Panasonic FZ7 - opinions/thoughts wanted

I'm looking for a good, credible superzoom camera recommendation and it so happened while researching the Canon Powershot S3 and other cameras occupying the same market segment, I came across the Panasonic FZ7. I have handled some of their gear before (namely FX5, FX8, FX9 and FZ30) and I have been very impressed. It is also interesting to note that the FZ5 was the camera that *ALMOST* ended my DSLR days before they began. Power-on speed and battery life killed the deal for me, but that was for me. Nothing less than a true DSLR would suffice.

However I'm looking to recommend this camera to someone else who wants a superzoom P&S. It's $286 at B&H (absolutely unreal..... I have seen FX9s and Ixus/Elph/SD series go for more!) and thus $80 cheaper than the S3 IS! Yes, cost is an issue - ain't it always. But this camera seems to represent tremendous bang for the buck.

As usual I have finished trawling DPReview. ISO noise is a concern, but is it a deal breaker in real life? It would be nice to have our ultrasonic motors but I can pass on that for an $80 saving. AF speed and drive mode beats the S3 IS too.


And you wouldn't believe what one of DPReview's sample shots with the FZ7 is.

A duck.....

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i doubt you can really go wrong with either camera. i love canon but i try very hard not to stay too biased.

if it's for your friend who sounds like he/she's not HUGE into photography....at that price i would probably suggest the panasonic. i dunno man tough call....does it zoom all the way nice and quick (1 sec) like the S3?

I would say that most opinios here would be somewhat biased.

suomi7777 wrote in post #2162047
i doubt you can really go wrong with either camera. i love canon but i try very hard not to stay too biased.

if it's for your friend who sounds like he/she's not HUGE into photography....at that price i would probably suggest the panasonic. i dunno man tough call....does it zoom all the way nice and quick (1 sec) like the S3?

DPR says 2.5 seconds for full zoom. Heheh.. just looking at it, I miss the manual zoom on my DSLRs already. that is still the fastest and quietest zoom I've ever used

Just bought an FZ7 for my wife as birthday present.

Seems to be a nice little camera, but shutter lag is not too good (worse than on my G2).

Also, the 'intelligent auto' mode is supposed to do everything for you, but selecting 1/8 shutter speed when making night flash shots of people (faces are recognized) does not seem particularly intelligent to me.

Best regards,
Andy

I really liked my FZ7 but for one thing, shutter lag. OK at times, at others I thought I must have turned the camera off.

This photo is what brought me back to SLRs. The giraffe bent down and licked the keeper's face. I pressed the shutter as it was happening and then waited and waited. Eventually the camera took this shot.

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I had an FZ8. Nice Leica lenses on the Panasonics, but the small sensor made this camera unusable with anything over ISO 200. Made me sell it and go out and get a real dSLR...haven't looked back since...

Andy_T wrote in post #9239023
Just bought an FZ7 for my wife as birthday present.

Seems to be a nice little camera, but shutter lag is not too good (worse than on my G2).

Also, the 'intelligent auto' mode is supposed to do everything for you, but selecting 1/8 shutter speed when making night flash shots of people (faces are recognized) does not seem particularly intelligent to me.

Best regards,
Andy

I'd have thought with the thread being started over 3 years ago he might have made the choice on camera by now.

I've been waiting so long to grump about that photo, I jumped right in!