Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Digital Camera

I neede a camera with a decent zoom (for wild life and bringing views closer), but it had to be small enough to slip into a pocket. (Previously had a Sony Mavica which was superb in every way except size).
The TZ3 fits the bill and, so far, has been just what I wanted

Took this with me to Himalayas. Bought 2 extra batteries for £5 from USA via ebay.
Chose this as had an FX01 and pleased with that. This is somewhat larger but more features. The 10X zoom is very impressive. Occasional blurry pictures but generally sharp and pleasing. I especially like the fact that 2 scene modes. So set one (sc1) to "scenery" and still scn2 available for manual choice. Move dial to Scn 1 and instant mountain picture. Alternatively just set it to intelligent mode and leave it.
Film mode only used sparingly but very good - just remember to set zoom before starting recording - you cannot zoom when recording.
Dropped it several times and it got very wet at least once. No problems.
Three other people on the trip chose the same model. That is quite remarkable as most had not bought a new camera. We all looked at the choices and made the same choice completely independently as we did not know each other before hand.
On the minus side I can only say the results at night or low light conditions are variable. However taking a bit of care and less haste or choosing an appropriate Scene mode generally produces acceptable results.
Moving subjects and variable distance subjects ae dealt with very well by the intelligent mode.
Recommended

I was looking for a digital zoom camera at a reasonable cost, and this camera seemed to fit my criteria. It does pretty much everything I want, is lovely and compact and the lack of a viewfinder is no bad thing.
The zoom is fantastic, at 10X optical, with the option of then zooming in a massive 4X further. It allows great picture composition, starting at a good wide angle (28mm equivalent). The steadying facility is very useful.
I like to take pictures of sunsets, starry skies, lightning etc, and this camera has allowed for that. I've already got some great shots, including ones requiring the shutter to be held open for 1 minute. It will also do things like repeat picture snaps, which can be set to your choice, slow, fast, infinity etc.
The only problem I have with the camera is in taking the time delay pictures, if I don't have a really stable tripod etc, where pressing the shutter can be a little fiddly, but that's more down to me than the camera.
Out of interest I plugged the camera into the TV, to find the camera taking me through in very easy stages what to do, including a slide show of the pictures, which was great for showing everyone in 2 second frames what had been captured. The memory card was massive, at 2GB and I scaled down the resolution to 5MB per picture, which allowed me to take about 900 photos on one card.

All in all a quite wonderful piece of kit.

This is a lovely bit of kit if you're seeking good quality results from a compact and reasonably tough point-and-click camera. It's not a camera that allows you to fiddle about with thousands of settings, especially when compared to the plethora of "enthusiasts" cameras on the market at the moment, but then that's exactly what a point-and-click is all about - keeping it simple, fast to use, and hassle free.

I'd looked at the Canon A720 (lovely pictures, but it's a big bulky chunk of plastic when all is said and done), the Sony H3 (brilliant bit of kit, but again, too bulky and the menus are a complete nightmare)and the Ricoh R7 (gorgeous to look at, but slow to use and REALLY noisy - sounds like a wasp is trapped in the lens!) so this was the choice I made.

The wide angle 10X zoom is very effective, and far more useable than I expected. Because of the focal range on it, you can snap close up family shots in your living room without losing half of Autie Mables considerable girth to the edges of the screen, whilst you can also pick out details at a reasonable distance. Huge optical zooms don't neccesarily tell you that they can take shots of things at crazy distances - it's hugely affected by the focal point on the lens itself, so don't think that this will let you get that candid snap of Madonna from across the other side of the county she now appears to own. It simply isn't going happen using this camera, and there is no facility to clip on additional filters and lenses, so you're stuffed there too!

What this lens offers is a very nice and highly practical balance of distance and close up which generally produces great pictures all in a compact and robust package.

A good sensor in combination with a reasonable anti-shake mechanism mean that Low light shots come out well even when using the zoom. The camera itself feels very solidly built without weighing much at all. Everything seems nicely designed and layed out, with the exception of the flash, which is easily covered up by your right middle finger if you're not careful, but this is nit-picking.

Obvious adjustments are easy to make, the display is HUGE, bright and very easy to read. The camera menus are not entirely instinctive, but don't take very long to get the hang of and you can take snap after snap with the flash without waiting an eternity for the camera to get it's life together again.

The only criticisms I would raise are that I'd have liked a viewfinder, but this is just personal preference, and that the lens cover is a bit flimsy. Mine hasn't broken, and with a decent carrying case I don't forsee it happening, but it seems odd to make such a tough camera and leave the most expensive bit only protected by couple of wobbly bits of plastic. In fairness though, if you look at the other compact cameras like this, they're all a bit naff when it comes to protecting the lens so it's not a crime I can soley accuse Panasonic of committing.

All things considered, I really like this little camera, and you could do a lot worse than picking one up.

P.S "Reconditioned" cameras - they're reconditioned for the American Market, and come with a folding, two pin US charger and a wobbly, fiddly little UK adapter. They work just as well as the usual UK versions, but they don't sit in a UK wall socket as securely you may hope, so check exactly what you're getting.

The DMC-TZ3 outstands for its high lens performance with capability of setting from 28 mm wide angle to 280mm telephoto while featuring Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) for suppressing hand-shake and Intelligent ISO Control for preventing motion blur. The DMC-TZ3 is an un-precedented type of compact superzoom digital camera never before realised in such a small size.

Having looked at several professional reviews of cameras in this price range I was drawn to the Panasonic. Now that I have actually bought one I am more than pleased with it - its easy to use with picture quality being excellent thanks to its quality lense. The zoom/wideangle lense is tremendous and on a recent visit to Rome proved to be a boon and enabled me to take better pictures than I have ever done. The camera itself is very compact with a large LED screen which really helps when framing your photos. There are so many features that it would be impossible for me to list. I would also suggest that you also buy a 4gb memory card to go with it if it doesn't come with one - fortunately mine did. In short - its a fabulous camera and the best one that I have ever owned - highly recommended to all.

i took a long time, lots of reading other peoples reviews before chooseing my LUMIX DMC-TZ3.. some said it was complicated to use, IT is so simple, the anti shake is fantastic.
Been able to personalise all the timings, shutter, screen saving etc, to prolong battery life brilliant, the best camera i have owned but not the dearest.
complete satisfaction

I HAVE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER FOR SOME YEARS OF MY LIFE. I HAVE OWNED THE HASSLABLADS, THE NIKONS, AND THE 5X4 PLATE CAMERAS,MY LOVE AS ALWAYS BEEN THE BUILD QUALITY OF THESE ITEMS. MY MAIN LOVE IS THE OLYMPUS PEN F SERIES AND ITS LENSES BUT, NOW WE HAVE NEW COMERS ON THE BLOCK PANASONIC AND WHAT A CAMERA THEY HAVE PRODUCED THE TZ3. IT IS FANTASTIC IT IS EVERYTHING YOU WOULD DESIRE IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. A DIGITAL DREAM ! GREAT QUALITY YOU WOULD HAVE PAID A FORTUNE FOR 20 YEARS AGO ALL FOR UNDER £200.00 THATS LESS THEN
SOME LENSES IVE BOUGHT, AND THIS ONES GOT A LEICA ZOOM !! BEAT THAT.

Product was late in arriving, and was shipped from Hong Kong, not the UK, as expected. Product did not arrive boxed, and instructions/manual seemed to be photocopies/stapled, rather than being an original document (which is worrying).

The camera (so far, at least) seems to be working o.k. Not sure where I stand re warranty/guarantee issues.

Would not purchase again via this supplier for above reasons. In fact, could have got a better deal buying camera at airport !

Genrally happy but the item was not listed as refurbished stock! Should have stated this on the camera's advert. Time will tell if im happy with the product

Can i just say, WHAT A CAMERA! I'm not going comment further on the camera because there is more than enough good reviews to give you an idea. However
BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When buying the camera i was told it was a UK Stock, it was American.
UK WARRANTY 3 MONTHS - instead 90DAYS AMERICAN WARRANTY ONLY
It states REFURBISHMENT right at the bottom of a 10page scroll down, and says PANASONIC REFURBISHED BOX! - The camera and all its bits was put in a ordinary cardboard box stuffed with paper as protection. (I've recieved chocolates with more substantial packaging)

FINALLY - You will be paying the same price or more for a refurbished as you would a brand new, from the same seller. VERDICT - DODGY

I chose this camera because of all the hype about its wide angle lens and 10 times optical zoom. I took it on holiday a week after I bought it and took some cracking photos with minimal time spent twiddling. The lens is excellent and the menu is easy to use. This is my 4th digital camera and although a little larger and heavier than my most recent Olympus, it is by far the best I have owned. It feels solid and all the controls are positive. I like the auto power down feature, and it has proved useful when I put the camera into its case and accidentally switched it back on. The Li-ion battery lasted well between charges. On the subject of the wide angle lens, it is excellent for taking pictures of landscapes, groups of people and interior shots where you get a lot more in than a standard lens. The 3" lcd screen is great and makes life easier choosing your subject and reviewing your shots. All in all I'm delighted so far.
Well done to the boffins at Panasonic.

This is the ideal camera if you want a compact x10 optical zoom, the pictures are of excellent high quality, you can zoom right in on objects far away. The colours are superb and the simplicity of use is second to none. There is a large screen to view your photo's I would recommend getting a screen protector for this, you can pick them up for £2.99 on ebay. I love this camera so much and would recommend it to anyone thinking of purchasing one.

for a camera in this class it is very good with a great wide angle leica lens! very happy with this as a specialist addition (wide angle)to my camera collection but wouldnt have bought this if it was to be my only camera! Very Good!

This is a great all round camera I initially bought for my Mum who is 78 who had been having trouble taking good photo's. Having been told by someone who already owned one that it was so simple to use as it has an intelligent mode which will do everything for you. There is no viewfinder you use the larger LCD screen on the back to view the picture you are taking. It is much easier than through a viewfinder or with the smaller lcd screen earlier cameras have. But you also can have control of the camera if you are a more professional buff. Everything about it easy to understand the symbols appear on the screen in a large format so its no trouble to set up at all. It takes good movies too and with good sound the only drawback with this is the fact that you can't zoom in while filming so if you need something close you have to make sure that you have zoomed in before starting filming. There are settings for almost every occasion, even from aircraft window setting. Fireworks come out very good. If you have trouble with camera shake or just getting the focus right this camera will sort it all out and you will soon have great photo's.

This is my fourth digital camera and this is by far the best it takes a little time to look at the settings but it takes wonderful photo's and the anti shake setting is brilliant very pleased have to go a long way to better this camera.

I am delighted with my new little Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Digital Camera. It has a good solid feel to it, is small and compact and will fit into my coat pocket, meaning I can take it anywhere with me even when walking with my two dogs. The zoom lens opens quickly and quietly as is soon ready for me to shoot away. Although the inbuilt memory is small, as it can accommodate a Secure Digital card, my 1 gb card enabled me to shoot away on holiday without running out of memory space. The menu is easy to follow and it has a good selection of scene modes or settings - I haven't tried them all yet. Although I have a digital SLR for special photography, I am finding the Lumix TZ3 ideal to carry out and about with me 'just in case' an opportunity for a good photo arises.

Main reason for buying was 10x zoom and wide angle lens. The camera has proved to be a real asset,it is simple to operate & aesthetically pleasing.
Panasonic products have always been reliable, they usually become dated before they wear out or break down.
i have taken some great pictures with this camera, the zoom allows taking of more relaxed photos as you can capture people from a distance, while they are still unaware of the camera. Also animal photos can be better for the same reasons.
The anti shake works well especially on zoomed shots & the large screen 3" on the rear makes for better taking & viewing of pictures.
The camera was so impressive my son-in-law immediately bought one.

after problems with my old digital camera, I decided to buy a panasonic lumix after seeing the range advertised on TV. I have found this camera really easy to use and the pictures look great everytime, even when used by the kids, thanks to the high tech spec. of the camera. I really love the way I can just point and shoot and capture the pictures with no problems whatsoever. The only downside I have is the instruction booklet, which is packed so full of information that it feels like you have been reading for a month by the time you reach the end of it.

Bought because of the feature that reduces camera shake and also the zoom. Still getting to know the camera, but so far the results have been excellent. A nice design too!

Excellent Camera, easy to use,great pictures,10x Optical zoom, came highly recommended, delighted with my purchase

The Worlds smallest 10 times optical zoom compact. Does everything asked of it. You can set to auto & forget or fiddle with settings to your hearts content. It is not quite as stylish looking as some other compacts I have used, and is slightly larger but still easily slips into a pocket. the MPEG video quality is good. As with all compacts you will need to invest in a decent SD card , 1 or 2 meg. LCD screen is very clear even in very bright sunlight, and you can further "turbo boost" it at the expense of battery life. Just as well as there is no conventional viewfinder. Battery life is good, but a recent trip to Disney required a back up battery as it saw a lot of action. The anti shake stabiliser works really well, especially on high zoom shots. 7 mega pixel, with the ability to digital zoom as well (not worthwhile doing). All round a great camera. thoroughly recommend it 9.8 out of 10.

This is the best digtial camera,i have ever bought
the image and colours are outstanding, panasonic has a real winning here.

I have shown it the various people and they think it a brilliant camera for the money.