Panasonic tz6/zs1 or Sony H20?

[Suzy]

Hi Everybody,

At first i decided to buy the Tz6 because i want a
-compact camera
-ultrazoom
-good image quality/lens etc.
-wide angle

so i decided to go for the tz6 instead of the tz7 because it is 60 euro's cheaper and I don't really care that much about HDvideo and face detection (the rest is the same...right??)

Today i went to the store to see it in "real life", i talked to an information guy for a while but he told me that the Sony H20 is better than the Panasonic:confused:.

The most inportant differences are:

tz6
no manual conrols
Zoom capability: 12X optical + 4X digital
Focal length (35mm equiv.): 25mm - 300mm
Max. Aperture: F3.3 - F4.9
ISO sensitivity: 80/100/200/400/800/1600
Movie mode (format): Yes (QuickTime)
Movie resolutions (recording limit): 848 x 480


h20
manual controls
Zoom capability:10X optical + 2X digital
Focal length (35mm equiv.):38mm - 380mm
Max. Aperture:F3.5 - F4.4
ISO sensitivity:80/100/200/400/800/1600/3200
Movie mode (format): Yes (MPEG-4)
Movie resolutions (recording limit): 1280 x 720

The 38 mm on the Sony means that it isnt wide angle i guess?

Also i like the look of the sony better, but image quality is the most important to me (I saw a few pictures on flickr of the tz6 and tz7 and some almost looked like they were taken with a dslr) its hard to find a lot of reviews of the h20 or find pictures taken with the h20 on the internet... i read that it has more telephoto range than t7 but no wide angle, also that it provides less sharp pictures but follows closely behind the t7..

I'l be taking pictures in lots of different situations.
outdoor/travel pictures and also indoor pictures of people at party's, dinners and a concert now and then..

I really don't know what to do anymore:confused:. What do you recommend?

I need help before I decide..

thanks in advance!:)

[Phill D]

Ask yourself if you want manual controls if so go for the sony. If not then I'd go for the Tz7 as it has the more versatile lens range with the wide angle & a better lcd.

[reidfm]

That H20 is comparatively bulky at 109.2 x 71.1 x 48.3 mm / 250 g.
How about:
Fuji FinePix F70EXR New! 10 MP 10X 27 - 270 mm
99.1 x 58.4 x 22.9 mm / 180 g

[Suzy]

Manual controls are nice, but i won't be using them every time i use the camera..
Is there someone who can tell me what exactly what the difference is between the tz6 and tz7 except for the facedetection option and HD video? Is it really better?

I haven't really looked at the fujifilm...because all review sites are so positive about the tz6/7 and calling it the best compact superzoom, i decided to go for that one at first. Is the fujifilm as good as the tz6/7?

p.s. since it won't be fitting in my pocket anyway a little bulkiness isn't that much of a problem...although the size of the h20 is about the limit..

[David Metsky]

Is there someone who can tell me what exactly what the difference is between the tz6 and tz7 except for the facedetection option and HD video? Is it really better?
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_zs3-review/
The review here on this site has the breakdown on all the differences in a chart at the top. The other big distinction is the much better LCD on the ZS3. Also the sensors are different on the two cameras, but I can't say wha impact that would be.


I haven't really looked at the fujifilm...because all review sites are so positive about the tz6/7 and calling it the best compact superzoom, i decided to go for that one at first. Is the fujifilm as good as the tz6/7?
The Fuji F70 will likely give you much better low light performance, but there are tradeoffs there as well. There's no single "best" camera, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The Fuji F70 hasn't really been reviewed yet so it's not clear exactly how it will perform, but based on recent cameras it should be pretty good.

[mariajones]

Hi
I like sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20. Sony is good brand in camera. There are many features to be impressive. so I suggest Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20 is a 10 megapixel compact camera poised at the superzoom end of the market. It’s 10x optical zoom provides ample focal length for picking off subjects from afar, although with only 38mm of coverage at its widest point doesn’t push into the superwide superzoom territory.

There is a secret weapon on the feature front too – the HD 720p movie recording function is, whilst becoming a more commonplace feature on many stills cameras, something that’s not widely available as yet. Sony, being the domineering electronics giant it is, is certainly pushing promotion of HD products.

[David Metsky]

Sony, being the domineering electronics giant it is, is certainly pushing promotion of HD products.
Since both cameras have equivalent HD movie modes, this is irrelevant. Sony is a good company, but so are Panasonic and Fuji. Their respective reputations really don't enter into this comparison.

[bascom]

Today i went to the store to see it in "real life", i talked to an information guy for a while but he told me that the Sony H20 is better than the Panasonic:

Ask the store guy in what way is the Sony H20 better than Panasonic? I've tried them both in stores and the Pan feels better to me, plus it has more of the features you are looking for. But be aware of the battery issue with TZ6. They only work with Pan batteries. I would take Pan TZ6 or Fuji F70 over the H20.

[reidfm]

Is the broader ISO range on the Fuji F20 a significant factor?
Or the SuperCCD sensor?
ISO sensitivity: 100/200/400/800/1600/3200/6400/12800

[David Metsky]

It's not so much the range; many cameras have very high ISO settings. It's the ability to produce noise-free shots at high ISO settings. Fuji's SuperCCD (with some exceptions) does that better than any other P&S camera.

Most cameras will shoot low light images at ISO 800 or ISO 1600, but they look like they were shot through cheesecloth or something. The images are grainy and noisy, with many details smudged. In contrast, the Fuji F70 may be able to take the same shot and produce an image that's relatively clean and crisp. It means that in low light you can keep the flash turned off, freeze the motion of your subject, and still have a usable image.

[Suzy]

thanks for all your information!

Im still in doubt, going for the fuji or the tz6/7 now..

I was going to wait for the review of the fuji on this site, but just read that it wont be happening very soon and I need the camera before november.

Good Lowlight photo is very nice, i also noticed that tz7 has a 25 mm and fuji has a 27mm lens. Is that a really big difference or not? I don't know that much about wideangle yet...

Also: tz7 has a leica lens and fuju has it own lens.. In the end I just want to be able to make beautiful pictures (better than regular point and shoots) so I still think its hard to decide wich one.... :confused:

[David Metsky]

The difference between 25mm and 27mm isn't a big deal.

The Panasonic Leica lens is not much more than the name put on a lens built by Panasonic. I wouldn't read much into it.

The most important part of the picture taking process is the photographer, not the camera. A good camera is nice, but don't make the mistake of thinking that will make you a better photographer. You need to learn how to use whatever camera you buy, and learn about basic photography.

[reidfm]

Hi Suzy, Please give us a report when you purchase and your comments about results. I had intended to wait and buy the Casio H10, but their distribution seems to have been delayed. I had suggested the Fuji F70, so am anxious for your experience. Thanks

[speaklightly]

I own the Panasonic ZS1 and the built-in flash is VERY weak. So much so that you are limited to a flash range for proper exposure of 8 feet or less.

I personally would give more consideration to the F-70 based on the photos posted at www.dpreview.com.

Sarah Joyce