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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3 3MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom
 
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3 3MP Digital Camera with 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom

Other products by Panasonic
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews) | More about this product

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Technical Details

  • 3-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 10-by-13-inch enlargements
  • Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens 12x optical zoom lens combines with 4x digital zoom for 48x total zoom
  • MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer keeps low-light and telephoto images sharp; 0.008-second shutter release lag
  • Store images on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards; 8MB SD card included
  • Powered by lithium-ion battery pack (included with charger)
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Product Details

Product Manual [8.47mb PDF]
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
  • ASIN: B0002R281K
  • Item model number: DMC-FZ3PP-S
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,708 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
  • Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
  • Date first available at Amazon.com: February 8, 2006

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Product Description

From the Manufacturer

12x Optical Zoom and F2.8 Brightness Across the Entire Zoom Range
The DMC-FZ3 has a 12x optical lens system that is equivalent to 36mm to 432mm in a 35mm film camera. It comprises 13 lenses in eight groups, including three aspherical lenses and boasts F2.8 brightness across the entire zoom range. Plus, the DMC-FZ3 also provides 4x digital zooming (as digital magnification increases, resolution significantly decreases)--combine that with the 12x optical zoom to get up to 48x zoom power for ultra-long-distance telephoto shots.

Our MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer Helps Eliminate Blurry Pictures
Jitter from shaky hands is one of the main reasons why cameras produce blurry images. We don't expect everyone to have hands of stone when taking pictures--that's why Lumix cameras help solve the problem of unsteady hands with advanced MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer technology. The DMC-FZ3 has a built-in gyrosensor that detects any hand movement and relays a signal to a tiny microcomputer inside the camera, which instantly calculates the compensation needed. A linear motor then shifts the Optical Image Stabilizer lens as necessary to guide incoming light from the image straight to the CCD. You won't even notice it working--all you'll see are the outstanding results!

Quality Pictures start with a Quality Leica Lens
The Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens on the DMC-FZ3 follows in the Leica tradition of excellence. (Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH. The Leica DC lenses are manufactured using measurement instruments and quality assurance systems that have been certified by Leica Camera AG based on the company's quality standards.) Although it is small in size, it has a large, bright aperture, meeting Leica's stringent quality standards. A Leica multi-coating process applied to the lens helps to prevent the fogging caused by flare, and ghosts that can result from excessive light. Even enlarged images captured by the DMC-FZ3 are crisp and clear--right to the edges.

Take Consecutive Shots at an Amazing 4 Frames per Second!
Thanks to the high-performance Venus Engine II LSI, shutter release time lag is reduced to approximately 0.008 seconds and the shutter interval to only around 0.3 seconds (not including time for AF). This gives the DMC-FZ3 a super-fast response that lets you snap off consecutive shots at 3 frames per second with full resolution. And the Unlimited Consecutive Shooting function allows unlimited consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD Memory Card in the camera--ideal for capturing fast-moving objects in high resolution (Number of shots may vary depending on memory card size, picture size, and compression).

Take Control of Your Camera with the DMC-FZ3's Manual Functions
Like doing things for yourself? The Manual Exposure Mode allows you to select the aperture and shutter speed of your choice. You can even see how much your setting differs from the setting the camera considers optimal with the Manual Exposure Assist function.

What's in the Box
DMC-FZ3 digital camera, battery charger, battery pack, 8MB SD memory card, lens cap, lens hood & adaptor, A/V & USB cable, strap, CD-ROM



Product Description

2/8/200615-19-32...

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Customer Reviews

Average Customer Rating
4.6 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
68 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Dependable; worth the money., December 18, 2004
I've used this camera now for two months. I have to say: I very impressed. It took me a whole month to choose which camera to buy in this class (high optical zoom, 3-4 MP).

If you are looking at cameras of this class, you are also probably considering the Canon 1S IS 3.2MP 10x Zoom. In a moment you will see why I chose this camera over the Canon. What you will like about Lumix:

1. 12x Zoom with a Leica lens! (vs 10x zoom on the Canon)
2. Excellent image stabilizator (2 modes)! You need a tripod in most lowlight conditions (Canon's image stabilizer is just as good).
3. Focus illuminator (No such thing with the Canon, which makes the camera hunt for focus at night).
4. Live histogram! There's are brief manual directions on how to use the histogram to get the best images. (No live histogram with Canon, it does however show a histogram after taking the shot)
5. Many, many, awesome features like zooming in on the image after taking it (to see if its blurred, etc), making overexposed areas blink in black (I love this feature, whenever I overexpose the image I know instantly)... etc.
6. The lightest/smallest high zoom camera out there. I just put it in my pocket and I'm off.
7. Free hood! which gets neatly attached to the lens and you can carry it around, even if you are not using it.
8. Great battery life, you can take loads of pictures. (Better than the Canon)
9. Lithium rechargable battery. (Canon: normal AA batteries... heavy stuff, you gotta buy your own rechargables and charger... a good $30+)
10. Nice, professional design. I don't know for you, but I hate those little cameras which look like credit cards.
11. Easy, intuitive menus. Has a mode for beginners. Again, many features like aperture and shutter priorities, fascinating macro mode... etc etc.
12. Excellent price for such a camera, definitely worth it.
13. Unnoticible distortion at high zoom.
14. Barely any blue aberration and fringing errors. ( Canon has some visible fringing (especially at high zoom).
15. Really fast start up time. Fast shooting times.

What you might not like:
1. 3.1 MP... the zoom sort of compensates for it, but 5MP would have been great... (for the same price of course). (3.2 on Canon)
2. Movie mode. Okay, I didn't buy this camera to make movies, if you want a camera which can make good movies, get a camcorder. only 400x300 resolution (hm... check that out, not entirely sure) vs 640x480 on Canon, and you can use the zoom with Canon's camera.
3. No manual focus. (Canon has a manual focus mode)
4. Visible vignetting. That is, when you take a picture, the ends or sides of it look black. That is annoying, but you get only 2-3 pictures every 100. (Canon: no vignetting)
5. A stronger focus illuminator.
6. Flash cannot be attached. (check for Canon)
7. Canon has a rotatable screen... so you can take pictures of your ass while looking at it. Well, it's a good feature, but I don't need it. Plus, the screen is small.
8. You don't get a case for it, but then you don't for most cameras. Buy one.
9. Buy a memory card. SanDisk 512MB works great for me. +50 bucks there. You will only get 16MB with the package. But that's how it is with all cameras.

I have not had any problems with my Lumix camera for these 2 months and I am really pleased with it! It took me a while to choose, but I as you see, the 9 cons there are more of little annoyances and things that I wish were there, but the price didn't allow it. Buy this camera, it is worth it. If you have some more money and professional initiative though, I'd strongly recommend you get the 5MP version for 500 or so dollars.
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52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great travel camera - wonderful for the price, September 19, 2004
This is a terrific little camera. Paired it with an SD Extreme 512MB chip. Incredible features for the price - the 12x optical zoom is quick and easy to use, boot and shot-to-shot times are excellent, burst mode is excellent. Even has a diopter adjustment at the eyepiece, useful for anyone who wears glass while they shoot. There is a no-brainer shooting selection for beginners. Suggest you switch to anti-shake "2" immediately, for better photos. Photo quality is fine for a 3 megapixel camera. At its price, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better combination of photo quality, ease of use and useful features in any other camera.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars 3 MP is plenty!, January 26, 2005
By E. Baker (Tustin, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I wanted a digital camera for Christmas, and had a heck of a time deciding what to get. The camera was to replace my old Canon EOS film camera, which was a pain to drag around, and which really wasn't giving me very good pictures for all the effort required.

So I wanted something easier to take along on vacations and family outings, but packed with features so I could take great pictures of the outdoors, and of the kids playing sports, and whatever else caught my eye. After some research I decided I wanted as much optical zoon as possible, and I wanted image stabilization so that my pictures would still be crisp at high zoom. I narrowed my search to this camera, the 5 MP version from Panasonic (Lumix DMC-FZ20) and the Canon PowerShot S1 IS.

My biggest debate was whether 3 MP would be enough for my needs? Or did I need to bump up to 5 MP for really good pictures? I view my pictures primarily on my computer, printing out some smaller prints (up to 5 x 7), and I e-mail pictures to family and put some up on the web. In the end I chose this 3 MP camera and am very happy.

This camera is significantly smaller and lighter than the FZ20 (besides being cheaper), so it is much easier to carry around and thus it is much more likely that I will grab it on my way out the door to the Little League game or the beach. So I'll get more pictures. The 256 MB card I bought with the camera holds about 155 photos at highest quality, which is plenty. The 3 MB resolution means more photos fit on a memory card, and your pictures won't take up as much space on your computer.

But what is really awesome about the camera is the performance! The 12X optical zoom is a marvel. You can zoom in on a barely visible speck on the horizon and see that it is really a small hut with broken windows. Because the zoom is so powerful, you can fill the frame with your subject when you take the shot, eliminating the need to crop and blow up the picture digitally on your computer. The image stabilization allows you to crisply capture your subject despite having shaky hands. On my computer, the pictures are absolutely crisp, and show no pixelation until I get past about 4X digital zoom

My favorite feature is the "burst" mode that lets you take up to four frames per second, which is very fast for a digital camera. It's fantastic for capturing those action sports shots.

You'll want to buy a bigger memory card for the camera. It comes with a nearly useless 8 MB card. The 256 I bought is working really well, but more is usually better when it comes to memory. The included battery recharges in about two hours, which is pretty quick, but you'll want to buy a backup so you can keep shooting after the included battery dies.

All in all, I am thrilled with my purchase, and I recommend the camera to anyone who wants a lot of features and performance in a point-and-shoot digital camera.
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