lumix fz3 or minolta dimage z3 ???

[timpson]

Just got a decision to buy dimage z3 - then had a lookthrough of it's photos and was rather disappointed. Noticable noise and blur. Never took into account Lumix fz3 because of it's 3Mp matrix. But FZ3's photos seems to be much sharper in spite of "low" resolution. Besides I respect Leica as a manufacturer of lens. Is it worth to get camera with better optical system or should I choose minolta z3 with bigger matrix and replacable/more compatible battaries? I am just an amateur though and need a camera for sightseeing. :confused:

[PhilR.]

But FZ3's photos seems to be much sharper in spite of "low" resolution. :confused:

The FZ3 does not have "low" resolution. In fact, I think it has better resolution than the Z3. Higher megapixels does not mean better resolution. It just means a bigger file size, which in turn means that you can make a bigger picture. In other words, a 10 megapixel camera with a low-resolution lens give you a huge but low-quality picture.

You should determine what size picture you want to make, and then you can determine if you need the extra 0.9 megapixels of the Z3. Personally, I don't feel that it makes a difference, but some people might. As for the battery issue - do you think you will shoot more than 200 pictures in a day, on a consistent basis? Having an AA type of camera will allow you to buy a set of batteries if the rechargeable ones go out, but I think that most people will do just fine with one set of good rechargeables, no matter the type. I have yet to outshoot the battery in my FZ3, and besides, one can always purchase a spare battery to keep on hand during a long day of picture shooting.

At the end of the day, both of these cameras are pretty good, and are more than adequate for sightseeing. I chose the FZ3 because I liked the overall appearance and smaller size as compared to the Z3, and because some website reviews had picture comparisons that came out in favor of the Panasonic. It seems that after reading many posts on this and several other digital camera forums, many others have done the same....

PhilR.

[Avantgarde]

I'm new to this board, but find the reviews here helpful so decided to join. I have a Panasonic FX20, and also bought the FX3 for my parents for Christmas. I can hole heartedly recomend the FZ3. There are few cameras that has all it's options at it's price point. Image quality is top notch for 3MP camera, it's very easy to use and the lecia lens is awesome, nothing else touches it in it's range. I am a DSLR user also, I have a Canon 20D with a myrid of lenses, and I can say that the FZ seriers is the ultimate when I don't want to care all the around, the range is great 35mm to 420mm would cost thousands for lenses for the 20D. Sure the images aren't quite as good they are some of the best I've seen from that kind of camera. Best thing also it has it's simple mode if you are new to Digital cameras and photography, but it can also grow with you and for the most part become fully manual (One of my reasons of buying). It's battery life is good and the Mega OIS, is excellent at times it's better then the Canon IS on a 1200 dollar lens, very impressive indeed. While I have shot with the minolta I can't same much because I don't own it, it may also be very capiable camera, but I know the Panasonic is.


Just so you can see the quality of the lens on all the FZ camera, here is a link to just a test shot, I have a few more floating around in the other pics also

It's a large full size pic so let it load all the way, around 1meg
http://www.pbase.com/wintermist/image/36724340