Best zs3/tz7 Underwater settings - Draft for Comments

[kevmiami]

I have been a huge fan of the series of cameras since the TZ1. IMHO they ruined the camera by going to a CMOS censor, but such is life. Just started diving again and have used this camera for snorkeling, but now have gotten serious and bought a YS110a, a spare camera ($109), aftermarket batteries and am ready to go. Have tried to go through all the discussions/reviews and pull together the best settings to start with and see how it goes. I'm going to Bonaire in early Feb and fortunately/unfortunately, that will be the first time I will have use rig, so trying to eliminate as much trial/error on paper as possible.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!

Panasonic TZ-7 / ZS-3 Best Underwater Settings - On Paper Anyway (DRAFT)

- Compiled from Forums and Reviews - My apologies for no individual credit, but thank you to everyone!

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 800"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Zoom Ranges
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Pairs
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1x = 5mm = 28mm (Equiv)[/TD]
[TD]3.3 / 8[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Each focal length uses a set pair of apertures[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2x = 10mm = 58mm (Equiv)[/TD]
[TD]4.4 /10[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4x = 18mm = 112mm (Equiv)[/TD]
[TD]4.7 /11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7x = 33mm = 200mm (Equiv)[/TD]
[TD]4.8 /11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10x = 46mm = 280mm (Equiv)[/TD]
[TD]4.9 /11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Normal Pic Mode
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Photo[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Video[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Menu[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Comments[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Exposure[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]ISO[/TD]
[TD]100[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Q-Menu[/TD]
[TD]Keep range within 80 - 200 for best results.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Intelligent ISO (i-ISO)[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Menu - 3[/TD]
[TD]Uses 1/125 down to 1/30; increasing ISO to isolate movement, up to ISO 1000[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Intelligent Exposure (i&#1060[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Q-Menu[/TD]
[TD]Starts ISO 100 - when hits shutter speed of 1/30th; incr ISO 1/3 step to ISO 200, then decr below 1/30th[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Min Shutter Speed[/TD]
[TD]1/125 - 1/250[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Main - 4[/TD]
[TD]Use 1/250 (fastest available) to stop fast fish[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]EV Compensation[/TD]
[TD]-1/3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]ʌ[/TD]
[TD] Press < > change 1/3 stop[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Auto Bracket[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]&#652;&#652;[/TD]
[TD] Press < > change 1/3 stop (changes shutter speed)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Stabilizer (OIS)[/TD]
[TD]Auto (Default 2)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Main - 3[/TD]
[TD]Mode 2 - Photo; Mode 1 - LCD & Photo (use when set at long zoom) - Off (when on tripod) - Auto[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Metering Mode[/TD]
[TD]Center Wghtd for Wide Angle[/TD]
[TD]Intelligent Multiple[/TD]
[TD]Main - 2[/TD]
[TD]Intelligent Multiple (.) - Center Weighted ( ) {75% Center} - Spot {very focused}[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Focusing[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AF (Auto Focus) Mode[/TD]
[TD]Spot (or)
AF Tracking[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Q-Menu[/TD]
[TD]Preferred to ignore back-scatter or background
Moving target - press v to activate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pre AF Mode[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD]Quick[/TD]
[TD]Main - 1[/TD]
[TD]Off - Quick (focuses when detects camera shake) - Continuous (focuses when shutter pressed halfway)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AF Assist Lamp[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Main - 4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]White Balance & Color[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Color Setting[/TD]
[TD]Vivid[/TD]
[TD]Vivid[/TD]
[TD]Main - 3[/TD]
[TD]Vivid = Better sharpness & increased saturation[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AWB[/TD]
[TD]White Set[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Q-Menu[/TD]
[TD]"Shade Mode" has most red[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Manual White Bal Set[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Main - 2[/TD]
[TD]Set with white card[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Manual White Bal Adjust[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]&#652;&#652;&#652;[/TD]
[TD]Select more red or more blue manually - Press < >[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Other Settings[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Using Extreme 32gb Class 10 SDHC Card[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aspect Ratio[/TD]
[TD]4:3 (10mp)[/TD]
[TD]16:9 (9mp)[/TD]
[TD]Q-Menu[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]LCD Power Mode[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD]Q-Menu[/TD]
[TD]Off - Auto - High[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Economy - Auto LCD Off[/TD]
[TD]30sec[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Tool - 3[/TD]
[TD](Off - 15sec - 30sec)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Economy -Power Save[/TD]
[TD]Off[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Tool - 3[/TD]
[TD](Off - 2min - 5min - 10min) Turns Camera Off[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Auto Review[/TD]
[TD]Hold[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Tool - 3[/TD]
[TD](Off - 1sec - 2sec - Hold - Zoom in for 1 sec)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Zoom Resume[/TD]
[TD]On[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Tool - 3[/TD]
[TD]Camera starts zoom at last setting[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Flash Setting on Camera[/TD]
[TD]Forced[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]>>>[/TD]
[TD](Fires pre-flash for TTL, but not red eye pre-flash)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Macro[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Macro Zoom[/TD]
[TD]Not Recommend[/TD]
[TD]N/R[/TD]
[TD]vv[/TD]
[TD]Locks lens at 28mm & uses digital zoom[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tele Macro[/TD]
[TD]Approx 9.5x[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]v[/TD]
[TD]This is sweet spot (min distance approximately 4.5'), better than wide-angle at 5 cm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]YS-110a Flash Settings[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]TTL[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Use TTL when subject fills frame, otherwise manual[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Slave[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Power[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Start with half-power and approximately f8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Intelligent Auto (iA) Mode
[/TD]
[TD]Nighttime Only[/TD]
[TD]Recommend[/TD]
[TD]Top Dial[/TD]
[TD]Video will select: portrait, scenery, low light and macro; detect any faces and brighten shadows[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Panorama Assist Scene[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Main - Scn[/TD]
[TD]Locks Focus and Exposure[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Underwater Scene[/TD]
[TD]Not Recommend[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Main - Scn[/TD]
[TD]Manually adjust WB below 30'; Uses auto ISO; 1/30th is too slow, but has focus lock[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


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