The other thread was so long I think I will start one for people who have bought the camera to share their views.
I got mine yesterday immediately after I found a buyer for my older FZ5. I just checked and found my FZ5 is less than a year old!!! Talk about short life cycle.
Anyway, MS Color was slightly cheaper but as I was in SLS, I bought it from AP.
No free card! sigh....
Anyway, here are my observations :
1. No included 16M Card. its useless but you feel more shiok if they bundle it mah..
2. The camera feels slightly bigger...and heavier.
3. Chassis is rough matt instead of smooth matt. Takes some getting used to.
4. The LCD is bigger but so is the font size too! Also, there is alot of video lag if you
move the camera too fast, something the FZ5 does not have.
5. The flash pop up button is on the left of the camera, so one hand operation to
activate it is no longer possible.
6. Battery is different from FZ5, so no recycling.
7. Hood adapter screws on instead of snaps on like FZ5. So its more secure now.
8. I LOVE the VGA movie mode!! Used it alot on the FZ5 with QVGA only.
But with my 1GB card, it reported only 12 min video possible! Now can display video in
full screen mode on the pc!
9. One photo at 6MP is 2.4 MB! Next lower setting is 4MB..there is no 5MB. Nuts!
10. Hood diameter is 52mm instead of 55mm which means ALL the accessories I had for
the FZ5 cannot be used unless I buy an adapter ring.
11. 6MPixel Photo image does not look or feel any better than the FZ5.
12. All other accessories the same stuff as FZ5 except the software has changed.
13. Menu system a bit more complicated. Will take some getting used to.
14. electronic Manual focus not all that great. I think a mechanical one would have been
much more appreciated.
15. CCD size is 1/2.5", the same size as FZ5 but with 1MP extra. Hence the original specs
that it was 1/2.3" is not true.
16. ISO 800/1600 a bit clumsy to use.
that being said, I thinking of selling off the following (55mm for FZ1, FZ3, FZ5):
HOYA Circ Polariser ($30), HOYA UV Filter ($8), HOYA +4 Lens ($15), Olympus WCON7 lens ($150).....or should I just buy an adapter ring??
I got mine yesterday immediately after I found a buyer for my older FZ5. I just checked and found my FZ5 is less than a year old!!! Talk about short life cycle.
Anyway, MS Color was slightly cheaper but as I was in SLS, I bought it from AP.
No free card! sigh....
Anyway, here are my observations :
1. No included 16M Card. its useless but you feel more shiok if they bundle it mah..
2. The camera feels slightly bigger...and heavier.
3. Chassis is rough matt instead of smooth matt. Takes some getting used to.
4. The LCD is bigger but so is the font size too! Also, there is alot of video lag if you
move the camera too fast, something the FZ5 does not have.
5. The flash pop up button is on the left of the camera, so one hand operation to
activate it is no longer possible.
6. Battery is different from FZ5, so no recycling.
7. Hood adapter screws on instead of snaps on like FZ5. So its more secure now.
8. I LOVE the VGA movie mode!! Used it alot on the FZ5 with QVGA only.
But with my 1GB card, it reported only 12 min video possible! Now can display video in
full screen mode on the pc!
9. One photo at 6MP is 2.4 MB! Next lower setting is 4MB..there is no 5MB. Nuts!
10. Hood diameter is 52mm instead of 55mm which means ALL the accessories I had for
the FZ5 cannot be used unless I buy an adapter ring.
11. 6MPixel Photo image does not look or feel any better than the FZ5.
12. All other accessories the same stuff as FZ5 except the software has changed.
13. Menu system a bit more complicated. Will take some getting used to.
14. electronic Manual focus not all that great. I think a mechanical one would have been
much more appreciated.
15. CCD size is 1/2.5", the same size as FZ5 but with 1MP extra. Hence the original specs
that it was 1/2.3" is not true.
16. ISO 800/1600 a bit clumsy to use.
that being said, I thinking of selling off the following (55mm for FZ1, FZ3, FZ5):
HOYA Circ Polariser ($30), HOYA UV Filter ($8), HOYA +4 Lens ($15), Olympus WCON7 lens ($150).....or should I just buy an adapter ring??