Panasonic DMC-ZS3 Silver Digital Camera - Review Gist

If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-use digital camera that you can slip into a larger pocket, the Panasonic ZS3 is a great choice. Overall, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 offers a lot of photographic power, covering wide and telephoto with better quality than many larger cameras, and slipping quietly into a pocket or bag. Overall, a good performance for a pocket long zoom digital camera. Color is somewhat muted in some respects, especially yellows, some of which have a slight green tint. Da... *

The bottom line: As long as you don't want much in the way of manual features, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is a very nice camera that can handle a variety of shooting situations.

The ZS3's flash is powerful for a compact, with a range of roughly 15 feet at wide angle. Zoom speed is snappy when shooting stills, with comfortable toggle switch providing plenty of fine adjustment for dialing in your shot framing. *

The Lumix DMC-ZS3S is very much a "set-it-and-forget-it" model; it's dead simple for a novice to take a good photograph, because the camera is packed with complex automated features. The camera is downright shake-proof, providing crystal-clear images even when I shook it around at full zoom. In PC World Test Center image-quality jury evaluations, the Lumix DMC-ZS3S earned an overall image quality score of Good. Noise became visible in photos taken at ISO 800 and 1600, but it wasn't invasive ... *

The Lumix DMC-ZS3 is a compact (available in silver-, black-, blue or red) digicam measuring 4.1 inches wide, 2.35 high and 1.3 deep; it weighs 7.6 ounces fully loaded. Color doesn't have “pop”. The dial is very basic, offering options for iA (intelligent Auto), Auto which is more like Program AE on other digicams, two options for favorite scene modes (My Scene Mode 1-2), access to all 27 scene modes with SCN and Clipboard which saves images such as maps or train schedules to internal memor... *

Face Detection automatically detects a face in the frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast, and skin complexion so it turns out perfectly. A new 3-inch, 460,000 dot LCD screen is used to frame and view your images, as well as navigate the camera's menus. *

Panasonic has been a little over-enthusiastic with the sharpening and contrast though, with some artefacts visible from both, especially when filming in AVCHD mode - but at least there'll be no complaints about lack of vibrancy. The screen remains visible in bright conditions, although a Power LCD Mode offers a boost if desired. *

Panasonic has done it again--they've succeeded in creating a beast of the consumer persuasion. One that spits fire with a champion image performance. One that claws at the competition with a solid set of features. And best of all, a beast that decimates all in its path with a great HD video performance and the ability to zoom while recording. Yes, folks, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is definitely worth the extra 100 clams over the . Can it match the likes of the formidable ? In some regards ...