Panasonic DMZ-FZ7 a good camera to start with?

[kelvint81]

Hi i am a newbie in photo taking.
WIsh to get a DMZ-FZ7 for its 12x zoom for my 1st digicam

Any ideas where to get the cheapest deal for this cam?
Thanks

[Hexlord]

Hi and welcome to PLUG!

Yes, the FZ7 is a good camera, value for money and won't break your bank!

You can check out the shops like MS Color, Alan Photo, Cathay Photo as well as John 3:16

[kelvint81]

Originally Posted by Hexlord Hi and welcome to PLUG! Yes, the FZ7 is a good camera, value for money and won't break your bank! You can check out the shops like MS Color, Alan Photo, Cathay Photo as well as John 3:16

Hey thanks. Is it hard for a newbie like me to use?
I like PnS but when i master the cam already i can use manual controls.

just asked MS Color. They qouted $599 with 512MB and Case.

ANywhere cheaper? No need free SD card but case and tripod free is good.

[Hexlord]

I guess the price is around there, give or take another $10-20 difference.

And the card's standard and pretty low in value nowadays, I doubt if you can get much discount even if the shop's agreeable to taking out the SD card.

The FZ7 (Come to think about it, any of the FZ cameras) can be easily used as a PnS although you can learn to take advantage of the manual controls at a later point in time.

[kelvint81]

Originally Posted by Hexlord I guess the price is around there, give or take another $10-20 difference. And the card's standard and pretty low in value nowadays, I doubt if you can get much discount even if the shop's agreeable to taking out the SD card. The FZ7 (Come to think about it, any of the FZ cameras) can be easily used as a PnS although you can learn to take advantage of the manual controls at a later point in time.

Hey thanks for your input.
I go ask ard and see which shop can get the best price.
By the way you know of any shop that takes in 2nd Digicams?
Thanks

[Hexlord]

Originally Posted by kelvint81 Hey thanks for your input. I go ask ard and see which shop can get the best price. By the way you know of any shop that takes in 2nd Digicams? Thanks

Haha.. that, I would like to know too

[metallilan]

Basically to master a camera is easy with time. Remember that you are making the shots, not the camera.

Every camera has an auto-mode for beginners, but when you finished settling for that, you will want to the use the other modes like A, S, and M, which will aid you in learning photography.

[kelvint81]

thx thx...

Any forum with shots with FZ7 in here?

[kelvint81]

I read that the screen is 2.5" but with only 113K pixels?
I guess that means the screen display is not very sharp already.

[metallilan]

Originally Posted by kelvint81 I read that the screen is 2.5" but with only 113K pixels? I guess that means the screen display is not very sharp already.

I think its not too bad. At least its big enough to see whether your shots are blurry or not so blurry...

[kelvint81]

Originally Posted by metallilan I think its not too bad. At least its big enough to see whether your shots are blurry or not so blurry...

hmm thanks for the input...

i got 2 choices
its FZ7 or Canon S3 IS

But Canon one is abt $100 more ex...
thats why holding me back.

[metallilan]

Originally Posted by kelvint81 hmm thanks for the input... i got 2 choices its FZ7 or Canon S3 IS But Canon one is abt $100 more ex... thats why holding me back.

Well i understand your financial point of view. Basically the intiall amount isnt that much of a grave difference.

When i bought my FZ5, it was relatively cheaper than its rival, the S2IS. But after awhile i got more interested in a variety of shooting, starting off with macro, then fireworks, then bird shooting then events.

So thus, i started buying the equipments required for those type of shooting, like macro lenses, wide & tele converters, and a flash, which trust me costs money too.

So in the end, its up to you what you will do with the camera, and what you want to do with it in the future.

To think of it, i spent more on my prosumer than my dslr. (trust me, ask the other lumixers and they'll say the same thing )

[kelvint81]

Originally Posted by metallilan Well i understand your financial point of view. Basically the intiall amount isnt that much of a grave difference. When i bought my FZ5, it was relatively cheaper than its rival, the S2IS. But after awhile i got more interested in a variety of shooting, starting off with macro, then fireworks, then bird shooting then events. So thus, i started buying the equipments required for those type of shooting, like macro lenses, wide & tele converters, and a flash, which trust me costs money too. So in the end, its up to you what you will do with the camera, and what you want to do with it in the future. To think of it, i spent more on my prosumer than my dslr. (trust me, ask the other lumixers and they'll say the same thing )

haha for me i dont think i that pro.
for me i just casual shooter

[ExplorerZ]

Originally Posted by kelvint81 haha for me i dont think i that pro. for me i just casual shooter

if that the case, both will do, but S3 will be slightly better for you (tilt/swing LCD)

[hann_t]

It's a pretty good camera, IMHO.

Just gotta download/purchase NeatImage or Noise Ninja and batch-filter all your photos before you take a look at them! :P Noise can be a problem, although I'd go for image sharpness anytime.

(My photos appear noisy on my 19" monitor, but very little sign of noise at all on my 14" laptop... so maybe I'm just being picky.)

The LCD's big and clear - a bit gritty (as are the images - sharp and slightly noisy) - but it's actually a pretty good quality screen. There's no noise on the screen at all, even in very low lighting, and it's more visible in sunlight than the S3's. (Was deciding between the two too.. the fact that the pana screen's bigger was the dealmaker for me.)

That said, the EVF isn't great though. Just serviceable enough.

Either way you'll have a good camera to play with!

[kelvint81]

Originally Posted by hann_t It's a pretty good camera, IMHO. Just gotta download/purchase NeatImage or Noise Ninja and batch-filter all your photos before you take a look at them! :P Noise can be a problem, although I'd go for image sharpness anytime. (My photos appear noisy on my 19" monitor, but very little sign of noise at all on my 14" laptop... so maybe I'm just being picky.) The LCD's big and clear - a bit gritty (as are the images - sharp and slightly noisy) - but it's actually a pretty good quality screen. There's no noise on the screen at all, even in very low lighting, and it's more visible in sunlight than the S3's. (Was deciding between the two too.. the fact that the pana screen's bigger was the dealmaker for me.) That said, the EVF isn't great though. Just serviceable enough. Either way you'll have a good camera to play with!

Hey thanks for this very nice input...
I getting FZ7 once i get my pay soon hehe

[hann_t]

Great!

You'll definitely be happy with it (or, at the very least, be satisfied) for the price and image quality.

Just thought I might share some pics, here are some taken with the FZ5:

http://community.webshots.com/user/szue_hann

All the pics are taken with the FZ5 (the FZ7's predecessor) except the Calcutta images.

I find no difference between the Fz5 and FZ7's image quality, except that the FZ7's are very slightly grittier - again, only if you're being picky.

Cheers, and have fun with the cam!

[match80]

Originally Posted by metallilan Well i understand your financial point of view. Basically the intiall amount isnt that much of a grave difference. When i bought my FZ5, it was relatively cheaper than its rival, the S2IS. But after awhile i got more interested in a variety of shooting, starting off with macro, then fireworks, then bird shooting then events. So thus, i started buying the equipments required for those type of shooting, like macro lenses, wide & tele converters, and a flash, which trust me costs money too. So in the end, its up to you what you will do with the camera, and what you want to do with it in the future. To think of it, i spent more on my prosumer than my dslr. (trust me, ask the other lumixers and they'll say the same thing )

hi, which prosumer u using? FZ7 can upgrade with wat equipments?

[metallilan]

Originally Posted by match80 hi, which prosumer u using? FZ7 can upgrade with wat equipments?

I was using an FZ5, im using a D70 now. Basically you can buy 3rd party items to accesorize your camera, but i'll list down my gear when i was using my FZ5.

FZ5 - main camera
Olympus WCON-07 - my preferred wide-angle lens for landscape
Olympus TCON-17 - my preferred tele-converter for bird shoots
Raynox DCR-250 - my favourite macro filter/lens for super close up macro
Nikon 4T Closeup Filter - my another favourite macro filter, which i still keep till today
Emoblitz DS328AZ - my favourite slave flash, which i still keep till today

Thats my rig during my FZ5 days...

[ExplorerZ]

Originally Posted by metallilan I was using an FZ5, im using a D70 now. Basically you can buy 3rd party items to accesorize your camera, but i'll list down my gear when i was using my FZ5. FZ5 - main camera Olympus WCON-07 - my preferred wide-angle lens for landscape Olympus TCON-17 - my preferred tele-converter for bird shoots Raynox DCR-250 - my favourite macro filter/lens for super close up macro Nikon 4T Closeup Filter - my another favourite macro filter, which i still keep till today Emoblitz DS328AZ - my favourite slave flash, which i still keep till today Thats my rig during my FZ5 days...

actually with wcon07, the distortion make it not very good for traditional landscape, but good for creative purpose wide angle shot.