Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 2.7-Inch LCD (Violet)
- 14.1-megapixel resolution; 4x optical image-stablized zoom
- 720p HD video capture at 30fps
- Panasonic iA mode makes it simple for anyone to take beautiful photos
- LUMIX Image Uploader makes it simple to share pictures on Facebook and video on YouTube
- Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 14.1 Megapixel Compact Camera – 5 mm-20 mm – Violet DMC-S3V Digital Cameras
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Quite amazed by the quality of photos, even at 4x optical zoom,
I compared this Panasonic Lumix camera with the Nikon Coolpix L22, which is a 12.0 camera, as opposed to the Lumix which is a 14.1 MP camera. The image quality is excellent with the Lumix. Similar shots, one shot at the wide end of the lens, and the other at the zoom end of the lens. I then magnified the image to 100% on the computer and compared them. What was pleasantly surprising was that the photos did not show any purple fringing that is usually the norm for low end Point-and-Shoot cameras. None whatsoever.
Secondly, the photo came out sharp and without the hazing that can sometimes become visible up when viewing a photo at 100% magnification.
The flash is small and like most in-built flashes, quite useless at long range and washes everything out at close range. However, when you do manage to take a photo at that exact zoom range that is ideal, the results are quite acceptable. Just make sure to view the results on the camera’s LCD screen in case you need to make adjustments and shoot again.
The menu is clear and uncluttered. You can even set the timezone via an interactive world map, similar to what you find on Windows computers. Nice touch.
The camera itself is very light. The black color lends it a stylish look, and the chrome adds to the appeal. Yes, this is a good looking camera.
And yes, it is sleek.
All in all, a very good package, value-for-money, and thus far, a highly recommended compact camera.
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|Excellent choice for a budget digital camera, has date stamp,
I purchased my white S3 at Costco for under 100 dollars, and the Costco bundle came with a very nice case and a Transcend 2GB SD memory card. The S3’s own box included a LiIon battery pack, a one-piece battery charger (no cord needed), a hand strap, a USB cable, and the software CD-ROM.
The S3 weighs 4 oz. with battery and card and is what we used to call an idiot-proof camera. It has only 4 shooting modes: Panasonic’s famous iA (intelligent auto) mode, which is simply the best automatic scene-dependent shooting mode on the compact digital camera market today, a normal mode that is similar to the program mode on other digital cameras, a scene mode that lets you pick from 16 presets (including high sensitivity, sports, portrait, baby, etc.), and a camcorder mode that shoots video in Quicktime format at 1280×720, 640×480 (VGA) or 320×240 (QVGA) resolutions. BTW, unlike more expensive Panasonic cameras, the S3 cannot zoom while shooting video, a pity.
The S3 comes in several colors; mine is white and looks very stylish. It feels good and light in the hand, although I also think it feels almost like a toy, but not in a bad way. The plastic casing seems durable (and fingerprint-friendly), and the buttons are all solid and easy to press.
Unlike other digicams in this price range or even more expensive, the S3 exhibits little shutter lag, that is, as soon as you press the shutter button, it takes the picture (unless it’s really dark in the room). The S3 takes excellent outdoor pictures, with excellent color accuracy and contrast and good focus. Indoors, most of the no-flash pictures I have taken of my kids look good, but understandably the digital noise is higher. Indoor flash photography is not something I’d call good on any compact digital camera, including this one, although the flash does make a good fill-in flash outdoors when the subject’s face has shadows.
Overall, I find the S3 *very* pleasant to use. Its good performance in shutter lag and excellent outdoor picture quality and good indoor quality make it a winner for a low-cost, no-brainer take-it-anywhere camera. It even comes with date stamp (with or without time), something many casual photographers love.
Note: I posted a sample video and some sample images on the black Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 2.7-Inch LCD (Black) product page.
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|Excellent value-packed easy-to-use camera that is great for a novice first-timer.,
Fuzzy Wuzzy’s Summary:
***** Highly recommended with warm fuzzies (great camera for a first-time photographer).
What is in the box package?
o DMC-S3 digital camera
o Panasonic NCA-YN101G 3.6V rechargeable lithium ion battery pack (NCA-YN101G)
o Battery charger (DE-A91B)
o USB cable to connect the camera to your computer
o Hand strap
o Software CD with Panasonic “PHOTOfunSTUDIO 6.0” and “Super LoiLoScope” 30-day trial (both software only run on Windows XP/Vista/7, no Mac version)
o 27-page “Basic Owner’s Manual” (and 26-page Spanish version in the same booklet). A separate 81-page “Owner’s Manual for advanced features” is included as a PDF file on the included CD-ROM disc. The printed “Basic Owner’s Manual” is great as a quick-start guide, but you should also read the “Owner’s Manual for advanced features” that is included on the CD.
The software installation CD gives you the option to install a URL link shortcut that merely accesses a loilo.tv Web site using your browser. From that Web site, you can either download a 30-day trial version or purchase the Super LoiLoScope software. Super LoiLoScope is third-party software that offers a bundle of video editing functions for creating videos, adding text, images, music, and special effects to videos, burning DVDs of your videos, etc. This was the only part of the camera package that I did not try out since I already use other software to edit my videos with.
Although I am a serious amateur photographer with 3 Canon dSLR cameras and 7 nice Canon lenses, I can appreciate the amount of features that are packed into this very affordable camera. The S3 comes in five color options: black, white, purple, red, and violet. This camera is aimed at value-for-money simplicity, specifically designed to be easy to use by beginning photographers. While the photos that you take using this camera will not always be perfect, they tend to be quite idiot-proof, which makes this camera an excellent choice for a first-time photographer or as a camera for a teenager. Someone who is college-age or older may potentially become very interested in digital photography and then outgrow this camera and want something better. But for a teenager, or for someone looking for a good basic and very affordable point-and-shoot camera, this is a pretty good choice.
Some of the DMC-S3’s noteworthy features are described and rated below.
***** Excellent 5-fuzzies feature ratings:
***** There is an excellent set of features packaged in a very easy-to-use camera. The ergonomics of the controls and the on-screen menus are excellent and seem to be aimed at first-time digital photography novices.
***** 720P (1280×720) at 30fps HD video recording in a $120 camera is currently quite rare! If you look at all of the competing point-and-shoot cameras in this price range (or even out to $150), nearly all of the video capabilities of cameras by Nikon, Canon, Olympus, and other only go up to 640×480 at 30fps. It is not until you get closer to the $200 camera pricing that 720P is currently being offered for most camera brands (Amazon currently sells a Kodak 14MP with 720P or a Sony 16MP with 720P, both for $160)… and then at the $200 price point, Panasonic offers 1080P HD video in its Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX700 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black). So it is currently very rare to get 720P video capability in a camera of this price range.
***** The “Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) Shake Detection” works very well. This is a good thing since this camera is so slim in style and slippery in feel that your hands may move the camera during the focusing process more than cameras whose bodies are molded with more edges to grip onto. On the right side of the top of the camera, where the shutter button is, that top right corner has a grooved indentation where your right index finger rests. I really wished that this camera also had a similar grooved indentation on the top left corner of the body so that my left index finger could get a better grip on the camera when holding it steady for either photos or video. The camera is housed in a plastic casing that can give it a toy-like feel, but its construction feels fairly precise, so I expect its exterior to have good long-term durability *** AS LONG AS THE CAMERA IS NOT DROPPED ONTO HARD FLOORING OR SIDEWALKS ***. The slim camera body with all of its rounded corners makes it more slippery to hold (like a bar of soap) than most point-and-shoot cameras, so make sure that you use the included hand strap when carrying and holding this camera.
***** The camera…
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