Customer Reviews

Panasonic DMC-FZ7S 6MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)

5 star:		(108)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I just upgraded to this camera from my FZ3 and I love it. It will take a little time to get used to it because they changed some of the methods of accessing settings. All of those changes are a big plus in my book. The lens is still great, the handling has been improved and image quality is excellent. Some of the new featurs over pervious version;
- 2.5" LCD is just huge, yes lower res but still good.
- Standard 52mm filter adapter much better then FZ3/4/5
- High angle LCD mode works! I don't need tilt/twist any more
- High sensitivity mode works, but not the best quality image

All the featurs it adds and at a price MUCH lower then any other FZ has been introduced at, how can you go wrong!!

Updated 9/28/06
Still love this camera. Noise is not as big of an issue as some people make it out to be. I now have the after market lens adapter that is from Pemaraal, it is a great addition.

I've had this camera two weeks now, and have had no problems whatsoever with it. It's my first digital camera, and so I spent about a month shopping around, reading various reviews, checking what needs I had in a camera, etc. When I knew that I wanted a megazoom, I ended up narrowing my selections to a few cameras: Sony DSC-H2, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7, Canon S3IS, and Fuji FinePix s5200.

All of them are great cameras and review well. In many of the reviews I would regularly read of each owner praising their own camera over the traits of the others. I don't know about anyone else, but I can't afford to own one of each camera to really know what that's like. What I took it to mean was that most of the people who bought any of these cameras were very happy with them. In some ways it made things more difficult (which one should I get?), but then in other ways it was a destresser (at least I won't get a dud, whichever I end up with).

Going to the stores around here and getting a feel for them in my hand was important. Everyone's hands are different, so it won't help for people to know which felt comfy in my hands, but I'll say it was a factor.

Features-wise, these cameras are all in the same neighbourhood. Big zoom, mid-high megapixel, and plenty of user-control when it comes to the settings. The viewscreens vary in size, as does the onboard memory, the kind of memory cards and batteries the camera uses, etc., so these are the major distinctions. Lenses on these cameras are also very good, no matter which you're looking at. Fuji and Canon, for instance, are both camera companies before they were into electronics, and Sony uses the Carl Zeiss and Panasonic uses the Leica. Quibble if you must about the lens quality of one vs. another, but the differences are minute. All offer some form of image stabilization as well, which is most helpful to me and my big, shaky hands.

When decision time came, price became a factor. The Fuji and Canon were $50-100 more than the Sony, and the Panasonic was another 20 below the Sony. Again, it wasn't the only factor, but it was in there.

Other factor: Power source. Some cameras run off AA batteries (Sony and Canon, not sure about Fuji), the Panasonic uses a Panasonic brand battery (Lithium-Ion), but you can buy knock-off brands that are much cheaper. They don't last as long (I have two) as the Panasonic, but I would say they are about 90% of the shooting capacity of the one that came with the camera, at about a fifth of the cost.

And last but not least: Storage. Panasonic and Canon use SD cards, which are cheap and fast. The Sony uses MemoryStick (a Sony product) that costs more. Not sure on it's performance, but from what I could tell from other reviews, a highspeed (UltraII by Sandisk, for instance) SD card was more than adequate. I got a 1G UltraII SD card and it holds 334 pics at max resolution. It's a fine performer, and fits into my laptop's cardreader. Very fast transfer from card to CPU for editing and such. Way faster than the included USB cable.

With the Panasonic, I make the tradeoff that memory is relatively cheap and flexible with other cameras and computers, but I have to have my batteries charged and ready for picture taking. With the Sony I could have gone to any corner store most anywhere in the world and picked up two AA's to operate the camera. They don't last as long as NiMH AA's, but they'll work fine when you have no other choice. To me that was a trade I'm willing to make, since I have three batteries (each rated for 270-300) and being able to acquire more storage cheaply would be better for what I need.

If you get this camera, you will be very pleased with the pictures you take, though that doesn't mean that you would be displeased with the others I mentioned. Make sure you get a chance to hold the cameras in your hand, and see what your priorities are going to be in picture taking. If you're always on the road and charging batteries is a problem, this camera might not be the one for you (charging the battery for this camera takes 2 hours), but if that isn't an issue, this camera is an excellent choice.

The only criticism people have had of this camera has been 'noise' at high ISOs, but that's not something I've noticed. I'll be doing some night shooting soon, so I'll experiment and see what I can get. As for the other positive reviews of picture quality, clarity, colour reproduction, etc. - I echo those heartily. Again, this is not a camera that disappoints. You'll be very pleased with the results.
Happy shooting!

This camera replaces 35 year old Nikons with all the lenses etc that were available at that time. I have been reluctant to join the digital camera set. This Panasonic is simply an outstanding product. In one small package you replace many heavy lenses and two Nikons I have been carrying. Prior to my purchase I tried to research hard and read mostly positive reviews on this camera. They were absolutely correct and many of the negative comments have turned out to be either very very picky or simply not reading the manual. The strong suits to this Panasonic FZ7 for me are the portrait and macro quality. The Leica lens is excellent and the results are excellent. I have now taken over 400 pictures with this camera and had one portrait printed by a custom lab. They were impressed also. Portraits are just outstanding and so are close-ups such as mountain wild flowers. The ease of use is outstanding. Yes you have to read the manual and yes you have to do some practicing but you get out of this camera what you put into it. Battery life is outstanding. I love the provided battery and don't want to be carrying AA batteries. Charging for 2 hours from completely dead is impressive and being able to take several hundred photos on one charge sold me. For the most part the software that comes with it is good although I am not sure why you would need 4 different photo programs and it seems they could have put their effort into just one great photo program.

For the amateur photographer I consider this camera to be outstanding as long as you will study the manual and try the different settings. There are many settings and they do produce the desired results. There is, of course, a "simple" setting which frankly I haven't tried yet because this camera is so easy to use the more advanced settings. For an old film camera guy its a joy to take as many pictures as I want and delete the bad ones. Seeing your results instantly is impressive and its so easy to watch on your TV that was actually the first place we did watch.

I also find the view finder to be an absolute joy. The LCD screen is more than adequate for most conditions but I find that in bright sunlight(sun behind you) the view finder is such a joy that I find myself using it more and more. The detailed information available within the view finder is in such sharp detail its amazing. Didn't know that was possible.

The arguments against this camera might be that it doesn't fit into your pocket but its so lightweight and the 12X zoom is so impressive I love to carry it. I bought a small case for it that fits it nice and tight and at Sam's Club I bought a 1GB Toshiba high proformance SD card for under $50. The 1GB card matches the battery capacity at best quality for about 329 pictures at 6M megapixels. Absolutely no regrets about purchasing this camera. I was into my third day with it before I even tried the audio. Who knew? Good idea! Another really unreal idea is stabilization in a still camera. When you are out on the 12X zoom its very impressive. Haven't used a tripod yet and for wildflowers the Nikon just about had to be on a tripod when using the Micro Nikkor lens in wind etc.

All of my Nikons will soon be featured on E-Bay. First though there is this 12 day vacation through 3 Natl Parks. Hmmm taking my laptop so I can download the SD card because I am thinking at least 1,000 pictures! It all came down to either this Panasonic or the Canon S3IS with comparable bells and whistles but the Cannon was over a $100 more and I couldn't justify it.

This camera will basically take your picture for you if you use all of its capability.

An elderly friend of mine is just getting his toes wet with his spiffy new laptop,spiffy new 3-in -one printer,and this very,very sweet camera.
He is a retired art instructor,and was a professional photographer back in the days of the Rolliflexes. He asked for my help in selecting all of the above,and I have to tell you: This camera has knocked his socks off. He is trying everything the camera is capable of,and he is continually amazed at the quality,heft,and pictures the Lumix can take. Being very mechanically-minded,he is just as intrigued with its operations ,as he is with the finished print.
As for my opinion?? I wish I had one of these! I have a very nice pocket-size Nikon,5.1mp,and I bought it so I could carry it in my pocket. It takes wonderful photos,so I really don't need this one.But..I like the fact that you can override the auto settings and tweak it to your specifications.He has been having a lot of fun with it over the past couple of weeks.Taking photos in all sorts of light situations.Moon photos,sunsets,etc.
I think he will continue to be very pleased with what he has purchased.It was so nice to see his face light up the first time he took a photo and looked at it in the very huge LCD screen.
I suggest,as amazon did,that you get a 1Gig SD card,minimum,but if you can swing it,go for the 2Gig.
All-in-all,this is a great camera,and coupled with a spiffy,high-quality printer,anyone into photography will be pleased.

In January, my beloved Canon s-45 received the dreaded E-18 error. At two hundred dollars, it is not worth repairing. I am joining the class action law suit on that Canon camera error (Google for more info if you have that problem). So I set out to find a viable substitute.

I purchased a Pentax Optio S-6. Very unhappy. Outdoor pictures were clear but indoor pictures, terrible quality. We used the camera at a birthday party, put it back in its case and into a purse, and for some inexplicable reason, the LCD screen 'cracked'.

So, I returned it. Turns out that is a common and fatal flaw for that camera.

I went to Frys and talked to several people who reccommended that for the money, the Panasonic was the best deal. My main goal for the camera is to shoot indoor club volleyball action shots with some degree of sharpness and quality. I realize it would not be the performance of my friends several thousand dollar camera systems, but I wanted something that would 'do'.

Well, in this Panasonic, I FOUND IT! I have had it for a week, and have test run it in every situation, night, action, inside, outside, object, people. The instruction manual is a bit difficult to read, a little confusing, but once you figure out what you are doing, the camera is a real delight.

The inside volleyball shots I got are even more than I'd hoped for. I have one fun shot that captured no less than four volleyballs in the air, clearly. That was just a bonus to the player I was shooting. Don't get me wrong, you cannot get an action still like something you'd see in the newspaper, but you can get something almost as good.

I am very happy with this camera. I have decided to keep it, and am going out to purchase a good case today. Additionally, we are so happy that we went out and purchased the Panasonic DMC-FX9 for my 22 year old daughter. Her friend has a slightly older model (also a former Canon user) and is thrilled with it. We are very happy with that purchase as well.

Again, this is not a camera for those looking for the sports page spectaculars. This is a camera for a person looking to have good quality photos of their every day activities that come out clear, sharp and crisp.

Good luck! Karen

After nearly 3 months of research, I convinced myself that this camera was the best choice out of all the options I had considered. I had been a digital camera user for about 3 years, just using point and shoot cameras. This camera (along with other super zooms) is a good way to graduate between traditional point-and-shoot cameras and dSLR cameras. Ironically, this model camera happens to be the cheapest along with the one with the best reviews and most features. The Canon S3 seems to be the typical consumer choice, yet this camera has a very odd form factor, and once I picked it up I knew it wasn't right for me. The interface on the software side was confusing and far too "dumbed-down" for me. Some test images at the store came out with a fair amount of noise, which is ironic due to the fact that all the camera gurus complain about the extreme noise on this camera. The noise on this camera is there, but not as noticeable as some reviewers make it sound. To put it into perspective, the noise levels are basically viewable in anything above a 11x14 print. Picture quality is strong in nearly all modes, and when you don't know what to use, there is usually a scene mode that will take care of it. Of course, you can always enter Simple Mode, something I personally have never tried, but how bad could it be. In respect to the features of this camera, the form factor, to start out, is amazing. Although it may not look like much, the camera can easily be held with one hand by someone with small hands like myself or large ones like those of my father. On the backside, there is the huge 2.5 inch LCD screen (once again complained about by pro reviewers as not sharp enough, wrong again). Also, a simple set of navigational arrows, a trash button, the EVF, power switch, flash pop button, and a unique joystick that gives you access to all manual controls while in manual modes. The joystick is really great, allowing access to all the manual features whenever I need them. The 12x Optical Zoom is truly amazing, I can sit in my room and zoom so far with such great clarity that my camera can read things that I can't, and I have vision that is far above average. The Leica lens is obviously crafted beautifully, like that of the $4000 cameras that Leica makes. This camera allows a great deal of diversity for experienced users, while also offering options for those who are not as experienced. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who might want to get closer to the shot with the huge zoom or wants to graduate from point and shoot cameras.

I resisted providing a review of this camera for about 2 months now in order to make sure everything was as I would like it. I can now say that this camera is a great choice for those that are looking for a trade-off between ultra-compact, and long-zoom SLR. I recently took it to a Black Eyed Peas concert that was in the evening. The pictures I took at 12x zoom were really good. The large screen is perfect for sharing with friends immediately. The simple mode is good for taking most pictures, and if you like to fiddle, it's got just enough of the manual features to give you those options. It's considerably lighter than a digi-SLR, with a better form-factor (I think) than either the Canon S3 or Sony H2. I would definitely recommend.

After extensive research, this camera was the best buy for the feature set by far. The closest competitor in my research was the Canon S3 IS for over $150 more.

12x zoom is unbeatable, many manual settings, image stabilization, great flash, burst mode, solid construction, nice "gimmicks" like child age and day of vacation recording are cool. Big 2.5 in screen and fast fast focus/writing to mem card are highly valued.

The only negatives I can think of are low-ish LCD screen resolution and no built-in lens cover, but this really has the feel of a camera one slight step below a professional SLR.

This is my second camera upgrading from a Fuji basic digital camera, and there's a world of difference.

I am not a techno geek. I lean towards electronically challanged. What I can tell you is that this camera is extremely user friendly. It has a multitude of modes to shoot in, such as starry night; fireworks; snow; portrait; and baby. All with subtle little adjustments that will enchance the scene you are trying to capture. It takes spectacular photos and the prints are rich and clean and clear and brilliant. This is my first upgrade from a 2mp. I considered the Sony's and the Cannon's, seriously. When I saw the size of this one, I was sold. It is "almost" a compact and can be taken any where any time. Do your techno research, then, try it. You won't be disappointed.

I've had this camera for a little under a month. It was an upgrade from a 4 year old 4MP camera that I still love. However, I've already put this camera through its paces. I've taken almost 1k pictures and outside of a few that were out of focus (because of me) they all have turned out great. I've shot everything from close up flowers, my son playing, my car after a wax to an entire wedding and reception. First impressions aside, this camera is easy to fall in love with.

Nutz and Boltz
I wont kid you, the learning curve is two fold and a little steep. There's an "easy" mode with included button(just like those Staples commercials) which out of the box makes the camera almost fool proof. Using the other settings takes a while to get used to, and even after a month of shooting, there is still stuff I don't know how to access on the fly.

Picture
In bright sun light the picture quality is simply amazing. Spot on colr and exposure. The images I've captured outdoors have been some of the best, crips and vivid. Indoors with a flash you get good pictures but nothing spectacular, It is though more then what a good point and shoot would produce.

Cons:
At high ISO settings picture quality starts to get a little grainy, but when you resize the image to something smaller, alot of the picture noise is removed. Also as I've read on other sites a good noise reduction tool (software) is probably a must with any camera over 4MP.

Can be slow to auto focus at times, so you may miss a shot. However, it has continuous AF which can really help.

Pros:
Great picture quality, high ISO settings which can be noisy do capture pictures you wouldn't normally have gotten any other way.

Small joystick that gives you quick access to manual focus, exposure settings and other cool features.

Captures quicktime video at 640x480 @30f and is pretty good at it. (About 11m for 1gig of SD media)

Overall score 9.5 stars I love it!