Color: BlackChange
Price:$327.99+ Free shipping with Amazon Prime
This page works best with JavaScript. Disabling it will result in some disabled or missing features. You can still see all customer reviews for the product.
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
on March 24, 2015
I've been looking for a good quality point-and-shoot light-weight camera that fits in my pocket, has a long zoom, has a good viewfinder, one that travels easily, and not too costly. Turns out there aren't many choices that fit all these criteria. I enjoy photography, am a highly experienced photographer although not a pro, and have a really good camera with interchangeable lenses, etc. which I use when I want to get top quality pics and need to have a lot of control over focus, depth of field, mounted flash, etc. However, when traveling by air, hauling all that equipment around, taking up space in carry-on luggage, etc. tends to make me leave the really good camera at home. With pocket cameras I've used, I really miss having a viewfinder. I find them awkward to hold steady, and difficult to see on the backside LCD panel exactly what I'm getting in bright light or when I need to follow and catch fast moving objects (e.g., flying birds), particularly when the zoom is extended. I've been frustrated when I can't get the pics I want with those pocket cameras.
So I went out on a limb, spent a little more than I had intended, and got the new Panasonic Lumix ZS50, which I preordered. I seldom buy new models of anything when they first come out, so for me this was a bit of a gamble. However, I have been pleasantly surprised so far with this little camera. It has an amazing feature set for something that really does fit in my pocket, has a good viewfinder and plenty of zoom. I have not given it a true test yet, taking thousands of pics under a wide range of lighting and distance conditions, so I will have to report back later.
What I like so far:
- camera takes good pictures in the auto mode under most conditions
- viewfinder works well in bright light conditions, and switches on automatically when you hold it up to your eye
- zoom and focusing are relatively quick and quiet
- the steady shot feature works well, especially in shooting video
- flexibility and control in non-auto modes (e.g., program mode when I want more control over depth of field, etc.)
- several different focusing and exposure methods
- ability to save images in RAW format as well as JPEG
- the right hand grip feels fairly secure for such a small camera
What I don't like so far:
- viewfinder is off-center when holding the camera, compared with what I'm used to with larger cameras, so I can't grip it as securely with my left hand (because my nose is in the way) BUT I love having that viewfinder anyway!
- lots of MODES in the menu system for settings (I eventually found that I needed to switch to program mode in order to find settings I was looking for, e.g., to save pics in RAW format, change focusing methods). Can be confusing at times, a bit of a learning curve.
- the LCD display sometimes suddenly turns off and then back on, which had me baffled initially when playing back pics. Turns out I had moved a finger too close the the viewfinder, which fooled the camera into auto-switching to the viewfinder.
- when taking flash pictures, it's too easy to partially block the flash somewhat on the right side, which casts a shadow--just something I'll need to get used to by gripping a little differently on the right side (I've had this problem with other pocket cameras that don't have pop-up flashes). Works fine when I move my fingers down on the right-side grip a little.
- when doing the wi-fi setup, I could not enter user names or passwords that had spaces in them--I am stumped on this, and cannot understand why Panasonic would not allow selection of the 'space' character!!!
- wi-fi will not transfer pics in RAW format, so have to use cable or take out memory card and plug into my computer--again, why? Granted 15 Mb per pic will take a lot longer to transfer than smaller JPEGs.
- cannot charge battery outside of camera and must use Panasonic's cable
- not sure yet whether 12 megapixel sensor will be enough resolution for severely cropped pics, printed at 8x10 in. or larger
All in all, this is hands-down the best pocket camera I've owned and used. Why not 5 stars? I'll need to really give it the "road" test by taking thousands of pics under a wide range of conditions. Haven't had time to do this yet, and plan to edit this review later when I have.
Added Comments: April 26, 2015
I've changed my rating to 5 stars now, after taking several hundred pictures under varying conditions. Here are my further observations:
- Indoor pictures with flash turn out fairly well. There are still sharp background shadows from objects illuminated by the flash, but that is to be expected with a direct flash (compared to one with indirect lighting, e.g., by bouncing light off the ceiling).
- outdoor pictures are quite good on the whole. The 30x zoom certainly provides some additional flexibility, and I have not had issues with camera shake when the zoom is extended.
- the one very challenging condition I was somewhat disappointed with was photographing fast flying pelicans at a distance on a very windy, overcast day. Many of the photos of the birds were taken at distances of several hundred yards up to half a mile, using the zoom extended out to 30x. I WAS able to track the birds relatively easily using the viewfinder. When later viewing the images with significant cropping on a flat screen HDTV, clarity of the images left something to be desired--a bit fuzzy on the edges of the birds against the cloudy sky. This is a very challenging set of circumstances--even with a good DSLR camera with a long telephoto lens, it would be challenging to get high quality pics. All in all, the Panasonic ZS50 did a remarkable job, considering the distance involved, with background of a cloudy sky, the speed of the flying flock of birds, and the fast panning required. The severely cropped images of the high flying birds still allowed my wife to identify them as white pelicans by comparing with pictures in her bird book.
- I took some pics of blossoms and flowers with the camera just a few inches away, using the close-up focus setting on a sunny and very windy day. These came out exceptionally well. I was very pleased with the results. The pictures were quite stunning on a flat screen TV.
All in all, I am quite impressed with this pocket camera, and enjoy taking pictures with it, since it is so light, has a decent viewfinder, and takes good photos. I use the Program mode mostly, rather than the Auto mode. Of course, I can get great pics with my really good camera, but I've invested roughly 4x as much for the body, lenses and external flash unit. On the other hand, this Panasonic ZS50 fits in my pocket, is easy to use, and costs a lot less.
So I went out on a limb, spent a little more than I had intended, and got the new Panasonic Lumix ZS50, which I preordered. I seldom buy new models of anything when they first come out, so for me this was a bit of a gamble. However, I have been pleasantly surprised so far with this little camera. It has an amazing feature set for something that really does fit in my pocket, has a good viewfinder and plenty of zoom. I have not given it a true test yet, taking thousands of pics under a wide range of lighting and distance conditions, so I will have to report back later.
What I like so far:
- camera takes good pictures in the auto mode under most conditions
- viewfinder works well in bright light conditions, and switches on automatically when you hold it up to your eye
- zoom and focusing are relatively quick and quiet
- the steady shot feature works well, especially in shooting video
- flexibility and control in non-auto modes (e.g., program mode when I want more control over depth of field, etc.)
- several different focusing and exposure methods
- ability to save images in RAW format as well as JPEG
- the right hand grip feels fairly secure for such a small camera
What I don't like so far:
- viewfinder is off-center when holding the camera, compared with what I'm used to with larger cameras, so I can't grip it as securely with my left hand (because my nose is in the way) BUT I love having that viewfinder anyway!
- lots of MODES in the menu system for settings (I eventually found that I needed to switch to program mode in order to find settings I was looking for, e.g., to save pics in RAW format, change focusing methods). Can be confusing at times, a bit of a learning curve.
- the LCD display sometimes suddenly turns off and then back on, which had me baffled initially when playing back pics. Turns out I had moved a finger too close the the viewfinder, which fooled the camera into auto-switching to the viewfinder.
- when taking flash pictures, it's too easy to partially block the flash somewhat on the right side, which casts a shadow--just something I'll need to get used to by gripping a little differently on the right side (I've had this problem with other pocket cameras that don't have pop-up flashes). Works fine when I move my fingers down on the right-side grip a little.
- when doing the wi-fi setup, I could not enter user names or passwords that had spaces in them--I am stumped on this, and cannot understand why Panasonic would not allow selection of the 'space' character!!!
- wi-fi will not transfer pics in RAW format, so have to use cable or take out memory card and plug into my computer--again, why? Granted 15 Mb per pic will take a lot longer to transfer than smaller JPEGs.
- cannot charge battery outside of camera and must use Panasonic's cable
- not sure yet whether 12 megapixel sensor will be enough resolution for severely cropped pics, printed at 8x10 in. or larger
All in all, this is hands-down the best pocket camera I've owned and used. Why not 5 stars? I'll need to really give it the "road" test by taking thousands of pics under a wide range of conditions. Haven't had time to do this yet, and plan to edit this review later when I have.
Added Comments: April 26, 2015
I've changed my rating to 5 stars now, after taking several hundred pictures under varying conditions. Here are my further observations:
- Indoor pictures with flash turn out fairly well. There are still sharp background shadows from objects illuminated by the flash, but that is to be expected with a direct flash (compared to one with indirect lighting, e.g., by bouncing light off the ceiling).
- outdoor pictures are quite good on the whole. The 30x zoom certainly provides some additional flexibility, and I have not had issues with camera shake when the zoom is extended.
- the one very challenging condition I was somewhat disappointed with was photographing fast flying pelicans at a distance on a very windy, overcast day. Many of the photos of the birds were taken at distances of several hundred yards up to half a mile, using the zoom extended out to 30x. I WAS able to track the birds relatively easily using the viewfinder. When later viewing the images with significant cropping on a flat screen HDTV, clarity of the images left something to be desired--a bit fuzzy on the edges of the birds against the cloudy sky. This is a very challenging set of circumstances--even with a good DSLR camera with a long telephoto lens, it would be challenging to get high quality pics. All in all, the Panasonic ZS50 did a remarkable job, considering the distance involved, with background of a cloudy sky, the speed of the flying flock of birds, and the fast panning required. The severely cropped images of the high flying birds still allowed my wife to identify them as white pelicans by comparing with pictures in her bird book.
- I took some pics of blossoms and flowers with the camera just a few inches away, using the close-up focus setting on a sunny and very windy day. These came out exceptionally well. I was very pleased with the results. The pictures were quite stunning on a flat screen TV.
All in all, I am quite impressed with this pocket camera, and enjoy taking pictures with it, since it is so light, has a decent viewfinder, and takes good photos. I use the Program mode mostly, rather than the Auto mode. Of course, I can get great pics with my really good camera, but I've invested roughly 4x as much for the body, lenses and external flash unit. On the other hand, this Panasonic ZS50 fits in my pocket, is easy to use, and costs a lot less.
on April 10, 2015
The Panasonic ZS50 is an amazing camera. The images and video are the best I've seen out of a very small sensor small camera. What makes the camera unique is the beautiful EVF viewfinder, while small is bright; and sharp. Having an EVF (electronic) viewfinder improves the image quality because holding the camera against your head at eye level, steadies the camera almost as much as the built in image stabilization. The resulting view is closer to what your eye sees,and you don't get that sun glare that will wash out an LCD screen. The EVF shows the display settings and you never have to remove your from the EVF to view the resulting image. This saves time and allows you to quickly adjust settings and snap another image if you are unhappy with your image.
The image stabilization is excellent. It’s possible to get sharp images even at the full zoom. The most amazing part about this camera is the low light capability because of Panasonic's choice of 12 megapixels rather than the higher 18 megapixels on previous models. Each pixel is much larger and as a result more sensitive to light. I tested ISO’s up to the maximum and was pleasantly surprised. Images are very good up to 1600 and 3200 was marginally acceptable*(purists might disagree) There is some noise but not enough to spoil the image. Images taken during the day at ISO’s between 100 and 400 were routinely excellent. You always want to keep the ISO low for best image quality. During the day I set the maximum ISO at 400 and raised it to 1600 in lower light. If you are into IA setting, no need to worry about the ISO setting. Note: Noise increases as the ISO is raised and is very visible without magnification between 3200 and 6400, .
The camera in most settings including IA worked very well. If you want the camera to choose the settings for you, then set the camera to IA and the results will be very consistent. It won’t always select the perfect setting but most of the time it should work fine. If you are a manual only shooter, you are in luck too because there is A, S and M settings as well as multiple custom settings which are very easy to set. I like to use custom settings. I use one for landscape, one for shadows, one for low light and one for motion. The one bad part of changing individual settings is that if you forget to change them back, the results can be disappointing. That is a good reason why new camera users should start with IA and then experiment with other settings. P is a very safe setting because it allows you to change some settings without altering the basic exposure. The P setting is a favorite for many users.
The scenic settings can also be helpful to a beginner and there are lots of them in this camera and they work great. There is a separate Panorama setting that is very easy to use and allows wide angle views like a super wide angle lens. The faster you move the camera, the narrower the resulting strip. Overall it’s fun to use and works great. There is a 3D setting which I couldn't really see much of an effect but the image did standout.
The most important features of the ZS 50 are the big zoom range of 24 wide angle to 740 zoom, and the EVF. There are no other small cameras with these two features. The images at full zoom and hand held came out sharper than I expected in good light. This sharpness in the image was only possible with excellent image stabilization and helped by using the viewfinder. I tried using the camera using just the LCD display. The fully zoomed images were much lower in quality (much softer and some were blurry). I personally cannot hold a camera steady with the camera stretched out like everyone does with their smartphone and tablets. Perhaps you can, but few can do it well. It’s always best to use a tripod when using a big zoom or when taking macro shots but that defeats the advantage of a small camera.
The video is also good but does need better lighting that you get during the daylight. It’s OK inside with plenty of good lighting and pumping up ISO to no higher than 800. The sound quality was fine as long as it isn't too windy. The stereo mike is on top of the camera. There is no port for an external mike. This is often seen on much more expensive or much larger cameras. I got much better video indoors when I added a small LED light panel which significantly improve the video quality. If there is a lot of good lighting in the room, extra lighting isn't required or necessary.
Another interesting feature is the ability to change the image in camera to get a different look. Take an image and transfer it to sepia or black and white and many other effects. It’s fun but it won’t destroy the original image. This feature is available on other cameras but needs to be set before you take your image.
The camera itself seems speedy enough from image to image but it cannot match the much more expensive Sony RX100iii for image quality with its larger 1 inch sensor or camera speed. The RX also has a small popup EVF that is quite sharp but less convenient than the EVF on the ZS50. The Sony cost 2X the ZS50. You may wonder if the ZS50 is worth $400. The answer is yes!...it’s a bargain for its capability and performance. Panasonic was able to price the camera at this low price by making some minor quality and feature sacrifices. The camera feels very solidly built mainly of plastic. Some people complained by the plasticy feel but it seems very solid for me. I'm guessing $400 is the most many people will spend for a camera and Panasonic attempted to offer as much as they could to keep to that top price.
Want to spend $800 to $2000, then look elsewhere but plan on lugging a much heavier camera and spending even more for lenses which typically cost much more than the price of this entire camera with its lens attached. There are some smaller models in this price range but none offer the EVF, big zoom and feature set of the ZS50.
Some good points to consider:
1. The camera is very easy to hold and grip and keep steady especially if you use the EVF.
2. The EVF is very sharp and clear and perfectly placed to view with your right eye (much less so for your left eye).
3. Enhanced low light capability because of larger pixels and lower 12 megapixel count.
4. The buttons, 4 way controller and wheel feel good and are easy to use.
5. The camera has a nice sold feel and feels like a quality camera. It’s light enough and small enough to put in your pocket. I use a cheap Targus bag and it fits with sufficient looseness so it’s easy to remove. Avoid a tight fitting bag which can cause an accident…camera drop. I carry the bag on my belt along with my phone so it’s ready to go at any point.
6. Excellent images and video with good to excellent lighting
7. Much better low light capability than previous versions of camera made possible with new MOS sensor which has much larger pixel size to capture light but has fewer of them, 12 megapixels. It should produce good 11 by 14 prints.
8. Lots of extra easy to use features like Panorama mode
9. Nice control ring on the front of the camera for control certain features like focus or exposure compensation. It's easy and works great
10. Wifi, which is useful for externally controlling the camera and transfer of images and NFC for direct transfer of images.
11. Level Guage helps keep the horizon level and is a great aid in keeping images straight.
12. Composition guides like the rule of third and 12 variants are useful for more interesting images.
13. Builtin memory will hold a few images if you forgot to put in your SD Card
14. Focus peaking and other higher end features help in exposure control
15. 30X zoom, ranges from 24 wide angle up to 700 plus zoom. This is an extremely useful very wide range.
The not so good points
.
1. The flash is placed exactly where you want to place your finger or fingers and is really a poor place to place a flash..
2. Has a RAW feature for those that want it but it adds very little. Your best bet is JPEG and some purists are disappointed that some JPEG settings can’t be adjusted. These are settings you routinely find on $1000 cameras. You are buying an under $400 camera.
3. Tripod mount is centered. You will not be able to open battery door when mounted on a tripod.
4. No ports for mike, external flash, earphone, remote triggering.
5. Not weather sealed. Solution, carry a woman disposable shower cap to protect camera if it should rain.
6. Lens is fixed with no real options for lens hood or filters. Lens is susceptible to flare from too much direct light getting into the lens.
7. No touchscreen. This feature was present on some previous models and is really missed.
8. No GPS function. This was present on some of the previous models. There is a substitute way of logging with your smartphone.
9. There is a limited number of options for adjusting JPEG quality and other features. These were possibly excluded to keep the camera simple to operate and keep costs down. If this is an essential feature for you, look elsewhere.
10. The 12 megapixels will limit the size of enlargements. This improves low light and was a worthwhile compromise.
11. The aperture range starts at 3.3 and rapidly advances to 6.4 which means you have to raise the ISO in limited lighting as you zoom out
12. Not the best camera for low light or very low light. It's better than most but not great.
.
Update 4/27/15
A vacation is a great time for photography and I used this time to really test out the ZS50. I took about 5000 plus images and video spread among the ZS50 and several other larger sensor cameras. It was difficult to pick out the ZS50 images upon initial viewing except for the full zoom images because the viewed image quality seemed very close in quality to the much more expensive cameras. This was completely unexpected. The vast majority of images and video from the ZS50 had good focus, proper exposure, and excellent color and were uniformly sharp. I used primarily, the IA, P, A, C1, C2 and Panorama settings with the ZS50 and had the level gauge enabled. The Panorama images I tried were very good. Zoomed images were the most fun to take and were sharp and detailed in bright daylight helped by excellent image stabilization. The ZS50 proved to be a perfect travel camera because I could use it to image the landscape during the day and zoom in on interesting subjects that were far away. A dSLR with kit lens would have been very limited, unless you carried a heavy zoom lens. The ZS50 was very capable for taking indoor pictures but could not match the RX100iii in low light with it's much larger sensor and F 1.8 lens.
Bottom-line:
The ZS50 has many worthwhile features such as an EVF, huge zoom, improved low light capability, excellent images and video in a very small well built package. I was pleasantly surprised by the image and video quality and especially the improved low light capability. I've owned the Panasonic ZS7 and ZS19 cameras in the past and found them to produce surprising good image quality for a small sensor camera. Panasonic has done it again and produced a much better camera that outdoes all the competition at a very competitive price. This camera is one of the best small cameras for the money you can buy. I think it makes a perfect travel camera and it is light enough that you can carry it with you all day and be ready for the unexpected, like a gorgeous sunset. I did not need another travel camera because my Sony RX100 iii is great travel and everyday camera. The ZS50 with it's big zoom, small size and EVF is an even better travel camera. When searching for your perfect camera, there are a lot of excellent camera choices available but the ZS50 stands alone as the smallest most capable, least expensive camera that's perfect for vacations and everyday use.
The image stabilization is excellent. It’s possible to get sharp images even at the full zoom. The most amazing part about this camera is the low light capability because of Panasonic's choice of 12 megapixels rather than the higher 18 megapixels on previous models. Each pixel is much larger and as a result more sensitive to light. I tested ISO’s up to the maximum and was pleasantly surprised. Images are very good up to 1600 and 3200 was marginally acceptable*(purists might disagree) There is some noise but not enough to spoil the image. Images taken during the day at ISO’s between 100 and 400 were routinely excellent. You always want to keep the ISO low for best image quality. During the day I set the maximum ISO at 400 and raised it to 1600 in lower light. If you are into IA setting, no need to worry about the ISO setting. Note: Noise increases as the ISO is raised and is very visible without magnification between 3200 and 6400, .
The camera in most settings including IA worked very well. If you want the camera to choose the settings for you, then set the camera to IA and the results will be very consistent. It won’t always select the perfect setting but most of the time it should work fine. If you are a manual only shooter, you are in luck too because there is A, S and M settings as well as multiple custom settings which are very easy to set. I like to use custom settings. I use one for landscape, one for shadows, one for low light and one for motion. The one bad part of changing individual settings is that if you forget to change them back, the results can be disappointing. That is a good reason why new camera users should start with IA and then experiment with other settings. P is a very safe setting because it allows you to change some settings without altering the basic exposure. The P setting is a favorite for many users.
The scenic settings can also be helpful to a beginner and there are lots of them in this camera and they work great. There is a separate Panorama setting that is very easy to use and allows wide angle views like a super wide angle lens. The faster you move the camera, the narrower the resulting strip. Overall it’s fun to use and works great. There is a 3D setting which I couldn't really see much of an effect but the image did standout.
The most important features of the ZS 50 are the big zoom range of 24 wide angle to 740 zoom, and the EVF. There are no other small cameras with these two features. The images at full zoom and hand held came out sharper than I expected in good light. This sharpness in the image was only possible with excellent image stabilization and helped by using the viewfinder. I tried using the camera using just the LCD display. The fully zoomed images were much lower in quality (much softer and some were blurry). I personally cannot hold a camera steady with the camera stretched out like everyone does with their smartphone and tablets. Perhaps you can, but few can do it well. It’s always best to use a tripod when using a big zoom or when taking macro shots but that defeats the advantage of a small camera.
The video is also good but does need better lighting that you get during the daylight. It’s OK inside with plenty of good lighting and pumping up ISO to no higher than 800. The sound quality was fine as long as it isn't too windy. The stereo mike is on top of the camera. There is no port for an external mike. This is often seen on much more expensive or much larger cameras. I got much better video indoors when I added a small LED light panel which significantly improve the video quality. If there is a lot of good lighting in the room, extra lighting isn't required or necessary.
Another interesting feature is the ability to change the image in camera to get a different look. Take an image and transfer it to sepia or black and white and many other effects. It’s fun but it won’t destroy the original image. This feature is available on other cameras but needs to be set before you take your image.
The camera itself seems speedy enough from image to image but it cannot match the much more expensive Sony RX100iii for image quality with its larger 1 inch sensor or camera speed. The RX also has a small popup EVF that is quite sharp but less convenient than the EVF on the ZS50. The Sony cost 2X the ZS50. You may wonder if the ZS50 is worth $400. The answer is yes!...it’s a bargain for its capability and performance. Panasonic was able to price the camera at this low price by making some minor quality and feature sacrifices. The camera feels very solidly built mainly of plastic. Some people complained by the plasticy feel but it seems very solid for me. I'm guessing $400 is the most many people will spend for a camera and Panasonic attempted to offer as much as they could to keep to that top price.
Want to spend $800 to $2000, then look elsewhere but plan on lugging a much heavier camera and spending even more for lenses which typically cost much more than the price of this entire camera with its lens attached. There are some smaller models in this price range but none offer the EVF, big zoom and feature set of the ZS50.
Some good points to consider:
1. The camera is very easy to hold and grip and keep steady especially if you use the EVF.
2. The EVF is very sharp and clear and perfectly placed to view with your right eye (much less so for your left eye).
3. Enhanced low light capability because of larger pixels and lower 12 megapixel count.
4. The buttons, 4 way controller and wheel feel good and are easy to use.
5. The camera has a nice sold feel and feels like a quality camera. It’s light enough and small enough to put in your pocket. I use a cheap Targus bag and it fits with sufficient looseness so it’s easy to remove. Avoid a tight fitting bag which can cause an accident…camera drop. I carry the bag on my belt along with my phone so it’s ready to go at any point.
6. Excellent images and video with good to excellent lighting
7. Much better low light capability than previous versions of camera made possible with new MOS sensor which has much larger pixel size to capture light but has fewer of them, 12 megapixels. It should produce good 11 by 14 prints.
8. Lots of extra easy to use features like Panorama mode
9. Nice control ring on the front of the camera for control certain features like focus or exposure compensation. It's easy and works great
10. Wifi, which is useful for externally controlling the camera and transfer of images and NFC for direct transfer of images.
11. Level Guage helps keep the horizon level and is a great aid in keeping images straight.
12. Composition guides like the rule of third and 12 variants are useful for more interesting images.
13. Builtin memory will hold a few images if you forgot to put in your SD Card
14. Focus peaking and other higher end features help in exposure control
15. 30X zoom, ranges from 24 wide angle up to 700 plus zoom. This is an extremely useful very wide range.
The not so good points
.
1. The flash is placed exactly where you want to place your finger or fingers and is really a poor place to place a flash..
2. Has a RAW feature for those that want it but it adds very little. Your best bet is JPEG and some purists are disappointed that some JPEG settings can’t be adjusted. These are settings you routinely find on $1000 cameras. You are buying an under $400 camera.
3. Tripod mount is centered. You will not be able to open battery door when mounted on a tripod.
4. No ports for mike, external flash, earphone, remote triggering.
5. Not weather sealed. Solution, carry a woman disposable shower cap to protect camera if it should rain.
6. Lens is fixed with no real options for lens hood or filters. Lens is susceptible to flare from too much direct light getting into the lens.
7. No touchscreen. This feature was present on some previous models and is really missed.
8. No GPS function. This was present on some of the previous models. There is a substitute way of logging with your smartphone.
9. There is a limited number of options for adjusting JPEG quality and other features. These were possibly excluded to keep the camera simple to operate and keep costs down. If this is an essential feature for you, look elsewhere.
10. The 12 megapixels will limit the size of enlargements. This improves low light and was a worthwhile compromise.
11. The aperture range starts at 3.3 and rapidly advances to 6.4 which means you have to raise the ISO in limited lighting as you zoom out
12. Not the best camera for low light or very low light. It's better than most but not great.
.
Update 4/27/15
A vacation is a great time for photography and I used this time to really test out the ZS50. I took about 5000 plus images and video spread among the ZS50 and several other larger sensor cameras. It was difficult to pick out the ZS50 images upon initial viewing except for the full zoom images because the viewed image quality seemed very close in quality to the much more expensive cameras. This was completely unexpected. The vast majority of images and video from the ZS50 had good focus, proper exposure, and excellent color and were uniformly sharp. I used primarily, the IA, P, A, C1, C2 and Panorama settings with the ZS50 and had the level gauge enabled. The Panorama images I tried were very good. Zoomed images were the most fun to take and were sharp and detailed in bright daylight helped by excellent image stabilization. The ZS50 proved to be a perfect travel camera because I could use it to image the landscape during the day and zoom in on interesting subjects that were far away. A dSLR with kit lens would have been very limited, unless you carried a heavy zoom lens. The ZS50 was very capable for taking indoor pictures but could not match the RX100iii in low light with it's much larger sensor and F 1.8 lens.
Bottom-line:
The ZS50 has many worthwhile features such as an EVF, huge zoom, improved low light capability, excellent images and video in a very small well built package. I was pleasantly surprised by the image and video quality and especially the improved low light capability. I've owned the Panasonic ZS7 and ZS19 cameras in the past and found them to produce surprising good image quality for a small sensor camera. Panasonic has done it again and produced a much better camera that outdoes all the competition at a very competitive price. This camera is one of the best small cameras for the money you can buy. I think it makes a perfect travel camera and it is light enough that you can carry it with you all day and be ready for the unexpected, like a gorgeous sunset. I did not need another travel camera because my Sony RX100 iii is great travel and everyday camera. The ZS50 with it's big zoom, small size and EVF is an even better travel camera. When searching for your perfect camera, there are a lot of excellent camera choices available but the ZS50 stands alone as the smallest most capable, least expensive camera that's perfect for vacations and everyday use.
on March 28, 2015
WoW!!! I took a chance here because Panny doesn't provide options to tweak a lot of controls in this particular camera like most cameras. However, the results in every one of my test images were astoundingly good and probably better than anything I would have selected given the presence of those controls. Some will view this as a negative and at first I was worried as well . . . but not now! The images were all well balanced in highlights, shadows, color, sharpness, etc. Panny has done a great job in balancing out the images. The 5 Axis stabilization worked incredibly well even out to the maximum 720 distance. Here again, I was worried the images would be soft at that range . . . again I was delightfully wrong! Panny was smart to lower the megapixels to just 12 given the small sensor here. Noise was not an issue in any of my test images under conditions where there was reasonable light. No doubt at night noise will creep in at higher ISO's, but given the small sensor that is expected.
Finally, the much improved electronic viewfinder is what ultimately makes this camera so good. No, it doesn't quite equal my Fuji X100S EVF, but it's remarkably good. It adjusted very clearly to my aging eyes and even worked well with my sunglasses on in bright sunlight. My primary camera is the aforementioned Fuji X100S but I needed a small long range camera and finally I've got the perfect complimentary tool. No doubt a full DSLR with an 800mm Hubble telescope lens weighing pounds and costing thousands would take better pictures, but for just $400 bucks I got a very nice really long range incredibly stable pocket shooter and I'm not complaining about the images at all.
Finally, the much improved electronic viewfinder is what ultimately makes this camera so good. No, it doesn't quite equal my Fuji X100S EVF, but it's remarkably good. It adjusted very clearly to my aging eyes and even worked well with my sunglasses on in bright sunlight. My primary camera is the aforementioned Fuji X100S but I needed a small long range camera and finally I've got the perfect complimentary tool. No doubt a full DSLR with an 800mm Hubble telescope lens weighing pounds and costing thousands would take better pictures, but for just $400 bucks I got a very nice really long range incredibly stable pocket shooter and I'm not complaining about the images at all.
on April 18, 2015
I am on holiday with this camera now. Thought i should give potential buyers the good and bad.
So far, it seems to take good pictures from what i can see on the camera's screen or from my smart phone when i move pictures over.
Now for the bad.
There is already dust collecting under the top lens. There is no way to clean it off. This will only get worse with time. Poor design to allow that to happen.
Second problem is the mode indicator dial has wiped clean. See the picture i loaded. Whatever ink they used did not last more than 10 days. Another poor design choice.
I would think about returning it but cannot as i am on holiday with no way to return it and then replace it. I am not confident of its long term reliability with what i can see in a few weeks use. This camera is too expensive to last maybe a year and have to be replaced.
So far, it seems to take good pictures from what i can see on the camera's screen or from my smart phone when i move pictures over.
Now for the bad.
There is already dust collecting under the top lens. There is no way to clean it off. This will only get worse with time. Poor design to allow that to happen.
Second problem is the mode indicator dial has wiped clean. See the picture i loaded. Whatever ink they used did not last more than 10 days. Another poor design choice.
I would think about returning it but cannot as i am on holiday with no way to return it and then replace it. I am not confident of its long term reliability with what i can see in a few weeks use. This camera is too expensive to last maybe a year and have to be replaced.
TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon April 14, 2015
This is my fifth Panasonic ZS camera going back to the ZS7 which I still own and still like a lot. Even though I just bought the ZS40 a few months ago, I could't pass up the opportunity to sample and compare the newest in the line, the ZS50.
The ZS50 is incredibly packed with features, and even though I am very familiar with the line, I'll be printing out some pages of the owner's manual for a better understanding of the newest additions.
In the box is the camera, CD, a basic manual and cables. No memory card is included. No external charger is included. You can buy external chargers that fit the ZS 25, 40, and 50 models. I'm using one to charge the batteries in the ZS50 and have noticed that batteries in the 40 and the 50 are interchangeable. I no longer own the ZS25 to see if that battery works in the ZS50 also.
So how does the ZS 50 compare to the ZS40? On the 50 I think the LCD screen is much brighter and much easier to use. The EVF is also much better and has an automatic sensor that switches to the EVF when you bring the camera to your eye. On the ZS 40 you have to push a small button to switch from LCD to view finder. I've taken hundreds of photos with both cameras but don't see a big difference in the quality of the photos. The ZS50 is a little better in low light and at higher ISO settings. I also think the pictures taken on the ZS50 are a little more vibrant than those taken on the ZS40, but that's something that can be equalized using editing software.
If this will be your first ZS camera, you might find yourself overwhelmed by all the features packed into this little camera and might want to read the enclosed basic manual and also the advanced manual included on the CD. For all of my cameras I save the manual in digital format and print out those pages I think I'll need to refer to most often.
Some ZS features of note:
30x zoom that can be almost doubled in some settings with very little deterioration of picture quality.
12 megapixels - good for low light pictures and taking up less memory on hard drives and camera cards.
RAW support
EVF - great in bright sunlight that renders most LCD screens useless
Plenty of scene modes and art filters that can also be found on the other ZS models. One of my favorites is the in camera HDR scene.
A ring on the front of the camera for quick access to options. Its function varies depending on the setting. The ring on the back of the camera functions in a similar manner.
Has in camera panorama
The bright LCD screen is 3 inches with 1040k dots.
Camera is equipped with wifi.
A Panasonic app is available for download that enables you to use remote control via your phone, transfer pics and videos from camera to phone, and access other features of the camera.
Video is excellent on this camera in 1080p60, 1080i60, BS 720P60 IN CCHD. There's even a feature that lets you take time lapse pictures at set intervals that the camera puts together into a video. It's fabulous.
I haven't tried it yet, but there's a feature that notes the apex of a jump and takes a picture at that moment.
Nit picks
No GPS on the ZS50. I don't use it anyway, but there's a work around by using your smart phone.
Controls on the back are close together. I sometimes hit the wrong button while using the back control wheel.
Doesn't come with external charger, but as mentioned earlier that's remedied inexpensively.
Picture quality is good though not impressively so but reasonable considering the sensor size. I might be spoiled by the picture quality of my Panasonic G5.
For a point and shoot camera, the Panasonic ZS50 is a little pricey though less than the ZS40 was at its introduction. However finding a point and shoot with a good viewfinder, 30x zoom and all the other features in this camera won't be easy, if it's even possible. For a travel camera, the ZS50 is hard to beat.
The ZS50 is incredibly packed with features, and even though I am very familiar with the line, I'll be printing out some pages of the owner's manual for a better understanding of the newest additions.
In the box is the camera, CD, a basic manual and cables. No memory card is included. No external charger is included. You can buy external chargers that fit the ZS 25, 40, and 50 models. I'm using one to charge the batteries in the ZS50 and have noticed that batteries in the 40 and the 50 are interchangeable. I no longer own the ZS25 to see if that battery works in the ZS50 also.
So how does the ZS 50 compare to the ZS40? On the 50 I think the LCD screen is much brighter and much easier to use. The EVF is also much better and has an automatic sensor that switches to the EVF when you bring the camera to your eye. On the ZS 40 you have to push a small button to switch from LCD to view finder. I've taken hundreds of photos with both cameras but don't see a big difference in the quality of the photos. The ZS50 is a little better in low light and at higher ISO settings. I also think the pictures taken on the ZS50 are a little more vibrant than those taken on the ZS40, but that's something that can be equalized using editing software.
If this will be your first ZS camera, you might find yourself overwhelmed by all the features packed into this little camera and might want to read the enclosed basic manual and also the advanced manual included on the CD. For all of my cameras I save the manual in digital format and print out those pages I think I'll need to refer to most often.
Some ZS features of note:
30x zoom that can be almost doubled in some settings with very little deterioration of picture quality.
12 megapixels - good for low light pictures and taking up less memory on hard drives and camera cards.
RAW support
EVF - great in bright sunlight that renders most LCD screens useless
Plenty of scene modes and art filters that can also be found on the other ZS models. One of my favorites is the in camera HDR scene.
A ring on the front of the camera for quick access to options. Its function varies depending on the setting. The ring on the back of the camera functions in a similar manner.
Has in camera panorama
The bright LCD screen is 3 inches with 1040k dots.
Camera is equipped with wifi.
A Panasonic app is available for download that enables you to use remote control via your phone, transfer pics and videos from camera to phone, and access other features of the camera.
Video is excellent on this camera in 1080p60, 1080i60, BS 720P60 IN CCHD. There's even a feature that lets you take time lapse pictures at set intervals that the camera puts together into a video. It's fabulous.
I haven't tried it yet, but there's a feature that notes the apex of a jump and takes a picture at that moment.
Nit picks
No GPS on the ZS50. I don't use it anyway, but there's a work around by using your smart phone.
Controls on the back are close together. I sometimes hit the wrong button while using the back control wheel.
Doesn't come with external charger, but as mentioned earlier that's remedied inexpensively.
Picture quality is good though not impressively so but reasonable considering the sensor size. I might be spoiled by the picture quality of my Panasonic G5.
For a point and shoot camera, the Panasonic ZS50 is a little pricey though less than the ZS40 was at its introduction. However finding a point and shoot with a good viewfinder, 30x zoom and all the other features in this camera won't be easy, if it's even possible. For a travel camera, the ZS50 is hard to beat.
on June 18, 2015
I just returned from a two week trip to England with my family where I was able to put the camera through its paces shooting around 300 pictures and 5 hours of video. While most of the pics and video looked great with its big sensor, there is more to a camera than the quality of the pics/video....there is its functionality and build quality. These issues were great enough for me that I am returning the camera in the morning and waiting for the next version that I'm sure will fix many of these issues.
Body Issues.
I have the Lumix ZS7 that I really appreciate now that I have used the ZS50. why? Because of the following:
- The ZS50 has its flash right above where you grip the camera so your fingers more often then not will be blocking the flash. Its fine if you always use two hands to grip this small camera so you can drop your right hand out of the way of the flash, but there are many situations where I hold it with one hand and those are the ones where your fingers will keep blocking the flash (see first 3 photos). And whenever I handed the camera to a stranger to take our picture, they always blocked the flash, even when I warned them about it. The ZS7 has the flash skewed toward the center of the body, away from where you are gripping the camera, where this is never an issue.
- Bigger screen? Its not all used for some strange reason. Actually has a bigger screen but small image than the PS7 (see last photo)
- The control knob that rotates between all the shooting functions is printed with a dull ink against a flat background providing very low contrast which makes it very difficult to read in low light situations. The ZS7 had black lettering against a shiny silver background making it easy to read in low light. (see 4th photo...looks ok here in bright light but cant read in dim light)
- When the camera is first turned on, the lens extends out 3 times as far from the body as the ZS7 (see 4th & 5th photos for min and max extensions). And this is in the wide angle position!! (ie it extends out even farther when zooming in on a subject). This 4th image is as far in as it will contract when turned on for pics or video
-The body has a textured plastic surface which I personally dont like as it feels cheap compared to the solid, smooth gloss surface of the PS7.
Functionality:
- One of the most annoying things was its inability to focus on subjects when shooting video in what equated to bright dusk lighting (ie 1/2 hour after sunset). I would repeatedly try to zoom in on a subject maybe 50 away but the camera kept searching for its focus point. It focused if I zoomed all the way out but when I zoomed in, it lost its focus again. Isnt this supposed to be great in low light?!? This happened about 5-6 times on various days/situations. Never had this issue with the ZS7. There is no excuse for this.
- Another deal killer for me is that when shooting video, its nearly impossible to zoom in or out at a slow rate, no matter how light one feathered the control. It flies in out out with the slightest touch. When shooting video, in most situations you want to pan slowly, which is controlled by your body, but also to zoom in and out slowly, which was impossible. When played back on a big screen, the excessively fast zooming is very annoying.
Summary deal killers for me were
- fingers constantly in front of the flash.
- difficulty in reading control knob in low light
- problem focusing
- inability to zoom and out slowly
Annoying:
- Smaller image on screen
- Cheap feel of the body
- Excessive extension of lens from body
While these may not bother a novice photographer, I'm looking for a pocket size camera with better design and functionality to back up my professional SLRs...like my PS7 with a bigger sensor!
Body Issues.
I have the Lumix ZS7 that I really appreciate now that I have used the ZS50. why? Because of the following:
- The ZS50 has its flash right above where you grip the camera so your fingers more often then not will be blocking the flash. Its fine if you always use two hands to grip this small camera so you can drop your right hand out of the way of the flash, but there are many situations where I hold it with one hand and those are the ones where your fingers will keep blocking the flash (see first 3 photos). And whenever I handed the camera to a stranger to take our picture, they always blocked the flash, even when I warned them about it. The ZS7 has the flash skewed toward the center of the body, away from where you are gripping the camera, where this is never an issue.
- Bigger screen? Its not all used for some strange reason. Actually has a bigger screen but small image than the PS7 (see last photo)
- The control knob that rotates between all the shooting functions is printed with a dull ink against a flat background providing very low contrast which makes it very difficult to read in low light situations. The ZS7 had black lettering against a shiny silver background making it easy to read in low light. (see 4th photo...looks ok here in bright light but cant read in dim light)
- When the camera is first turned on, the lens extends out 3 times as far from the body as the ZS7 (see 4th & 5th photos for min and max extensions). And this is in the wide angle position!! (ie it extends out even farther when zooming in on a subject). This 4th image is as far in as it will contract when turned on for pics or video
-The body has a textured plastic surface which I personally dont like as it feels cheap compared to the solid, smooth gloss surface of the PS7.
Functionality:
- One of the most annoying things was its inability to focus on subjects when shooting video in what equated to bright dusk lighting (ie 1/2 hour after sunset). I would repeatedly try to zoom in on a subject maybe 50 away but the camera kept searching for its focus point. It focused if I zoomed all the way out but when I zoomed in, it lost its focus again. Isnt this supposed to be great in low light?!? This happened about 5-6 times on various days/situations. Never had this issue with the ZS7. There is no excuse for this.
- Another deal killer for me is that when shooting video, its nearly impossible to zoom in or out at a slow rate, no matter how light one feathered the control. It flies in out out with the slightest touch. When shooting video, in most situations you want to pan slowly, which is controlled by your body, but also to zoom in and out slowly, which was impossible. When played back on a big screen, the excessively fast zooming is very annoying.
Summary deal killers for me were
- fingers constantly in front of the flash.
- difficulty in reading control knob in low light
- problem focusing
- inability to zoom and out slowly
Annoying:
- Smaller image on screen
- Cheap feel of the body
- Excessive extension of lens from body
While these may not bother a novice photographer, I'm looking for a pocket size camera with better design and functionality to back up my professional SLRs...like my PS7 with a bigger sensor!
on May 13, 2015
Great camera. Takes sharp pictures. Can auto correct for backlit subjects. I took this down to the pier where there was a lot of glare and rocks. The camera was able to correct to get definition in the rocks (close up) so they didn't look all black due to the shadows and yet the water came out sparkly like when you see it in real life. Looking forward to getting more photos.
on April 18, 2015
I've had the ZS50 for a few weeks now, and the more I use it, the more impressed I am. I just finished writing a five-article hands-on review which I have posted on my photography Web site. I just Googled for Brian Byrd ZS50, and the first three results were three articles from the series.
There is a lot to say, which is why I wrote five articles, but I will try to hit the highlights here. For the past 18 months I have been happy with my Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR. I bought the ZS50 as soon as it was available because it has all the feature of the F900, plus a viewfinder, a 30x zoom instead of a 20x, and more.
I'll never buy a camera without RAW image capability, so that's a must-have. The quality of the viewfinder is fine. Having a viewfinder is indispensable at times, and has already come in very handy. 20x zoom is great, 30x zoom is awesome!
As other reviewers have noted, the optical image stabilization works very well. I have been very impressed with it. The full manual exposure control is implemented well, but the manual focus it not as great. Read my articles for all the details.
The Wi-Fi remote control is a dream come true. I tested it out at the bird feeder in my backyard and got some amazing shots! The image quality of the 12 MP sensor (thank you Panasonic for your wise decision to reduce the pixel count!) is so good that I was able to enlarge some shots with a 100% crop and they still came out really good. I would not dare to crop like that with images from my F900. See my Web site for all the bird photos.
The ZS50 focuses a lot slower when the focus mode is set to AF Macro, so make sure you have the focus mode set to regular AF unless you are doing some close-up shots. For the best focusing in low-light situations, you will want to make sure the AF Assist Lamp option is turned on in the menu.
Apart from the great remote control, the rest of the mobile app is not very impressive. It would be nice if the ZS50 had some sort of tilting LCD screen, but the remote control feature can compensate for that in some situations.
Accompanying my five articles are three photo albums of test shots taken with the ZS50 during the past three weeks, so that you don't merely get all of my blah, blah, blah, but you can actually see for yourself what this great little camera is capable of.
All in all, I am very happy with it. It definitely surpasses the Fujifilm F900. Of course, it is not perfect, but then no camera is. Every camera is designed and built with compromises and trade-offs. Considering the relatively-low price and how much functionality Panasonic has packed into a pretty-small package, I can give it 5 stars without hesitation.
There is a lot to say, which is why I wrote five articles, but I will try to hit the highlights here. For the past 18 months I have been happy with my Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR. I bought the ZS50 as soon as it was available because it has all the feature of the F900, plus a viewfinder, a 30x zoom instead of a 20x, and more.
I'll never buy a camera without RAW image capability, so that's a must-have. The quality of the viewfinder is fine. Having a viewfinder is indispensable at times, and has already come in very handy. 20x zoom is great, 30x zoom is awesome!
As other reviewers have noted, the optical image stabilization works very well. I have been very impressed with it. The full manual exposure control is implemented well, but the manual focus it not as great. Read my articles for all the details.
The Wi-Fi remote control is a dream come true. I tested it out at the bird feeder in my backyard and got some amazing shots! The image quality of the 12 MP sensor (thank you Panasonic for your wise decision to reduce the pixel count!) is so good that I was able to enlarge some shots with a 100% crop and they still came out really good. I would not dare to crop like that with images from my F900. See my Web site for all the bird photos.
The ZS50 focuses a lot slower when the focus mode is set to AF Macro, so make sure you have the focus mode set to regular AF unless you are doing some close-up shots. For the best focusing in low-light situations, you will want to make sure the AF Assist Lamp option is turned on in the menu.
Apart from the great remote control, the rest of the mobile app is not very impressive. It would be nice if the ZS50 had some sort of tilting LCD screen, but the remote control feature can compensate for that in some situations.
Accompanying my five articles are three photo albums of test shots taken with the ZS50 during the past three weeks, so that you don't merely get all of my blah, blah, blah, but you can actually see for yourself what this great little camera is capable of.
All in all, I am very happy with it. It definitely surpasses the Fujifilm F900. Of course, it is not perfect, but then no camera is. Every camera is designed and built with compromises and trade-offs. Considering the relatively-low price and how much functionality Panasonic has packed into a pretty-small package, I can give it 5 stars without hesitation.
on July 7, 2015
After comprehensive research, I found this camera to be rated the best in it's class for all around performance. The only real negative review I read was that the paint on the round toggle switch to change modes and shooting preferences, wore off. I figured this was an isolated incident as there was only one complaint of this. I purchased the camera and I decided to take this camera for a spin on my trip to Central America. After the second day of shooting, the paint on the toggle switch began to wear off. By the 4th day of shooting, the paint was completely gone, leaving just a blank round toggle switch! Perhaps this was from perspiration or sunscreen or just the friction from my finger on the switch. I contacted the company I purchased it from (through Amazon) and was informed it was past the 30 day warranty so I called Panasonic and they told me to send it into their repair center in texas and the part would be replaced. The paint is not supposed to come off that easily and he felt maybe there was a "printing issue?!" I of course have to pay for the shipping but the 1 year warranty covers the repairs. In addition, I had several occasions where the plastic 2 door shutter would not close all the way to protect the lense. After shooting, I would close the camera and the shutter would stay partially open, exposing the sense to potential damage. This problem resolved on it's own after turning the camera on and off multiple times but I assume it's going to be an intermittent issue. For such a promising technological camera, it's made very poorly. If you do decide to purchase this camera, I would HIGHLY suggest fashioning some sort of clear coat plastic cover over the round toggle switch to protect the letters from wearing off so easily.
TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon April 18, 2015
ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER: The ZS50 has a very good 1166k dot viewfinder through which you can see clear details. For those who wonder how this compares with the ZS40, the resolution is 5 times higher. 1166k versus the former 200,000k. The viewfinder of the ZS50 is very usable while the viewfinder of the ZS40 was mainly for marketing.
Most of the cameras that I have had over the years had a viewfinder and I much prefer to use it because framing photos is much easier for me than when holding the camera away from my body. I'm using it almost exclusively with this camera and very pleased.
Also for anyone thinking of upgrading from the ZS40, another improvement is the larger grip. This makes the camera easier to hold when using the viewfinder.
When I first looked through the viewfinder what I saw was not clear and sharp. However, I gave the wheel for the diopter that is right next to the viewfinder tiny turns until what I saw was clear and sharp. The difference was huge.
A neat new feature is the eye-detection sensor that automatically switches to the viewfinder as it nears your eye. No need to push a button to switch as was necessary with the ZS40. The button is still there, but not needed.
What you see on the LCD screen will also be seen when you look through the viewfinder. For example, if you are using the "level gauge" to be sure the camera is straight, you will see the level indicator when looking through the viewfinder same as if you look at the screen
Even if you prefer to use the LCD screen, practice with the viewfinder because it is very helpful when following the movement of distant objects and to give more support when you are zoomed out. When the camera is held in both hands and pressed against your forehead it is more stable than when held away from the body.
Also, the viewfinder is very handy when the LCD screen is hard to read because of the sun.
Having a useable viewfinder gives this camera a big advantage over its rivals.
LCD SCREEN: The resolution of the screen has been increased to 1,040k dots, a small improvement over the 920,000 dots of the ZS40.
The screen is pretty good in varying light conditions, but if you have trouble in the direct sun, or to lessen the chance of future trouble in the sun, there are some things you can do:
1. Press the "Menu" button, then select "Setup". Click on it and scroll down to "Monitor Display" . Press the arrow that opens the choices and move the "brightness" indicator (yellow) all the way to the right. I suggest you do that anyway and just leave it there.
2. If more needs to be done, scroll down one more line to "Monitor Luminance". Open to the options and put it on " Auto Power Monitor" {A*. Leave it there until times you need more help than go back and change the setting to "Power Monitor" [*. If even that isn't enough, use the viewfinder.
BURST MODE: When there is any kind of action, this is much better than taking single shots. You don't have to anticipate the exact moment something is going happen, you take a bunch of rapid-fire photos and pick out the best ones. Action is not just sports it can be children playing, a child learning to ride a bike, puppies playing, etc.
A burst mode of 10 fps (frames per second) is a big marketing point for this camera. But it is misleading. You can only shoot 10 fps when the camera is in the IA mode (Intelligent Auto) and you can only get six shots before the camera must reload, so to speak. For this reason, unless you know the exact second when something significant will occur, you are not likely to make much use of this setting. In this setting, focus is fixed with the first shot
Also when in the IA mode you have the option of 6 fps. When in this setting the camera keeps focusing and shooting as long as you keep pressing the shutter button. I have gotten about 30 shots in this setting and could have gotten more. But I didn't get 6 fps, it was closer to 4 fps. However, the fps would have been closer to 6 if I had shot fewer photos. It starts at 6 then tapers off as the camera processes the previous shots.
In all modes, including P, A & S, you can shoot 3 fps and will get about 3 fps. Again, the camera will keep shooting as long as the shutter is pressed and refocuses between shots. I have shot as many as 40 when in "P" mode of a car moving away from me and the focus stayed pretty good and the fps was about 3 for the entire 40. I good have kept shooting at the same fps, but the car turned a far corner,
I am quite pleased with the burst mode. There are cameras that will do better than this one, but in this price range it does a very satisfactory job. I am especially pleased with how well it keeps focused when when shooting at 3 frames per second. To test this, I sat at a street corner where I could look down the street. When a car or motorcycle started down the street, I focused on the car/motorcyclist and started shooting until it turned a corner or it didn't make sense to continue. I could then look at the photos on my computer and check the focus. I was quite pleased that even after 20 shots the object I had focused on was still in focus. Reinforcing that were a couple of shots where a woman started crossing the street in the distance between me and the car. She was not in focus in the photos, but the car was. I did another test focusing on a distant car approaching me. The photos were sharp all the way.
You can also shoot in bursts when shooting RAW using the 3 fps setting, but I only get about 1.5 fps when I did again partly because of the number of images shot during the burst and partly because the RAW files are bigger than the JPEG files.
RAW: Many travel zooms do not offer RAW as an option. My Canon SX700 doesn't for example.
The debate about whether to shoot RAW or JPEG has been going on for a long time. There are reasons for both, including that RAW files contain more details but require processing by software to make them fully useable, while photos shot in JPEP are useable as they come from the camera, having gotten some processing in the camera. (Though they can often be made even better by post-processing).
However, what is important to know is that even though this camera is new, software support for RAW files from the camera are already widely available, including, after installing the update which you will get from the software, Photohop Elements, Corel PaintShop, Photoshop and Lightroom. There is no need to download the RAW converter on the CD that comes with the camera if you are using one of these photo editing programs. They are all better than the software on the CD.
Because the camera's sensor is so small you can't retrieve as much shadow or highlight detail as on a camera with a larger sensor, but you can adjust white balance, sharpening and noise. The RAW files also contain more color information than do JPEGs
.
Most of the cameras that I have had over the years had a viewfinder and I much prefer to use it because framing photos is much easier for me than when holding the camera away from my body. I'm using it almost exclusively with this camera and very pleased.
Also for anyone thinking of upgrading from the ZS40, another improvement is the larger grip. This makes the camera easier to hold when using the viewfinder.
When I first looked through the viewfinder what I saw was not clear and sharp. However, I gave the wheel for the diopter that is right next to the viewfinder tiny turns until what I saw was clear and sharp. The difference was huge.
A neat new feature is the eye-detection sensor that automatically switches to the viewfinder as it nears your eye. No need to push a button to switch as was necessary with the ZS40. The button is still there, but not needed.
What you see on the LCD screen will also be seen when you look through the viewfinder. For example, if you are using the "level gauge" to be sure the camera is straight, you will see the level indicator when looking through the viewfinder same as if you look at the screen
Even if you prefer to use the LCD screen, practice with the viewfinder because it is very helpful when following the movement of distant objects and to give more support when you are zoomed out. When the camera is held in both hands and pressed against your forehead it is more stable than when held away from the body.
Also, the viewfinder is very handy when the LCD screen is hard to read because of the sun.
Having a useable viewfinder gives this camera a big advantage over its rivals.
LCD SCREEN: The resolution of the screen has been increased to 1,040k dots, a small improvement over the 920,000 dots of the ZS40.
The screen is pretty good in varying light conditions, but if you have trouble in the direct sun, or to lessen the chance of future trouble in the sun, there are some things you can do:
1. Press the "Menu" button, then select "Setup". Click on it and scroll down to "Monitor Display" . Press the arrow that opens the choices and move the "brightness" indicator (yellow) all the way to the right. I suggest you do that anyway and just leave it there.
2. If more needs to be done, scroll down one more line to "Monitor Luminance". Open to the options and put it on " Auto Power Monitor" {A*. Leave it there until times you need more help than go back and change the setting to "Power Monitor" [*. If even that isn't enough, use the viewfinder.
BURST MODE: When there is any kind of action, this is much better than taking single shots. You don't have to anticipate the exact moment something is going happen, you take a bunch of rapid-fire photos and pick out the best ones. Action is not just sports it can be children playing, a child learning to ride a bike, puppies playing, etc.
A burst mode of 10 fps (frames per second) is a big marketing point for this camera. But it is misleading. You can only shoot 10 fps when the camera is in the IA mode (Intelligent Auto) and you can only get six shots before the camera must reload, so to speak. For this reason, unless you know the exact second when something significant will occur, you are not likely to make much use of this setting. In this setting, focus is fixed with the first shot
Also when in the IA mode you have the option of 6 fps. When in this setting the camera keeps focusing and shooting as long as you keep pressing the shutter button. I have gotten about 30 shots in this setting and could have gotten more. But I didn't get 6 fps, it was closer to 4 fps. However, the fps would have been closer to 6 if I had shot fewer photos. It starts at 6 then tapers off as the camera processes the previous shots.
In all modes, including P, A & S, you can shoot 3 fps and will get about 3 fps. Again, the camera will keep shooting as long as the shutter is pressed and refocuses between shots. I have shot as many as 40 when in "P" mode of a car moving away from me and the focus stayed pretty good and the fps was about 3 for the entire 40. I good have kept shooting at the same fps, but the car turned a far corner,
I am quite pleased with the burst mode. There are cameras that will do better than this one, but in this price range it does a very satisfactory job. I am especially pleased with how well it keeps focused when when shooting at 3 frames per second. To test this, I sat at a street corner where I could look down the street. When a car or motorcycle started down the street, I focused on the car/motorcyclist and started shooting until it turned a corner or it didn't make sense to continue. I could then look at the photos on my computer and check the focus. I was quite pleased that even after 20 shots the object I had focused on was still in focus. Reinforcing that were a couple of shots where a woman started crossing the street in the distance between me and the car. She was not in focus in the photos, but the car was. I did another test focusing on a distant car approaching me. The photos were sharp all the way.
You can also shoot in bursts when shooting RAW using the 3 fps setting, but I only get about 1.5 fps when I did again partly because of the number of images shot during the burst and partly because the RAW files are bigger than the JPEG files.
RAW: Many travel zooms do not offer RAW as an option. My Canon SX700 doesn't for example.
The debate about whether to shoot RAW or JPEG has been going on for a long time. There are reasons for both, including that RAW files contain more details but require processing by software to make them fully useable, while photos shot in JPEP are useable as they come from the camera, having gotten some processing in the camera. (Though they can often be made even better by post-processing).
However, what is important to know is that even though this camera is new, software support for RAW files from the camera are already widely available, including, after installing the update which you will get from the software, Photohop Elements, Corel PaintShop, Photoshop and Lightroom. There is no need to download the RAW converter on the CD that comes with the camera if you are using one of these photo editing programs. They are all better than the software on the CD.
Because the camera's sensor is so small you can't retrieve as much shadow or highlight detail as on a camera with a larger sensor, but you can adjust white balance, sharpening and noise. The RAW files also contain more color information than do JPEGs
.