70 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It Was (Nearly) Everything I Needed, March 16, 2009
I want to start off by saying I am a loyal Canon shooter. I own both film and digital SLRs and love them very much. When I needed a digital point and shoot to carry with me whenever carrying the DSLR was impractical, I saved my pennies and bought a G9. The G9 is a fantastic point and shoot which I highly recommend.
So why am I writing a review for the Panasonic DMC-LZ10? Well, about a week ago, I dropped my G9 and the lens was stuck in the open position. I have to send it in to Canon for repair. In the interim, however, I didn't want to be without a digital point and shoot. I also didn't want to spend a boat-load of money. My first instinct was to get another Canon. I tried several of the lower-cost versions, in particular the A590Is. It's a fine camera, and I liked the IQ enough (but not as much as my G9). I didn't like the feel of it in my hand or the fact that it felt a bit flimsy. So I began to look around...and at other brands.
During my research, the Lumix line kept popping up. I became curious. I did more, specific research. I then found that the LZ10 fulfilled nearly all of my needs/wants:
1) Cost--I wasn't going to spend and arm and a leg on a camera that would be used pretty much while another was in the shop.
2) Size--I wanted a camera small enough to take alone without being intrusive.
3) IQ--I wanted a camera that was able to create photographs with good, usable image quality. I wanted low noise and good resolution. I wasn't going to fool myself into thinking I'd get DSLR quality, but I also didn't want to fool around with "project" photos.
4) Control Beyond Pre-Set "Scenes"--I am very fond of being able to shoot in shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual. I will occasionally use Program mode, but often eschew the "Scene" or "Creative" modes.
5) Build Quality--I like to USE my cameras, and I tote them along with me every day. Build quality is an important issue.
6) File Format--In a perfect world I would love to have RAW capability.
7) Battery--The propitiatory batter in my G9 wasn't as much of an issue because it uses the same batteries found in my older DSLR...batteries I already had but haven't been using. I wasn't interested in starting a whole new battery collection, so standard AAs were very appealing.
8) Looks--Yes, a little bit of vanity creeps in now and again.
So, how does the DMC-LZ10 stack up? Pretty darned favorably I have to say.
1) Cost--It was right in my wheelhouse. I feel it is a good value for the money.
2) Size--The camera is surprisingly small without feeling teeny. The ergonomics are good...it feels "right" in the hand.
3) IQ--For a camera in this price range, I am very pleased with the image quality. The anti-shake works well, and my over-all hit-to-miss ratio is very favorable. The Leica lens is a good performer (although the photos will never be mistaken for those taken with an M8) and the wide angle end is very serviceable at 30mm (equivalent).
4) Control Beyond Pre-Set "Scenes"--Yup...it has shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, and program modes. Sure, it also has all the "Creative" and "Scene" modes, as well as Panasoinc's "Intelligent Automatic" which really does a lot of thinking for you.
5) Build Quality--Unlike the Canon A590Is, The DMC-LZ10 has a predominantly metal body and feels substantial.
6) File Format--Here is where the camera lets me down a bit. There is no RAW support, only JPG.
7) Battery--Double A batteries it is. I got some Eneloops and they work wonderfully.
8) Looks--I have to admit this camera does LOOK good. It's sleek, with a hint of a retro feel that I really like.
So in the end, I am very happy with my choice to get the Lumix DMC-LZ10. So happy, in fact, that I do not plan on shelving it once my G9 returns from the shop. I want to find some way to put it to use in my daily work flow.
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