Panasonic Lumix TZ7/ZS3 with u/w case DMW-MCTZ7 HD VIDEO test results

[rab1412000]

I've been researching digital cameras for about a month now and am really happy to have found this thread. Quick question for those of you who have posted pictures and video: are you just using camera and housing or do you have a strobe setup as well? I'm just trying to calculate about how much it's going to cost to get a good setup. Which housing for this camera is best? Thanks for your help!

for me, just the camera and housing

 

[primus]

iSTRONG, you did not select UnderWater SCENE mode. Why?

At Panasonic cameras this mode really works as expected:

("naked" Panasonic FT1, free diving)

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My attempts to document (mostly) underwater life with
"naked" compact UW cameras Pentax Wxx & Panasonic FT1
while snorkeling or free diving:
photos @ Public Home | Primoz | Fotki.com
video footage @ YouTube - PrimozP's Channel

 

[iSTRONG]

primus,

I used underwater mode for most of the pictures. One thing i found is that underwater mode was great for pictures where the flash wasn't needed or wouldn't really reach the subject.

For macro pics or close up pics where most of the light source was the flash, the underwater mode added too many reds to the picture.
example:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TxH4dJ7IXo4/SwdiCQ-3NEI/AAAAAAAAB1k/-TxSATD8BWc/s1024/P1000279.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TxH4dJ7IXo4/SwdhViKwLyI/AAAAAAAAByk/FG6CbgKgjmM/s1024/P1000209.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TxH4dJ7IXo4/SwdiXvFU0mI/AAAAAAAAB24/ysk1oPiZjnA/s1024/P1000322.JPG

so i tried to use auto-mode for close ups / pics where there wasn't much natural light and underwater mode for other pics, but it can be quite annoying to have to switch between the two. I guess that's my only issue with this camera. In underwater mode, it should add much less reds if the flash is being used and the subject is close / and or there is not much ambient light.

 

[Evie G]

I-Strong, what settings u used for ur auto-mode, eg. min shutter speed?
I have d same cam & 10bar housing. The Zoom protrusion will get a dark lower left side in d pics.
But if i use auto & then zoom a little, so d cam is not too near the subject, then its fine.

 

[iSTRONG]

i didn't use any custom settings but i found that pics that were taken with a shutter speed of 1/30 or slower tended to be blurry. So i guess next time i'll try with that setting on.

 

[abbylou1910]

Hi Everyone. After driving myself crazy researching cameras, I think I might strongly be leaning toward this one. If you guys get a chance, could you post some links to recent pictures you have taken. Does the camera take great pictures on land? I'll be using it on land mostly, but plan on getting a housing for it as well. For a while I was thinking about the Canon S90, but I don't think I'd be doing the camera justice since I don't know anything about manual settings and probably would never learn all there is to learn. I just want a camera that takes excellent automatic pictures so that I can hand it to someone unfamiliar with it to take a picture. When I'd do this with my old fujifilm, the pictures would come out blurry since other people weren't used to keeping the camera completely still to get a nice picture like I was. Whatever I end up getting will be a huge upgrade Thanks for your help!

 

[wicked_innit]

thanks wicked. summer is always a good time to go since its your best chance to avoid the storms. you will however have to contend with more tourists and possibly more expensive board and lodging.
october,november is also a good time to go since there are usually more fish in the colder months, but you do risk the presence of storms and typhoons.

i dive with sierra madre divers, who have a website online. if you want their local contact nos just send me a pm.

thanks for the info rab, will into those guys ..maybe plan for december next year

 

[wicked_innit]

Hi Everyone. After driving myself crazy researching cameras, I think I might strongly be leaning toward this one. If you guys get a chance, could you post some links to recent pictures you have taken. Does the camera take great pictures on land? I'll be using it on land mostly, but plan on getting a housing for it as well. For a while I was thinking about the Canon S90, but I don't think I'd be doing the camera justice since I don't know anything about manual settings and probably would never learn all there is to learn. I just want a camera that takes excellent automatic pictures so that I can hand it to someone unfamiliar with it to take a picture. When I'd do this with my old fujifilm, the pictures would come out blurry since other people weren't used to keeping the camera completely still to get a nice picture like I was. Whatever I end up getting will be a huge upgrade Thanks for your help!

here are some photo links of land and uw..part 1 and look at part 2 as well

Picasa Web Albums - wicked innit - Sogod Bay, S....

Picasa Web Albums - wicked innit - Sogod Bay, S....

 

[stargost]

abbylou1910,

If you don't have video as your main priority, get an s90. Pictures will be better in/out/uw. This new canon P&S is amazing.

Panasonic is very good under water, and to some extend does ok outside, but picture inside are 'terrible' (maybe I'm to used to dSLR) with or without flash, even when you tr to play with low ISO and have it locked at 100.
I have an old canon SD700 which does much better inside, when full auto.

Also battery power of the Zs3 is very poor, beyond the fact it is difficult to get extra battery for it.

Now reason I bought it and still does not regret it at all is due to the video. Not only it is easy to use, but the quality outside and especially u/w is simply amazing.
I can't post anything here, because what I got would not compete with what wicked_init has showed, but still I'm extremely satisfied with the results.

So as usual, it all depends on what you really want to do with the camera...

 

[rab1412000]

as an underwater vidcam the zs3 excels. its the best video point and shoot out there and id dare say as good as some 720p dedicated vidcams.
as a camera it is very good. it isnt full manual but you do get iso, min shutter speed, exposure, white balance, multiaspect, bracketing. the only thing lacking is aperture control really. you really have to go through the manual to see what it is capable doing.
i shoot the camera in vivid mode and with iso set to 80 or 100 in manual mode for bright/daylight settings. i shoot almost everything else topside in iA mode which i think is one of the best auto settings.
u/w i shoot u/w mode for reef shots without a strobe. with a strobe i shoot manual with minimun shutter of 1/125 and iso 100. this is also the settings i use for fish action shots w/strobe. for macro i use the same manual settings or go to iA. i never use u/w mode for macro as there is usually enough of a light source to bring out true colors.
to improve battery life, turn off continuous focusing and get around double the battery life.
the zs3 has a leica lens and has 2 image processors which makes it capable of shooting 720p avchd and shooting stills with an almost hdr-like effect. it handles lens flares very well - try shooting your dive buddy against the sun the next time you dive and you will see what i mean.
but just like any piece of new tech, the user has to learn the camera and read the manual, however poorly written it is.
a lot of complaints about the camera could have been addressed by just reading the manual.

well just my 2psi.
cheers