Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11949 posts, RR: 50 Posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 3739 times:
I'm thinking about buying a "proper" spotter camera, and thought I would need a camera which can help me overcome the "badquality" rejections I see far too many of these days.
What I like about it is:
+ 4.91 Mega pixels.
+ 12x Zoom.
+ Uses Secure digital Memory card, just like my old camera, so I don't have to buy new ones.
+ Images are 2560 x 1920 pixels.
What I'm not too happy about:
- Maximum 8 sec exposure. (So perhaps not ideal for night shots?)
- Around £500 (Or is it worth it?)
The camera has received quite good reviews as far as I can see. Does anyon have any experience with it, and do you guys think that photos with 4.91 MP will make the photos notably better than the 3.2 MP photos I take now?
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
Ckw From UK - England, joined Aug 2010, 530 posts, RR: 18 Reply 5, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2631 times:
Looked at this camera very carefully on behalf of a friend. It is impressive. I would not be put off bythe Panasonic name - after all, its just a box stuffed with electronics and a sensor - I think you could argue that an electronics company may be better at this than a camera company
Where it matters (ie. the glass) you have the Leica name - and that should be good enough for anyone. And what a lens - f2.8 right up to an effective 420mm ... image stabalised to boot! There's more than one owner of top end DSLRs looking at this camera as the perfect "street camera".
Its not perfect - for a "compact" camera its big and heavy, high ISO performance is not as good as, say, a Canon 5mp camera and perhaps the worst flaw in my opinion, stronger than average colour fringing in some situations.
Put it this way - I'm seriously thinking of getting one myself. I don't think there is anything else in its price bracket that can touch it.
PNEPilot From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 2616 times:
5MP is plenty for web/on-screen use and "normal" size prints - only time 8MP becomes more useful is if you intend to print really big or crop heavily - which shouldn't be necessary too often with 420mm on the front.
Mygind66 From Spain, joined May 2004, 1058 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 2595 times:
..
We are so get used to DSLRs pro cameras of a minimum of 6 million megapixels that if you see a cheaper camera it's going to be rubbish...
Leica has been relationed with top quality and Panasonic is not a chinese product, definitely...
Manzoori From UK - England, joined Sep 2002, 1516 posts, RR: 37 Reply 10, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2579 times:
Thomas,
I'm sorry mate, no idea how good a D30 is compared to the Panasonic camera simply because I've never tried the Lumix.
I can however confirm that the D30 takes great pictures... I won't self plug but just do a search for D30 in the remarks in the DB and you'll find one or two of mine in there somewhere.
The D30 is a fully featured SLR with all the adjustments you could want (OK maybe not some of those seen on a 1D Mkii but you get what I mean). On the flipside the lumix may well have that level of flexibility too... i don't know.
For me, the ability to attach the right lens for the situation and having next to no shutter lag were important factors... specially for high speed jet action!
Cheers!
Rez
Flightlineimages DOT Com Photographer & Web Editor. RR Turbines Specialist
Woody001 From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2004, 529 posts, RR: 24 Reply 11, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2573 times:
For me, the ability to attach the right lens for the situation and having next to no shutter lag were important factors... specially for high speed jet action!
The correct lens at the right time....school boy error!
Shutter lag is a big issue for any airshow shooter, it doesn't matter how many megapixels the camera has, if it takes too long to take the shot it's no good.
Ckw From UK - England, joined Aug 2010, 530 posts, RR: 18 Reply 12, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2557 times:
Thomas - D60 is 6mp
Actually megapixels counts are overrated - I think people are finally beginning to realise this with the latest 8mp digicams ... the quality is definitely lacking when compared to, say, a 6mp DSLR.
Equally important are pixel density and pixel size (or more correctly, sensor site size & density) as these have a bearing on noise and dynamic range, which together with resolution combine to produce the perception of the final image.
From what I've seen, 5mp may currently be a good upper value for the tiny sensors used in digicams - higher counts give bigger, but not better images. If the quality of the image is good, it is surprising how much it can be enlarged (as I'm sure any 3.3mp D30 user will agree!).
Mikephotos From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 2923 posts, RR: 56 Reply 14, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2545 times:
From what I've seen, 5mp may currently be a good upper value for the tiny sensors used in digicams - higher counts give bigger, but not better images. If the quality of the image is good, it is surprising how much it can be enlarged (as I'm sure any 3.3mp D30 user will agree!).
Colin..you usually post very intelligent information. However, you should know better that this...if it doesn't have 8mp and a vert. grip, it's just a toy. How can you recommend a camera with an itty bitty 5mp sensor
Mygind66 From Spain, joined May 2004, 1058 posts, RR: 13 Reply 15, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2534 times:
We are so get used to DSLRs pro cameras of a minimum of 6 million megapixels that if you see a cheaper camera it's going to be rubbish...
Sorry Thomas..just correcting my very bad bad english. Just wanted to say that this is wrong...
There are some people shooting with 3MP cameras with a superb quality..
Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11949 posts, RR: 50 Reply 16, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2536 times:
Ok, well i think I'm convinced. Better start saving for that Panasonic then.
Not that your D30 doesn't sound interresting Rez, it's just not quite what I'm looking for. You have some great pics on there though. Liked the B-52 lowpass photo.
Thanks alot for your help everyone.
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
Flygmolinafmly From Brazil, joined Jan 2004, 107 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2255 times:
I purchased this camera a month ago and I am extremely impressed with its quality and capabilities. I highly recommend this camera. It has its very nice features such as 12x zoom, lens, big lcd screen and everything else.
Gabriel Molina
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have bee
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