Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3 is an attractive SLR-shaped camera with 3.1 effective megapixels and a 12x optical zoom lens. At a retail price of $399, this camera is one of the cheapest offered models carrying image stabilization. This is a great option to have when stranded without a tripod or when shooting with the FZ3’s 320 x 240 movie mode. The digital camera employs a 1/3.2-inch CCD with 3.34 total megapixels and a primary color filter along with a strong, Leica 35-420mm (equivalent) zoom lens. The silver-colored camera is designed with simplicity in mind, but it still has plenty of manual control options available. With nice touches like the diopter adjustment and color temperature adjustments on the white balance, the Lumix FZ3 is sure to please intermediate to advanced digital photographers. The FZ3 doesn’t shut out beginners though. It also has a Simple Mode that automates all of the controls except image size, making the camera accessible to an array of users of all levels.