Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 12.1 MP Rugged/Waterproof Digital Camera with 4.6x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Red)
- 4 Active Outdoor Scene Modes: The DMC-TS3 has 4 active outdoor Scene Modes – Sports, Snow, Beach & Snorkeling and Underwater
- LEICA DC Lens with Folded Optics Technology: The DMC-TS3 features a high-quality LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR 28mm wide-angle lens
- 28mm Wide-angle Lens: The 28mm wide-angle lens lets you easily capture large groups of people indoors
- Newly Developed 12.1-megapixel Hi-speed CCD: The newly developed 12.1-megapixel CCD with 2-channel signal output structure
- Sonic Speed AF: The Sonic Speed AF system includes numerous re-engineering enhancements
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 12.1 Megapixel Compact Camera – 4.90 mm-22.80 mm – Red DMC-TS3R Digital Cameras
List Price: $ 399.00
Price: $ 399.00
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Great camera if you know what you’re getting,
I just got this camera last week and took it on a short vacation; I took about 800 pictures and I have to say I’m completely satisfied with this camera.
That said, my expectations for this camera may not be what your’s are. So I’ll give a breakdown.
What I expected:
I’m not a DSLR user, and the only good quality camera I’ve had before is the Olympus 1030SW, a water proof, so I’m used to reduced picture quality for the sake of robustness. I know that I could easily get a camera that takes better pictures for half the price, but I spend alot of time outdoors and in water settings; so waterproof camera’s are a must for me.
Picture Quality:
The pictures I got from this camera are far better than my old 1030SW. The anti-blur and motion stabilization work great. I tend to take quick one handed shots, and I never had a blurry picture. All the outdoor shots are great, even those taken from a moving car or of moving objects. The down side is indoor shots can tend to be fuzzy, too dark, or over flashed if you are using the auto mode. I found the party mode makes these alot better, but let’s face it you are getting an outdoor camera so outdoor shots are just better.
Features:
Good:
The different scene modes are easy to switch to and from, though I mainly stuck with iAuto. The camera is really fast startup and between shots. Combined with the burst mode you can get all the action. Face tracking is good, but doesn’t work when the subject reaches a certain distance; such as taking a landscape shot with a person in it. Battery life is also good, I took about 300 pictures a day, half with flash, and never went below the halfway point on the battery (though I did have GPS turned off).
Meh:
I had no interest in the GPS and only tried to turn it on once at the airport. It took too long to connect so I just left it off after that. I don’t have a 3D TV so I don’t care about the 3D pictures. The face recognition, where you register a face and it names the person and gives the age, is cool; but it only worked selectively when the person was close. Plus it briefly confused my face with my girlfriend (I’m white and she’s asian so yeah). Panorama pitures have to be done with the computer; I took one and it came out good, but there are other cameras that can stitch it together in camera. You basically have no idea when taking it if you lined them up right.
Bad:
Poorer indoor quality, but it’s still good for viewing on the computer.
Toughness:
I haven’t tried the water yet but I’ll let you know. I’ll assume that since it’s good to 40ft it should be good for just about anything I do.
Overall I like this camera, yeah it’s a little pricey but it does what I expected it too, take good pictures and handle a beating. If you are expecting the same as me (and can afford it) then I’d get it, otherwise look for something else.
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|Good Camera, but…,
I am a serious photographer and I usually shoot with a pro Nikon camera. I purchased this camera because I did not want to expose my pro Nikon to the elements, and this camera is wonderful for that purpose.
I have added some sample shots for you to judge the quality for yourself. I have to agree with other reviews that the GPS function is ok at best. I have found that I need to be in clear view of the sky for the GPS to find the current location. I have noticed that while the GPS is searching, it really uses lots of battery power. I now geotag a few photos and then turn off the GPS to save on battery power.
In strong light, the camera sensor washes out some images… I would like to see a feature to allow for strong backlight as well.
It is very easy to put your finger in front of the lens by mistake.
If you use a Mac, the AVCHD (30 min recording at a time) mode does not play, I have to A) convert the file or B) set the camera to HD (10 min recording at a time) mode.
I have dropped the camera from 5 feet or so into the sand where it was 75% buried, I found that I needed to rinse the camera off under running water to get all the sand out before I opened the door. No damage or issues with this.
I have operated the camera in 20 degree weather for hours with no issues.
I have operated the camera in 90 degree weather for hours with no issues.
I love that I can simply push a button to start and stop the recording process.
If you have some basic knowledge of photography, you will be able to use all of the different available settings to your benefit. If you simply want to point and shoot, keep the camera in the iA mode and this will work out fine for you.
I really like the night shot mode because it allows me to hand hold the camera.
Overall, I really think that this camera is a very good buy, given all that it can stand and the places I can take it without having to worry about it. No the photos quality is not A+, but I am also not exposing a camera that costs thousands of dollars to the elements. I have in fact recommended this camera to other friends. I am enjoying this camera and I think you may enjoy it as well…
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