Panasonic Lumix ZS7 – A Compact Digital Camera Extraordinaire

The Panasonic Lumix ZS7 is an amazing compact digital camera, and there are a few reasons that make it so. Actually, there will be 5 reasons to buy explained in detail here.

The first issue before getting into this amazing camera from Panasonic is to give you peace of mind about NOT selecting a Canon or Nikon compact digital camera. Sure, they are the leaders in sales of digital cameras, but that is in no way proof that there are not others with excellent quality models. For a long time, Panasonic has been considered a strong producer of compact digital cameras. They have not done it with the pomp and flair of Canon and Nikon, but their quality and performance has been equal or better in some models.

I write this article because I am the owner of a Panasonic ZS7, and it has been an excellent digital camera, as I can attest to personally. I have been a long-time digital SLR owner, and I still contend that they are superior to point and shoot cameras in terms of image quality, but that is not an issue up for discussion. Most photographers will admit that a point and Shoot Camera will not outdo a digital SLR. The simple fact that the sensor size of a DSLR is far bigger than that of a compact digital, and this fact alone makes it nearly impossible for a compact to out-perform a DSLR.

That being said, let’s get to the list of reasons for buying a Panasonic Lumix ZS7.

Ease Of Use is the first thing that makes this camera special. Many people, probably including you, buy compacts, or “point and shoot cameras”, because they (you) want something easy to use. Playing with dials, buttons, and camera settings does not compute with your idea of photography. Honestly, using this little compact digital camera is EASY.

Second is the image quality. As already mentioned, the quality is not the same as a digital SLR, but it is considered excellent by many experts whose business is to evaluate such things. Truth is that compacts are getting better with every release. The ZS7 is ahead of the pack. This is one area where I am very critical, and this Panasonic has surprised me with nearly every photo I have taken. Image quality is much better than I anticipated. With a 12-megapixel sensor, you get pictures that can be printed at 16×22 inches (at 180 ppi). Now, that’s a huge picture.

Reason number 3 is a little magical item called Intelligent Auto. So far, this is my favorite feature. There is a setting on the top camera dial for this, and when set the camera does all the thinking for you. The camera automatically selects the right settings for you, including ISO, shutter speed, and everything else to make the picture come out perfect (almost every time). How in the world did the engineers and imaginarians come up with this “camera intelligence”? I’m sure you will be as amazed as I am. To me, the most intriguing part is how well it does with night photos. Another great facet of Intelligent Auto is that you can set it to No Flash and get excellent lighting in your photo. Did I say that I love this feature?

Number 4 on the hit parade is the Super-Zoom Lens. The equivalent of 25mm to 300mm focal lengths are available. I did a little test in the snow to see how well this works with respect to image quality at 300mm. I took a picture at 25mm of a birdhouse in my yard, then zoomed to 300mm and took the same picture. Both were Very Good quality with no hint of distortion. I also took the same picture with my Canon Digital SLR, and I was still impressed. While the images with the Canon were slightly better, I was sufficiently pleased with the Panasonic performance. Panasonic uses Leica lenses on their compact cameras, a very high quality result.

Fifth and finally is Price. I was looking for a great camera that I could carry everywhere without having to haul my massive Camera Bag along. With the Panasonic ZS7, I get great image quality with a camera that I can stick in a pocket. The price was only about $250. I feel that is very reasonable for what I got in this camera.

for these reasons, I wholeheartedly recommend the Panasonic Lumix ZS7.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 hands on – HQ 2011

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