Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3 Digital Camera Review

Connectivity
Software (7.5)
The Panasonic Lumix comes with software for Windows and MacOS. The package includes ArcSoft PhotoImpression, Panorama Maker, and PhotoBase software.

Jacks, ports, plugs (6.0)
The FZ3 comes fully equipped with USB, A/V out, and DC in ports. The camera has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack and a battery charger. The AC adaptor is an optional accessory. The video out cable supports PAL and NTSC formats.

Direct Print Options (7.0)
The Lumix FZ3 can print directly to PictBridge compatible printers.

Memory (4.0)
The Lumix DMC-FZ3 comes with an 8MB Secure Digital card, which is much too small. That size card holds four pictures at its highest resolution--ridiculous! Luckily, for a few extra bucks, users can pick up an SD or MMC card to supplement this. Images can be saved as JPEG, TIFF, or Motion JPEG files.

Other features (8.0)
Flip animation mode – This feature can be accessed through the Recording menu. The user can string together up to 100 photos and show them in a high-speed slide show that resembles flip animation. The frames can “flip” at five or ten photos per second, making it appear as a slow movie mode or fast slide show. This isn’t an incredibly useful feature, but definitely a fun one to show off to friends and family and perhaps an indication of a rapid animation mode to come in the future.

Included accessories – The FZ3 comes with a lens hood and hood adapter.

Self-timer – This feature can be activated by pressing the left portion of the four-way navigational dial. The timer can be set to two or ten seconds.

Image stabilization – One of the camera’s distinguishing features, the optical image stabilization can be activated through the Recording menu. There are two stabilization modes: one is on continuously, the other activates only when the shutter is released. The image stabilization is nice to have when there is no tripod handy and the user is shooting clips of a subject moving far away. The FZ3 shows a graphic of a shaking hand as a camera shake warning. This acts as an indication to the user to turn on the image stabilization.