Consumers with somewhere upwards of $400 or $500 to spend on a compact camera can get plenty of great features – long telephoto zooms, movie capability, and 6-to-7-megapixel files. We looked at three leading cameras in this category: the Canon PowerShot S3 IS, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7. We found similarities and differences. All three cameras are capable, but the differences are significant enough that most users will have a clear favorite.
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Review Overview - Advantage Chart
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METERING/EXPOSURE/
FOCUS
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Metering
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Exposure
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Draw
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Focus
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Manual Focus
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Auto focus
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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STILL IMAGING PERFORMANCE / IMAGE QUALITY
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Speed/Timing
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Start-up to First Shot
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Shot to Shot
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Shutter to Shot
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Resolution
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Image Stabilization
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Color Fringing
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Moiré
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Distortion
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Noise/High ISO Performance
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Low Light /Long Exposures
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Dynamic Range
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Color
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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White Balance
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Portrait
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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VIDEO CAPTURE
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Control Options
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Editing Features / Playback
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Video Performance
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Outdoor Scene
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Motion / Compression
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Image Stabilization
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Color
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Resolution
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Low Light
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Audio
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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COMPONENTS
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Viewfinder
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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LCD screen
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Flash
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Lens (controls)
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Macro Mode
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Battery
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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MODEL DESIGN / PHYSICAL TOUR
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Model Design /Appearance
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Handling
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Front
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Sony Cyber-shot H5
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Back
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Panasonic Lumix FZ7
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Sides
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Top
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Bottom
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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