Appreciate Your Help Deciding on the Fz20s

[digitalk]

I am a former Canon A70 owner. I've enjoyed this camera and now want to upgrade to something more powerful. Recently, I purchased the Konica-Minolta A2 and then the Canon 300D (Rebel). While each had strengths, I was overall disappointed and returned both---seemed like pics the right out of the camera (despite different settings) were not much better than my A70?

Now more research has lead me to the FZ20s. What I am worried the most about is noise-levels and red-eye. I noticed in reviews the Fz20s seems to have "above average' noise levels and red-eye. How big an issue is this?

Expected shooting situations/prints:

1) Basically, I'll be taking lots of photos in-doors and outdoors. Mostly of vacations and family. Also, I'd like to shoot portraits with a very very blurred background to make the subject stannd out---is it easy to do this on the FZ20?.

2) I usually print color 6x4, 7x5 and max, 8x10. Sometimes I print on an ink-jet at home or send them out to a printer (Ofoto.com).

Thanks for any advice in advance.

[lumixfan]

Now more research has lead me to the FZ20s. What I am worried the most about is noise-levels and red-eye. I noticed in reviews the Fz20s seems to have "above average' noise levels and red-eye. How big an issue is this?


I have not noticed it at all. I printed 5x7 and 8 x 10. It all depends on the lighting situation. I usually take pictures in outdoors or indoors woth exteral flash.


Expected shooting situations/prints:

1) Basically, I'll be taking lots of photos in-doors and outdoors. Mostly of vacations and family. Also, I'd like to shoot portraits with a very very blurred background to make the subject stannd out---is it easy to do this on the FZ20?.

Very easy to take pictures with blurred background. Either go to PORTRAIT mode or aperture priority and set aperture to f/2.8

[BryanMsi]

Your experience sounds totally understandable given the 2 cameras you tried. The A2 is a great camera but has had widely reported focusing issues and soft image problems.

And many people moving to a dSLR have issues with the images due to the difference in depth-of-field between the cameras. dSLRs do not have the same depth of field as a point-n-shoot like the A70. This shows up in photos where the background, center, and foreground are all in focus with an point-n-shoot and have out-of-focus backgrounds from the dSLR.n Of course, a dSLR can achieve the same effect with a small aperture setting, but that also decreases shutter speed and isn't something most casual photographers want to adjust.

This doesn't mean the dSLR is worse, in fact its a feature that can be used to great advantage in creative shots. However, for most people, the large depth of field possible at all apertures in a camera like the Lumix is a big advantage.

Having seen test shots from the A2, I think you will find the Lumix images to be sharper.

[FZ20knowitall]

I have shot a few thousand photos with the FZ20 at least half with a flash (and most flash shots were with the on camera flash). I think I might have literally 1 or two shot with red eye, so I don't know where you got your stats from, but red eye isn't one of the FZ20's problems!

[genece]

The darker the room the more chance for red eye. (Because the pupils are wider.)

The Farther away and the more zoom the more chance for red eye.(the less the angle between the lens and the flash)

There are plenty of programs to remove red eye.
I have a greatgranddaughter that is very prone to redeye showing up.
I am not sure why it just happens,while it does not happen much to her brother.

[digitalk]

I got the red-eye stat from the review in this website.


I have shot a few thousand photos with the FZ20 at least half with a flash (and most flash shots were with the on camera flash). I think I might have literally 1 or two shot with red eye, so I don't know where you got your stats from, but red eye isn't one of the FZ20's problems!

[Anex]

genece said it perfectly as to how the red eye situation occurs. As was suggested in the review, I take a couple shots so as to ensure I get at least one good photo - I use the multipic high speed option a lot; I always get at least one good pic out of it.

I also tend to, for lack of a better word, "prime" my son before actually taking the picture. I use the focus light to get my son's pupils smaller (i.e. depress the button half way, then let go and repeat). I find that after a couple times, I 99% of the time get no red eye.

Other then adding more light, the above takes care of any red eye problems all the time. Of course, there's always redeye remover in the ArcSoft image software ;)