Camera Labs

Hi,
After much research I purchased the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3. I have some problems with it. Bottom line: I don't really like it.

First off, I think the photos are fuzzy and show lots of blur. I think it has way too many setting choices for photos. But I read the manual and have it figured out, mostly. It's thicker than I expected so it's not exactly a pocket-fitting camera.

I like taking indoor photos of people. I contacted Panasonic and they said I needed to use "normal" setting. I have tried this and it is slightly better than the "easy" setting. A flash is very necessary or the pictures are very dark. I used the anti-shake setting but often get blur in my pictures.

Can you tell me how to post sample photos?

I contacted Panasonic and they said to mail it in, that my lens may need adjusting. But if they tell me it's fine, then I really would like a different camera.

I contacted Beach Camera where I bought it, this forum and Panasonic. I seem to be the only one with complaints.

Please advise. Thanks.

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You can set up a free account with Imageshack, upload your pictures there, then post the link in this thread. I have a TZ5, and I'm not exactly thrilled with the indoor shots, but good lighting (read:outside) is where this camera seems to excel.

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Novice DMC-TZ5 owner

Hi birdwatcher and welcome to the forum!!

Sorry to hear you're having problems with your camera - hopefully Panasonic will be able to sort it out for you. Have a look at forum moderator Thomas' post to learn how to post pics. You can also have a look at this FAQ page which tells you how to do it.

Good luck

Mark

Sorry to hear about that B. I had bought a Canon Ixus 800IS about 8 months ago and it was also suffering from blur in sections of the frame, but in broad daylight shots. It turned out I had a missaligned lens, so I asked for a refund. Other than that it was a great camera. Noise at Iso 800 was abysmal but that's what you get when u have a compact. I'd send it in to get checked out, or just get a refund and go for a DSLR if it turns out that it's faulty.

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I've upped my Iso, now up yours.
Nikon D700, Nikon D80, Micro Nikkor 105 f2.8 AI-S,Nikon 85mm 1.8D, Nikon 50mm 1.8D, Nikon 35mm F2D, Nikon 16-35 f4 VR, Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 AF-S, Nikon 70-200VRII, Nikon 70-300mm VR, 300mm f2.8 AI IF ED, SB-800, SB-900. Noiseware pro,NIK Dfine, Nik Colour Effex, Nik Sharpener Pro

Ok,
here are two photos I took. I used the intelligent iso setting ( I guess that's 800 iso and down to 640 with flash), red-eye flash, optical stabilizer engaged. Please note there is blur on the person's hand and the writing on the red shirt is blurry. I also find the photos dark.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/ ... C/fuzz.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/ ... C/CBR4.jpg

I thought I was buying a camera that was easy to use but this one has many choices on settings. And no matter which one I use I get blur. Please advise. I'm not happy with my camera and it wasn't cheap.

thanks so much.

Just looking at those photos, I can pretty safely say there's nothing wrong with your camera. The shots are 'grainy' (i.e the red shirt isnt blurred, it's just grainy), and that's due to it being a low light shot, even with flash you can't expect a compact to use lower iso's in that light. The other problem is that the subjects are moving when the photos are being taken. The camera cant give a high enough shutter speed with the built in flash that it has. All in all, these are pretty normal results for a compact camera.

Moral of the story, without a DSLR, that can shoot at higher Iso's, and a much stronger built in flash, you won't be able to 'freeze' movement, and photos will look a lot grainier than they would if you were using a DSLR.

All I can suggest is that you either come to terms with the limitations of a compact camera, or you invest in a DSLR, that can be fitted with an external flash for even more power than a DSLR's flash already has, and performs a hell of a lot better at higher Iso's. If you can return the camera for an exchange and get something like a D40X, paired with the 18-55kit lense, and a 55-200VR zoom lens, then you would be set. Obviously this would cost a bit more than what you spent on the P+S camera. I traded my Canon P+S and used the money on a D80 and 18-70, i haven't looked back since.

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I've upped my Iso, now up yours.
Nikon D700, Nikon D80, Micro Nikkor 105 f2.8 AI-S,Nikon 85mm 1.8D, Nikon 50mm 1.8D, Nikon 35mm F2D, Nikon 16-35 f4 VR, Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 AF-S, Nikon 70-200VRII, Nikon 70-300mm VR, 300mm f2.8 AI IF ED, SB-800, SB-900. Noiseware pro,NIK Dfine, Nik Colour Effex, Nik Sharpener Pro

Not sure how this would work with a TZ3, but with my TZ5 I can get decent videos in low light where stills don't come out well.

This camera is very nice for action shots. My son is on the track team and I got some fabulous photos of him doing the long jump--no blur at all. This camera will take multi photos in rapid succession. It can take nice close ups of flowers and such. Why it is so bad indoors?

I have an older digital, Olympus C3000 zoom that I think takes excellent shots and it's only 3 mp. I wanted a small camera for my pocket and one that would take quick shots. I'm so disappointed but I'm such an amateur that I think maybe my photo skills are lacking.

It's so bad indoors because it's got a flash that is as powerful as pee-wee on helium. Shooting indoors, there is LESS LIGHT, and thereform the results will be crap if you cant increase one of two things, Iso or Aperture. Every camera has it's limitations. The one you have obviously can't handle indoor shots.

_________________
I've upped my Iso, now up yours.
Nikon D700, Nikon D80, Micro Nikkor 105 f2.8 AI-S,Nikon 85mm 1.8D, Nikon 50mm 1.8D, Nikon 35mm F2D, Nikon 16-35 f4 VR, Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 AF-S, Nikon 70-200VRII, Nikon 70-300mm VR, 300mm f2.8 AI IF ED, SB-800, SB-900. Noiseware pro,NIK Dfine, Nik Colour Effex, Nik Sharpener Pro

As Gregory says, when the light is low, your compact increases its sensitivity - and that in turn results in a grainer picture - technically called noise.

You can see the effect of this in the outdoor noise results and gallery pages of any of our compact reviews...

All compacts suffer in this regard - if you want low light at high sensitivities, you'll need a DSLR...

Hi, and thank you for your replies.

Here are some photos I just took. As you can see they are indoor photos.

This one is on scene setting "party"
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/ ... /test3.jpg

This one is normal setting and with anti-motion on but with great movement. I guess I moved?
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/ ... /test1.jpg

This one is on normal with me holding the camera more firmly:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/ ... /test2.jpg

You see, I'm unhappy with the inconsistency of this compact. Sometimes I get nice shots and other times with same subject and camera settings, I get dark and blur. This has a great zoom lens but what good is it if I must put it on a tripod to use? I might as well have a large camera for that.

I'm not a camera person, I just like taking lots of photos of my family and friends. What can you recommend for me to do? I've decided I don't like this one. Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

In the second image it looks like incorrect focus, not camera-shake. Was the camera on full auto (in terms of focusing)?

Mark

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Canon EOS 40D / EF-S 17-85mm IS / EF 50mm f/1.8 / My Flickr

Thanks Mark. I'm unsure on the focus. I'm sure it was a "point and shoot" moment. I'm beginning to think I just need to buy disposible cameras you get at K-mart--no thinking involved. oh well.

This is interesting. Several members here recommend DSLR and the original person wants to buy disposables. Quite a difference. I'd like to see how this turns out.

Yep, as Markh says, the second one was out of focus.

Whatever camera you use, I'd suggest first pointing at the subject you'd like to be in focus, then half press the shutter releases until the camera beeps to confirm focus. Then with the shutter held in this position, recompose your shot, then press it all the way down to take the pictre. After a few goes, this will become second nature and it will ensure the subject you want to be in focus will be in focus.

But ultimately no camera is 100% foolproof in automatic, so if you want to shoot with 'no thinking involved', then you have to accept a number of missed shots.

A good experiment might be to buy a disposable and to take duplicate shots with it and your TZ3, then simply stick with the one which has the highest number of successful images.