens.
There are a few cons, but I consider them to be minor - especially considering the price I paid:
1) Vignetting at full wide-angle when using a polarizer. NOTE: I recently solved this problem using the the manufacturer recommended polarizer that was made for this camera (Panasonic DMW-LPL46 46mm Polarizing Filter). I had been using a third party Tiffen polarizer, which was much too thick. The Panasonic polarizer is linear and not circular, but it works fine & does not affect the autofocus. It's also a bit pricey, but it's a safe option.
2) Smallest aperture is f/8. A neutral density filter would be needed to slow-down most waterfall shots.
3) No bulb setting for night photography
4) No hot shoe for flash |
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