Panasonic DMC-ZS3
Digital Camera Review
Mar 03, 2009
- By Richard Baguley
4.6
It's not often that we see a whole new video format being introduced on a digital camera, but that's what Panasonic has done with the Lumix DMC-ZS3; as well as being a well specified 10-megapixel still camera, it's the first digital camera to shoot high definition video in the new AVCHD Lite format. Camcorder fans may recognize the first part of the name (AVCHD is the format that many high def camcorders shoot in), but the Lite part is new. AVCHD lite is a subset of the full AVCHD standard, which means that the ZS3 shoots 720p video (which is lower in resolution than the 1080i that most dedicated camcorders shoot) that can be watched on a HDTV and edited in many video editing programs, such as Apple's iMovie.
| Top Point & Shoot Cameras |
|---|
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Panasonic DMC-ZS3 Specs
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Type
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Point-and-shoot
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Price
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399.95
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Length
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4.07
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Width
|
2.35
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Height
|
1.29
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Weight
|
0.50
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Pixels
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10.10 Megapixels
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Effective Pixels
|
10.10
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Sensor Type
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CMOS
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Image Size
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3648 x 2736
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Aspect Ratio
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3:2
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IR Cut Low Pass Filter
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Unknown
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Media
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SDHC Card
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Image Format
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JPEG
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Compression
|
JPEG
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Lens
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fixed
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Viewfinder
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None
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Diopter Adjustment
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None
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LCD
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2.7 inch
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Auto Focus Type
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Contrast AF system
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Focusing Modes
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Normal, MAcro, Pre-AF, Continuous AF
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AF Assist Illuminator
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Yes
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Metering Modes
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Intelligent Multi, Center weighted, Spot
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Shutter Type
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Electronic
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Shutter Speed
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8 seconds - 1/2000 second
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Self Timer
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2, 10
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Modes
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26 scene modes
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Speed
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Unknown
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Burst
|
Yes
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Automatic Modes
|
Intelligent Auto (iA) Mode
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Direct Printing
|
Unknown
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Video Output
|
Unknown
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| Ratings |
Raw |
Weight |
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Color Accuracy
|
13.38
|
10
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Color Modes
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4.00
|
1
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Color Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
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Noise
|
8.88
|
10
|
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ISO
|
7.00
|
1.5
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Noise Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
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Sharpness
|
10.52
|
5
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Chromatic Aberration
|
7.96
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2
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Distortion
|
11.57
|
3
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Picture Quality & Size Options
|
6.83
|
0.5
|
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Image Stabilization
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27.66
|
5
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Resolution Other
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0.00
|
0.5
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Playback Mode
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9.20
|
2
|
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In-Camera Editing
|
3.00
|
2
|
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Direct Print Options
|
6.00
|
0.5
|
|
Playback Other
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0.00
|
0.5
|
|
Viewfinder
|
0.00
|
1.5
|
|
LCD
|
6.05
|
3
|
|
Flash
|
4.50
|
1
|
|
Lens
|
7.50
|
2
|
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Battery
|
5.00
|
1
|
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Memory
|
4.00
|
1
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Jack, Ports, & Plugs
|
4.50
|
1
|
|
Hardware Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
|
|
Shooting Modes
|
10.00
|
3
|
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Picture Effects
|
1.50
|
1
|
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Focus
|
5.75
|
2.5
|
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Aperture
|
4.50
|
2
|
|
Exposure
|
4.00
|
2
|
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Metering
|
7.50
|
2
|
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Shutter Speed
|
6.00
|
2
|
|
Self-Timer
|
3.00
|
2
|
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White Balance Settings
|
6.00
|
1.5
|
|
Controls Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
|
|
Handling
|
6.50
|
3
|
|
Buttons & Dials
|
7.25
|
3
|
|
Menu
|
6.50
|
3
|
|
Manual & Learning
|
6.50
|
1.5
|
|
Design & Handling Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
|
|
Shot to Shot
|
3.01
|
3
|
|
Drive/Burst Mode
|
5.00
|
2
|
|
Speed & Timing Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
|
|
Movie Color
|
13.94
|
4
|
|
Movie Resolution
|
8.62
|
3
|
|
Movie Mode
|
10.25
|
2
|
|
Movie Other
|
0.00
|
0.5
|
| Total (weighted) |
|
857.12 |
