View Full Version : Need a point and click camera
Our current Sony broke when we were on holiday so it's time for a new camera.
I'd like something small and compact but with a decent sized screen. I'd also like a large zoom really as I find you can never get close enough with these small cameras. Budget is £250.
I've seen the Panasonic here...
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/high-zoom/dmc-tz3eb-k/index.htm
and it seems to fit the bill. But are there any other recommendations?
leowyatt
02-07-2007, 13:18
Was going to suggest that myself as it looks like a really good camera.
My new one (Fuji F31fd) is brilliant - you can use it as a point and click but there are enough settings you can fiddle with should you want to. It actually has better reviews than the F40.
If you want to look at some pics I used it for the pole weekend and that was only on middling settings as I hadn't had chance to work much out (I picked it up on the way to MBs)
Zoom is really good for what I've tried so far - I can take perfect pics of the rats from the sofa no problem.
Matblack
02-07-2007, 13:27
Our current Sony broke when we were on holiday so it's time for a new camera.
I'd like something small and compact but with a decent sized screen. I'd also like a large zoom really as I find you can never get close enough with these small cameras. Budget is £250.
I've seen the Panasonic here...
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/high-zoom/dmc-tz3eb-k/index.htm
and it seems to fit the bill. But are there any other recommendations?
Thats the one I mentioned to you while we were in Spain, the zoom and wide angle make it just about the most flexible point and shoot ever, definately a good buy :)
MB
Thats the one I mentioned to you while we were in Spain
Yeah, I know it is :)
Saw an advert for it the other day which reminded me about it. It suits what we want but just wanted ot check there was nothing else out there worth looking at.
Stan_Lite
02-07-2007, 13:48
/Makes note.
I may be in the market for a new camera in the not to distant future myself and that one looks pretty good - spec wise.
I may have a look on my way through heathrow next time out on the off chance they have it duty free.
Stan :)
Just ordered this so should have it in a day or two :)
Camera arrived this morning :D
Can't really have a play with it yet though :/
Not had any time to test this out properly....but check out the zoom on this little sucker.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Odds%20and%20Ends/P1000075.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Odds%20and%20Ends/P1000078.jpg
10x optical (28-280mm) is pretty impressive for something so small.
These pics were just real quick snaps from the hand with no stabilization.
leowyatt
05-07-2007, 13:15
Nice, good choice there :)
Stan_Lite
30-07-2007, 22:27
How did you get on with this Jamie?
I'm looking at the possibility of getting one and would appreciate an assessment from someone I can trust.
I would wait until I come down next week and have a look at it myself but if I do buy it, I'll want to have it before the Cottaging meet so would need to order it soonish.
I've found it online from dixons for £237.98 delivered - do you know if anyone's doing it any cheaper?
Piggymon
30-07-2007, 22:29
Not a techy view but I really like it.
It's a nice size, screen is really big and clear and the zoom is awesome ! :D
Got a couple of neat features as well like the widescreen option.
Not sure about the price, I think that's what we paid.
Stan_Lite
30-07-2007, 22:31
Bloody hell, that was quick.
Are the pics good quality? Any graininess? Is it fairly simple to operate?
Sorry about all the questions but you're my guinea pigs ;)
Piggymon
30-07-2007, 22:45
Pics seem nice and clear from what I have seen - lovely and simple to operate, even my Dad managed to work it this weekend ;D
The one consistently reported problem with Panasonic cameras is excessive noise reduction (softening) of images at high ISO, but then virtually all compacts suffer either this or lots of noise at high ISO, so just bear it in mind and you'll do fine. I completely agree there's very little if anything on the market at that size that'll get close for features. Seems like a good buy to me. :)
Stan_Lite
30-07-2007, 22:49
Pretty much settles it really. I read some customer reviews and no-one had anything bad to say about it, I just wanted confirmation from people I could trust (or blame ;) ).
/Heads off to order one.
Stan_Lite
30-07-2007, 22:50
The one consistently reported problem with Panasonic cameras is excessive noise reduction (softening) of images at high ISO, but then virtually all compacts suffer either this or lots of noise at high ISO, so just bear it in mind and you'll do fine. I completely agree there's very little if anything on the market at that size that'll get close for features. Seems like a good buy to me. :)
The reviews I've seen said it was a bit dodgy at 400 but that at 100 or 200, it was perfectly fine - shouldn't cause any serious hardship.
Piggymon
30-07-2007, 22:50
Jamie is just uploading some pics taken at the weekend :)
Piggymon
30-07-2007, 22:51
The one consistently reported problem with Panasonic cameras is excessive noise reduction (softening) of images at high ISO, but then virtually all compacts suffer either this or lots of noise at high ISO, so just bear it in mind and you'll do fine. I completely agree there's very little if anything on the market at that size that'll get close for features. Seems like a good buy to me. :)
*whooosh* ;D
Basically means if you use it in low light without flash you might get a bit of smearing in the pictures (tends to show up in fine detail - e.g. hair, grass, etc.)
As Stan correctly says, keep below ISO 400 and you'll never have that problem. If it's just going to end up on the web then it doesn't really matter at all as you'll lose all the detail anyway when resizing the picture.
OK, please bare in mind I'm no photographer, although I am starting to experiment a little bit. There aren't many manual options to play about with on the TZ3 but I still think it's a great little camera. If you can wait until your visit, you're more than welcome to have a play :)
Mumbles pier from the top of the hill...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000384800x600.jpg
Now to show you some zoom.
See the boat in the bottom left corner?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000392800x600.jpg
This is it at 10x Optical Zoom...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000393800x600.jpg
...and this is it at 40x Digital Zoom...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000395800x600.jpg
The pier entrance...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000409800x600.jpg
The gangway to the lifeboat launch...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000417800x600.jpg
The lifeboat launch...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000431800x600.jpg
The pier decking...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000433800x600.jpg
The lighthouse...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000436800x600.jpg
Steps up the hill...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000441800x600.jpg
The benches with a lovely view ;D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000444800x600.jpg
A wonky fountain (yes it was wonky, it wasn't me)...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000450800x600.jpg
A couple of Macro mode shots...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000453800x600.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000454800x600.jpg
Lighthouse over the wall...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000459800x600.jpg
Piggy playing golf (and not ending up in A&E)...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/piggymon/Mumbles/P1000474800x600.jpg
As you can see I've given quite a bit of variation in there so you'll get some idea of what's what :)
Stan_Lite
30-07-2007, 23:31
Thanks a lot for that dude - pictures look pretty good (seems to be a fair bit of concentration going on in the golf pic :D ).
To be honest, the lack of manual features is what I'm looking for. I bought an S7000 a while back thinking that I might use it to learn a bit more about stuff like that but I just don't have the patience for it. Now that it's buggered, I'm just looking for a good point and click jobbie, which takes good photos. I presume it has all the usual preset options (portrait, night, scenery etc.).
wow, rather glad you bought that camera!!!
i've been looking for a new point'n'shot recently and this one looks like one of the best around at the moment, thinkin of gettin it when i go to hong kong though....maybe there'll be a newer version by feb :D
anyway - i take it those shots, like the zoomed (10x and 40x) are all shot by hand, i.e. without a tripod or any stabaliser? - the lack of blur @ 40x seems massively impressive!!!
I presume it has all the usual preset options (portrait, night, scenery etc.).
Yes mate, there's loads on there. There are also two set on the mode selection wheel so you can select your favourite two really easily.
anyway - i take it those shots, like the zoomed (10x and 40x) are all shot by hand, i.e. without a tripod or any stabaliser? - the lack of blur @ 40x seems massively impressive!!!
It's got Mega O.I.S. (Panasonic's image stabilisation). Good thing too given the long zoom range.
anyway - i take it those shots, like the zoomed (10x and 40x) are all shot by hand, i.e. without a tripod or any stabaliser? - the lack of blur @ 40x seems massively impressive!!!
The zoomed shots were just me leaning on a wall. The are two levels of image stabilization on this, and it's mighty impressive what it does. You can really see the difference when you switch it off. I've had no problem keeping even small items on full zoom in shot :)
cool :)
if you don't mind me asking, what did u pay for it?
just been looking at prices in HKD and its looking like they range from £170 - £200...
www.digitalrev.com/en/products.php?category_id=27
Think it was £232 delivered. Somewhere around that anyway.
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