Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD

• - Terrific 720p HD video quality - Better image quality in all situations - Manual controls are better ( in my opinion ) possibly because of the rubber eraser / joystick - More custom modes ( three ) , and good variety of scene modes - Relatively fast autofocus - 2.7 LCD is larger and has a better viewing angle when viewed off-center Dislikes ( in great detail ) : - No flip-out / articulating screen ( I tried to remedy this by purchasing a Flipbac , which is not nearly as versatile and ends up getting in the way a lot of the time ) . The LCD is better , but is still nowhere near the quality of IPS , and looks terrible when viewed at extreme angles ( completely avoidable with an articulating LCD ) . Panasonic's DMC-FZ50 has such a screen , but is dated and does not have 720p video . - Continuous / burst shooting is severely crippled to a maximum of 3 shots at 12.1MP at 2.3 fps , versus the SX20IS which shoots at only 1.0fps at 12.1MP , but allows an unlimited number of shots . The FZ35 does have a high-speed unlimited continuous shooting mode if you are willing to navigate to Scene Mode - > Hi-Speed Burst ( as it is unavailable elsewhere ) and downgrade the image size to 5MP or less , but this is not significantly better than the shooting speed of the SX20 at these low resolutions - The half-press autofocus / autoexposure lock only allows you to take a single shot with the automatically calculated settings , unlike the SX20IS ( and every camera I ever touched ) which allows you to release the shutter halfway ( after taking your first picture ) and take additional photos with the locked in settings . This is an incredible waste of time because the camera must be refocused for each shot even if the exposure / aperture / ISO settings are already perfect . This can be partially remedied by using the AF / AE Lock button to lock the settings prior to taking multiple pictures , but sadly this feature does not work in Intelligent Auto mode , which I use most of the time - Audio quality in movies is not nearly as clear due to microphone placement on top of the flash instead of in front of the camera - Playback mode does not show a preview of each picture when scrolling rapidly ( by holding down left or right ) , however in Review mode ( which is accessible by pressing the Fn button while in shooting mode only ) , scrolling rapidly shows EVERY preview picture ( it does take longer to scroll ) . There should have been an option to change this in the settings . - Panoramic mode is rather limited compared to the SX20 ( supports only horizontal / vertical panoramas , and the previous picture is barely visible on the screen as it is too transparent ) - No option to hold the captured image on the screen as long as the shutter is fully depressed , the closest option is to hold the image until any button is pressed ( but this forces you to confirm every shot before you can take another ) I believe nearly all of these issues could be fixed with a firmware update ( other than the screen / microphone ) , which would honestly make this become a clear winner over other cameras in it's class . I look forward to the next generation of ultrazooms , and hope that Panasonic can fix these small issues , which are blemishes on an otherwise stellar camera . 4.5 / 5.0
• 028 4  I purchased the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 , as well as the Canon SX20 IS , so that I could choose which camera I liked best ( I have owned a Canon S2IS for nearly 5 years ) . After 2 weeks of using both cameras , I chose to continue using the FZ35 , mainly because of a preference for the AVCHD Lite ( H .264 ) over Quicktime video format , for the superior image quality and RAW support , and because the camera weighed much less ( both cameras were significantly larger than my previous S2 IS ) . I have been mostly happy with my decision , but I do have some issues with some of the Panasonic features . Likes : - Terrific 720p HD video quality - Better image quality in all situations - Manual controls are better ( in my opinion ) possibly because of the rubber eraser / joystick - More custom modes ( three ) , and good variety of scene modes - Relatively fast autofocus - 2.7 LCD is larger and has a better viewing angle when viewed off-center Dislikes ( in great detail ) : - No flip-out / articulating screen ( I tried to remedy this by purchasing a Flipbac , which is not nearly as versatile and ends up getting in the way a lot of the time ) . The LCD is better , but is still nowhere near the quality of IPS , and looks terrible when viewed at extreme angles ( completely avoidable with an articulating LCD ) . Panasonic's DMC-FZ50 has such a screen , but is dated and does not have 720p video . - Continuous / burst shooting is severely crippled to a maximum of 3 shots at 12.1MP at 2.3 fps , versus the SX20IS which shoots at only 1.0fps at 12.1MP , but allows an unlimited number of shots . The FZ35 does have a high-speed unlimited continuous shooting mode if you are willing to navigate to Scene Mode - > Hi-Speed Burst ( as it is unavailable elsewhere ) and downgrade the image size to 5MP or less , but this is not significantly better than the shooting speed of the SX20 at these low resolutions - The half-press autofocus / autoexposure lock only allows you to take a single shot with the automatically calculated settings , unlike the SX20IS ( and every camera I ever touched ) which allows you to release the shutter halfway ( after taking your first picture ) and take additional photos with the locked in settings . This is an incredible waste of time because the camera must be refocused for each shot even if the exposure / aperture / ISO settings are already perfect . This can be partially remedied by using the AF / AE Lock button to lock the settings prior to taking multiple pictures , but sadly this feature does not work in Intelligent Auto mode , which I use most of the time - Audio quality in movies is not nearly as clear due to microphone placement on top of the flash instead of in front of the camera - Playback mode does not show a preview of each picture when scrolling rapidly ( by holding down left or right ) , however in Review mode ( which is accessible by pressing the Fn button while in shooting mode only ) , scrolling rapidly shows EVERY preview picture ( it does take longer to scroll ) . There should have been an option to change this in the settings . - Panoramic mode is rather limited compared to the SX20 ( supports only horizontal / vertical panoramas , and the previous picture is barely visible on the screen as it is too transparent ) - No option to hold the captured image on the screen as long as the shutter is fully depressed , the closest option is to hold the image until any button is pressed ( but this forces you to confirm every shot before you can take another ) I believe nearly all of these issues could be fixed with a firmware update ( other than the screen / microphone ) , which would honestly make this become a clear winner over other cameras in it's class . I look forward to the next generation of ultrazooms , and hope that Panasonic can fix these small issues , which are blemishes on an otherwise stellar camera . 4.5 / 5.0
• 063 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) After more than one month of using FZ35 , I could say - wow ! what a camera . Has been using Nikon D50 for over 4 years and more than 30,000 photos later , this is my impression of FZ35 . 1 . Impressive responsiveness . I turned off auto review and using EV instead of LCD , I got almost DSLR like responsiveness . This is an achievement in a bridge camera . 2 . Fast AF and less hunting compare to the DSLR consummer lens . Especially at long end of the zoom . Even max out at EZ zoom . Very pleased with the EZ zoom performance , especially for birding . I am comparing FZ35 with D50 + Sigma 175 - 500 performance here . 3 . Low light performace is better than expected . I set ISO limit to 200 , combined with the excellent OIS system , the low light performance is impressive . Of course can not compare to the fast lens in DSLR , but very good for a bridge camera . 4 . Very good video . In video mode , the AF performs almost perfectly . Even when confused with background , press the Focus button will refocus correctly . The video along , worth the entire cost , photo ability is a bonus . Originally , I though the otherway around , video is just a bonus . After taking some bird video around the feeder during this snow storm , I would prefer video than photo for the bird .
• 203 4  I purchased this camera mainly to get family pictures and for random hobby-type photos . I am VERY satisfied with the camera for those purposes . The camera operates quickly , and it takes great pictures . I compared it very closely to the Canon SX20IS , and went with the FZ35 mainly based on price and the burst mode . Overall its great , but a word of caution for those looking to use it for HDR photography . While the FZ35 does boast a bracketing feature , it is limited to - 1 on the low end , and + 1 at the high , i.e . - 1 / 0 / + 1 . You CAN manually set the exposure and take additional pictures for more range , but it won't do it automatically . At the end of the day though , I am still very happy with the purchase .
• 204 4  I first had the Fz28 , which was great but I really wanted better sound quality for the movie mode . . . a month later this camera came out . I was really happy to hear that they upgraded the sound quality.I recently purchased the Fz35 . So far I am very satisfied with it . Overall image quality is satisfying . . . iso 80 and 100 very sharp and excellent colors , iso 200 - 400 acceptable , above 400 has pretty bad noise ( good for 8x4 prints tho ) but that what DSLR cameras are for , better low light quality : ) . The price is well worth it . I love the AVCHD format , it's easily editable with Pinnacle Studio 12 . The 16gb class 4 PNY Sd card works great , I get about 2 hrs of video and more then enough recordable images . I also love the LCD , a lot brighter and easier to see in angle then the FZ28 ' s . The only thing I'd love to see for the next upgrade , is a swivel LCD . Used to own a Canon S2IS and I got spoiled with the Swivel screen . Very happy with my Camera !
• 220 4  I first bought the FZ5 , a few years later the FZ28 and now the FZ35 . Obviously you will not get super great photos in low light with a small sensor and a very long zoom lens . In daylight this camera is awesome . I took it up to the top of Half Dome and got some fantastic photos . The 18x zoom is very versatile ! The fact that it is fairly wide angle made for some great group photos without me stepping backwards off the face of Half Dome ! I'd just like to see them use a larger sensor for even better image quality ( especially low light without a flash ) , but all the cameras of this class use small sensors . I shoot mostly in Program mode but for some photos I used Aperture priority with the lens set at f / 2.8 to try to defocus the background . Again , the small sensor in all these cameras makes this not work well compared to a dSLR , but still the photos turned out pretty good . Burst mode is reasonable , slow compared to a dSLR ( I have a Canon 20D ) , but about average for this type of camera . The EVF blacks out after the 1st photo in burst mode , so if you're shooting a moving subject ( for me it was a cliff diver ) you need to pretty much need to anticipate where they're going . Auto focus seems fast , and auto exposure ( I rarely leave the white balance on AWB - auto ) worked quite well . It's a good deal !


• 1 . The super sharp Leica lens ! Having 18x zoom in such a small package . ( Sharper than SX20is ) 2 . Metal tripod mount 3 . VERY Reasonable price for all the features included . Seems a bargain to me . 4 . The fact you also get very nice HD video in one package is a bonus . 5 . Excellent macro mode . If you like macrophotography you'll like this camera . 6 . Relatively simple controls / interface once familiar . ( You do have to read the manual ) 7 . Has 46mm filter threads for add ons . 8 . Full time battery indicator . 9 . Optional wide angle and telephoto lenses are available if desired . 10 Better than most image stabilization system . 11 . Many focus & exposure options . What I'm not so crazy about : 1 . Buttons & switches are quite small and seem rather delicate . 2 . Manual as PDF ( what a pain ) . I'll take mine paper , thank you . You might as well print it out right away . You're gonna need it ! 3 . Smallish Electronic ViewFinder ( Not just this one either . They all leave me wanting . ) 4 . Construction and light weight give a slight feeling of cheapness . 5 . Proprietary Panasonic battery . 6 . Location of media card in battery compartment . Is it perfect ? Nope . Are any of them ? Even the $5,000 ones ? What do I miss most when switching from my NIKON ? That bright , super clear viewfinder . Will it clip highlights ? Sure , if you don't set it up right . They all do . High dynamic range is not usually a feature on most consumer cameras . Can it take a sharp picture ? You Bet ! In macro especially , you'll love the clarity of the image . Newbies purchasing this . . . make no mistake , this is a complex little piece of gear . Sure , you can use it on intelligent AUTO if you want , but what a waste . You have to LEARN this camera to get the most out of it . And don't expect to learn it in a day or even a week . Used properly it will yield beautiful , sharp images . Buy it and shoot , shoot , shoot and you'll get the hang of it . Why not ? The film is cheap ! By the way , purchase a Class 6 SD card right away . That way if you want to play with the HD movie function you can . Some cheap SD cards can't write fast enough for HD video use . If you have a hi def TV you'll love it . Beware though , HD video files get HUGE fast ! Uploads to YouTube ( or anywhere else ) can take quite awhile . A 1 minute , 36 sec . clip equals 491 MB and over 4 hrs to upload via DSL . If you get serious about HD video , or enjoy doing critical focus photography , PLEASE , buy a decent tripod and USE it . Camera movement is the main enemy of sharpness . At the low ISO settings required to get the most out of these small sensors , keeping the camera still is extremely important . Don't expect stabilization systems to entirely solve jitter problems at very low shutter speeds ! High end users take note : In the Custom controls there is an separate adjustment for contrast , saturation , noise reduction and sharpness . YEA ! Somebody is listening . Nov . 5 , 2009 . I've made nearly 1000 shots with this camera and I'm impressed and still very happy with it .
• 004 4  I previously purchased the Canon SX20is and used 2 weeks . I found the images just a bit too soft for my taste . Too bad because all other facets of the camera was great . But , to me image quality is everything . If it can't produce a crisp image , I don't want it . Perhaps I was spoiled by the excellent SX10is I was switching from . Desperate for an inexpensive Hi Def video camera for a client project , I decided to give the dual Panasonic FZ35 a try . I had used a Panasonic LX2 for several years and liked it , so I figured why not even though Panasonic is not a manufacturer one would normally think of first for a high quality still camera . So far , I have been pleasantly surprised ! What I like about the FZ35 : 1 . The super sharp Leica lens ! Having 18x zoom in such a small package . ( Sharper than SX20is ) 2 . Metal tripod mount 3 . VERY Reasonable price for all the features included . Seems a bargain to me . 4 . The fact you also get very nice HD video in one package is a bonus . 5 . Excellent macro mode . If you like macrophotography you'll like this camera . 6 . Relatively simple controls / interface once familiar . ( You do have to read the manual ) 7 . Has 46mm filter threads for add ons . 8 . Full time battery indicator . 9 . Optional wide angle and telephoto lenses are available if desired . 10 Better than most image stabilization system . 11 . Many focus & exposure options . What I'm not so crazy about : 1 . Buttons & switches are quite small and seem rather delicate . 2 . Manual as PDF ( what a pain ) . I'll take mine paper , thank you . You might as well print it out right away . You're gonna need it ! 3 . Smallish Electronic ViewFinder ( Not just this one either . They all leave me wanting . ) 4 . Construction and light weight give a slight feeling of cheapness . 5 . Proprietary Panasonic battery . 6 . Location of media card in battery compartment . Is it perfect ? Nope . Are any of them ? Even the $5,000 ones ? What do I miss most when switching from my NIKON ? That bright , super clear viewfinder . Will it clip highlights ? Sure , if you don't set it up right . They all do . High dynamic range is not usually a feature on most consumer cameras . Can it take a sharp picture ? You Bet ! In macro especially , you'll love the clarity of the image . Newbies purchasing this . . . make no mistake , this is a complex little piece of gear . Sure , you can use it on intelligent AUTO if you want , but what a waste . You have to LEARN this camera to get the most out of it . And don't expect to learn it in a day or even a week . Used properly it will yield beautiful , sharp images . Buy it and shoot , shoot , shoot and you'll get the hang of it . Why not ? The film is cheap ! By the way , purchase a Class 6 SD card right away . That way if you want to play with the HD movie function you can . Some cheap SD cards can't write fast enough for HD video use . If you have a hi def TV you'll love it . Beware though , HD video files get HUGE fast ! Uploads to YouTube ( or anywhere else ) can take quite awhile . A 1 minute , 36 sec . clip equals 491 MB and over 4 hrs to upload via DSL . If you get serious about HD video , or enjoy doing critical focus photography , PLEASE , buy a decent tripod and USE it . Camera movement is the main enemy of sharpness . At the low ISO settings required to get the most out of these small sensors , keeping the camera still is extremely important . Don't expect stabilization systems to entirely solve jitter problems at very low shutter speeds ! High end users take note : In the Custom controls there is an separate adjustment for contrast , saturation , noise reduction and sharpness . YEA ! Somebody is listening . Nov . 5 , 2009 . I've made nearly 1000 shots with this camera and I'm impressed and still very happy with it .
• 005 4  This is the first of the Panasonic Lumix superzooms that I've had an opportunity to use extensively . I regularly use both small point and shoot digital cameras ( Canon SD550 and a waterproofed Canon S100 ) and digital SLRs ( Canon 5D and Rebel XTi ) , but this is definitely a different sort of beast . It's nearly the size and weight of a DSLR with a lens that is noticeably long in use . It's sold as straddling the line between the two categories and it initially seems that way . But the more that I think about it , the more I think this camera really fills a different niche . If you're a serious photographer , a DSLR is really the way to go . You get full control over the images , a large sensor size , a selection of lenses , and filter options . If you're that person , this is hardly a replacement , and for the compact point and shooter this is a massive camera . Where this camera wins out is for a very simple kit covering wide angle ( 27mm equivalent for a 35mm camera ) and the stunning 18x zoom . You'll be able to do most everything passably with this camera and with no additional lenses . Maybe this is the camera to put in the glovebox of your car ? It'll always be there , and you can get most any shot with it . No preparation needed . Okay , enough thinking about who wants the camera , how does it work ? Well , it works pretty darned well . The image stabilizer seems to work extremely well , especially at moderate zoom ( say 50 - 150mm equivalent ) , the battery lasted about 300 shots with some flash use in there , and image quality ( subjective , not measured scientifically ) was quite good . The camera was a bit slow to react at times though and the face detection works only occasionally . Still , that leaves this a solid camera for what I think is a quite good price . If you're not going to take advantage of the DSLR capabilities , this is a good functional camera for you . Or an excellent second camera for simplicity . Pros : 18x zoom with a genuine wide angle , solid construction , good battery life , image stabilization that works , one size might well fit many Cons : big for a point and shoot , slow acting at times , gimmicky features are , well , gimmicks
• 006 4  ( Copy of a review posted on the UK site - this is the FZ38 over there ) This is an initial review after one day of ownership , which I'll revise . My previous experience of digital cameras is limited to a Nikon Coolpix compact , now about 7 years old , and this camera is intended to replace the Nikon film SLR and three lenses which I've lugged around on holidays for 10 - 15 years . So some things that are amazing me will be just what you expect if you're used to similar cameras . From that standpoint , the first thing to amaze me is the weight . Complete with battery , SDHC card , lens cap , lens hood and shoulder strap , it's 1lb 1oz on the kitchen scales . And there's very little to add in the accessory line - a clear and polarising filter ( unlike some ' bridge ' cameras , this one has a filter screw thread ) , spare battery , blower brush and mini-tripod from old stock and a new bag , and we're done . This probably means the full kit weighing less than the SLR with mid-range zoom . One reason for persevering with the SLR was being able to use an 18 - 35 mm lens for wide-angle shots . As the wide end of this camera is only equivalent to 27mm , I was pleased to see the panorama assist facility , and will be testing out the stitching software supplied with it to see whether I can still get a picture of a cathedral from the square in front of it . ( An initial experiment suggests that given a level tripod , some good results should be available ) . At the narrow end , you don't get the same power as the 24x or 26x alternatives , but with my previous range of 18 - 300mm , I used the 300 end less often than the 18 , so probably not a big issue unless you're snapping birds or cricketers . ( You can have 32x if you reduce image size to 3Gb , but a very quick comparison suggests that unless stuck for memory space you may as well use 18x / 12Mb and crop the picture later . ) The next big surprise was the quality of the results from Intelligent Auto mode . As soon as the battery was charged , I went outside and snapped away without worrying about where the sun was , or anything else I'd have pondered with the SLR . Results were very good , so you can do some very lazy photography , and if one or all users of the camera have never cared about shutter speeds and exposure compensation , it barely matters - Intelligent Auto and some other top-wheel choices like the scene mode will do most of the work . I haven't yet tried the movie-making side , though that's not of great interest to me . Various minor points : The supplied Photofun Studio 4 software says that it doesn't support 64 - bit Windows Vista , but does install and seems to work OK . You do NOT get a printed copy of the full manual , just a short ' Getting started ' guide . The full manual in PDF is supplied on CD and you can find it and read it on the Panasonic website before buying , but I would have liked to have to whole thing - spare time on holidays is an ideal time for reading it . As and when we have a netbook PC for keeping and editing pictures , this issue will disappear ! The lens hood is easy enough to fit but its guide mark is unhelpfully placed on the bottom of the camera and common-sense fitting by eye without inverting the camera works just as well . The lens cap fits on the screw-in ring to which you attach the hood , though I've not yet checked whether you can stick this whole lot in front of a lens-protecting filter without vignetting or other trouble . The square + / - symbol on the display may cause mild panic if you're used to an old SLR's top-panel display , where the symbol itself indicates under / overexposure . On the FZ38 , it doesn't unless there is a number next to it . The display options are worth exploring - the guidelines option is a boon for lining up , and when displaying pictures , you can optionally show a lot of information like shutter speed and aperture . Another user interface issue is that some selections are made without the equivalent of an OK button and some with , so at first you may find yourself pressing the Menu / Set button too often , despite the camera's efforts to guide you . One problem with the user interface is more significant - some lists of option choices use graphical symbols whose meaning may not be obvious . In some cases ( like the ones shown when you select portrait with the mode wheel ) these have explanatory captions ( my favourite is Smooth skin - shoot potrait's skin more smoothly - misspelled and a bit repetitious , but they tried ) . In others , there's no help - try Setup - LCD mode , where your choices are Off , A * and * with no help about what LCD mode is or what these settings mean . You have to go to the full manual in PDF to find out . Depending on your experience , other symbols may be obvious , and explanation might be irritating , so there's probably scope for some kind of expert / beginner setting which determines how much is explained . This is the one that stops me upping the rating to five stars . The electronic viewfinder works well as an alternative to the screen , once adjusted with the diopter wheel . The display is exactly the same - you can even look at your stored pics with the viewfinder . The battery is good for 470 shots based on the CIPA standard , but the manual warns you that this is based on a particular usage pattern - e.g . when recording once every 2 minutes , the number [ . . . ] decreases to about 117 . So a spare battery is probably worth buying . The charger is good for voltages 110 - 240 , so for foreign trips you only need the kind of adaptor that makes the plug fit .
• 019 4  After years of wearing out my body lugging around SLRs and lenses , a few years ago , I decided to go for all-in-one super zooms . I started out with a Canon S3IS and loved it . I upgraded to the SX10 , but after a few weeks of frustrations , returned it . I decided to hold off until Panasonic came out with an upgrade to the FZ28 . I am glad I waited . This camera rocks ! It is lightweight , which makes it a pleasure to carry . The images , even in low light , are excellent . I haven't shot any video in low light yet , but the daylight videos are very good . It is easy to operate , and has features the comparably priced Canons don't , mainly the RAW format . That makes a big difference in what I can do with the images in post-processing . Since other reviewers have detailed the best features of the camera , I won't go into all of that . I will just say I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a superzoom .
• 035 4  As several others have noted here , I deliberated for months between buying the Canon SX20IS or the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 before finally pulling the trigger on the FZ35 . This was a particularly tough decision for me , as I had previously owned a Canon S3 that had served reasonably well . Although the S3IS provided thousands of suitable images , I was never as happy with its optical sharpness as I had been with that provided by a Sony ( DSC - 707 model ) and its Carl Zeiss lens . Although featuring only 5X power , my memory of that wonderful Zeiss lens always stirred a slight discontent with respect to my opinion of the Canon S3IS . Because I didn't want to upgrade once again without at least matching the optical quality of the Sony , I paid special attention to how users and professional reviewers appeared to rank the Canon SX20IS and Panasonic DMC-FZ35 in that respect . From what I gleaned from hundreds of reviews , the FZ35 seemed superior to the 20IS with respect to image sharpness . Also , from a handling standpoint , I didn't care for the bulkier size and somewhat heavier Canon . Therefore , based mainly on published and online reviews ( as I was never able to actually hold a FZ35 beforehand ) , I bought the Panasonic , sight unseen , through Amazon . After experiencing the results of roughly 500 shots now , the bottom line is that I am very happy to own the Panasonic . Although I am not positive that , under the best of lighting conditions , the FZ35 ' s resolution is quite on par with that of my previously owned Sony DSC - 707 , it does appear reasonably close . Because of its 18X zoom and the fact that the dynamic range of the FZ35 is much more forgiving than that of either my much older Sony 707 or my relatively recent Canon S3 , the Panasonic is ( overall and unequivocally ) the best camera I've used to date . So , I am extremely pleased with my Panasonic DMC-FZ35 . I don't expect to miss not having the Canon's hot shoe , nor have I any difficulty accepting Panasonic's proprietary battery pack . My most serious gripe stems from the fact that most settings are menu controlled ( duh ! ) . But , the learning curve for how all the different menus overlap and sometimes affect associated configurations is STEEP - - at least for me , it is . I didn't realize until I bought this FZ35 how digitally challenged I must be ! Whereas the Sony was as easy as falling of a log to use and the Canon was perhaps a notch or two more difficult , this Panasonic has definitely stretched my perseverance ! However , the more I iterate between studying the printed-out manual ( 218 pages ! ) and hands-on experimentation , the more adept I am becoming . Of course , the redeeming counterbalance to the FZ35 ' s complexity is its automatic ( IA ) mode , which I've discovered is not all that bad !
• 055 4  I just bought this camera after checking with CNET to find that it received 95 five star reviews out of 95 reviews . Wow . I was looking for a camera of this type so when Amazon sent me a notice with the sale price , I snapped it up ( pun intended ) . The thing that I liked most about it is that the movies are in Quick Time format , meaning that you can take far longer videos because Quick Time captures at 10 frames per second instead of 30 fps . I took it to a concert and was a football field away from the stage and yet the clarity and detail of those photos was amazing . It was as if I were standing right at the foot of the stage , with a lesser quality camera . The video taken from that distance was beautiful . I leave it on auto mode most of the time , so there is nothing left to do but point and shoot . The face recognition feature is spot on , and the auto focus works great . I let someone shoot some pictures with it an event and now she is asking for one for her birthday . You do need to run a high capacity card in it if you are using one over 2 gb . I have a 16gb in it and I can take 245 minutes of high def video on that size card . I would recommend this camera to anyone . My son now wants one for Christmas because this one totally outperforms his Canon .
• 056 4  The reason I'm writing another review for this camera ( there ane many , most of them written by people who are far better photographers than I am ) is to help people who , like myself some weeks ago , cannot decide whether to buy it or not . I'll tell you how it worked for me , maybe you're going through the same : I have a point-and-shoot that craves for sunlight , and I wanted to be able to take better photos , assuming some loss of portability but also aware that buying a DSLR was too big a step for me . Well , I read a lot ( I mean A LOT ) and bought a FZ35 . I've been using it for a few days already and I love it . It's very light and small , looks robust enough and takes great pictures . Anyway , reviews I read diverged in some points ( and that's what makes you unsure ) , which I'll try to clarify : - Night / low light pictures : while some photographers ( who sure are used to shoot with $2,000 + DSLRs ) and users here say it's a weekness , it's certainly one of the things I liked best about this camera ; it was a huuuge step forward when compared with my old little point-and-shoot . I've taken pictures from a lit church at night ( yes , dark ! Around 10 PM ! ) with 7x zoom WITHOUT a tripod and they look good , especially with the stabilization feature on ; if you use a tripod they'll come out amazing ; - LCD : looks good , including the resolution ( which is not terrific , but really suffices ) ; I have no use for tilting ( maybe you do , I don't ) ; - Viewfinder : good , bright , visible , exact , but . . . A little tiny ; useful , though ; - Manual : well , the one included is pretty basic ( they're right about this one ) . Anyway , the main reason I bought this camera is for shooting better pictures , especially in low-light situations . I loved it . It's a wonderful camera , and it's worth every cent . I would buy it if I were you . Good luck ! Update Jan 27th , 2010 : I've posted some pics at flickr ( name is d_winter ) so you can see for yourself what happens in real life . There are three pics from the same church : two shot in low-light without a tripod ( one very good , and the other only slightly blurred , but again , zoomed and no tripod used ) and one that was shot with a tripod ( beautiful ) . All good enough for me . . . : )
• 062 4  I'm an amateur photographer , and never had a good camera before . . . . although , even with very limited equipments , some photos were awesome ( in my opinion , of course ! ! ! ) . So I've decided to do a course and learn a little bit more about photography . As I don't have money ( and neither experience ) to buy a SLR camera , I've decided to a prosumer one , and after reading all the reviews I found in the net , and owner's opinions too , one thing was very clear . . . . . the superiority of the FZ35 among it's rivals . Of course that it has some weaknesses , like all of the others , but in the average , the FZ35 is the best . So I had placed my order , and waited to receive the camera here in Brazil thru an US friend of mine . The camera was delivered in my hands 15 days ago , and I can tell that I am astonished with it's quality . Now that I know how to operate it manually properly , without using the automatic settings , I know that all the reviews and opinions I've read before buying it were precise . The pictures colors and details , the optical zoom without any distortion , the HD recording capability with stereo sound . . . . everything just AWESOME ! ! ! ! ! Worth every cent and every second I spent reading about it .
• 072 4  Not able to replace your DSLR but far better than point and shoot . Pro : 1 . Size and weight - Relative small and lightweight compare to a DLSR ; Only a bit bigger than your point and shoot . You can't fit it inside your shirt pocket but it will ezly fit into a small bag . 2 . Good full auto mode , also allow you to change most setting manually . 3 . Very good video mode . 4 . Good picture quality . Con : ( all minor ) 1 . Indoor picture is a bit warm in full auto mode which you can't change . 2 . Uncommon RAW mode file format . 3 . The camera driver is not Win 7 64bits compatible .
• 078 4  After debating whether to go with the Canon equivalent or the Lumix I went with the Lumix on the basis of the various camera reviews . I haven't been disappointed . I've just returned from a demanding two-week photo shoot in Cambodia and Vietnam , where I was doing heavy duty photography under a variety of conditions . The camera was great in its ease of use , flexibility and response to different lighting conditions , and the overall quality of the results . As with any new camera , the user needs to become comfortable with the product and test its capacities . The Lumix battery that comes with the camera is solid in support of heavy use - - I made the mistake of purchasing the less expensive same as battery as my back up , and found that it provided only half the battery life as the original . I was getting around 300 photos on the original with a limited mix of flash shots . I was quite pleased at the camera's capacity to take solid photography in a variety of lighting conditions without the need to pop-up the in-camera flash . I would often double with flash shots in testing the camera's capacity , and found that the non-flash shots offered a good end-option . It takes about 2 hours to recharge the battery ( not the 90 minutes the instructions suggest ) ; the battery charger that comes with the camera was easy to use in a variety of international settings ( 110 - 220 ) without the need for a separate adapter other than a wall-plug conversion . I'm currently transitioning my photos into a variety of media uses , and finding that the high density and overall quality of my originals supports any follow-up editing at publication standard . The reviews I had read praised the camera's quality leica lense - - I totally agree . Several of the product reviewers were negative on their ability to handle the camera's small adjustment mechanics . I did not find this to be the case , although I did find that I needed to get up-to-speed in the effective use of these . The camera's auto field response is solid ; you need to learn how to use the variety of focal options that the camera provides . The camera's zoom is good - - I found that really long-distance close-ups were of less quality than what I can get with my SLR Nikon lenses , but overall I was pleased with the zoom once I became comfortable with its capacity . I was very satisfied with the camera's lense speed in negating potential shakes . In sum , I highly recommend this camera as an excellent product for the price , its overall ease of use , and the consistent quality of its end-product - - this is a great camera for those who are uncomfortable in making ongoing camera adjustments and would rather leave the camera in auto . My wife attest that this is a great and easy step up from her smaller point and shoot digital .
• 114 4  This camera was a compromise between very portable and a DSLR . We wanted something that would take quality photos , but not a suitcase to take it with you . I think this was a great choice . Camera feels sturdy , not too big , and easy to use . I like how switching modes will tell you basically what it does , and the menus change depending on what mode you're in . Learning the different features has proved to be very valuable so far . You can just snap on auto everything , but changing just a few things with 20 minutes of education has resulted in better pictures than I've been able to take before . One of the modes enabled me to take crystal clear shots of a bird with branches all around ( fuzzy on auto ) . As other reviewers have noted , no detailed instruction manual is included . A little inconvenient since we immediately left on a trip , but I suppose it does save a lot of paper and it's perfectly easy to read on the computer anyway . Well worth a few minutes to figure it out . Startup is quicker than any camera we've ever had ( we generally have had Canon ) , and between shots is very fast turnaround . Dark pictures are distinctly more grainy , but I don't know a camera that isn't . Light pictures are extremely clear , and we reduced the setting to 5 MP to save space . The on switch tended to stay on a lot , and we burned though a battery charge in a week or so . The video mode isn't intuitive ( not hard , just not intuitive ) . Overall , we are very pleased with the camera . Feels good in your hands , takes quality photos with plenty of options if you want ' em , or just takes photos . The zoom is fantastic . I have a picture from the 11th floor of a hotel of a theater across the way you couldn't discern from another on the ground without zoom .
• 141 4  I owned my FZ18 for a couple of years , and I loved it . It took a few weeks for me to decide whether or not to buy the FZ35 . I took the plunge and bought the FZ35 and gave my FZ18 to my daughter and her husband to use . Since I had the FZ18 , getting familiar with the FZ35 ' s functions and menus were no problem . I read the manual a couple of times to ensure I was confident with the FZ35 ' s functions , and still refer back to it when necessary . Love the video and sound upgrades of the FZ35 ! ! I'm still in the camera testing mode , and I'm very pleased with the photos that I've shot . Photos in low light after playing around with the settings / ISO , have provided me nice photos , with or without the flash . I use all the setting modes . . . iA , Program , Aperture , Shutter Priority , and Manual liberally . Don't really have a favorite mode , but I like Program . I play around with the various ISO settings for various pictures to get a feel of how this camera handles low light . Like the FZ18 I owned , I really just use the heck out of the FZ35 , take a bunch of photos to get the feel of it . It's not a film camera , so I just shoot a bunch of photos . Auto-focus , zoom , macro is great on the camera . Be sure to zoom in on the person / subject you are going to shoot , press the trigger down half-way for the camera's focus to get correct , hold camera steady , and press the trigger all the way down to take the picture . A really quick 3 - step action to get great photos . The OIS of the FZ35 is great . All in all , I've very pleased with my FZ35 and I know I made a good decision for my purposes and for knowing the capabilities of the FZ35 . Also , I'm able to use the same batteries that I used on my FZ18 . My daughter will have to buy her own spare battery . HAHA ! !
• 197 4  I purchased this camera after researching for ' The one ' for the last 5 months , I finally pulled the trigger and I can't be happier ! I wanted a camera that takes Good Indoor Picture and has Fast speed enough to capture a fast moving object and still easy to use so I dont ' have to do too much tweaking ( as I don't know much about photography ) . This camera totally outperforms / blows away the Canon Point & shoot ( 8 MB ) I had for 2 years in Every way , especially capturing moving subject , taking picture in low light . If you're like me , a mommy with passion in photo but a completely novice and just loves taking your kids photo , don't mind little bulkier camera , you'll love this one . Having a hyperactive 3 yr old girl who constantly moves around and living in northern new york means lots of indoor picture of a fast moving subject and this camera is just amazing ! With IA , I feel like I'm the best photographer ( well , at least for my little one ^ ^ ) in the world . I can take beautiful , great pictures with IA feature most of the times . I love its Sepia + soft Pic setting , making it look more romantic pictures . I'm still exploring this camera and am so excited . I'll be taking X-mas , B-day pic for my little one and I won't be spending any more of hundreds of $ on Sears or other Portrait studio pictures ( most of times , I end up buying pics I don't even like just because I need it to send to her grandparents , etc . ) . With this camera , I can take hundreds of pics all by myself and pick the best ones and edit with sw prog . and print it at local w-mart . I highly recommend this camera !
• 225 4  I really really wanted to like this camera . I spent months reading all of the reviews here on Amazon . I have owned a 12X Panasonic Lumix FZ10 ( 4 megapixel ) and wanted a wider wide and more zoom if necessary , plus higher pixels for poster prints . I spent four days working with this camera in every possible scenario : tripod and no tripod , indoors and outdoors , day time and night time . Here is the overriding problem : The noise in the pictures is definitely higher and more noticeable than my Lumix FZ10 because it does not have an ISO 50 setting ( the lowest is ISO 80 ) , AND , the biggest difference , my old Lumix FZ10 maintains the 2.8 aperture all through the zoom range . Once you get past 12X in the FZ35 , the aperture automatically goes up , and you can't even force it down in manual mode . Even when I forced the ISO to 80 and took pictures in full sun , the details were much more noisy than my old Lumix FZ10 . I'm sure they would print fine for the most part , but if you want high-end posters , you will see it . I also noticed that the FZ10 stabilization ( Lumix Mega OS ) was better than the dual Power OS on the FZ35 . Sadly , I returned the camera and will stick with my Lumix FZ10 that has a low ISO for now . If you want to see some great pictures I've taken with that , I published a book at blurb dot com . Search PHOTOPOURRI . Vic
• 253 4  The DMC-FZ35 is a very capable camera . I am happy with my purchase except for one small but important area . The viewfinder is horrible for those of us who wear glasses . I have never liked using the LCD on any camera because it seems awkward in many situations , especially when photographing sports , action , etc . where you need to track people or things that are moving . Two problems : First the focus control for the viewfinder ( the little tiny wheel on the left side of the viewfinder window ) is not easy to adjust . Just a bad design that is not finger friendly . In addition , once adjusted , it does not seem to stay put . But I can almost live with that . The worst problem is that this camera does not have a little rubber boot on the viewfinder window . Such a boot is essential for anyone using glasses . It allows the user to maintain constant contact with the viewfinder , in both the vertical and horizontal planes and also distance between eyeglass lens and the viewfinder window . It also keeps the user from scratching his / her glasses on the back of the camera . It is pretty obvious that whomever designed the viewfinder window has never worn eyeglasses and hadn't given a thought to those that do . Or else Panasonic chose o save 25 cents by eliminating a boot . I tried a rubber boot from an older Olympus I had in a drawer . The Olympus boot did not fit the Lumix very well and fell off easily but even with these drawbacks it made a world of difference despite with not fitting well . The Olympus boot is obviously not a viable day-to-day solution but it proved the problem could be easily and inexpensively fixed by Panasonic . Why doesn't Panasonic make some sort of retrofit boot ? I would be happy to buy a boot and I would be happy to attach it it with a spot or two of cement . It would make a decent camera into an excellent camera for those with glasses . Failing Panasonic doing this , maybe a camera accessory maker could make such a thing .
• 263 4  This camera has an excellent price vs . performance ratio . The battery life does not come close to the published specifications and the User Interface / Settings are not as intuitive as desired , but this camera is capable of producing excellent images . If you're not ready for a DSLR , and willing to spend some time getting used to the DMC-FZ35 ' s setting selections , this camera is well worth $300.00 .


• 008 4  I've had the FZ35 for about 3 weeks now . I have found nothing of substance to gripe about yet . The camera has a lot of features and since I have a day job it will take a while to really learn how to get the most from this camera , but the effort is worth it . Getting started is easy with the simple booklet that comes in the box ; yes , it would be nice to have the entire manual in print but I downloaded to my laptop and read a little more each week as I fiddle with the camera , so slowly but surely I'm getting the big picture , so to speak , of how to operate the fz35 . I finally got around to using the supplied video cables tonight and learned I could hook the camera up to the hdtv . This past Sunday morning was sunny and inviting so I went into the yard and took pictures of flowers and assorted closeups mostly , in the fish pond , butterflies , even a hummingbird , using the different settings and priorities , the flash , and so forth . Tonight I watched a slide show of all the pictures on my hdtv , complete with music ( it's programmed into the camera in several different styles ) . The picture quality on the tv was incredibly good ; several photos were extreme closeups of a butterfly on the ground and the particles of dirt below the butterfy's wings were clearly visible on my 37 screen . Picture quality and features aside , this camera is easy to use for the beginner who can gradually improve their skills by using the shutter speed / aperture priorities or manual mode , or automatic , or choose one of the many scene modes depending upon the situation . The camera boots up quickly and the delay between shots is acceptable , if not blazingly fast . ( There is a setting for taking several shots in quick sequence , if needed . ) The flash is strong and recycles fairly quickly . the camera won't fit in your pocket unless you're Captain Kangaroo , but with its accessories it'll fit into a small camera bag . I purchased the wide angle and exta zoom lenses because they came on sale , but really , you don't need them given the range of the supplied Leica lens . The controls are fairly easy to use and intuitive ; I really like the design of one convenient button to toggle directly back and forth between the lens finder and the lcd screen on the back of the camera ; all digital cameras don't feature that . Sure , not much is perfect in life , but this camera is close enough for me . .
• 046 4  About me : I am a 28 year old hobbyist who likes to try out all different settings to get the best results . I am a computer user only ( no printing ) so everything is based on my perspective on a 13 inch macbook pro screen . I have used the fz35 for 5 months by now . I shoot mostly raw and mjpg video which I edit with Silkypix ( came with it ) and Avidemux ( free ) respectively . Both softwares are great ! I shoot with manual settings only , so I can't tell much about the lots of presets the camera menu has . I shoot mostly indoors . Things I state for the camera : 1 . Max acceptable ISO for pictures - 400 and videos 800 . So go ahead and set the max ISO from the menu . Good quality comes accordingly with 80 and 400 ( which are the lowest possible settings for both ) . 2 . I use MJPG for videos , AVCHD is bad in my opinion . I never liked it ! MJPG is absolutely great ( in 720p ) , but the max file size in this format is 2GB , so you can do only about 8 : 30 minutes at a time . Having to press record button again after this is annoying , I don't know , why the camera does not do it by itself . 3 . Image Stabilizer is great ! Handheld shutter speeds can work even at 1 / 4 seconds , but not always . 4 . I had to learn the software that came with it . Tips for Silkypix - Noise and sharpness are together as one unit in the menu . Select - natural / fine when shot with flash or good lighting and use noise color from 45 - 60 and noise reduction - 10 - 15 . Works great for me . Avidemux noise mplayer HQDN3D - good conditions - noise luma 0 , chroma 0 and temporal 3 and medium / bad conditions ( 2 : 3 : 6 ) . 5 . 18x zoom is huge , I hardly ever use it . I did it in one concert , felt great . But 99% of the time I go up to 4x which is about 100mm in 35mm frame equivalent . 6 . Super battery life ! Conclusion : The jack of all trades . Does everything well , but not very well either . I think it is nr . 1 only with zoom . DSLR can't have such zoom , unless you have a really huge and expensive lens , which is heavy too . So to have something around your neck , which zooms this much is something special . If you need it is another question .
• 088 4  This camera is amazing in so many ways . The image quality , ease of use , and the built-in-features cannot be beat within this price range . I was tied between the FZ35 and FujiFilm's FinePix S1800 . In the end , the FZ35 won me over . It was pricier , but I felt the quality and features were worth the extra $80 . To those who are new to photography , as I am , I would recommend that you read the 200 + page manual found on Panasonic's web site BEFORE using the unit so that you are able to use the camera to its full potential . This is definitely not your average point and shoot camera , although it can be used as one . It would be a shame to purchase a camera with features as great as this one and use it only in iA mode . Also , it would help greatly to know a thing or two about aperture , ISO , and shutter speed . Learning these things has increased my image quality tremendously . I couldn't have picked a better choice for my first digital camera .
• 105 4  This product REALLY needs a printed operating manual . The included disk did not cut it for me . I acquired it two days before a cruise where the boat's computers had no disk I / O software . Previous digital cameras have had more intuitive operational features , but not this one . So I really was left to cut-and-try ! But here is the good part : the images are drop-dead fantastic . I take many shots of transportation ( railroads , boats , etc . ) , architecture , bridges , etc . and am amazed at the wonderful , detailed pictures - those that I didn't miss because of fiddling with the controls . I am a long-time Leica 35 - mm user , and this Leica lens compares with the best of them . Also , better buy an extra battery and keep it charged . This camera seems to devour stored energy with a passion . To the manufacturer : PLeeese : supply a written manual , even if you have to jack up the price a few bucks ! So - if you contemplate buying this item , reserve some time to get to understand the many , many features before you go into action . Amazon Verified Purchase .
• 110 4  The FZ35 is a GREAT camera ! Pictures look great . Didn't take me but about one day to figure out the controls ( and I'm not a photographer ) . I bought an 8GB class 4 SD HC card ( Sony ) which is very fast . Photos save so fast that I barely notice the red save indicator in the LCD window . I fell in love with the Burst Mode in the SCN menu . I hold the shutter button down and this camera takes pictures at an alarming rate . The first time I used the Burst Mode I took 45 pictures before I released the shutter button . Each picture is about a half second second apart . Using this Burst Mode the camera operates at 3M . I thought a photo at 3M would be inferior to those at 12M . I was wrong . I took identical photos at 3M and 12M then cropped with a tight zoom on my computer . I couldn't tell which photo was Hi-resolution and which wasn't . This camera also take phenomenal digital movies . The movies are far superior to my movie camera ( which is also a Panasonic ) . Menus are easy to understand as I rotate the dial on the top of the camera . The LCD displays the mode and provides a brief explanation for each mode and sub-mode . This is something I never used on my old camera ( a Kodak ) because I would have to carry the manual around to figure out what each mode did . I love this camera ! !
• 182 4  This is my first above average non-DSL camera , so I might be biased in favor . I used it for a few months now and I am pretty satisfied . What is best about this camera is its VIDEO capabilities . It records amazing HD videos even at night . Picture quality is also better than my old camera , although I must admit I expected more . Very likely because I couldn't adjust the camera for best settings , but the night shots were not very good . I tried raw mode and two of the compressed modes . Wide lens and zoom is very useful for close and far shots . And the camera is very fast even with flash on . Another thing I liked is that there are dedicated buttons for one touch recording , flash adjustment , auto focus , etc . The battery lasts long , but you might want to have a spare . For the bad part , I find it difficult to play with the settings , because there are so many , and I am not a professional photographer so in most cases I don't know what I am doing . It wasn't easy looking at the raw pictures on my PC so I don't recommend shooting in the raw mode if you don't know what you're doing . For the AVCHD Lite mode videos , there are some free apps for playback on your PC if you can't use media player ( requires and AVC codec pack ) . Also you need to buy the HDMI cable separately . Overall , I think this camera is worth its price .


• 021 4  I have had this camera for one week and am enjoying it thoroughly . All of the positive points of this camera have been covered in other reviews , it is an excellent choice . My husband and I chose this as our new family camera to have manual and automatic abilities for our family photos , and to be able to shoot HD music videos ( former filmmakers who have sold all our official equipment ) . Please make sure , if shooting HD video , that your location is well lit . The graininess of indoor home movies is much more apparent on a big ol ' HD tv ! if you have good lighting , this won't be an issue . I have spent a lot of time with the digital manual , and i simply cannot replicate the indoor afternoon light / no flash automatic photos i used to take with my 7 year old canon point and shoot . Using the iA ( intellegent auto , this camera's point and shoot mode ) , daytime indoor / no flash photos are desaturated , full of color noise , and hard to get in focus without a tripod . I would expect this from a night time room with lights on , but not from a well-lit living room during the day . I had read about low-light issues with this camera , but am disappointed it is not even comparable to my old basic P & S Canon . If you read this and have advice , please comment . Luckily , the built in flash is a triumph above my old camera , it is the kindest and least harsh flash I've ever used . Those are the two points I wish I'd understood before buying this camera . I love it on the whole , and find navigating through the menu very easy . My outdoor photos are simply gorgeous for a p & h sensor . I ordered the Tamrac 3535 Express 5 Camera Bag and it is just the right size to carry the camera and basic accessories on a daily basis . Tamrac 3535 Express 5 Camera Bag ( Black ) GET A CLASS 6 memory card , at least 8 Gigs , if you want to shoot video . Plus the speed of this card makes downloading from the camera to your computer super fast , a perk I wasn't expecting . * UPDATE * after a recommendation from an online photo group for this camera , I switched to using the indoor portrait mode , and the outcome has been much better than with iA mode . The group members have indicated that this camera was not designed to excel at indoor Automatic captures , but instead outdoor zoom photography ( i expected it to do both ) , and so it needs more information from the camera person . No big deal , switch to portrait and click down to indoor , and the photos have very close to the color and dimension I am used to . You just can't use this for an all around Auto ( iA ) camera in every situation .
• 214 4  This camera is fantastic . I have had other Point and Shoot , but this one is the best I've ever owned . This camera take very good pictures and video on low light condition . The 18x optical zoom is incredible and the optical stabilizer works perfectly . The quality and sound of videos is also excellent . The HD movies recorded are perfect . The battery life is acceptable but I highly recommend an additional battery Lenmar DLP006 Digital Camera Equivalent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A , CGR-S006A / 1B , CGR-S006E Batteries Also recommend an optical filter to protect your len from scratches and hits Tiffen 46mm UV Protection Filter Because of its high resolution photos you also need a quick and high capacity SD card Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6
• 227 4  Having to upgrade to a new camera after owning a Pentax Optio 43WR was quite a chore . There is so much information , and technology has certainly advanced . However , that Pentax took some great pictures . We were in need of a new camera for our first child and our outdoor adventures . This Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 takes great pictures and allows one to play with the different settings to manipulate images from the beginning . The zoom is incredible , along with the power image stabilization . Add the digital zoom and images jump at you . They are much more clear than I expected , still some digital rendering , but nothing like my old camera . It has so many menu options , one could get lost or confused if they are not a little tech / camera savy , yet it has the simple IA mode for a true point and shoot process . The flash is long range , with that be careful for close up images . Sometimes they get over-exposed , yet we've taken some great flash-macro's . We have enjoyed the macro function taking non-flash portraits of our newborn . We've used the burst mode which is great to capture that instant moment . This camera has it all for the day to day users with plenty of functions from the PASM , to low light , motion , macro , panoramic , all to fit that appropriate scene / event . And it is only 3x the width of my old one . I will still take this on our backpacking trips with more caution to exposures to water . We haven't tested the HD video because we don't have HDTV . The downside - if you're really into photography , you'll want a DSLR anyways . For the day to day and amateur photog's who want to have a great zoom , explore settings or just use it as a point and shoot for incredible pictures , this is it .


• 044 4  I've owned the FZ28 for a few months and loved it despite some minor irritations such as slow focus when zooming , no dedicated video record button , and poor sound . I read the reviews of the FZ35 and decided to try it out . I can honestly say that ALL the little irritations have gone away with this newer FZ35 model . It is very close to perfection and if it had an auto lens cap it would be . It took awhile to figure out how to get the videos onto my computer in a viewable and editable form , thankfully a free download called Free HD Converter did the trick . I convert it to an . avi format with the correct sizing and the video looks good and sounds good . I swear I've owned a couple of dozen digital cameras and a few camcorders over the past years but I think my buying days are over as this FZ35 is the best digital picture and video camera I've ever owned , it's darn near perfect and very easy to learn . I've tried the intelligent auto and it works great , there is no need to do anything to get great looking JPEG and videos but I also love the way you can use different settings while shooting video , that's something most others don't have . So do I think its worth the difference in cost to get the FZ35 over the FZ28 ? Absolutely , although if I never knew about the FZ35 I would still love the FZ28 . Panasonic knows their stuff !
• 010 4  This purchase is a replacement for the Lumix FZ18 which was also a fine camera . I find the fz35 to be a great point and shoot super zoom . I shoot one-handed often so a regular DLSR is not really useful to me . The fz35 is very easy to use one handed , all the controls are very convenient ( if you are right handed that is ) . It has a remarkable lens and produces a great picture . The only drawback I can find to this camera is its somewhat poor low light / high iso capabilities . I personally find anything above 200 iso to be unacceptable , the grain is very noticeable . It is programmable to limit the iso to various ranges and when shooting between 80 and 180 iso , the images are exceptional . The autofocus is quick and manual mode is very flexible . Overall I am very happy with this camera .
• 097 4  I absolutely love this camera . I researched for about 8 months trying to figure out the right one to buy . I was initially looking at the fz - 28 but when I found out this model was coming out I decided to wait . I am a total beginner and I will have a lot of catching up to do before I can even enjoy all this camera has to offer but being able to put on the IA and just start taking pictures was awesome . I really wanted a great zoom so I could take it to baseball games and get good pictures even if I wasnt super close . It hasnt disappointed . I experimented with the video at a concert recently and we were blown away by the clarity of picture and the awesome sound . My seats were far in the back and with the zoom the video looks like I was right up close ! So , if you are like me and intimidated by all the technical reviews and all the terminology being used , take it from a beginner this camera is awesome !
• 139 4  I wanted to update my ultra compact p & s camera . I wanted a camera which is fast with good shutter speed . I did a lot of research and decided to go for a mega zoom . I narrowed down to Lumix fz35 and Canon SX 20IS . I decided to go for Lumix mainly due to the small size and less weight . It has been great to work with it . The picture quality is really good when there is good light . If you use zoom in low light situations , the quality is not good . But if you are in reasonable distance and use flash , the picture is coming good . The video is awesome . There are a lot of video editors now that support AVCHD lite format . So that is not a problem . Actually that format is much better as it will not fill up the memory card as the MPEG formats . If you are looking for a good zoom camera without the hassle of maintenance of a SLR camera , Lumix FZ35 is a good choice .
• 190 4  To preface this review , I am a photoghraphy enthusiast and I already have an older SLR , and a very nice point and shoot ( Canon sd 700is ) but wanted one that covered a longer distance and shoot indoor and night pictures , without having to keep wondering about , which is the better setting . So , having the choice of the Canon sx20 and the Panasonic dmc fz35 was what I narrowed my search to . And , after reading many reviews from the experts and from the customers who have already experienced using this camera , I decided to have my husband buy the Panasonic fz35 for me for a christmas gift . Excellent camera ! I have had it now for a little over a month and I LOVE IT ! Picture quality is good and you can use the manual setting to get great low light pictures . The wide angle is great along with the image Stabilization . I have tried using the video capability only a couple of times , it is good and the sound is decent . Overall , it is a very good camera and I am glad I have it , would recommend it highly .
• 239 4  Excellent camera for the money . Has with SLR picture quality and features . Would be better if battery could be charged without removal .


• 049 4  I've only had this product a short time . But what I know is that with what time I've had with this camera , I have been very pleased with the picture quality . One thing I had do is set the camera to P mode as the Auto function is setting the ISO way too high . Having said that , however , the pictures that it produced with iA are still very acceptable , even at high ISO . The camera and its multitude of functions are very easy to learn , if , and I say If you already have a lot of knowledge with photography . This kind of camera is overkill for my wife , who really is just a Point and Shoot type of person , but the camera is perfect for me . It's also a tad small on my hand , the Canon SX20 IS is bigger and heavier , if you prefer that kind of feature of your camera . Unlike many of the reviewers here , I am a Canon loyalist . However , when comparing this camera with the SX20 , aside from the additional bells and whistles the Canon has , there is not much difference in picture quality . And even though I am a photography geek , I am not a pixel peeper , so what happens at 100% magnification when looking at the picture on your computer monitor , doesn't matter much to me . If I can get a good 4x6 or 5x7 with this camera , I am happy . And this camera proved very capable of that . I will actually try printing a 13x19 and see what that would look like . So in this case , price really was the deciding factor in my decision to purchase this camera . As an everyday type of camera , this is perfect . I can only comment on the pictures and ease of use at this time . I cannot say anything about the video as I have not had time to use it . PS . The only reason I kept referring to the Canon SX20 IS is because that is the camera that is compared the most with the FZ35 .
• 037 4  This camera is amazing ! It has yielded some of the most amazing photos that I have ever produced with a megazoom Point and Shoot . I am an amateur that loves to play with a camera , especially if it produces great automatic photos . Don't get me wrong , I want to become more adept in the field of macro shooting , shutter speed , and white balancing , but for now I play and try . But for the most part , have been blown away by the beautiful pictures that I have captured . When you print these photos on a 4 x 6 photo , it is unable to capture the beauty of the photo . In order to see it , an 18 in . monitor will show every leaf , hair , whatever in such amazing clarity that the 4 x 6 cannot render . To address some issues that other reviewers have mentioned . The software included is not worth downloading , especially if you have Windows 7 . I am not in a hurry to find new software , cause the photo software from my computer is adequate . Honestly , if you have a tripod or a steady hand , the touchup needed for your photos are minimal . Seriously . I can't imagine why anyone with any serious objectivity would rate this camera lower than a 3 . I understand frustrations with software , or maybe somebody did get a bad lemon , it happens . I did alot of research before purchasing this camera . What honestly sold me was comparing customer photos between all the cameras that I was considering . If you are seriously thinking about this camera , compare the customer photos . Canon and Nikon to me were simply not on the same level .
• 042 4  I have used compact point and shoots for a while and they click good shots provided the light conditions are good . They are terrible in low light . So after much thought and research I decided to go for this beast . To be honest , it is one of the best cameras I have ever owned . Low light , bright light , macro , HD - this cam does it all . The color sensor of this camera is comparable to DSLRs , it really brings colors to life . It has a good grip in your hand and looks sturdy . No cheap plastic anywhere , even the tripod hole is made of metal.The camera is light in weight but on the other hand it is not compact or moderate size camera , it is something that needs a separate bag to carry . The lens doesnt have a auto cover but Panasonic gives the lens cap which you have to manually remove and put on everytime u want to use the camera . Also , u can use zeikos lens covers which always stay on the camera . Great camera , good features , good design and I love this beast .
• 116 4  When I decided to go for a high-end point and shoot camrera I was sceptical about this product as I did not really heard about panasonic in digital camera market before this . But Thanks to amazon I got a first hand idea of this product with some very solid reviews . Moving on to the product experience - the camera has a firm grip in your hand . the buttons may feel a little too small and changing mode may feel a little less comfortable but apart from those small buttons the mode changes are easy . Automatic modes are simply awe inspiring . So many options ! ! it's at times mind boggling ! ! The documentation could have been better for this product as some of the descriptions may sound confusing .
• 135 4  The FZ35 is the best camera I ever had . To someone like me that is not a Pro , but photografy lover this camera delivery every thing that we need . Very easy to use , Leica lents are execelent , X18 zoom is great , custom features gives many possibilities and the price is fair . The only thing that I am missing is a manual focus . Some times you want to try different pics and the auto focus do not let you .
• 146 4  I love this camera . You can spend a lot more and get a little more . Or spend a little less and get a lot less . Great feel , lots of customizability , better than the older Lumix I have . It's a little confusing for my wife , but I show her the basics and she's good to go . And I can get great shots of my kids playing basketball , inside , without a flash . Nice ISO range .
• 218 4  Both mega zoom cameras are about the same . I have used both . I need a camera that can take pictures in low light . The Panasonic is a little better in this category . The Canon is built like a tank & feels more secure in your hands . The Panasonic has a light plastic feel to it . Also , the Canon eye viewer is bigger & easier to see through . And the Canon also has a swivel LCD . But , like I said , I need the extra low light capabilities , so I went for the Panasonic this time . But , If Canon improves their low light capabilities , I wiil buy there camera when it comes out .
• 247 4  WOW ! This is the camera to buy ! It does everything well ! Long battery life ; easy to use . The automatic feature makes this a true aim and shoot camera . Leave your brains at home , this camera does it for you . The scene selection is wide reaching with choices for every situation I can think of . The image stablization is the best . You will want to purchase a large memory card . I can't say enough good stuff about this camera .
• 251 4  I just received this camera and it is an amazing little camera . I'm still playing around with it but it is so cool for a bridge camera . I definitely recommend this camera for someone that wants something compact , light and not expensive . I'm really happy about this camera .
• 261 4  I am not a professional but I like to take pictures as them ; I was looking for a portable and multi functions camera , I found it with the FZ35 . It is not small , it is medium size , but enough size to carry in my ski jacket .


• 051 4  For some time , I had been considering downgrading cameras to something which was lighter and easier to handle than my Nikon DSLR . However , I worried about buying a camera that had too much lag time between shots and also a much degraded lens system . So I jumped at the purchase of a Fuji HS - 10 and was truly disappointed with lags in picture saving . Additionally , the time between battery charges was extremely short . So I returned the Fuji and bought the camera which was second on my list . What was wrong was my list . The Panasonic should have been first . As soon as I received the camera , I charged up the battery and started shooting . Unfortunately , our weather was dark and dreary so I thought I would not really get any good pictures . Wrong ! The camera performed quite well in low light situations . I found that using ISO settings as high as 800 gave pictures with little noise . I would recommend using 400 or less for routine use but even 1600 gave acceptable results . I was able to use burst modes to get shots of birds flying and ducks moving around in our pond . The time needed to save pictures after a burst was acceptable . Even the time between saving RAW shots was acceptable and not much different from my Nikon DSLR . What really pleased me was the vibration reduction of this camera . It actually was better than that in the Nikon lens I had been using . I am able to hand hold the camera and get pictures at 18x . Realize that if you opt to decrease the resolution , you can get optical magnifications up to 35.2x although this requires a tripod or exceptionally steady hands . Using digital zoom will boost the zoom at 12M to 72x although this amounts to taking a picture at 3M . You can play with all of these to see what your zoom limit is for pictures acceptable to you . I have tried the macro mode and find it works as advertised . I will be using this a lot more as the weather gets better as I take a lot of pictures of flowers and bugs . In my brief use , I found it to be comparable the macro modes on other digital cameras I have owned . Likewise , the video mode is excellent . I mainly will be using the picture modes so the video modes are just icing on the camera cake for me . They too worked as advertised . In fact , I think I will have fun with them ! Initially , I cussed out Panasonic for the lack of a manual . It didn't help that the abbreviated manual with the camera slid out of the box when I unpacked the camera and fell to the floor . I did not find it for a couple of days . But amazingly , I was able to do most everything the camera can do without a manual . I had downloaded the PDF manual but initially did not read it . After finding the printed manual , I realized that the camera menus are quite logical especially to someone who has owned 2 other ultra zooms , a DSLR and a Panasonic underwater camera . I had even figured out some cryptic icons by simply taking pictures and seeing what the various settings did . I guess I really did not need the printed manual . I applaud Panasonic for a very good menu system on the camera . The printed manual is correct but brief and the PDF manual is complete and generally well organized . One of my big gripes of the Fuji HS - 10 was the extremely poor battery life of the batteries . This may have been a fluke but was real . The Panasonic has excellent battery life . I have taken over 400 pictures , interfaced with my computer and edited pictures off the card without downloading them to my computer and have still got a battery that has a lot of charge left . This matches my experience with the underwater Panasonic my wife uses . It too takes many pictures between charges . Is this a perfect camera ? No such animal exists . There are some quirks but I have found nothing that will prevent me from using the camera as I expected to use it . Initially , I thought maybe the camera was too light . I now am convinced that the lightness will be great for trips . Initially , I thought AAA batteries would be excellent since they are so widely available and are inexpensive . But after my experience with the Fuji and with the outstanding lifetime of one charge on the Panasonic battery , I am convinced I was wrong . In summary , I feel the lens system is excellent , the vibration reduction is excellent , the quality of pictures is just short of excellent but as good as you are going to get from a non DSLR , the menu system is logically laid out and the battery life is excellent . On top of this , the camera arrived quickly after I purchased it and Amazon was quite prompt with refunding the money for my returned Fuji camera . I think I am a satisfied customer !
• 129 4  I am by no means a professional . I have a point and click 2.0 MP camera that is about 8 years old . Definitely time for an upgrade . I wanted a camera that takes great pictures with ease allowing me to focus on the actual picture . I also wanted a camera that I can grow with , tinker with and change settings . Well in this price range it was a toss up between this and the Canon , both great cameras from the reviews I read . Both cameras had their advantages and disadvantages , however for what I needed , the panasonic was the choice for me . This camera takes awesome pictures , it really excells at outdoor photography I am truly amazed at the clarity and vibrancy of colors . Indoors it does well too . I have not used the video function but I'm sure there will be no complaints there . The battery life is remarkably long considering the camera that im used to with 4 AA batteries . I prefer the battery pack over AA batteries . Charging takes about 1.5 - 2.0 hours not bad . This camera is fun and easy to use and I recommend it . You will want to get a camera bag to protect and carry the camera . Most of the bags out there are over priced , too big too small or lame . I came across m rock and the quality is supperb . The bag fits my camera and misc stuff perfectly it is stylish , versitle and the owner was very prompt with questions ( we are talking within the day between 12 / 20 - 12 / 29 ) Definitely check out MRock camera bags .
• 157 4  This is a great camera , whether your a novice or experienced photographer , you can dumb it out by using iA mode , or use the many creative possibilities available to you , Panasonic just keep making this model better.I would recommend this camera to everyone . And its made in Japan so the quality should be built in . AAAAA + + + + +


• 060 4  I have been an avid photographer since high school ( we're talking a lot of years ) . In that time I have owned many cameras - both SLR's and digital - and several video cameras . I have never owned one which combined both features the way the Panasonic FZ - 35 does . I took this camera on a six week round the world trip and used it for both still shots and video . I have had numerous compliments on my pictures since I returned and I do not consider myself more than a hobby photographer . . . definitely NOT professional . This is my second Panasonic Lumix camera ( first was the DMC-LS2 also purchased from Amazon ) . It still works great , but I wanted something with sound and better zoom capabilities . I bought them because of Panasonic's Leica lens . I was well aware of Leica's painstaking quality . I could not afford a Leica , but still wanted that quality . I am thrilled with the video and still shots I captured on my trip and very pleased with this camera . The one thing I love after the picture quality is how lightweight this camera is to carry and hold - especially for videos . No more tired hands or arms or cramped fingers trying to hold it still . This was carried from Guam , to England and all over Paris on a day trip . I bought several SDHC cards for my trip to make sure I never ran out of space for my videos and still shots and I also got an extra capacity battery . I found out I could run for weeks on one charge for the battery and never ran out of storage capacity on the SDHC card in the camera ( 8 GB most of the time ) . Now , to be fair I did upload my pictures every few days to my laptop , but there was still plenty of room on the card . So the FZ - 35 has amazing battery life and storage . If you're looking for a great camera this is the one .
• 094 4  This is my 3rd Lumix ( it replaces my 5mp FZ5 which is still a great camera - but I was looking for more zoom & megapixels ) . This is a fabulous upgrade ! ! I've only had the camera for a few weeks but have gotten some great action and scenic shots . The zoom is just incredible . A bonus for me is the video quality - even at maximum zoom . I've uploaded some short clips to youtube and it has been straightforward and problem free . I'm not so much a seasoned photographer as I am a gadget enthusiast who can appreciate a great product . I recommend the DMC-FZ35 ( as well as the smaller Lumix P & S cameras ) without hesitation .
• 128 4  I have used other Lumix cameras before , so when it came time to buy my own I wanted the same brand . It's ease of use is fantastic , it's features make going manual a breeze and yet the auto gets me great pics as well . This model is an upgrade of what I used to use and I'm very glad I made the decision to buy it . It's light enough that I can take it with me wherever I go . I highly recommend this camera for anyone who wants a fabulous ' point and shoot ' or go a bit more arty with the manual settings .
• 184 4  I own an earlier version of the Panasonic Lumix and found it to be quite satisfactory . Several reviews of the new DCM = FZ35 let me to invest in this new one . Although I have not used it extensively , the results so far have been stellar . Last ween-end , I took pictures of my seven year old grand-daughters playing in a basketball tournament . Setting the controls on Indoor Sport and adding the burst feature produced excellent results . And the download to my Adobe on the Dell is easy and efficient . I couldn't has for a better camera for my uses .
• 212 4  This is the camera I waited for . Does excellent still photography and HD video . The one button to start stop video is an improvement over needing to turn the selection wheel , however , lumix ( Panasonic ) should consider a better location and require less pressure to turn on and off , for the next version . Seriously , that's my only complaint . Lumix makes a great camera , smaller , lighter than the others , but full featured .
• 235 4  The Panasonic Lumix FZ - 35 is a great camera at a pretty good price for what you get . Great picture , very easy to use , numerous features , . . . the list could go on and on . Very happy with my purchase .
• 255 4  Recently purchased a Panasonic Lumix FZ35 camera from Amazon.com . Original camera arrived with a defect . Contacted Panasonic , told to return camera to Panasonic for replacement with refurbished camera . Choose to return camera to Amazon.com who promtly replaced defective camera with a new one . Have had the FZ35 for two weeks now and very happy with it's performance . Thank you Amazon.com


• 086 4  When looking for a camera I had a set of requirements , namely , super zoom , HD movie capability , optical zoom while in movie mode , full manual controls , . raw images , and a reasonable price . Every camera I looked at lacked one or more of those requirements , except this one . The picture quality is good , especially in well lit , low-ISO situations . Outdoor shots look amazing , almost all having absolutely no noise or fringing . High-ISO shots get pretty noisy of course , but it's no worse than other similarly priced cameras . 400 - ISO indoor flash shots show a tiny bit of of noise , but it's easily ignorable unless you want big prints . The zoom is great and the OIS system helps a lot with the shakes , but isn't fool-proof . The auto white balance usually picks a good setting and the auto focus rarely has troubles . 720p videos look great and the microphone seems to work well . The only thing that this camera could have used would be an articulating LCD , but its absence doesn't bother me . I'm very happy with this camera and would recommend it to anyone .
• 030 4  This is a great camera both for photos , and video . I bought it to take pictures since it takes real filters ( 2filter.c0m ) unlike the more-or-less equivalent Canon . But what really blew me away was the picture and sound quality of the video . All this for under four hundred bucks . So the manual's on CD . It doesn't cost much to print it out at 4 pages per sheet .
• 143 4  Excellent product ; however , reproducing the instruction manual from CD is a lenghty and expensive process . Also , accessing different through the menu is not clear in all functions
• 216 4  Love my Panasonic Lumix . Very easy to use and the LCD screen is bigger than most other comparable cameras . The battery that comes with it is rechargeable and I have only charged it once when I first received the camera , a month ago . So buying an extra would be nice for those just in case times , but not a necessity . All and all , I am extremely pleased with the camera . I am no expert and have not read the manual . All I did was charge the battery and put it on Intelligent Auto . Does the work for me . Will probably be even more pleased when I take the time to figure out everything it does . Very pleased with this purchase .


• 090 4  I purchased this camera for my girlfriend who needs a camera that has a powerful optical zoom and will not blur motion shots . Her previous 4 mp 4x optical digital camera fell short at her daughters soccer games . We needed something to zoom in from 100 feet away and not blur due to all of the motion . This camera did just that . I would recommend this to anyone that doesn't want to pay SLR money but needs SLR capability .
• 180 4  I bought this camera from Amazon Warehouse deals and I must say that I was very skeptical about buying a digital camera used . I was pleasantly surprised about the condition , the quality of the pictures and the amazing video that this camera produces ! This is a must have for someone thinking about getting more serious about photography as I was . This camera has sold me on digital photography !
• 186 4  Fantastic camera for a great price . It has a great quality movie feature , a fantastic zoom , and just takes beautiful pictures . I highly recommend it .


• 092 4  I have been using this camera for about 10 days . I had a canon S2 which is a similar super-zoom , its screen went black . I called canon and they fixed it for free after 3 or 4 years of ownership . But while my camera was down I started looking for another camera , my wife wanted to buy a new one for me . My 16 year old son was more then glad to get to use the canon full time . I did my research , CNET review was not so hot and consumers guide review of the FZ 28 did not get their recommendation . But Amazons users gave it 5 stars and CNET users gave it their highest marks . Also looked at other photo sites and it got very highly recommend . I do like camera labs.com . Before I put a lot of effort on learning how to use a camera I want it to be a keeper . Some of the things I have done so far are the following . First I video in HD 3 water polo games onto one 8 giga byte disk . I tried it with a tripod and without not much difference the stability was very good without a tripod . The HD was very good , I played it on my Panasonic blue ray player onto my Panasonic HDTV . I downloaded it to my Macbook which was easy . Getting used to I movie is also a work in progress . I tried the flash burst which also was very good . So far no blurry pictures . The zoom is very good , I noticed when I put it on manual I could use the digital zoom , there I would say you need a tripod lots of shaking when zooming out to 35x to 72x digital . The camera has lots of choices on the internal software which should keep most people happy . The sound Im picking up is very good in movie mode . The screen in back , is bright and has a way to enlarge the letters . Handling of the camera is nice because its light and of a mid size . The joy stick is easy to use . So far this camera is a keeper and a work in progress . I can not be to critical because Im not a professional . Also I did take some indoor pictures and so far very good . The price also seems fair . The lens has threads and comes with a hood . Really no complaints . Im enjoying this camera .
• 076 4  My husband and kids bought me this camera for my birthday . I took it with me on our recent vacation and was generally pleased . It is easy to use , especially the IA ( intelligent auto ) setting . My main gripe is that the instruction booklet is minimal and doesn't describe all the features . I am not a professional photographer and I have no idea what the AF / MF , AF / AE Lock or EVF / LCD buttons do . The instruction booklet only points out where these buttons are located on the camera , but not what their functions are . Additionally , although it does describe some of the settings , such as IA , portrait , landscape , action , etc . , it does not describe what other settings , such as S , A , P , or M are for . Considering this is not a professional grade camera , I feel that it should include some more basic instructions / information for non-professional users .
• 137 4  I lost my last camera and looked for a similar one with the same functions . I was surprised at the higher quality when I received it . My biggest complaint with my old camera was that when taking pictures of action items the camera was slow and I didn't get what I was after . My new camera is so much faster that I get great action shots and I can keep clicking to get more pictures . My new camera doesn't have the time lag between taking pictures like my old one . I really like the rechargeable battery pack also . Great camera at a reasonable price .
• 169 4  I just love this camera . It takes terrific pictures . . . especially outdoors . I use the automatic function and it is wonderful . My husband will enjoy being able to use his own settings whenever he uses it . It is a great value for the price - a great mid-level camera for the novice / intermediate level user .
• 229 4  My intent was to purchase a Nikon , however in checking reviews of the Nikon , it was suggested I check out the Panasonic FZ35 , and my son also urged me to do so . I purchased the Panasonic and am very pleased with it . I took it on my 3 - week trip to Europe and took pictures that I never thought I would be able to get . The AF Tracking function is awesome , as the camera keeps tracking the subject as it moves . I used the Intelligent Auto Mode and the pictures turned out great . After taking a picture you can view it with one click of a button , which I found to be a great feature . The menu selection button is extremely easy to use . Overall , I found the FZ35 easy to use and with less frustration than my earlier cameras . The only negative I found is the battery life , as it died after approximately 10 hours . Granted , I was taking a lot of pictures , but this seemed like an extremely short battery life . I would suggest purchasing a spare battery pack and having it handy when you know you will be taking a lot of pictures . Overall , it is a great little camera , and well worth the price .


• 103 4  This is the 2nd in this FZ series from Panasonic Lumix that I own . I have several other larger and heavier cameras ( some also Lumix ) and over the years ( at least 67 taking photos ) I have owned complete systems and more cameras than I care to count . I am an avid advanced amatuer photographer and always carry a camera of some sort . With age you want less to carry . I no longer enjoy having several cameras hanging on me , etc . or lugging a large camera around all the time . My need in what I call my daily camera is moderate price , small size , light weight , portabiity , great lens , good zoom range , dependability , full features and , absolutely , a viewfinder . The viewing screen on the back of the camera is worthless to me for focusing , framing , making sure I have what I am expecting , etc . Only value is in reviewing what I have already taken . I have tried the pocket cameras etc . , but they fall into rapid disuse . Good for snapshots but nothing else . This camera is bigger than a pocket one but a lot smaller than a DSLR . Even smaller than my Panasonic G1 which itself is small by comparison to other cameras with interchangeable lenses . However The DMC-FZ35 gives you big camera features and has a fantastic Leica lens . The clarity of the camera lens and its ease of use make it a joy to use . I have only had this FZ35 a short time and am still discovering all the things it does . My latest discovery was HD Video . Many times I have been in the field photographing birds , my current obsession , and wished I had a small video camera . Now I can just move my thumb to the video button , press it and I am shooting HD Video with stereo sound and full access to all the settings including zoom and macro without taking my eye off the viewfinder thus losing my subject . I wish my larger , heavier cameras had this ability . The future ones will . If your needs match mine , then this is the camera for you . If in your one and only camera you want the flexibility of a DSLR without the need for interchangeble lenses and the extra baggage , then this is the camera for you .
• 070 4  This is my third Lumix high zoom camera . My first Lumix was the original high zoom DMC-FZ1 from 2003 . I fell in love with the Lumix high optical zoom cameras since then due to the Leica lens ( Leica is considered to be the Rolls Royce of camera lens ) , image quality , durability and ease of use . A few years later I upgraded to the DMC-FZ7 which is also another great Lumix camera . I recently upgraded to the DMC-FZ35 for the continued image quality and also HD video recording ability . It became tiring having to carry a separate camera and video recorder when on vacation . I sold my HD video camera ( Canon HF100 ) and Lumix DMC-FZ7 for this camera so I can have both items in one instead . I have been impressed as before with the image quality . I did notice that the photo quality is more vibrant than previous Lumix cameras . This camera has a newer processor than my F7 . The photos are sharp and vibrant . I do not think the photos can get any better than this . I did notice that this camera is slightly bigger than my previous Lumix cameras which surprised me however it is similar in weight . The camera is built solidly and appears durable . As for the video quality , I am not able to give it 5 stars . It does record in HD ( 1280x720 ) instead of 1920x1080 however the video quality could use some improvement . Video at full 1280x720 AVCHD is supposed to be the best possible image quality however it looks more like DVD quality instead of full HD . Video looks good outdoors in bright light however it does become grainy and dull indoors as is a common problem with most HD video cameras . My Canon HF100 HD video camera is a highly rated video camera however it also had the same image quality problem when used indoors . The camera does allow optical zoom while recording however the adjustment speed is around 1 / 2 of photo zoom . I do not know why the zoom feature moves slowly while video recording compared to photo zoom . Overall , this is a great camera for the price : Leica lens , full manual control , durability , excellent photo quality , SD card recording ( cheaper media cost compared to Sony media cards ) , decent video quality .
• 127 4  I moved up from a FZ20 and have been very pleased with the expanded options and features of the FZ 35 . Amazingly , the camera is more compact and lighter than the FZ 20 . One thing Panasonic should do is to include a complete owners manual . A disc is provided but that means the buyer has to print the 200 page manual .


• 107 4  This camera replaces my 5 year old kodak megazoom digital camera ( great camera , but after breaking the lens while almost falling off a cliff in Kauai . . . it never worked the same ) . I've been borrowing my parent's DSLR camera because the ability to set aperture , shutter speed , and focus ( among other reasons ) , but I got tired of lugging around the large camera plus all the lenses needed to get great nature shots . I wanted something that was more portable but also offered good picture quality , zoom , manual focus , manual settings , and macro functions . I found it here with the FZ35 . It's a great camera that can take very high quality pictures - almost as good as my parents dslr ( pentax k50 ? ) , but much more portable and less expensive . The other added bonus is the hd video function that you cannot do with most dslrs . Not only is the movie quality excellent , but you're also able to zoom the complete optical range ( 18x ) , use manual settings , including aperture , shutter , and focus and you can even affix lens filters without needing adapters ( 46mm ) . I was in a toss up between the Canon and Panasonic - Panasonic won because it's lighter , smaller , has a larger sensor , lens threading without needing an adapter , and about 100 bucks cheaper . I'm very happy with my purchase and it was worth the 3 week wait ( backordered on amazon ) .
• 058 4  This camera is by far the best super zoom , point and shoot camera one can own in terms of picture quality . I bought it just 2 weeks back and took it out with my friends on 2 photography trips with all types and brand of cameras in the group - point and shoot , super zoom , and SLRs ( From Sony to Canon to Fuji to Nikon ) . Everybody was in awe looking at the quality of pictures of all kinds - portrait , macro , super zoom , day scenery , low light etc . this camera produced . In some cases , it was as good as or even better than the SLRs ! ! I am in love with the camera and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants great pictures and manual controls but can't afford an SLR .
• 144 4  This is a fabulous camera , easy to use with a fantastic 18x optical zoom . I mostly use it for sports photography ( hockey ) and it captures great action shots without blur when used in the sports mode . I also shoot alot of scenery , and it works wonderfully for that as well . It is very comparable to my Nikon D - 5000 SLR camera in the quality of shots it can produce , and of course much more portable and easy to use .
• 165 4  I love this camera ! ! I was trying to avoid buying an SLR due to the size as I knew I wouldn't always want to carry it even though I wanted great pictures . This camera allows me to take the best pictures I've ever taken along with having easy portability . Wouldn't trade it for anything !
• 167 4  This is my 4th Panasonic and the first SLR type and I am absolutely pleased and amazed by the features and capabilities of this camera . . . the 18X zoom actually can be increased . . and the external flash capability is great
• 194 4  No doubt this device was chosen as the best digital camera of 2009 . Has many features and it is really fast . With its powerful lens you could almost think its a DSLR camera . Also with its zoom capabilities you could take great pictures that would be be difficult or impossible to take with other devices . For me it has been the best choice .


• 119 4  I have purchased several cameras over the past 5 years and have come to the conclusion that the FZ35 far surpasses all of them . The FZ35 is packed full of useful features that are user friendly , at a lighter weight than a traditional DSLR and a much lower cost . Panasonic has blown away the competition with this camera . The picture quality in all conditions is next to none , and once you familiarize yourself with the controls , taking pictures is a breeze . The FZ35 gives you all of the features of a DSLR , without bothering with numerous lenses and having to constantly change them . Anyone who purchases this camera will be pleasantly surprised .
• 138 4  When I bought this camera I was already aware of what to expect as I used its predecessor FZ18K for an year and half . And it did not disappoint me . An addition in this camera is the HD Video . Very nice . Leica lens give the perfect images even in low light conditions.It is light weight and easy to use . All the presets are good . There are so many settings and options in this camera it takes a little time if you are a newbie to semi-SLR cameras .
• 148 4  I needed a camera for a website that is food based . Most of the shots are taken at night and this camera is such a no brainer . . . . . fantastic in all lighting that Ive tried it with and the first pictures I posted with this camera people noticed . Great job Panasonic
• 178 4  I just love this camera . . This has most of the features of a beginner level SLR and it's easy to use . . Pictures have come out superb on this . . ! ! Still have to try the polarizer filters and conversion lenses on this . . hopefully won't be dissappointing . I wish they had a auto pop-up flash on this camera . Even without the flash . . the IAuto funtion captures good pictures with the best aperture possible . . . ! !
• 233 4  As a passionate amateur in photography I'm happy with this camera so far , it didn't take long to learn and find out about all the features it offers , all I was doing was practicing , taking pics in all light conditions or situations.Anyway there are some limits of course in this camera performances , is not a SLR but u can play a little next to that level without breaking your bank , I think the price is quiet fair for this camera and the picture quality very good , even with maximum zoom , which is great .


• 131 4  Have taken several images of people 100 yards away , with awesome sharpness , as well as some images of flowers using the macro setting . Either way , sharp , clear , well-saturated colors . Love the viewfinder ! Recommend the Panasonic-brand polarizing filter , both to protect the Leica lens and for lush , lush colors . . . it's expensive but worth it . Complaints ? Wish the flash didn't have to be popped open in order for it to be available . Wish that the LCD screen would swivel and rotate . Haven't used the video settings , and probably won't ; our experience is that we never look at videos once recorded . The camera is solid-feeling , lightweight , well-balanced and reasonably intuitive ; the operating instructions are so-so , but worth the effort to set camera up to your liking . Lots of manual control if you want it , though I've mostly used the auto setting for routine stuff . I've owned most major brands of cameras over the last fifty years , including half-a-dozen digitals , and this is the best overall I've used . The vibration reduction works beautifully , as does the face-seeking autofocus [ give it a few seconds , and rectangles in the viewfinder tell you that it is locked on ] . . . nice touch !
• 154 4  Camera does everything they say it will do , but don , t buy it if you want a common point & shot ! This camera comes with the best online manual I've ever seen ! You need to take advantage of it to get the full range of amazing capabilities . So far very happy with results !
• 210 4  This camera is the first Panasonic digital camera that I have purchased . So far , I have been very satisfied with my purchase . Some people complained about the lack of printed full manual . Personally , I don't think that this is a problem , for two reasons : 1 . The full manual is included in the CD , and it is easy to install it into the computer for reading . In fact , because it is a digital copy , it is very easy to jump to other sections that you want to read by just clicking the page number . You can also search any word you want . I think it can be easier in this regard than a printed version . 2 . The camera is very easy to use and very user friendly . I didn't have to refer much to the printed manual or the digital manual . I spent more time on playing , trying , testing the camera itself . I pretty much understand how it works now just by doing that . The zoom range is great . The optical stabilizer works very well . The only thing lacking is an articulating LCD which I think can be very helpful in some shots . Overall , I think it is a very highly recommendable digital camera . Update : I found that the Autofocus works really really fast , especially in good lights .


• 237 4  I researched many top end point and shoot cameras . The reviews on this camera were great . After taking nearly 500 pictures in a variety of situations , the camera exceeded my expectations . The camera was easy to use and the Intelligent auto mode worked well for many situations . I was able to hand the camera to others and they took great shots immediately . I used the portrait and macro modes as well and was pleased with the results . The lighting in portrait mode brought out facial features and expressions clearly . I highly recommend this camera to anyone wishing to make taking great pictures easy .
• 123 4  This camera actually measures up to all the positive reviews . You can pull it out of the box , charge the battery , put a decent sized SDHC card in , set it to Intelligent Auto ( IA ) and get great pictures . I was impressed at how good the camera is at recognizing different shooting conditions and compensating for them . The video looks and sounds great . And to top it all off it's got full manual control so that you can get the images to look exactly as you like . This was a solid purchase and fulfilled or exceeded all my expectations .
• 175 4  I was looking for an upgrade from a Sony camera FSC200 model . This camera is short of the SLRs , great ease of use and good second picture speed . Very satisfied with the purchase and price !
• 231 4  Very good camera . Takes both still and video with good results . Quick start and time between pictures . Would be better if it had a flip-out lcd screen .
• 243 4  Great pictures . Really fast to shoot . Great functionality . Very very good product . I am fascinated with it . Read the whole manual and tried every item , it is really great . The face recognition is a fantastic innovation . It can zoom while recording movies . Incredible zoom .


• Five stars - - user-friendly and many different settings , very fast performance Picture quality : Four stars - - very good in decent lighting but poor in low-light / higher ISO , but RAW will help somewhat Battery life : Five stars - - haven't measured it but given daily usage between movies and photos , about a week before recharge necessary Durability : Five stars - - very well-constructed , comfortable , and lightweight compared to some cameras its size ( possibly thanks to plastic ) Macro function : Four stars - - sometimes might not focus well but it depends on lighting conditions and the settings used for the subject Pros : 18 X zoom is excellent for close shots , but consider zooming slowly and in decent lighting conditions or it won't focus well Average photo quality for a camera in its price range ( low-light performance is near-average , expected given its CCD sensor size ) Excellent HD movie quality in ample light ( see cons for the same drawback as the DMC-ZS3 ) Image stabilization is ( at least ) average and works better than some cameras in its price range Zoom noise not evident ( or barely audible ) while shooting movies , unlike most cameras capable for this function , very good stereo sound RAW support ( but two cons with this format ) Very fast performance ( as fast as some DSLR cameras in ample light - - fraction of a second in ample light , about 2 seconds in low-light ) Formats high-capacity card ( 8 GB ) in two seconds ( much faster than other cameras I have used ) Accepts lens filters ( not included ) , lens hood ( included ) , and snug lens cap , similar to those found on a camcorder Camera is lightweight and some people might think you are carrying a DSLR look-alike ( design may resemble DSLR , but you know it's not ! ) Perhaps as close to DSLR performance and appearance you can get ( somewhat redundant to the above , but does it really matter to you ? ) Battery life is excellent ( or average - - much larger battery pack compared to the relatively small battery pack used in compact cameras ) You can use generic or other brands of spare battery ( TechFuel by Batteryheads an excellent choice , and inexpensive ) Cons : Can't record voice memos ( you can on Samsung HZ25W , Canon's PowerShot SX20 without record voice memos as was featured on SX10 ) , which is quite odd Can't take pictures while shooting movies ( some cameras and most camcorders can do this , but will interrupt the movie clip some seconds ) Face detection seems a little below par ( often achieved slightly better results with the DMC-ZS3 , mainly a tad less noisy on faces ) Doesn't feature blink and smile detection that some newer cameras offer ( such as Samsung and Sony ) Movies recorded in AVCHD Lite look severely compressed in low-light regardless of quality setting - - use the MOV ( motion JPEG ) instead AVCHD Lite works best in good lighting conditions , but I am guessing to reduce the level of noise in low-light , compression artifacts RAW format is R2W extension , most programs like Photoshop don't support it ( unsure about CS4 - - I have CS3 ) , and slightly better over JPEG Lens filters seem to have green bubbles when a very bright subject is in the field ( especially the sun ) , perhaps common reflection issue Use of inexpensive lens filters that aren't multi-coated , such as UV filter , appear in my eye to give only 5% reduction in bluish tint No fluorescent light mode ( can improve indoor lighting issue ) , slight vignetting , slight green / purple fringing , and poor high ISO quality However , in some cases , higher ISO looks decent enough for small prints ( a little better overall compared to the DMC-ZS3 ) Can't take multiple shots ( fps mode ) in high-resolution ; same for some other Scene modes can only be taken in 3 , 2.5 , and 2 MP resolution Some settings in other modes ( such as Intelligent ISO , Picture Adjustments , etc . ) resets to default when dial changed or camera turned off I think this camera is very good , but not excellent . For $350 or so , this was a great purchase with many different settings , modes , and overall average quality for movies and photos , depending on what you want to achieve . Not much different from the DMC-ZS3 , and that camera I really liked because it was compact , but the advantage with the DMC-FZ35 , and all camera that aren't compact , you don't have to worry as much about dropping it as long as you have it around your neck with the shoulder strap . It won't be pocketable , but you wouldn't want to anyway if you carry lens filters and other accessories . Between a lightweight fixed-lens camera and a heavy DSLR with point-and-shoot speediness , you have the best of both worlds . I haven't used the software and don't intend to try it - - all I do is move the files off the card to the Mac . Highly recommended product ! If anyone has any suggestions on how to achieve better results , please let me know . I haven't used the camera for very long , but just long enough to write my review as promised ( read my review on the DMC-ZS3 , if you haven't already done so ) . The lens filter I bought with this is the Tiffen ( the basic $8 or so type ) and TechFuel spare battery . They work great , given any limitations provided . Make sure you have the appropriate bag to tote this wonderful piece of equipment around . Tamrac is an excellent choice - - my father uses that brand , and I have a little one that will fit this Panasonic just fine . Of course , this camera isn't waterproof , but the lens filter and lens hood might protect it better if you are using it on a day with light mist or light snowfall . If the UV lens filter doesn't cut down on the bluish tint , set the dial to SCN and the Snow Scene mode will probably work better . Generally , you want to purchase the appropriate filter for what you are doing . Maybe spend a little more for a ( better-quality and better-coated ) Hoya lens filter . The UV lens filter doesn't seem to cut it for me , but that was my mistake . Good luck ! Any feedback is welcome ! I am planning to keep my broken DMC-ZS3 if I ever want it fixed . In fact , if you have the DMC-ZS3 , you will really like the DMC-FZ35 . They complement ( and compliment ) each other ! For example , use the DMC-ZS3 at an amusement park where safety and portability matter most ; use the DMC-FZ35 on a hike or in the mountains where accessibility and accessories matter most . Of course , you can use either on a tripod , and the screw-hole where the tripod mounts made of metal , whereas plastic it could fracture easily . One last question - - can you use MultiMedia cards in the DMC-FZ35 as you can in the DMC-ZS3 ? ( I don't use MultiMedia , and so perhaps this question isn't practical for me , but what if someone else uses them and wants to know ? )
• 002 4  As a serious amateur , I've been fortunate enough to own a number of point and shoots including Panasonic , Fuji , several Nikon's , & a couple of Canon's . All have had their strong points and I'm not a brand loyalist by any means , but after a couple of weeks , I must say I absolutely love this camera . My first impressions were ones of pleasant shock . The camera seemed smaller than in the pictures and if it seemed smaller , it seemed doubly more so in terms of weight . Compared to my SLR this thing is an absolute lightweight but very well built and certainly heavier than the smaller ' in your pocket ' point and shoots . A great balance . . . although I wouldn't want to drop it . Some strategically placed silicone on the housing would make this a bit more rugged without much if any impact on cost . Powerup is about as fast as you can bring the camera up to your face - amongst the best of the point and shoots . Controls are easy to use and I like the mini joystick for making on the fly adjustments in manual and scene modes . The menus are fairly well laid out although some items I had to resort to the manual to find their location for the first time . The iA or Intelligent Auto function gave consistently above par picture quality , although I was always able to tweak it better myself ( this could have been as much preference as anything ) . The AVCHD and HD movies worked absolutely flawless with my Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [ Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging ] . ( NOTE : Make sure you lowlevel format these SDHC cards a COUPLE of times BEFORE first use ) . I do wish that you could use the normal shutter release instead of the dedicated movie button on the back face when in movie mode . I kept forgetting and tried to stop the movies using the shutter button instead of the record button . Minor nuisance , but will be overcome as I get my brain wrapped around the change in button locations . The battery worked well past 300 stills and about 35 clips , so I am very pleased with it with the LCD display being used for most of the shots . I purchase another spare battery ; Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera / Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery , also available here at Amazon , and it appears to be working about as well as the original Panasonic ( a great buy ) . The EVF or Electronic View Finder was very handy , although most of the overlaid information is very hard to distinguish in the small EVF . I CAN'T BELIEVE PANASONIC DIDN'T INCLUDE A RUBBER BOOT FOR THE EVF ! Please someone , anyone , make it as an accessory . The EZ or Extra Zoom function is quite handy . Using this feature , you can shoot at lower resolutions and get more effective zooming power out of the camera . . . over 30x and it works very well . The LCD screen is clear and crisp , but its performance in high ambient light is about average . Thank goodness for the electronic view finder mentioned above . Image stabilization is the absolute best amongst my camera collection and is especially noticeable in low light and full zoom . I was pleasantly surprised how well I could take indoor pictures at night with a simple tweak of the exposure . Far better than any of my other point and shoots , although nowhere near my SLR . The standard 3picture burst mode was fairly standard and unimpressive , but the 10pics per second for speed priority and 6 pics per second in image priority burst mode worked well for catching difficult shots like geese landing on the water and children jumping out of swings , but I still wish the resolution and picture quality was better in these modes . Still , for a point and shoot , it's ability to catch the fast action is at the top of it's class . The lens cap interferes with zoom , but the camera will kindly remind you that you have left it on with a 17,000 volt discharge . . . just kidding . . . it will tell you on the LCD screen . LIKES : Ease of use , picture quality , zoom and extra zoom , HD movie , lightweight , stop action . BEST Point and Shoot I've ever owned ! ! ! DISLIKES : ( all minor ) No eyepiece boot for EVF , lens cap interferes with zoom , tripod mount interferes with battery / memory door when in use . Only 10 sec . max on the built in timer .
• 007 4  . . . who doesn't adore this camera . To begin with , I did my research , and I really thought this would be the perfect new toy , so I asked for it for Christmas . My husband complied and bought me the Lumix FZ35 for Christmas , and I bought him the Lumix ZS3 . We are both digital SLR users , but as we are both tour guides , we wanted lighter , easy-to-use ' bridge ' cameras that would take great photos and HD video while we are in the midst of guiding , as it is just too much hassle to use and carry an SLR while you are also carrying a heavy pack and talking at the same time . Let me add , I have the older version of the FZ35 ( the DMC-FZ50 , circa ' 06 ) it's a totally awesome camera , and my faithful workhorse for my other job as a resource inventory person , but it is much larger , probably at least 3X heavier than the FZ35 , and it does not shoot great video . After reading the great reviews for the newer camera , I thought the FZ35 could be my new ' guiding camera ' . My husband and I just returned yesterday from guiding a National Geographic trip in Yellowstone National Park , downloaded our photos and began comparing . My husband's images were jpg , I was shooting RAW + jpg . My husband is much happier with his photos than I am with mine . I found the wildlife shots I took while completely zoomed in to be mostly fuzzy , while my husband's taken with the ZS3 to be clear . I was also disappointed with the amount of color noise in my photos , especially when shooting with the iAuto , although I experimented with many different settings mostly in bright light . In short , I was not completely happy with a single shot that I took during the past week . This is something that has never happened to me before . I have taken tens of thousands of photos in Yellowstone with at least 6 different cameras over the years , and I can attest to the fact it's not a difficult place to get a decent photo in . However , I couldn't seem to get a decent photo with the FZ35 , no matter how much I played around with it . I know I was not using it incorrectly , as the menus are virtually identical to the camera I have been using since 2006 . Maybe I have a lemon , but there are enough issues besides the photo quality that I still plan to return the FZ35 without getting a replacement . Read on . I also found the fact I had to constantly adjust the diopter to use the optical viewfinder to be extremely irritating . The optical viewfinder was one of the reasons I wanted this model , as I am terribly far-sighted and I didn't want to have to wear magnifying glasses to take photos . With other cameras I've had , once the diopter's adjusted , you should rarely , if ever , have to re-adjust it . Something else I found disappointing right out of the box , is the previous model of Panasonic I still own has a wonderful swiveling LCD , which turned completely around and locked for protection when not being used . The function automatically switched to the LCD viewer if you opened the LCD or turned it around . I thought this was a great feature , and I can't figure out why Panasonic doesn't have it on their newer model . Having an adjustable LCD is almost mandatory for taking macros of plants at ground level , which is something I do constantly during the summer . Another really serious flaw to me is that the R2W RAW format used by Panasonic is unrecognized by Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 , as well as Aperture , iPhoto , and Adobe Bridge . Apparently , if you use Panasonic's proprietary software you can open the photo and convert it to a . tiff , but since I have approximately $700 bucks worth of photo processing software on my MAC computer , I'm not about to confuse the issue by having to open something in Panasonic's software , save to a . tiff ( which creates enormous files , unlike saving to . psd or a . dng ) just so I can work with it in the software I already own . I've searched high and low for a plug-in for RW2 format for photoshop , but apparently Panasonic hasn't issued one yet that will work with the aforementioned software . So , I'm disappointed that I didn't find a worthy replacement for my DMC-FZ50 and I am returning the camera in favor of the compact Lumix ZS3 , which at this point is about a hundred bucks cheaper .
• 012 4  Let's just say that I'm not what you'd call an ' early adopter ' . But the FZ35 was something I just could not resist ! I'd been eyeing the FZ28 for a while , but stalled , when I heard about video shooting capabilities . I'm not disappointed . I've not given put it a thorough test yet , but the few shots that I've taken , appear crystal clear . The Video option is a snap ! I was worried if the recording to the media would be an issue - Panasonic has done a neat job - there is very little lag recording the recording onto an SDHC . ( There won't be an issue , I think , when recording your child's violin school concert - you could break it into individual pieces and upload to Youtube , for the world to enjoy ; ) ) . The Macro features are great . The Zoom - - Ah . true and the best feature of all is closing in in video recording mode . Sweeet ! All in all , I'm a happy camper . Panasonic has a winner here . Last of all , Thanks Amazon ( via it's trusted sellers ) for a very quick order fulfillment . My trust has been rewarded .
• 014 4  If you don't have a good digital camera , this is a fine choice . Quick response , decent quality pictures , easy to point & shoot , the zoom and image stabilization really work . I like the lithium battery - - they last so much longer than AA's . You may prefer AA's for their wide availability . If you already have a good digital camera , you might not find it worth your while to upgrade . My main digicam is five years old now , but darn it , it takes fine pictures . It boots more slowly , it has fewer pixels ( but still plenty of ' em ) , the battery life is not as good , but are those differences really worth $400 out of pocket ? That's your personal call . The changes from old to new camera are incremental , not revolutionary . In particular the color and image quality are about the same ( my old one is a Fuji Finepix S7000 ) . Your decision will also depend on whether enhanced movie modes are important to you ( and , if so , whether you really wanted to buy a video recorder instead ) . A couple limitations on the Lumix 1 . Zoom . The zoom is nice , and lets you compose some pretty good pictures . However , if it's real nature photography you want - - the bird on the other side of your yard , the mountain goat across the river - - this camera won't do it . You need more power . 2 . Pixels and focus . I was hoping I could get the effect of yet more zoom by cropping down and enlarging just one part of the image . However , the results were disappointing . Partly , you just have to recognize that 12MP is just not a big step up in resolution / enlargeability compared to 3 or 4 ( whatever it is ) in my old camera . Partly , it seems that my old camera is more supportive of cropping / enlarging without the picture going grainy from loss of resolution . This could be an issue with quality of focus or with the size of the sensor ( other users have raised issues about the sensor size - - I don't quite understand it ) . It was a subtle difference , though . If the Lumix is worse than my Finepix in this regard , it's only a bit worse . But it certainly is not better . 3 . Manual focus . This was frustrating , because auto focus has the annoying tendency to focus on the one tree branch in the foreground instead of the thing you want to see that's beyond the tree , and manual focus should solve that problem . The Lumix has a manual focus , but there are two big problems with it . a . It uses the joystick ( AKA wobbly pencil eraser ) , so it's clumsy . ( What good is a clumsy manual focus ? ) b . Manual focus is only available in about half of the large collection of modes , and the documentation seems to be wrong about which modes support manual focus , or the manual focus intermittently fails to kick in - - it was frustrating and confusing . I'd push on the joystick - - nothing happens . The focus is set to Manual , the documentation says it should work , and it doesn't . Memory FYI : the specs don't tell you whether the Lumix comes with a memory card included . The answer is , no , it doesn't : so go ahead and order one at the same time you order the camera . ( It does come with enough built-in memory to take 4 or 5 pictures ) .
• 015 4  I love this camera ! It is my sixth digital camera ( not counting camera phones ) and is clearly the most advanced , sophisticated , best-photo-taking camera I have used . Most of the time , I don't even take it out of automatic mode , as I like the results so much . I have owned a couple of cameras by Canon ( very good , compact size ) ; and a few from Olympus ( from one of their first basic ones to the Ultra-Zoom 765 ) ; and also another Panasonic , the DMC-FZ8 . You can read all the technical details elsewhere . I'll just tell you what a dream it is to use . The viewfinder , which I find essential , is great ; the large LCD is even better ( although I use it only for viewing shots , not composing them ) . Ease of use is exceptional , despite the myriad of options . Most are very intuitive and work as expected . Although it uses a dedicated battery pack , they are easy to find , not too expensive , and last for many shots and viewings . The Leica lens is wonderful , providing rich , clear color and balance . It's rated at 18X , which gets noticeably closer than my 10X Olympus , but also zooms out to a 27mm equivalent wide angle , which is handy . You can shoot at the full 12 MP resolution , or save some disk space and shoot at 5 MP . It also shoots HD movies at 720P and boasts stereo mics for sound . I really don't have any complaints about this camera at all . I will confess to not having used all its advanced features yet , and I don't have an HD TV to play back the video , but I'm pretty impressed with everything that this camera can do , especially for the price , which was under $330 through Amazon when I bought it in October 2009 . If you want more that a simple point-and-shoot , but don't want to get into the expense and complexity of a Digital SLR , then this is a great choice . I highly recommend it !
• 024 4  I've owned my DMC-FZ35K for about a week now . I purchased it from Amazon . For the price this is the best camera you can buy . In fact , if you go to Amazon right now , and view all their point-and-shoot cameras sorted by customer feedback , this one is 3rd on the list and is cheaper and with more features then 1st and 2nd . The picture quality is excellent , also the auto-focus and general shot-firing mechanism is very-fast . There is a touch of graniness in the scaled-up expanded image when viewing the pictures on a computer ( when doing ' view actual pixels ' instead of ' fit on screen ' ) , but this is natural and something that is present with all digital cameras ( it is not the compression and is still visible if you take some uncompressed pics ) . But at 12 megapixels most people viewing your pics will do so scaled down , so it is almost never noticeable . The only digital cameras that don't have the pixel-level graniness are the DSLR digital cameras and are of an entirely different class and price range . The video quality is actually better than I expected . The ' AVCHD ( Lite ) ' format is actually x264 , a variant of H264 , and has excellent compression-to-quality properties ( slightly better than MPEG - 4 video ) . The middle quality setting ' H ' provides 11.5 mbit / s bitrate , which is standard fare for 1080p HDTV , making it more than suitable for 720p recording . In fact , even the lowest quality setting for AVCHD video ( 8 mbit / s ) was excellent . I don't recommend using the ' MOTION JPEG ' format ( Quicktime MOV , MPEG - 4 encoding ) , as the lower quality settings actually record at lower resolutions not just in HD at a lower bitrate , and although the highest quality setting records in HD it does so at a ridiculous bitrate of 25mbit / s and takes up twice as much space with no noticeable difference in quality compared to AVCHD highest setting . In general the videos were of good quality even when in fairly low lighting conditions . Note AVCHD videos are saved in a different folder than the pictures . . . once you find them they play nicely on a computer after installing a free codec pack . My biggest gripe is size of the camera , although it is very light for its size . The reality is probably that with 18x optical zoom there isn't a physical way to house this camera in a smaller frame , and I can't complain too much because the frame is much easier to grip compared to smaller cameras ( and I am never accidentally covering the flash or lens with my fingers as I tend to do with several of the smaller digital cameras ) . Another thing to note which is true of all new digital cameras , the file sizes are huge . Each pic compressed is 5 Megabytes and even at the lowest quality setting AVCHD videos still take up 1 Megabyte per second ! Get yourself a 16 / 32 Gigabyte SDHC card ( Class 6 or better speed ) . The TV playback is great too . I showed pics and videos at a friends - plug-n-play . Though you need to buy your own HDMI cable to playback on HDTV , but it is a regular cable so get it at any electronics store . You don't even need a TV though , the camera LCD has a nice resolution for viewing videos directly on it , works great when a tv isn't handy .
• 027 4  As a serious amateur , I've been fortunate enough to own and use a number of digital cameras including Panasonic , Pentax , Nikon , Olympus and Canon . All have had their strong points and I'm not a brand loyalist by any means , but after a couple of weeks , I must say I absolutely love this camera . My first impressions were ones of pleasant shock . The camera seemed smaller than in the pictures and if it seemed smaller , it seemed doubly more so in terms of weight . It feels very light but very solid . It has well balanced feel . It Powers up very fast . It takes about as fast as you can bring the camera up to your face - amongst the best of the point and shoots . Controls are easy to use and I like the mini joystick for making on the fly adjustments in manual and scene modes . The menus are fairly well laid out although some items I had to resort to the manual to find their location for the first time . The iA or Intelligent Auto function gave consistently above par picture quality , although I was always able to tweak it better myself ( this could have been as much preference as anything ) . The AVCHD and HD movies worked absolutely flawless with my Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [ Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging ] . ( NOTE : Make sure you lowlevel format these SDHC cards a COUPLE of times BEFORE first use ) . I do wish that you could use the normal shutter release instead of the dedicated movie button on the back face when in movie mode . I kept forgetting and tried to stop the movies using the shutter button instead of the record button . Minor nuisance , but will be overcome as I get my brain wrapped around the change in button locations . The battery worked well past 300 stills and about 35 clips , so I am very pleased with it with the LCD display being used for most of the shots . I purchase another spare battery ; Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera / Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery , also available here at Amazon , and it appears to be working about as well as the original Panasonic ( a great buy ) . The EVF or Electronic View Finder was very handy , although most of the overlaid information is very hard to distinguish in the small EVF . I CAN'T BELIEVE PANASONIC DIDN'T INCLUDE A RUBBER BOOT FOR THE EVF ! Please someone , anyone , make it as an accessory . The EZ or Extra Zoom function is quite handy . Using this feature , you can shoot at lower resolutions and get more effective zooming power out of the camera . . . over 30x and it works very well . The LCD screen is clear and crisp , but its performance in high ambient light is about average . Thank goodness for the electronic view finder mentioned above . Image stabilization is the absolute best amongst my camera collection and is especially noticeable in low light and full zoom . I was pleasantly surprised how well I could take indoor pictures at night with a simple tweak of the exposure . Far better than any of my other point and shoots , although nowhere near my SLR . The standard 3picture burst mode was fairly standard and unimpressive , but the 10pics per second for speed priority and 6 pics per second in image priority burst mode worked well for catching difficult shots like geese landing on the water and children jumping out of swings , but I still wish the resolution and picture quality was better in these modes . Still , for a point and shoot , it's ability to catch the fast action is at the top of it's class . The lens cap interferes with zoom , but the camera will kindly remind you that you have left it on with a 17,000 volt discharge . . . just kidding . . . it will tell you on the LCD screen . LIKES : Ease of use , picture quality , zoom and extra zoom , HD movie , and stereo sound ( the movies look and sound clear and crisp on my HD TV ! It's lightweight and perfect for sports , landscapes , events , close up and macro work , long lens telephoto shots , and portraits . DISLIKES : ( all minor ) No eyepiece boot for EVF , lens cap interferes with zoom , tripod mount interferes with battery / memory door when in use . Only 10 sec . max on the built in timer . If you like my review please rate ! Enjoy this camera ! I sure am !
• 032 4  I had a Lumix DMC-FZ class camera before , so I had high expectations . They have been met . A few gripes , none serious : It took a little while to learn the new system ( on-off switch is on the top of the camera now , not at the top right edge of the back - - my thumb keeps reaching for it there ) . I missed being able to focus manually by twisting the lens , but someone who never had a film SLR won't have that problem . I hate the tweet the camera emits when it autofocuses , but that can be turned off ( sacrificing the shutter sound , too , sadly ) . The amber light that the camera projects when I use autofocus scares off wildlife . Hate that . The default shutter seems not quite as quick as the old camera's . On the good side , it takes very good pictures . It's quite a bit lighter and smaller than my other Lumix , so it's easier to carry . The battery lasts ages , and when it has to be topped up , I love the new battery charger . Such an intelligent design with fold-out tines in the back of the cube ; no need for wires . Thank you , Panasonic , for the cable that attaches to the lens cap . Previously had to improvise my own . The camera takes good pictures without flash in less light than before . The longer lens is a joy . I like the shoot / review thumb switch instead of the old system of turning the wheel to the green arrow . I like that I can adjust the length of auto-review time . In fact , so many more of the functions can be customized that I've barely begun to explore their extent . I'm looking forward to experimenting .
• 033 4  I have always had an issue with point-and-shoot cameras after spending years using excellent SLRs from Canon and Pentax . The picture quality was always superior , and unlike digital point and shoots , they didn't break just by looking at them . Although I cannot vouch for how long this camera will last , it seems to be pretty well built . No unwanted vibrations and it is solid and pretty small . I had to find something that did more than the $100 - $200 shirt pocket type cameras , but something that my wife might still be willing to take with her to take pictures at a party or one of my kids sporting events or concerts . This camera definitely fits the bill . Although the 18X zoom is not as powerful as some of the others on the market , you can stretch it to 35X if you use only three megapixels . You'll still get a good picture for online or a 4x6 print with that . The camera also takes excellent HD videos with decent stereo sound . Its excellent autofocus tracking also helps keeping on your subject when taking video or burst shooting . The lag is pretty small too , so you don't have to guess where somebody is going to be when the shutter finally releases . If there is an issue with the camera , it is that there is no printed manual , and the manual could certainly be more informative . For example , nowhere does it state that you won't be able to take HD video using the in-camera memory ( you can actually get about a 1 - minute low-resolution video in its 50mb . Also , there are so many different functions , that a good manual would be very helpful , even for us guys who don't like taking directions or reading a manual . Some of the outstanding features include : AF tracking and focus lock , which allows the camera to track a particular subject . Multiple scene modes have the program adjust for different conditions ( back lighting , movement , candle light , bright sun etc ) . This is where a better manual would come in very handy . The camera can produce JPEG , raw or JPEG and raw files , so you can edit away if you like . Its red eye reduction is decent , but there is no in-camera red eye editing . Be aware that the HD movies can be created in two file types . JPEG is what most of the world uses , while the AVCHd allows longer movies , it is much harder to work with for editing and many programs cannot use it . Overall , this camera fits the bill . It is less expensive than many of its competitors , performs better , and matches or exceeds all in features and picture quality . Just get us a manual for our $320 !
• 036 4  It takes a while to get used to all the modes , but wow this is a great camera . Most cameras with this size zoom seem to suffer lower image quality , but not this beast . It seems that whatever situation I am in there is a mode to aid my shot . For example , I was at an aquarium and I saw these amazing jelly fish which I wanted to shoot . May I remind you that is all glass and dark inside . I made a few clicks in the menu and found airplane mode which is for taking shots out the window of a jet . I was not expecting anything special , but when I got my camera home I immediately downloaded them onto my computer and HOLY SH . . Amazing . I've also shot in snow , done action shots of my niece with bubbles , sunsets ( which I am entering in a competition via request of my family ) , and macro shots of flowers . The only time when I am a little disappointed is with indoor shots . The flash is almost too powerful and it creates a very white skin tone and large shadows . I will have to work on some other settings I guess . One other note , I am able to hook this camera up to my 40 LED TV . I invited some friends and family over to look at a slideshow I set up and they were blown away . This is actually the time they told me to enter some of my pics in a competition . They looked amazing even at that size , and the quality even surprised me . Many of my shots were done in what is called intelligent mode which is basically if you want everything automatic or point and click mode . This is by far the best auto mode I've experienced on any camera . My shots from Boston were all done in that mode and my fiance commented that some looked like they should be postcard . While in Boston there was this hawk sitting on a light post it was a beautiful photo-op . I zoomed in all the way , and snapped a few . Now you'd expect some loss of detail zoomed in at 18x , but there was none . They were crisp , bright and beautiful . In conclusion I love this camera . If you are even thinking about getting this the slightest bit , do it . You will be blown away by the ease of use and quality .
• 053 4  I love this camera . It's tiny ! I wish all professional-level cameras were this small . It's the perfect size ! Almost half the size of a Nikon F5 , and probably 1 / 3 the weight ! You can carry it for hours without feeling it at the end of the day . The problem with most cameras in this class and size is that their lenses are not sharp ; they don't have good contrast , they have noticeable distortion , chromatic aberration and light falloff at the edges . Cameras ( including this one ) will have these lens flaws to some varying degrees , and some flaws are small enough that it's acceptable . The Lumix DMC-FZ35 ' s image quality is excellent . It does not match a pro-level slr and lens , but it's good enough that a professional with his or her abilities could use this camera ( in a pinch ) and turn in very usable photographs . In fact , if you're good , don't tell anybody you used this camera and let them guess if the photo was made with this camera or a nikon or canon dslr . It'll be hard to tell ! The FZ - 35 comes with basic instruction booket , operating instruction on CD-ROM , Arcsoft Panoramamaker / Photofun Studio 4.0 / Silkypix CD-ROM , neck strap , lens hood , lens hood mounting ring , lens cap , a very nice compact battery charger ( no cord , hurrah ! ) , television cable hookup cords , USB2 cord , and one battery . The price is amazing , considering all of the features and accessories included ! And the battery consumption is the best I've seen . Handling ergonomics is perfect . . . the size is perfect . The viewfinder is not too small , as some have said . Number of shots with a Sandisk Extreme III 4 GB SDHC class 6 card on 12 megapixels and highest-quality JPEG setting = 587 . So with a 2 GB card , you'll get ~ 293 shots , depending on brand of card . The biggest capacity SD card you can use is only 2 GB . If you want to use an SD card bigger than 2 GB , then it has to be SDHC and class 6 . Don't skimp . . . buy the best memory card you can afford . The size of the camera is 4.6 inches wide , by 3.1 inches tall , and 4.3 inches front-to-back . Here's a neat trick : You want more zoom ? Dial it down to 8 , or 5 , or 3 , or even 2 megapixels , and see how much more zoom you get ! This is a very smart purchase , and I recommend it highly for all levels of use !
• 066 4  All the reviews are right , this camera is really nice . I could go on and say all the positive things others have already mentioned , but I'll just list some very minor negatives . 1 ) Sometimes the camera's auto white balance arbitrarily makes the pictures overly warm , which is fixable in many ways , but if you are just shooting along in iA mode , some of your pictures will come out orange-ish . I had the same issue with my FZ28 as well . 2 ) The flash must be deployed manually . In other words , if the camera's sensors detect / determine that a shot could use the flash , it can't automatically pop the flash up for you , you have to press the mechanical release button yourself . Some may not see this as an issue , but for me , if the shot will come out better with a flash , and I'm in intelligent auto mode , shouldn't it be smart enough and automatic enough to use the flash automatically ? 3 ) The battery life is good , but not amazing . You'll probably have enough juice in one battery to photo / video one , 2 to 3 hour event ( although not continuously ) . However , if you are going on a day-long tour or something , you'll need a spare battery for sure . ( By the way , the Lenmar DLP006 battery sold here on Amazon works great , I have 3 . . . no difference from the official battery as far as I can tell ) . 4 ) It's not a pocket camera in the slightest , nor is it trying to be one . . . but I thought I'd mention this to people considering this as their ONLY camera . If you think it's too bulky to lug-around with you and you leave it behind , you'll miss great photos . My wife always has a small L19 Nikon pocket camera in her purse for less formal / everyday events / impromptu shooting . PRO-TIP : One of the biggest tips I can give people when they try to use digital cameras to take quick pictures ( kids in motion , pets , sports , etc ) is to pre-focus . Holding down the shutter ( take the picture button ) half-way ( half-press ) a few seconds before the magic moment happens allows you to snap that picture off in a fraction of a second . What it does is the camera gathers all the focus and other info it needs in order to be automatic when you half-press . . . then , when you fully click it down it just records the light coming in the lens . It doesn't need to calculate / measure / determine , etc . . . so bottom line . . . Want to capture your kid in that split second they are laughing ? PRE-FOCUS WITH A HALF-PRESS a couple seconds before , then fully click it in that exact moment . . . that's the secret to getting fast , DSLR-like speed . FINAL WORD : Awesome camera . The above are super minor points that shouldn't really sway you away . p.s . In my opinion it would be nice if the next version of this camera ( FZ42 ? ) had a larger 3 LCD that articulated ( moved around on an arm ) , automatically deployed flash pop-up , automatic lens cap / cover , recorded 1080p video , uses standard AA-sized batteries ( NiMH , Li-Ion 14500 , Lithium primaries , and in a pinch , Alkalines ) instead of a proprietary battery ( although I'm glad they don't lock-out 3rd party batteries like they do with the ZS3 ) , a bit quicker to respond zoom ( it's a bit sluggish to get going on the FZ28 & 35 models , and I wouldn't mind if the camera was a bit less light-plasticy feeling ( although there's something to be said about the benefits of it being light ) , it just doesn't psychologically feel solid / hefty / quality , if you can pick up what I'm lay'in down . Oh , and if they could smooth out some of the Engrish in the menus , that would be a plus too . Panasonic , are you listening ?
• 074 4  This is my THIRD Lumix Superzoom camera in the series . I also have a full stable of Nikon equipment , having gone from Nikon film cameras to Nikon Digital . . . the last being the Nikon D5000 . I ordered my first Lumix because I did not want to drag a bag full of lenses around on a trip to Europe . That camera performed outstandingly well , taking photos of the ColdStream Guards at the change of guards at Buckingham Palace in crisp detail and even honing in on the tiles of the face of Big Ben . Sorry , among my hundreds of photos , shown to all my photo enthusiast friends , no one . . . not one single person , could tell the difference between the photos I took with that Superzoom and those taken with a Digital SLR . Now , having said that , when I got this new Lumix , I was rather concerned . It was . . . almost toylike in the tiny size and feather weight . I honestly was concerned that Panasonic had simply made the next camera in the series a shadow of their former cameras to keep price down or something . I am here to scream out . . . I was wrong . This camera is everything the others ever were . . and then some . I would have loved this camera to have a hot shoe and a tilt screen and I certainly hope Panasonic includes it in their next one , as they did the one prior to this . . . . but while waiting for my slave flash and bracket holder to arrive , I had to photograph an event , on a dim lit ( torches ) at night . I was easily 25 feet away , with nothing but that diminutive flash to help me . I thought all was lost . Next to me was a guy with a MONSTER lens Cannon digital and his MONSTER size flash . Gear must have been two feet long and weighed ten pounds . The poor fellow nearly lost his dentures when I was taking better shots . . . better LIT shots and MORE CLEAR action shots on that stage , then he was ! I will admit , I was SHOCKED myself , but there , clear for anyone to see , was the results . This camera was performing AMAZING things in dim light and with that tiny flash . Later , taking bright daylight photos , I was able to zoom in and get crystal clear shots of wildlife and architecture at long , long distances with the aid of that power stabilizer . I had tried out the SuperZoom cameras from Nikon and Fuji , but was not impressed with photo quality or how slow they were to lock into focus . This camera is FAST , in both departments . This is one potent little camera , and I am going to love taking it to Europe again this summer and again , not having to drag a bag full of lenses . I think my Nikon is going to be catching a lot of closet dust this year . Meanwhile , I did try the video mode too and while I did not do any long filming , the video I did take was crisp , colors were great and the sound was pretty good too , for outside . I am still taking a new digital HD camcorder with me for the trip , so this camera will be for stills , but it is nice to know that I have a good backup video unit , which CAN zoom during filming . . a super nice option . Overall , if you are taking a trip and want an all in one camera , with light weight , tons of manual options and capable of superb shots in any light . . . then this is the camera for you .
• 079 4  The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 is a super camera ! I wanted to get my own camera for a long time and I was confused between a lot of mega-zoom cameras . I initially started out looking at the Canon SX200 IS . It is a nice camera with 12x Optical zoom , but the only and biggest drawback is that it doesn't let us use that super zoom while recording video ! I mean what camera does that ? I was suggested the Panasonic range of cameras by most of my friends and I started researching them . Now Panasonic is not usually perceived as a camera making company , but believe me , I was taken aback at their amazing range of cameras . I was then confused between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 ( TZ7 ) and the FZ35 . While the FZ35 is a mega-zoom camera with a large body , the ZS3 is all the goodness of the FZ35 in a compact form factor ( with a 12X optical zoom instead of 18x in the FZ35 ) . I was torn between a small size , portability , and sleek looks versus extra features , bigger zoom , and larger body . In the end I wanted a camera which will help me learn about cameras and photography and let me grow with it . I wanted to be able to play around with the settings and decide for myself what suits me best . In that way , the ZS3 is very limited . True , it has great features and good hardware , but it relies heavily upon its iA ( Intelligent Auto ) mode for photography . While it was good for me to start with Auto mode , I wanted to experiment with the camera and that was possible only with the FZ35 . I made a good decision in hindsight . I am very happy with this camera . It shoots superb scenery mode pictures , and its macro shots are worthy of praise every time . I am having so much fun with all the settings , experimenting to my heart's content and taking superbly clear pictures every time . I mean if a silly beginner like me can take such amazing pictures , then it has to be Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 .
• 081 4  After read many reviews about this camera and see the pictures taken with it I chose to buy it and now after more than 300 pictures I can say that I'm vey happy with the camera and accesories . The lens cap is very good and I use it all the time for protection of the lens . The only thing that you should have present is that you should remove it before to start the camera to avoid hit the lens , but it's not a really problem because the camera is programed to retract the lens if it find any obstacle . The belt is good though not excellent because is a little thin but it make very good its function . The weight of the camera is very good and is like if you were using a little camera not a DSLR , this could be a problem to some people but for me is a very good point . The picture quality is very good and the most important thing is that if you are not happy with the result you can set up parameters like saturation , sharp or contrast and get the quality picture in the way you wish In my experience the camera tends to underexpose a little the pictures and the brightness of the LCD is a little high than the reality but these details it's possible to adjust them with a little more EV and decreasing the brightness of the LCD in the setup . It's neccesary some experimentation with the camera to adjust it to the right condition for you but it's not a difficult thing . The programed modes of the camera are very good and they have functioned very good when I have used . I have used specially the aperture priority and the portrait modes with very good results . In every single picture that I have taken I have used the help of the histogram and this has been a execellent way to guarantee very good pictures . The video has two formats , one is called AVCHD Lite and the other is in quick time format ( . mov ) both of it function very good , but to upload videos to youtube is more practical to use the . mov format . The quality is very good for my expectations and it has been very practical in the travels and events . The time of life of the battery is good and I think is indispensable a battery spare , I used Lenmar DLP006 Digital Camera Equivalent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A , CGR-S006A / 1B , CGR-S006E Batteries and is a very good battery . For the memory card I use Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6 and it functions very good . The case that I use is Case Logic DCB - 66 High Zoom Camera Case ( BLUE ) and though is not the most large case that you can find I can put in it : the camera , the spare battery , the original battery , the USB cable , the memory card and the lens hood . After to read so many reviews and use the camera for some months I can say that this is the best point and shoot in the market today and if one learn to use it in the right way the picture quality could be similar to a DSLR though not the same and this is important to remember .
• 084 4  After checking out some of the latest and greatest ' Super Zooms ' and their 20X + zoom lenses , I decided to stick with a proven performer in the DMC-FZ35 . I'm glad I did . Reviews of the new models by Fuji and Nikon have been mixed at best , and the sample pictures provided were not impressive . My experience so far with the FZ35 pretty much agrees with the mostly positive reviews here and on the popular camera sites . The FZ35 does everything I want , and does it well . While the zoom lens is not the longest out there , it performs better than most super zooms due to Panasonic's superior ' Power Optical Image Stabilization ' , and high quality Leica Lens . The lens is threaded so you can easily add filters if you like . The camera is loaded with features . Its ' Intelligent Auto ' mode is the best automatic mode I've ever used in a point and shoot camera . If you like use your own setting , that is possible too , including a full manual mode . The most important feature of the camera is that it takes very good pictures under almost all circumstances . The video quality is above average too . If I had to knock anything on the picture quality is that the pictures do have some noise on the shadow areas , even on low ISO settings . This only becomes obvious if you ' pixel peep ' though . Also , all around noise becomes more apparent at ISO above 200 . This is not a big issue to me . The camera does have adjustable noise reduction though . All in all , I'm loving the FZ35 . It takes above average pictures , has a great 18x zoom lens , and is priced right . As long as you don't expect DSLR quality pictures ( NO super zoom point and shoot with a small sensor is going to produce these ) , the FZ35 is highly recommended . Pros : Very good results under most conditions . High quality Leica Lens . Best Image Stabilization in this category . Great ' Intelligent Automatic ' Mode . Lightweight . Manual Controls . ' RAW ' Mode . Above average battery life . Above average video quality . Cons : Shadow Noise even at low ISO . ' Noise ' at ISO 400 and above is more than average . Proprietary USB cable .
• 118 4  I bought my camera in early January 2010 . I wanted a camera that was easy to transport and use and had a longer range zoom . I didn't want to have to haul around a bunch of lenses , but wanted more capabilities than the smaller point-and-shoots provide . The Lumix DMC-FZ35 has fulfilled my wishes to the max . I won't reiterate what everyone has already said . I agree . . . I LOVE this camera . Its auto intelligence mode is photographically smarter than I am , and truly seems to have an inner sense of what is needed to produce top quality photos . I am certainly not a professional photographer . I just want to be able to easily take artistic pictures . This camera meets and exceeds my expectations . The colors are vivid and true . The photos are sharp and clear . The performance in low light is outstanding . In my opinion , it far surpasses my Canon point-and-shoot in all of these categories . ( I have never been happy with my Canon's color and low light performance ) The video capability is fun to have and super easy to use . Quality is adequate for on the fly video . I have a MAC so working with the video clips is not an issue . Drawbacks ? Yes , it may have been nice to have the swivel viewfinder , but I can live without it . It may have been nice if the camera used AA batteries , however , the lithium ion is quite light-weight and has so far provided me with more than adequate battery life . I bought an extra battery . My needs are met . I did not think the lack of a printed user manual would be an issue . IT IS ! This is the only thing I would change . I really would like to have a printed user manual , however , at 215 pages ( and however many languages it has to be done in ) I can understand why there is not one . Save some trees . . . . So . . . the long and short ? Love the camera . Dislike no printed user manual . You can't beat this camera for the money .
• 121 4  I bought this camera on dec 23rd and it shipped me on very next day . Camera is extremely light weight compared to other in its league like Canon SX series . Before deciding it I went to best buy to test Nikon's 24x zoom and Cacon SX20 is . Both are good but I found better images and fast shutter speed with lumix FZ35 . I had Canon SX100 and was satisfied with its pics but this is more more better when you are taking moving pics in a definite frame / sec . Especially when you are taking breath taking pics of Shamu ( Killer Whale ) which jump is spur of second . Use it you will feel the difference . . !
• 133 4  I bought this camera about a month ago and have used it almost daily . Thanks to the leica lens , the resolution is beyond my expectations . If you compare images from other super zoom cameras I think you'll find the Lumix images are clearer than others even with a more powerful optical zoom . My nature pictures are unbelievable . The resolution is so good I've found an unintended use for my Lumix . I am an avid birdwatcher that has often been frustrated by not being able to identify distant warblers . Now I take several photos , and due to the high resolution I can blow the image up in camera using the trimming function ( note you can use this to enlarge your enlarged image ) or later on my computer I enlarge the image until I can identify the bird . Sometimes an image that has been enlarged MANY , many times is not photographic quality , but good enough to identify the bird .
• 150 4  OK , I , too agonized between this and the Canon SX20 . Read all the review for both , but only got to check out the SX20 in person at a local store . ( No local stores carried the Panasonic FX35 , including the big guys ) . The movable LCD display on the SX20 seemed very handy , but the overall weight , balance and grip ( with the 4 AA batteries inside ) just didn't feel right in my hands . Maybe my fingers were just the wrong length for the shape of the grip . The video reviews for both cameras were helpful , but to me , the proof is in the holding . My girlfriend has a lower model Lumix which I like for it's large display , straight-forward menus , and great pictures . To shorten the story , I ended up ordering the FX35 without ever toughing one ahead of time . I've only had it a few days , now , but it just feels right in my hands . . . . . light weight , good balance , and perfect grip . And with the Case Logic DCB - 66 case , I can carry this camera ( and accessories ) on my belt . So read all the reviews , but , if you can , hold each camera in your hands before making your choice .
• 159 4  For the end-user with a new camera , some of the following might suggest results could be improved after thorough experimentation with settings . I am not trying to compare this to my previous camera , but rather note similarities in picture quality and movie quality without much use of manual controls , for instance . Performance and extensive set of controls is why I am rating this camera five stars , not four as I had originally . Any cons given are minor features that would have been nice , but given its price , Panasonic was very generous with this model , and every other camera I compared it to just didn't cut it for me . I purchased the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 because my previous DMC-ZS3 stopped working after a bad fall two months ago . This new camera is not a compact , looks like DSLR but can't be mistaken for it ( lightweight , most obviously doesn't take SLR lenses , and quality far from it ) , and very good but not great . Here are the pros and cons ( all I say here is the photo and movie quality is the same as the ZS3 , which is disappointing compared to the photos samples on a site such as Photography Blog , but I might not be using the correct settings ) . Honestly , in my experience , I would give this camera four stars , mainly because ( with any given camera in its price range / specifications ) , flash is weak ( not listed in cons ) , and photos often aren't consistent even after the same shot . On to the rest of the review . . . Ease of use : Five stars - - user-friendly and many different settings , very fast performance Picture quality : Four stars - - very good in decent lighting but poor in low-light / higher ISO , but RAW will help somewhat Battery life : Five stars - - haven't measured it but given daily usage between movies and photos , about a week before recharge necessary Durability : Five stars - - very well-constructed , comfortable , and lightweight compared to some cameras its size ( possibly thanks to plastic ) Macro function : Four stars - - sometimes might not focus well but it depends on lighting conditions and the settings used for the subject Pros : 18 X zoom is excellent for close shots , but consider zooming slowly and in decent lighting conditions or it won't focus well Average photo quality for a camera in its price range ( low-light performance is near-average , expected given its CCD sensor size ) Excellent HD movie quality in ample light ( see cons for the same drawback as the DMC-ZS3 ) Image stabilization is ( at least ) average and works better than some cameras in its price range Zoom noise not evident ( or barely audible ) while shooting movies , unlike most cameras capable for this function , very good stereo sound RAW support ( but two cons with this format ) Very fast performance ( as fast as some DSLR cameras in ample light - - fraction of a second in ample light , about 2 seconds in low-light ) Formats high-capacity card ( 8 GB ) in two seconds ( much faster than other cameras I have used ) Accepts lens filters ( not included ) , lens hood ( included ) , and snug lens cap , similar to those found on a camcorder Camera is lightweight and some people might think you are carrying a DSLR look-alike ( design may resemble DSLR , but you know it's not ! ) Perhaps as close to DSLR performance and appearance you can get ( somewhat redundant to the above , but does it really matter to you ? ) Battery life is excellent ( or average - - much larger battery pack compared to the relatively small battery pack used in compact cameras ) You can use generic or other brands of spare battery ( TechFuel by Batteryheads an excellent choice , and inexpensive ) Cons : Can't record voice memos ( you can on Samsung HZ25W , Canon's PowerShot SX20 without record voice memos as was featured on SX10 ) , which is quite odd Can't take pictures while shooting movies ( some cameras and most camcorders can do this , but will interrupt the movie clip some seconds ) Face detection seems a little below par ( often achieved slightly better results with the DMC-ZS3 , mainly a tad less noisy on faces ) Doesn't feature blink and smile detection that some newer cameras offer ( such as Samsung and Sony ) Movies recorded in AVCHD Lite look severely compressed in low-light regardless of quality setting - - use the MOV ( motion JPEG ) instead AVCHD Lite works best in good lighting conditions , but I am guessing to reduce the level of noise in low-light , compression artifacts RAW format is R2W extension , most programs like Photoshop don't support it ( unsure about CS4 - - I have CS3 ) , and slightly better over JPEG Lens filters seem to have green bubbles when a very bright subject is in the field ( especially the sun ) , perhaps common reflection issue Use of inexpensive lens filters that aren't multi-coated , such as UV filter , appear in my eye to give only 5% reduction in bluish tint No fluorescent light mode ( can improve indoor lighting issue ) , slight vignetting , slight green / purple fringing , and poor high ISO quality However , in some cases , higher ISO looks decent enough for small prints ( a little better overall compared to the DMC-ZS3 ) Can't take multiple shots ( fps mode ) in high-resolution ; same for some other Scene modes can only be taken in 3 , 2.5 , and 2 MP resolution Some settings in other modes ( such as Intelligent ISO , Picture Adjustments , etc . ) resets to default when dial changed or camera turned off I think this camera is very good , but not excellent . For $350 or so , this was a great purchase with many different settings , modes , and overall average quality for movies and photos , depending on what you want to achieve . Not much different from the DMC-ZS3 , and that camera I really liked because it was compact , but the advantage with the DMC-FZ35 , and all camera that aren't compact , you don't have to worry as much about dropping it as long as you have it around your neck with the shoulder strap . It won't be pocketable , but you wouldn't want to anyway if you carry lens filters and other accessories . Between a lightweight fixed-lens camera and a heavy DSLR with point-and-shoot speediness , you have the best of both worlds . I haven't used the software and don't intend to try it - - all I do is move the files off the card to the Mac . Highly recommended product ! If anyone has any suggestions on how to achieve better results , please let me know . I haven't used the camera for very long , but just long enough to write my review as promised ( read my review on the DMC-ZS3 , if you haven't already done so ) . The lens filter I bought with this is the Tiffen ( the basic $8 or so type ) and TechFuel spare battery . They work great , given any limitations provided . Make sure you have the appropriate bag to tote this wonderful piece of equipment around . Tamrac is an excellent choice - - my father uses that brand , and I have a little one that will fit this Panasonic just fine . Of course , this camera isn't waterproof , but the lens filter and lens hood might protect it better if you are using it on a day with light mist or light snowfall . If the UV lens filter doesn't cut down on the bluish tint , set the dial to SCN and the Snow Scene mode will probably work better . Generally , you want to purchase the appropriate filter for what you are doing . Maybe spend a little more for a ( better-quality and better-coated ) Hoya lens filter . The UV lens filter doesn't seem to cut it for me , but that was my mistake . Good luck ! Any feedback is welcome ! I am planning to keep my broken DMC-ZS3 if I ever want it fixed . In fact , if you have the DMC-ZS3 , you will really like the DMC-FZ35 . They complement ( and compliment ) each other ! For example , use the DMC-ZS3 at an amusement park where safety and portability matter most ; use the DMC-FZ35 on a hike or in the mountains where accessibility and accessories matter most . Of course , you can use either on a tripod , and the screw-hole where the tripod mounts made of metal , whereas plastic it could fracture easily . One last question - - can you use MultiMedia cards in the DMC-FZ35 as you can in the DMC-ZS3 ? ( I don't use MultiMedia , and so perhaps this question isn't practical for me , but what if someone else uses them and wants to know ? )
• 163 4  I bought this camera for my sister when they were visiting us from abroad . My borther-in-law took a lot of pictures with this camera on trips to Niagara Falls , Grand Canyon , Las Vegas and NYC . My overall impression of this camera is very good . The quality of the pictures taken was great . Some of the zoom pictures taken at Niagara were very good and without any noise . The bright colors of Vegas ( day and night ) were captured beautifully . The only comment I have is the I felt the pictures are exposed slightly on the over side . The colors and clarity was good but it was bit uncomfortable to the eye when looking at these pictures . If I were to buy a zoom camera in this price range , I'd go for Panasonic again .
• 192 4  This camera really is AMAZING . I did my research for hours on end and finally ended up buying this product . I was looking for something a little better than your standard point and shoot , but not as high-tech as an SLR . For your average user , you will get amazing pictures . There are so many features to this camera that even I haven't figured out yet , but I am amazed at quality of the pictures just on the auto mode . I have had the camera for about a month now and I am so happy that I bought it . Buy this . . . you wont be dissapointed .
• 200 4  This camera is everything I expected . I researched , read reviews , and went to several camera stores looking at many models . I wanted a camera for travel , w / an extended telephoto lens , without the expense of a dslr . This camera works very well for a neophyte like me . Zoom works very well , photos ( 300 in 2 weeks ) are great , and the video function works very well . My son , who has never handled a digital camera took 100 shots at a wedding , 95 of them came out perfectly , the missed photos were user error . This camera is easy to use , and takes great photos using the factory settings . The only negative so far is the owner's manual , which is on a cd , so printing it would require 200 pages , there ought to be something easier than this . That being said , I would not hesitate to recommend this camera to anyone , it is that good .
• 206 4  I was looking for a nice camera that I could take with me wherever I went . DSLR cameras are too pricey for me and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking it to a beach or throwing in my backpack when hiking . Point-and-shoots are nice and all , but I wanted something a little more versatile . Enter the FZ35 . The overall image quality is great . The 18X optical zoom ( no digital zoom nonsense here ) is wonderful . Even if you don't have a tripod , the image stabilization allows you to take markedly good zoomed photos . And speaking of tripods . . . metal screw mount , not plastic ! The 720p HD video recording is a nice feature to have and works very well . An 8GB SDHC card ( purchased separately ) will record 60 minutes of AVCHD Lite 720p video . The camera itself is solid with a good weight to it . I don't feel like I'm holding a cheap piece of plastic . I do have a couple of complaints , but nothing too horrible . When taking pictures under fluorescent lighting , anything brown seems to take on some green highlights ( e.g . cardboard , wood , etc . ) I'm not sure if this is common among digital cameras , the FZ35 in particular , or my unit alone , but it's annoying . That being said , it's usually an easy fix in whatever photo editing software you may have . The AVCHD Lite codec support seems a bit light right now . This isn't a fault of the camera , and the codec itself is amazing in what it can cram into a relatively small amount of space , but as far as Mac OS X is concerned , well , it's tedious . iMovie will import the video , but it has to convert it to AIC format first , which can take some time . The AIC files are HUGE compared to the AVCHD videos , so make sure you've got some extra hard drive space . These AIC files can then be further compressed with iMovie or Quicktime , but this too takes time , so like I said , it's tedious . My only other complaint is more or less an annoyance . The camera can be hooked up to a TV via HDMI ( Yay ! ) , but it does not come with the cable ( Boo ! ) . Luckily , you can pick up an HDMI to mini-HDMI cable on Amazon for less than $10 . It's obvious these things are cheap ( don't tell me Panasonic can't get a deal better than I did ) , so they might as well include it . Overall , this a great camera that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for more than a point-and-shoot , but for whatever reason , isn't wanting to go the DSLR route .
• 208 4  This is a very durable and light weight camera . I love this thing , I am selling my DSLR camera because this thing has better zoom , since its a point and shoot , there are less settings to worry about . Its a bit smaller than a DSLR and the form factor is a plus for holding . I simply cannot hold the slim cameras available nowadays properly . This has a thread in the front for filters and other such things . The built feels strong ( no flimsy plastic ) but would probably break if dropped [ I guess no camera would survive a fall ] . It has image stabilizing sensor but no shock sensor .
• 264 4  Would have been 5 stars , but I have to subtract 1 star for the following . . . The BAD : : * Pop-Up flash could be a little smoother and not so jerky , but apparently this is the norm ( as I tried , locally , a Pentax K-X and it was just the same jerkiness ) , * the viewfinder is useless . . . when in EVF mode , it's like a bad movie version of the LCD ( my old Nikon CP 4300 was off in aspect ratio w / the viewfinder , but at least you saw real life through the window ) , * AWFUL over saturation , * softness ( lack of sharpness ) , * LOTS of noise , * AWFUL yellow spots over the noise ( probably not the highest quality CCD ) , * low light is the worst ( though others say it is great ) , * no hot shoe ( be in good light or buy a cheap slave flash specifically for a digital camera ) , * I do not care if the manual is on CD , but others might if they have never used a digital camera before . The GOOD : : * Lots of features , * a good buy for the money , * fun to use , * light weight , * easy to use , * small learning curve if previously owned a digital camera , * inexpensive accessories ( like fun lenses & filters ) can be purchased , not just the Panasonic ones , * love the PET scene & MACRO , * great macro ( but I think my old 4 MP Nikon Coolpix 4300 was better there ) , * feels good in my hand / s ( I can get some great shots one handed w / no tripod ~ except low light ) , * great video , * really nice smooth zoom operation , * controls are easy to operate ( I do have small , but arthritic hands ) , * the LCD is crisp and clear , * fantastic zoom , * easy to change the battery ( which has a long life ) , * easy to change SDHC memory card , * has a tripod mounting hole , * very fast to save images to card ( I highly encourage the use of a SanDisk Extreme III , class 6 card ) , * using the USB from camera to CPU is the FASTEST way to transfer images ( I also recommend Album Starter to encourage this process ~ I believe it's now included in Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 and beyond ) I've had the FZ35 since the beginning of December ( 600 + shots already ) . . . I'm sure I'll find more things to like about the camera as I continue to use it . Overall , VERY HAPPY ! !


• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) For the end-user with a new camera , some of the following might suggest results could be improved after thorough experimentation with settings . I am not trying to compare this to my previous camera , but rather note similarities in picture quality and movie quality without much use of manual controls , for instance . Performance and extensive set of controls is why I am rating this camera five stars , not four as I had originally . Any cons given are minor features that would have been nice , but given its price , Panasonic was very generous with this model , and every other camera I compared it to just didn't cut it for me . I purchased the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 because my previous DMC-ZS3 stopped working after a bad fall two months ago . This new camera is not a compact , looks like DSLR but can't be mistaken for it ( lightweight , most obviously doesn't take SLR lenses , and quality far from it ) , and very good but not great . Here are the pros and cons ( all I say here is the photo and movie quality is the same as the ZS3 , which is disappointing compared to the photos samples on a site such as Photography Blog , but I might not be using the correct settings ) . Honestly , in my experience , I would give this camera four stars , mainly because ( with any given camera in its price range / specifications ) , flash is weak ( not listed in cons ) , and photos often aren't consistent even after the same shot . On to the rest of the review . . . Ease of use : Five stars - - user-friendly and many different settings , very fast performance Picture quality : Four stars - - very good in decent lighting but poor in low-light / higher ISO , but RAW will help somewhat Battery life : Five stars - - haven't measured it but given daily usage between movies and photos , about a week before recharge necessary Durability : Five stars - - very well-constructed , comfortable , and lightweight compared to some cameras its size ( possibly thanks to plastic ) Macro function : Four stars - - sometimes might not focus well but it depends on lighting conditions and the settings used for the subject Pros : 18 X zoom is excellent for close shots , but consider zooming slowly and in decent lighting conditions or it won't focus well Average photo quality for a camera in its price range ( low-light performance is near-average , expected given its CCD sensor size ) Excellent HD movie quality in ample light ( see cons for the same drawback as the DMC-ZS3 ) Image stabilization is ( at least ) average and works better than some cameras in its price range Zoom noise not evident ( or barely audible ) while shooting movies , unlike most cameras capable for this function , very good stereo sound RAW support ( but two cons with this format ) Very fast performance ( as fast as some DSLR cameras in ample light - - fraction of a second in ample light , about 2 seconds in low-light ) Formats high-capacity card ( 8 GB ) in two seconds ( much faster than other cameras I have used ) Accepts lens filters ( not included ) , lens hood ( included ) , and snug lens cap , similar to those found on a camcorder Camera is lightweight and some people might think you are carrying a DSLR look-alike ( design may resemble DSLR , but you know it's not ! ) Perhaps as close to DSLR performance and appearance you can get ( somewhat redundant to the above , but does it really matter to you ? ) Battery life is excellent ( or average - - much larger battery pack compared to the relatively small battery pack used in compact cameras ) You can use generic or other brands of spare battery ( TechFuel by Batteryheads an excellent choice , and inexpensive ) Cons : Can't record voice memos ( you can on Samsung HZ25W , Canon's PowerShot SX20 without record voice memos as was featured on SX10 ) , which is quite odd Can't take pictures while shooting movies ( some cameras and most camcorders can do this , but will interrupt the movie clip some seconds ) Face detection seems a little below par ( often achieved slightly better results with the DMC-ZS3 , mainly a tad less noisy on faces ) Doesn't feature blink and smile detection that some newer cameras offer ( such as Samsung and Sony ) Movies recorded in AVCHD Lite look severely compressed in low-light regardless of quality setting - - use the MOV ( motion JPEG ) instead AVCHD Lite works best in good lighting conditions , but I am guessing to reduce the level of noise in low-light , compression artifacts RAW format is R2W extension , most programs like Photoshop don't support it ( unsure about CS4 - - I have CS3 ) , and slightly better over JPEG Lens filters seem to have green bubbles when a very bright subject is in the field ( especially the sun ) , perhaps common reflection issue Use of inexpensive lens filters that aren't multi-coated , such as UV filter , appear in my eye to give only 5% reduction in bluish tint No fluorescent light mode ( can improve indoor lighting issue ) , slight vignetting , slight green / purple fringing , and poor high ISO quality However , in some cases , higher ISO looks decent enough for small prints ( a little better overall compared to the DMC-ZS3 ) Can't take multiple shots ( fps mode ) in high-resolution ; same for some other Scene modes can only be taken in 3 , 2.5 , and 2 MP resolution Some settings in other modes ( such as Intelligent ISO , Picture Adjustments , etc . ) resets to default when dial changed or camera turned off I think this camera is very good , but not excellent . For $350 or so , this was a great purchase with many different settings , modes , and overall average quality for movies and photos , depending on what you want to achieve . Not much different from the DMC-ZS3 , and that camera I really liked because it was compact , but the advantage with the DMC-FZ35 , and all camera that aren't compact , you don't have to worry as much about dropping it as long as you have it around your neck with the shoulder strap . It won't be pocketable , but you wouldn't want to anyway if you carry lens filters and other accessories . Between a lightweight fixed-lens camera and a heavy DSLR with point-and-shoot speediness , you have the best of both worlds . I haven't used the software and don't intend to try it - - all I do is move the files off the card to the Mac . Highly recommended product ! If anyone has any suggestions on how to achieve better results , please let me know . I haven't used the camera for very long , but just long enough to write my review as promised ( read my review on the DMC-ZS3 , if you haven't already done so ) . The lens filter I bought with this is the Tiffen ( the basic $8 or so type ) and TechFuel spare battery . They work great , given any limitations provided . Make sure you have the appropriate bag to tote this wonderful piece of equipment around . Tamrac is an excellent choice - - my father uses that brand , and I have a little one that will fit this Panasonic just fine . Of course , this camera isn't waterproof , but the lens filter and lens hood might protect it better if you are using it on a day with light mist or light snowfall . If the UV lens filter doesn't cut down on the bluish tint , set the dial to SCN and the Snow Scene mode will probably work better . Generally , you want to purchase the appropriate filter for what you are doing . Maybe spend a little more for a ( better-quality and better-coated ) Hoya lens filter . The UV lens filter doesn't seem to cut it for me , but that was my mistake . Good luck ! Any feedback is welcome ! I am planning to keep my broken DMC-ZS3 if I ever want it fixed . In fact , if you have the DMC-ZS3 , you will really like the DMC-FZ35 . They complement ( and compliment ) each other ! For example , use the DMC-ZS3 at an amusement park where safety and portability matter most ; use the DMC-FZ35 on a hike or in the mountains where accessibility and accessories matter most . Of course , you can use either on a tripod , and the screw-hole where the tripod mounts made of metal , whereas plastic it could fracture easily . One last question - - can you use MultiMedia cards in the DMC-FZ35 as you can in the DMC-ZS3 ? ( I don't use MultiMedia , and so perhaps this question isn't practical for me , but what if someone else uses them and wants to know ? )
• 001 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) As a serious amateur , I've been fortunate enough to own a number of point and shoots including Panasonic , Fuji , several Nikon's , & a couple of Canon's . All have had their strong points and I'm not a brand loyalist by any means , but after a couple of weeks , I must say I absolutely love this camera . My first impressions were ones of pleasant shock . The camera seemed smaller than in the pictures and if it seemed smaller , it seemed doubly more so in terms of weight . Compared to my SLR this thing is an absolute lightweight but very well built and certainly heavier than the smaller ' in your pocket ' point and shoots . A great balance . . . although I wouldn't want to drop it . Some strategically placed silicone on the housing would make this a bit more rugged without much if any impact on cost . Powerup is about as fast as you can bring the camera up to your face - amongst the best of the point and shoots . Controls are easy to use and I like the mini joystick for making on the fly adjustments in manual and scene modes . The menus are fairly well laid out although some items I had to resort to the manual to find their location for the first time . The iA or Intelligent Auto function gave consistently above par picture quality , although I was always able to tweak it better myself ( this could have been as much preference as anything ) . The AVCHD and HD movies worked absolutely flawless with my Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [ Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging ] . ( NOTE : Make sure you lowlevel format these SDHC cards a COUPLE of times BEFORE first use ) . I do wish that you could use the normal shutter release instead of the dedicated movie button on the back face when in movie mode . I kept forgetting and tried to stop the movies using the shutter button instead of the record button . Minor nuisance , but will be overcome as I get my brain wrapped around the change in button locations . The battery worked well past 300 stills and about 35 clips , so I am very pleased with it with the LCD display being used for most of the shots . I purchase another spare battery ; Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera / Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery , also available here at Amazon , and it appears to be working about as well as the original Panasonic ( a great buy ) . The EVF or Electronic View Finder was very handy , although most of the overlaid information is very hard to distinguish in the small EVF . I CAN'T BELIEVE PANASONIC DIDN'T INCLUDE A RUBBER BOOT FOR THE EVF ! Please someone , anyone , make it as an accessory . The EZ or Extra Zoom function is quite handy . Using this feature , you can shoot at lower resolutions and get more effective zooming power out of the camera . . . over 30x and it works very well . The LCD screen is clear and crisp , but its performance in high ambient light is about average . Thank goodness for the electronic view finder mentioned above . Image stabilization is the absolute best amongst my camera collection and is especially noticeable in low light and full zoom . I was pleasantly surprised how well I could take indoor pictures at night with a simple tweak of the exposure . Far better than any of my other point and shoots , although nowhere near my SLR . The standard 3picture burst mode was fairly standard and unimpressive , but the 10pics per second for speed priority and 6 pics per second in image priority burst mode worked well for catching difficult shots like geese landing on the water and children jumping out of swings , but I still wish the resolution and picture quality was better in these modes . Still , for a point and shoot , it's ability to catch the fast action is at the top of it's class . The lens cap interferes with zoom , but the camera will kindly remind you that you have left it on with a 17,000 volt discharge . . . just kidding . . . it will tell you on the LCD screen . LIKES : Ease of use , picture quality , zoom and extra zoom , HD movie , lightweight , stop action . BEST Point and Shoot I've ever owned ! ! ! DISLIKES : ( all minor ) No eyepiece boot for EVF , lens cap interferes with zoom , tripod mount interferes with battery / memory door when in use . Only 10 sec . max on the built in timer .
• 003 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I previously purchased the Canon SX20is and used 2 weeks . I found the images just a bit too soft for my taste . Too bad because all other facets of the camera was great . But , to me image quality is everything . If it can't produce a crisp image , I don't want it . Perhaps I was spoiled by the excellent SX10is I was switching from . Desperate for an inexpensive Hi Def video camera for a client project , I decided to give the dual Panasonic FZ35 a try . I had used a Panasonic LX2 for several years and liked it , so I figured why not even though Panasonic is not a manufacturer one would normally think of first for a high quality still camera . So far , I have been pleasantly surprised ! What I like about the FZ35 : 1 . The super sharp Leica lens ! Having 18x zoom in such a small package . ( Sharper than SX20is ) 2 . Metal tripod mount 3 . VERY Reasonable price for all the features included . Seems a bargain to me . 4 . The fact you also get very nice HD video in one package is a bonus . 5 . Excellent macro mode . If you like macrophotography you'll like this camera . 6 . Relatively simple controls / interface once familiar . ( You do have to read the manual ) 7 . Has 46mm filter threads for add ons . 8 . Full time battery indicator . 9 . Optional wide angle and telephoto lenses are available if desired . 10 Better than most image stabilization system . 11 . Many focus & exposure options . What I'm not so crazy about : 1 . Buttons & switches are quite small and seem rather delicate . 2 . Manual as PDF ( what a pain ) . I'll take mine paper , thank you . You might as well print it out right away . You're gonna need it ! 3 . Smallish Electronic ViewFinder ( Not just this one either . They all leave me wanting . ) 4 . Construction and light weight give a slight feeling of cheapness . 5 . Proprietary Panasonic battery . 6 . Location of media card in battery compartment . Is it perfect ? Nope . Are any of them ? Even the $5,000 ones ? What do I miss most when switching from my NIKON ? That bright , super clear viewfinder . Will it clip highlights ? Sure , if you don't set it up right . They all do . High dynamic range is not usually a feature on most consumer cameras . Can it take a sharp picture ? You Bet ! In macro especially , you'll love the clarity of the image . Newbies purchasing this . . . make no mistake , this is a complex little piece of gear . Sure , you can use it on intelligent AUTO if you want , but what a waste . You have to LEARN this camera to get the most out of it . And don't expect to learn it in a day or even a week . Used properly it will yield beautiful , sharp images . Buy it and shoot , shoot , shoot and you'll get the hang of it . Why not ? The film is cheap ! By the way , purchase a Class 6 SD card right away . That way if you want to play with the HD movie function you can . Some cheap SD cards can't write fast enough for HD video use . If you have a hi def TV you'll love it . Beware though , HD video files get HUGE fast ! Uploads to YouTube ( or anywhere else ) can take quite awhile . A 1 minute , 36 sec . clip equals 491 MB and over 4 hrs to upload via DSL . If you get serious about HD video , or enjoy doing critical focus photography , PLEASE , buy a decent tripod and USE it . Camera movement is the main enemy of sharpness . At the low ISO settings required to get the most out of these small sensors , keeping the camera still is extremely important . Don't expect stabilization systems to entirely solve jitter problems at very low shutter speeds ! High end users take note : In the Custom controls there is an separate adjustment for contrast , saturation , noise reduction and sharpness . YEA ! Somebody is listening . Nov . 5 , 2009 . I've made nearly 1000 shots with this camera and I'm impressed and still very happy with it .
• 009 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This purchase is a replacement for the Lumix FZ18 which was also a fine camera . I find the fz35 to be a great point and shoot super zoom . I shoot one-handed often so a regular DLSR is not really useful to me . The fz35 is very easy to use one handed , all the controls are very convenient ( if you are right handed that is ) . It has a remarkable lens and produces a great picture . The only drawback I can find to this camera is its somewhat poor low light / high iso capabilities . I personally find anything above 200 iso to be unacceptable , the grain is very noticeable . It is programmable to limit the iso to various ranges and when shooting between 80 and 180 iso , the images are exceptional . The autofocus is quick and manual mode is very flexible . Overall I am very happy with this camera .
• 011 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Let's just say that I'm not what you'd call an ' early adopter ' . But the FZ35 was something I just could not resist ! I'd been eyeing the FZ28 for a while , but stalled , when I heard about video shooting capabilities . I'm not disappointed . I've not given put it a thorough test yet , but the few shots that I've taken , appear crystal clear . The Video option is a snap ! I was worried if the recording to the media would be an issue - Panasonic has done a neat job - there is very little lag recording the recording onto an SDHC . ( There won't be an issue , I think , when recording your child's violin school concert - you could break it into individual pieces and upload to Youtube , for the world to enjoy ; ) ) . The Macro features are great . The Zoom - - Ah . true and the best feature of all is closing in in video recording mode . Sweeet ! All in all , I'm a happy camper . Panasonic has a winner here . Last of all , Thanks Amazon ( via it's trusted sellers ) for a very quick order fulfillment . My trust has been rewarded .
• 013 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) If you don't have a good digital camera , this is a fine choice . Quick response , decent quality pictures , easy to point & shoot , the zoom and image stabilization really work . I like the lithium battery - - they last so much longer than AA's . You may prefer AA's for their wide availability . If you already have a good digital camera , you might not find it worth your while to upgrade . My main digicam is five years old now , but darn it , it takes fine pictures . It boots more slowly , it has fewer pixels ( but still plenty of ' em ) , the battery life is not as good , but are those differences really worth $400 out of pocket ? That's your personal call . The changes from old to new camera are incremental , not revolutionary . In particular the color and image quality are about the same ( my old one is a Fuji Finepix S7000 ) . Your decision will also depend on whether enhanced movie modes are important to you ( and , if so , whether you really wanted to buy a video recorder instead ) . A couple limitations on the Lumix 1 . Zoom . The zoom is nice , and lets you compose some pretty good pictures . However , if it's real nature photography you want - - the bird on the other side of your yard , the mountain goat across the river - - this camera won't do it . You need more power . 2 . Pixels and focus . I was hoping I could get the effect of yet more zoom by cropping down and enlarging just one part of the image . However , the results were disappointing . Partly , you just have to recognize that 12MP is just not a big step up in resolution / enlargeability compared to 3 or 4 ( whatever it is ) in my old camera . Partly , it seems that my old camera is more supportive of cropping / enlarging without the picture going grainy from loss of resolution . This could be an issue with quality of focus or with the size of the sensor ( other users have raised issues about the sensor size - - I don't quite understand it ) . It was a subtle difference , though . If the Lumix is worse than my Finepix in this regard , it's only a bit worse . But it certainly is not better . 3 . Manual focus . This was frustrating , because auto focus has the annoying tendency to focus on the one tree branch in the foreground instead of the thing you want to see that's beyond the tree , and manual focus should solve that problem . The Lumix has a manual focus , but there are two big problems with it . a . It uses the joystick ( AKA wobbly pencil eraser ) , so it's clumsy . ( What good is a clumsy manual focus ? ) b . Manual focus is only available in about half of the large collection of modes , and the documentation seems to be wrong about which modes support manual focus , or the manual focus intermittently fails to kick in - - it was frustrating and confusing . I'd push on the joystick - - nothing happens . The focus is set to Manual , the documentation says it should work , and it doesn't . Memory FYI : the specs don't tell you whether the Lumix comes with a memory card included . The answer is , no , it doesn't : so go ahead and order one at the same time you order the camera . ( It does come with enough built-in memory to take 4 or 5 pictures ) .
• 016 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 is exceptionally versatile . I am a serious photographer and I was looking for a quality point & shoot that was more portable than an SLR . This camera has filled this need splendidly . Years ago , I would have needed a bag of lenses and a tripod to get some of the shots that it successfully took with little effort . During a recent trip , I put the image stabilization to the test with extremely low expectations . On a very overcast day , I took several fully zoomed telephoto shots of the landscape ( at 12 MP resolution ) from a moving car - on an interstate . Although a few were blurry , most of them came out exceptionally sharp . I was pleasantly surprised how well the camera held up under these circumstances , where shooting is normally impossible . Another important feature for me is the filter threads ( 46 mm ) so I can use a polarizer on outdoor shots ( which is a must for any serious photographer ) . This was the only camera in its class to offer threads . With most of the competition , only their SLR's offer this . Additionally , a UV filter is always a good idea to protect your lens . There are a few cons , but I consider them to be minor - especially considering the price I paid : 1 ) Vignetting at full wide-angle when using a polarizer . NOTE : I recently solved this problem using the the manufacturer recommended polarizer that was made for this camera ( Panasonic DMW-LPL46 46mm Polarizing Filter ) . I had been using a third party Tiffen polarizer , which was much too thick . The Panasonic polarizer is linear and not circular , but it works fine & does not affect the autofocus . It's also a bit pricey , but it's a safe option . 2 ) Smallest aperture is f / 8 . A neutral density filter would be needed to slow-down most waterfall shots . 3 ) No bulb setting for night photography 4 ) No hot shoe for flash
• 018 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) After years of wearing out my body lugging around SLRs and lenses , a few years ago , I decided to go for all-in-one super zooms . I started out with a Canon S3IS and loved it . I upgraded to the SX10 , but after a few weeks of frustrations , returned it . I decided to hold off until Panasonic came out with an upgrade to the FZ28 . I am glad I waited . This camera rocks ! It is lightweight , which makes it a pleasure to carry . The images , even in low light , are excellent . I haven't shot any video in low light yet , but the daylight videos are very good . It is easy to operate , and has features the comparably priced Canons don't , mainly the RAW format . That makes a big difference in what I can do with the images in post-processing . Since other reviewers have detailed the best features of the camera , I won't go into all of that . I will just say I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a superzoom .
• 023 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've owned my DMC-FZ35K for about a week now . I purchased it from Amazon . For the price this is the best camera you can buy . In fact , if you go to Amazon right now , and view all their point-and-shoot cameras sorted by customer feedback , this one is 3rd on the list and is cheaper and with more features then 1st and 2nd . The picture quality is excellent , also the auto-focus and general shot-firing mechanism is very-fast . There is a touch of graniness in the scaled-up expanded image when viewing the pictures on a computer ( when doing ' view actual pixels ' instead of ' fit on screen ' ) , but this is natural and something that is present with all digital cameras ( it is not the compression and is still visible if you take some uncompressed pics ) . But at 12 megapixels most people viewing your pics will do so scaled down , so it is almost never noticeable . The only digital cameras that don't have the pixel-level graniness are the DSLR digital cameras and are of an entirely different class and price range . The video quality is actually better than I expected . The ' AVCHD ( Lite ) ' format is actually x264 , a variant of H264 , and has excellent compression-to-quality properties ( slightly better than MPEG - 4 video ) . The middle quality setting ' H ' provides 11.5 mbit / s bitrate , which is standard fare for 1080p HDTV , making it more than suitable for 720p recording . In fact , even the lowest quality setting for AVCHD video ( 8 mbit / s ) was excellent . I don't recommend using the ' MOTION JPEG ' format ( Quicktime MOV , MPEG - 4 encoding ) , as the lower quality settings actually record at lower resolutions not just in HD at a lower bitrate , and although the highest quality setting records in HD it does so at a ridiculous bitrate of 25mbit / s and takes up twice as much space with no noticeable difference in quality compared to AVCHD highest setting . In general the videos were of good quality even when in fairly low lighting conditions . Note AVCHD videos are saved in a different folder than the pictures . . . once you find them they play nicely on a computer after installing a free codec pack . My biggest gripe is size of the camera , although it is very light for its size . The reality is probably that with 18x optical zoom there isn't a physical way to house this camera in a smaller frame , and I can't complain too much because the frame is much easier to grip compared to smaller cameras ( and I am never accidentally covering the flash or lens with my fingers as I tend to do with several of the smaller digital cameras ) . Another thing to note which is true of all new digital cameras , the file sizes are huge . Each pic compressed is 5 Megabytes and even at the lowest quality setting AVCHD videos still take up 1 Megabyte per second ! Get yourself a 16 / 32 Gigabyte SDHC card ( Class 6 or better speed ) . The TV playback is great too . I showed pics and videos at a friends - plug-n-play . Though you need to buy your own HDMI cable to playback on HDTV , but it is a regular cable so get it at any electronics store . You don't even need a TV though , the camera LCD has a nice resolution for viewing videos directly on it , works great when a tv isn't handy .
• 025 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) After searching and searching for a new point & shoot , I had it narrowed down to this camera and a Nikon P90 . Since this had better reviews , and appeared to have more of the features I was looking for , I went with the Lumix . I never expected it to be THIS good ! Not only is it the perfect size ( bigger than a traditional digital camera , but not too heavy and bulky ) but it's actually pretty easy to use . I still have alot to learn , and it's going to take some time to read through the whole manual , but I pretty much have the basics down . And the best thing of all - - it takes AWESOME pictures - - very sharp and clear . I took some pictures of the kids playing outside , and they look near professional ! The battery seems to last a long time too ( and I'm very glad they sent a charger ) . There is nothing that I DON'T like about this camera , it's like it was made for me . If you are not ready for a DSLR , but want a step up from your old point & shoot , then this is what you're looking for - - don't hesitate ! ! Definitely worth the $300 price tag .
• 029 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is a great camera both for photos , and video . I bought it to take pictures since it takes real filters ( 2filter.c0m ) unlike the more-or-less equivalent Canon . But what really blew me away was the picture and sound quality of the video . All this for under four hundred bucks . So the manual's on CD . It doesn't cost much to print it out at 4 pages per sheet .
• 031 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I had a Lumix DMC-FZ class camera before , so I had high expectations . They have been met . A few gripes , none serious : It took a little while to learn the new system ( on-off switch is on the top of the camera now , not at the top right edge of the back - - my thumb keeps reaching for it there ) . I missed being able to focus manually by twisting the lens , but someone who never had a film SLR won't have that problem . I hate the tweet the camera emits when it autofocuses , but that can be turned off ( sacrificing the shutter sound , too , sadly ) . The amber light that the camera projects when I use autofocus scares off wildlife . Hate that . The default shutter seems not quite as quick as the old camera's . On the good side , it takes very good pictures . It's quite a bit lighter and smaller than my other Lumix , so it's easier to carry . The battery lasts ages , and when it has to be topped up , I love the new battery charger . Such an intelligent design with fold-out tines in the back of the cube ; no need for wires . Thank you , Panasonic , for the cable that attaches to the lens cap . Previously had to improvise my own . The camera takes good pictures without flash in less light than before . The longer lens is a joy . I like the shoot / review thumb switch instead of the old system of turning the wheel to the green arrow . I like that I can adjust the length of auto-review time . In fact , so many more of the functions can be customized that I've barely begun to explore their extent . I'm looking forward to experimenting .
• 034 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) As several others have noted here , I deliberated for months between buying the Canon SX20IS or the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 before finally pulling the trigger on the FZ35 . This was a particularly tough decision for me , as I had previously owned a Canon S3 that had served reasonably well . Although the S3IS provided thousands of suitable images , I was never as happy with its optical sharpness as I had been with that provided by a Sony ( DSC - 707 model ) and its Carl Zeiss lens . Although featuring only 5X power , my memory of that wonderful Zeiss lens always stirred a slight discontent with respect to my opinion of the Canon S3IS . Because I didn't want to upgrade once again without at least matching the optical quality of the Sony , I paid special attention to how users and professional reviewers appeared to rank the Canon SX20IS and Panasonic DMC-FZ35 in that respect . From what I gleaned from hundreds of reviews , the FZ35 seemed superior to the 20IS with respect to image sharpness . Also , from a handling standpoint , I didn't care for the bulkier size and somewhat heavier Canon . Therefore , based mainly on published and online reviews ( as I was never able to actually hold a FZ35 beforehand ) , I bought the Panasonic , sight unseen , through Amazon . After experiencing the results of roughly 500 shots now , the bottom line is that I am very happy to own the Panasonic . Although I am not positive that , under the best of lighting conditions , the FZ35 ' s resolution is quite on par with that of my previously owned Sony DSC - 707 , it does appear reasonably close . Because of its 18X zoom and the fact that the dynamic range of the FZ35 is much more forgiving than that of either my much older Sony 707 or my relatively recent Canon S3 , the Panasonic is ( overall and unequivocally ) the best camera I've used to date . So , I am extremely pleased with my Panasonic DMC-FZ35 . I don't expect to miss not having the Canon's hot shoe , nor have I any difficulty accepting Panasonic's proprietary battery pack . My most serious gripe stems from the fact that most settings are menu controlled ( duh ! ) . But , the learning curve for how all the different menus overlap and sometimes affect associated configurations is STEEP - - at least for me , it is . I didn't realize until I bought this FZ35 how digitally challenged I must be ! Whereas the Sony was as easy as falling of a log to use and the Canon was perhaps a notch or two more difficult , this Panasonic has definitely stretched my perseverance ! However , the more I iterate between studying the printed-out manual ( 218 pages ! ) and hands-on experimentation , the more adept I am becoming . Of course , the redeeming counterbalance to the FZ35 ' s complexity is its automatic ( IA ) mode , which I've discovered is not all that bad !
• 038 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have had this camera about a week and will post a review when I've had more time to work with it . However , if you are thinking about buying this camera , I would highly recommend that you go to flickr.com and search Groups for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 ( FZ38 ) Digital Camera group . There are actually 3 groups for this camera , but look at the one that has about 683 members . They post pictures they have taken with the camera , and have a wealth of info in the Q & A about software , lens , bags , etc . Cameralabs.com also has a great review , and comparison with the Canon SX20 .
• 043 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've owned the FZ28 for a few months and loved it despite some minor irritations such as slow focus when zooming , no dedicated video record button , and poor sound . I read the reviews of the FZ35 and decided to try it out . I can honestly say that ALL the little irritations have gone away with this newer FZ35 model . It is very close to perfection and if it had an auto lens cap it would be . It took awhile to figure out how to get the videos onto my computer in a viewable and editable form , thankfully a free download called Free HD Converter did the trick . I convert it to an . avi format with the correct sizing and the video looks good and sounds good . I swear I've owned a couple of dozen digital cameras and a few camcorders over the past years but I think my buying days are over as this FZ35 is the best digital picture and video camera I've ever owned , it's darn near perfect and very easy to learn . I've tried the intelligent auto and it works great , there is no need to do anything to get great looking JPEG and videos but I also love the way you can use different settings while shooting video , that's something most others don't have . So do I think its worth the difference in cost to get the FZ35 over the FZ28 ? Absolutely , although if I never knew about the FZ35 I would still love the FZ28 . Panasonic knows their stuff !
• 048 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've only had this product a short time . But what I know is that with what time I've had with this camera , I have been very pleased with the picture quality . One thing I had do is set the camera to P mode as the Auto function is setting the ISO way too high . Having said that , however , the pictures that it produced with iA are still very acceptable , even at high ISO . The camera and its multitude of functions are very easy to learn , if , and I say If you already have a lot of knowledge with photography . This kind of camera is overkill for my wife , who really is just a Point and Shoot type of person , but the camera is perfect for me . It's also a tad small on my hand , the Canon SX20 IS is bigger and heavier , if you prefer that kind of feature of your camera . Unlike many of the reviewers here , I am a Canon loyalist . However , when comparing this camera with the SX20 , aside from the additional bells and whistles the Canon has , there is not much difference in picture quality . And even though I am a photography geek , I am not a pixel peeper , so what happens at 100% magnification when looking at the picture on your computer monitor , doesn't matter much to me . If I can get a good 4x6 or 5x7 with this camera , I am happy . And this camera proved very capable of that . I will actually try printing a 13x19 and see what that would look like . So in this case , price really was the deciding factor in my decision to purchase this camera . As an everyday type of camera , this is perfect . I can only comment on the pictures and ease of use at this time . I cannot say anything about the video as I have not had time to use it . PS . The only reason I kept referring to the Canon SX20 IS is because that is the camera that is compared the most with the FZ35 .
• 050 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) For some time , I had been considering downgrading cameras to something which was lighter and easier to handle than my Nikon DSLR . However , I worried about buying a camera that had too much lag time between shots and also a much degraded lens system . So I jumped at the purchase of a Fuji HS - 10 and was truly disappointed with lags in picture saving . Additionally , the time between battery charges was extremely short . So I returned the Fuji and bought the camera which was second on my list . What was wrong was my list . The Panasonic should have been first . As soon as I received the camera , I charged up the battery and started shooting . Unfortunately , our weather was dark and dreary so I thought I would not really get any good pictures . Wrong ! The camera performed quite well in low light situations . I found that using ISO settings as high as 800 gave pictures with little noise . I would recommend using 400 or less for routine use but even 1600 gave acceptable results . I was able to use burst modes to get shots of birds flying and ducks moving around in our pond . The time needed to save pictures after a burst was acceptable . Even the time between saving RAW shots was acceptable and not much different from my Nikon DSLR . What really pleased me was the vibration reduction of this camera . It actually was better than that in the Nikon lens I had been using . I am able to hand hold the camera and get pictures at 18x . Realize that if you opt to decrease the resolution , you can get optical magnifications up to 35.2x although this requires a tripod or exceptionally steady hands . Using digital zoom will boost the zoom at 12M to 72x although this amounts to taking a picture at 3M . You can play with all of these to see what your zoom limit is for pictures acceptable to you . I have tried the macro mode and find it works as advertised . I will be using this a lot more as the weather gets better as I take a lot of pictures of flowers and bugs . In my brief use , I found it to be comparable the macro modes on other digital cameras I have owned . Likewise , the video mode is excellent . I mainly will be using the picture modes so the video modes are just icing on the camera cake for me . They too worked as advertised . In fact , I think I will have fun with them ! Initially , I cussed out Panasonic for the lack of a manual . It didn't help that the abbreviated manual with the camera slid out of the box when I unpacked the camera and fell to the floor . I did not find it for a couple of days . But amazingly , I was able to do most everything the camera can do without a manual . I had downloaded the PDF manual but initially did not read it . After finding the printed manual , I realized that the camera menus are quite logical especially to someone who has owned 2 other ultra zooms , a DSLR and a Panasonic underwater camera . I had even figured out some cryptic icons by simply taking pictures and seeing what the various settings did . I guess I really did not need the printed manual . I applaud Panasonic for a very good menu system on the camera . The printed manual is correct but brief and the PDF manual is complete and generally well organized . One of my big gripes of the Fuji HS - 10 was the extremely poor battery life of the batteries . This may have been a fluke but was real . The Panasonic has excellent battery life . I have taken over 400 pictures , interfaced with my computer and edited pictures off the card without downloading them to my computer and have still got a battery that has a lot of charge left . This matches my experience with the underwater Panasonic my wife uses . It too takes many pictures between charges . Is this a perfect camera ? No such animal exists . There are some quirks but I have found nothing that will prevent me from using the camera as I expected to use it . Initially , I thought maybe the camera was too light . I now am convinced that the lightness will be great for trips . Initially , I thought AAA batteries would be excellent since they are so widely available and are inexpensive . But after my experience with the Fuji and with the outstanding lifetime of one charge on the Panasonic battery , I am convinced I was wrong . In summary , I feel the lens system is excellent , the vibration reduction is excellent , the quality of pictures is just short of excellent but as good as you are going to get from a non DSLR , the menu system is logically laid out and the battery life is excellent . On top of this , the camera arrived quickly after I purchased it and Amazon was quite prompt with refunding the money for my returned Fuji camera . I think I am a satisfied customer !
• 052 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I love this camera . It's tiny ! I wish all professional-level cameras were this small . It's the perfect size ! Almost half the size of a Nikon F5 , and probably 1 / 3 the weight ! You can carry it for hours without feeling it at the end of the day . The problem with most cameras in this class and size is that their lenses are not sharp ; they don't have good contrast , they have noticeable distortion , chromatic aberration and light falloff at the edges . Cameras ( including this one ) will have these lens flaws to some varying degrees , and some flaws are small enough that it's acceptable . The Lumix DMC-FZ35 ' s image quality is excellent . It does not match a pro-level slr and lens , but it's good enough that a professional with his or her abilities could use this camera ( in a pinch ) and turn in very usable photographs . In fact , if you're good , don't tell anybody you used this camera and let them guess if the photo was made with this camera or a nikon or canon dslr . It'll be hard to tell ! The FZ - 35 comes with basic instruction booket , operating instruction on CD-ROM , Arcsoft Panoramamaker / Photofun Studio 4.0 / Silkypix CD-ROM , neck strap , lens hood , lens hood mounting ring , lens cap , a very nice compact battery charger ( no cord , hurrah ! ) , television cable hookup cords , USB2 cord , and one battery . The price is amazing , considering all of the features and accessories included ! And the battery consumption is the best I've seen . Handling ergonomics is perfect . . . the size is perfect . The viewfinder is not too small , as some have said . Number of shots with a Sandisk Extreme III 4 GB SDHC class 6 card on 12 megapixels and highest-quality JPEG setting = 587 . So with a 2 GB card , you'll get ~ 293 shots , depending on brand of card . The biggest capacity SD card you can use is only 2 GB . If you want to use an SD card bigger than 2 GB , then it has to be SDHC and class 6 . Don't skimp . . . buy the best memory card you can afford . The size of the camera is 4.6 inches wide , by 3.1 inches tall , and 4.3 inches front-to-back . Here's a neat trick : You want more zoom ? Dial it down to 8 , or 5 , or 3 , or even 2 megapixels , and see how much more zoom you get ! This is a very smart purchase , and I recommend it highly for all levels of use !
• 054 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I just bought this camera after checking with CNET to find that it received 95 five star reviews out of 95 reviews . Wow . I was looking for a camera of this type so when Amazon sent me a notice with the sale price , I snapped it up ( pun intended ) . The thing that I liked most about it is that the movies are in Quick Time format , meaning that you can take far longer videos because Quick Time captures at 10 frames per second instead of 30 fps . I took it to a concert and was a football field away from the stage and yet the clarity and detail of those photos was amazing . It was as if I were standing right at the foot of the stage , with a lesser quality camera . The video taken from that distance was beautiful . I leave it on auto mode most of the time , so there is nothing left to do but point and shoot . The face recognition feature is spot on , and the auto focus works great . I let someone shoot some pictures with it an event and now she is asking for one for her birthday . You do need to run a high capacity card in it if you are using one over 2 gb . I have a 16gb in it and I can take 245 minutes of high def video on that size card . I would recommend this camera to anyone . My son now wants one for Christmas because this one totally outperforms his Canon .
• 057 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is by far the best super zoom , point and shoot camera one can own in terms of picture quality . I bought it just 2 weeks back and took it out with my friends on 2 photography trips with all types and brand of cameras in the group - point and shoot , super zoom , and SLRs ( From Sony to Canon to Fuji to Nikon ) . Everybody was in awe looking at the quality of pictures of all kinds - portrait , macro , super zoom , day scenery , low light etc . this camera produced . In some cases , it was as good as or even better than the SLRs ! ! I am in love with the camera and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants great pictures and manual controls but can't afford an SLR .
• 059 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have been an avid photographer since high school ( we're talking a lot of years ) . In that time I have owned many cameras - both SLR's and digital - and several video cameras . I have never owned one which combined both features the way the Panasonic FZ - 35 does . I took this camera on a six week round the world trip and used it for both still shots and video . I have had numerous compliments on my pictures since I returned and I do not consider myself more than a hobby photographer . . . definitely NOT professional . This is my second Panasonic Lumix camera ( first was the DMC-LS2 also purchased from Amazon ) . It still works great , but I wanted something with sound and better zoom capabilities . I bought them because of Panasonic's Leica lens . I was well aware of Leica's painstaking quality . I could not afford a Leica , but still wanted that quality . I am thrilled with the video and still shots I captured on my trip and very pleased with this camera . The one thing I love after the picture quality is how lightweight this camera is to carry and hold - especially for videos . No more tired hands or arms or cramped fingers trying to hold it still . This was carried from Guam , to England and all over Paris on a day trip . I bought several SDHC cards for my trip to make sure I never ran out of space for my videos and still shots and I also got an extra capacity battery . I found out I could run for weeks on one charge for the battery and never ran out of storage capacity on the SDHC card in the camera ( 8 GB most of the time ) . Now , to be fair I did upload my pictures every few days to my laptop , but there was still plenty of room on the card . So the FZ - 35 has amazing battery life and storage . If you're looking for a great camera this is the one .
• 061 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I'm an amateur photographer , and never had a good camera before . . . . although , even with very limited equipments , some photos were awesome ( in my opinion , of course ! ! ! ) . So I've decided to do a course and learn a little bit more about photography . As I don't have money ( and neither experience ) to buy a SLR camera , I've decided to a prosumer one , and after reading all the reviews I found in the net , and owner's opinions too , one thing was very clear . . . . . the superiority of the FZ35 among it's rivals . Of course that it has some weaknesses , like all of the others , but in the average , the FZ35 is the best . So I had placed my order , and waited to receive the camera here in Brazil thru an US friend of mine . The camera was delivered in my hands 15 days ago , and I can tell that I am astonished with it's quality . Now that I know how to operate it manually properly , without using the automatic settings , I know that all the reviews and opinions I've read before buying it were precise . The pictures colors and details , the optical zoom without any distortion , the HD recording capability with stereo sound . . . . everything just AWESOME ! ! ! ! ! Worth every cent and every second I spent reading about it .
• 065 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) All the reviews are right , this camera is really nice . I could go on and say all the positive things others have already mentioned , but I'll just list some very minor negatives . 1 ) Sometimes the camera's auto white balance arbitrarily makes the pictures overly warm , which is fixable in many ways , but if you are just shooting along in iA mode , some of your pictures will come out orange-ish . I had the same issue with my FZ28 as well . 2 ) The flash must be deployed manually . In other words , if the camera's sensors detect / determine that a shot could use the flash , it can't automatically pop the flash up for you , you have to press the mechanical release button yourself . Some may not see this as an issue , but for me , if the shot will come out better with a flash , and I'm in intelligent auto mode , shouldn't it be smart enough and automatic enough to use the flash automatically ? 3 ) The battery life is good , but not amazing . You'll probably have enough juice in one battery to photo / video one , 2 to 3 hour event ( although not continuously ) . However , if you are going on a day-long tour or something , you'll need a spare battery for sure . ( By the way , the Lenmar DLP006 battery sold here on Amazon works great , I have 3 . . . no difference from the official battery as far as I can tell ) . 4 ) It's not a pocket camera in the slightest , nor is it trying to be one . . . but I thought I'd mention this to people considering this as their ONLY camera . If you think it's too bulky to lug-around with you and you leave it behind , you'll miss great photos . My wife always has a small L19 Nikon pocket camera in her purse for less formal / everyday events / impromptu shooting . PRO-TIP : One of the biggest tips I can give people when they try to use digital cameras to take quick pictures ( kids in motion , pets , sports , etc ) is to pre-focus . Holding down the shutter ( take the picture button ) half-way ( half-press ) a few seconds before the magic moment happens allows you to snap that picture off in a fraction of a second . What it does is the camera gathers all the focus and other info it needs in order to be automatic when you half-press . . . then , when you fully click it down it just records the light coming in the lens . It doesn't need to calculate / measure / determine , etc . . . so bottom line . . . Want to capture your kid in that split second they are laughing ? PRE-FOCUS WITH A HALF-PRESS a couple seconds before , then fully click it in that exact moment . . . that's the secret to getting fast , DSLR-like speed . FINAL WORD : Awesome camera . The above are super minor points that shouldn't really sway you away . p.s . In my opinion it would be nice if the next version of this camera ( FZ42 ? ) had a larger 3 LCD that articulated ( moved around on an arm ) , automatically deployed flash pop-up , automatic lens cap / cover , recorded 1080p video , uses standard AA-sized batteries ( NiMH , Li-Ion 14500 , Lithium primaries , and in a pinch , Alkalines ) instead of a proprietary battery ( although I'm glad they don't lock-out 3rd party batteries like they do with the ZS3 ) , a bit quicker to respond zoom ( it's a bit sluggish to get going on the FZ28 & 35 models , and I wouldn't mind if the camera was a bit less light-plasticy feeling ( although there's something to be said about the benefits of it being light ) , it just doesn't psychologically feel solid / hefty / quality , if you can pick up what I'm lay'in down . Oh , and if they could smooth out some of the Engrish in the menus , that would be a plus too . Panasonic , are you listening ?
• 067 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Most of the features of this camera have already been discussed , so I will just add my two cents with a couple of observations . The trend in point and shoot digital cameras has been to pack as much technology into as small a package as possible , allowing the user to keep the camera always at hand in a pocket or purse , so as not to miss an opportunity . This is not one of those cameras . This camera is what you want to have when you plan to take good , composed shots . Slightly larger than most ulta zoom cameras , the extra width is put to good use , allowing the user to hold the camera firmly with 2 hands for those longer range shots . The left thumb and forefinger wrap perfectly around the camera body . Something else worth mentioning is the threaded lens barrel , allowing for the use of filters . Even if you do not plan on shooting with filters , a clear UV filter can be attached and left on without interfering with the lens cap . This is very good and very cheap insurance for your lens , and I recommend it be purchased along with this camera .
• 071 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Not able to replace your DSLR but far better than point and shoot . Pro : 1 . Size and weight - Relative small and lightweight compare to a DLSR ; Only a bit bigger than your point and shoot . You can't fit it inside your shirt pocket but it will ezly fit into a small bag . 2 . Good full auto mode , also allow you to change most setting manually . 3 . Very good video mode . 4 . Good picture quality . Con : ( all minor ) 1 . Indoor picture is a bit warm in full auto mode which you can't change . 2 . Uncommon RAW mode file format . 3 . The camera driver is not Win 7 64bits compatible .
• 073 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is my THIRD Lumix Superzoom camera in the series . I also have a full stable of Nikon equipment , having gone from Nikon film cameras to Nikon Digital . . . the last being the Nikon D5000 . I ordered my first Lumix because I did not want to drag a bag full of lenses around on a trip to Europe . That camera performed outstandingly well , taking photos of the ColdStream Guards at the change of guards at Buckingham Palace in crisp detail and even honing in on the tiles of the face of Big Ben . Sorry , among my hundreds of photos , shown to all my photo enthusiast friends , no one . . . not one single person , could tell the difference between the photos I took with that Superzoom and those taken with a Digital SLR . Now , having said that , when I got this new Lumix , I was rather concerned . It was . . . almost toylike in the tiny size and feather weight . I honestly was concerned that Panasonic had simply made the next camera in the series a shadow of their former cameras to keep price down or something . I am here to scream out . . . I was wrong . This camera is everything the others ever were . . and then some . I would have loved this camera to have a hot shoe and a tilt screen and I certainly hope Panasonic includes it in their next one , as they did the one prior to this . . . . but while waiting for my slave flash and bracket holder to arrive , I had to photograph an event , on a dim lit ( torches ) at night . I was easily 25 feet away , with nothing but that diminutive flash to help me . I thought all was lost . Next to me was a guy with a MONSTER lens Cannon digital and his MONSTER size flash . Gear must have been two feet long and weighed ten pounds . The poor fellow nearly lost his dentures when I was taking better shots . . . better LIT shots and MORE CLEAR action shots on that stage , then he was ! I will admit , I was SHOCKED myself , but there , clear for anyone to see , was the results . This camera was performing AMAZING things in dim light and with that tiny flash . Later , taking bright daylight photos , I was able to zoom in and get crystal clear shots of wildlife and architecture at long , long distances with the aid of that power stabilizer . I had tried out the SuperZoom cameras from Nikon and Fuji , but was not impressed with photo quality or how slow they were to lock into focus . This camera is FAST , in both departments . This is one potent little camera , and I am going to love taking it to Europe again this summer and again , not having to drag a bag full of lenses . I think my Nikon is going to be catching a lot of closet dust this year . Meanwhile , I did try the video mode too and while I did not do any long filming , the video I did take was crisp , colors were great and the sound was pretty good too , for outside . I am still taking a new digital HD camcorder with me for the trip , so this camera will be for stills , but it is nice to know that I have a good backup video unit , which CAN zoom during filming . . a super nice option . Overall , if you are taking a trip and want an all in one camera , with light weight , tons of manual options and capable of superb shots in any light . . . then this is the camera for you .
• 075 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) My husband and kids bought me this camera for my birthday . I took it with me on our recent vacation and was generally pleased . It is easy to use , especially the IA ( intelligent auto ) setting . My main gripe is that the instruction booklet is minimal and doesn't describe all the features . I am not a professional photographer and I have no idea what the AF / MF , AF / AE Lock or EVF / LCD buttons do . The instruction booklet only points out where these buttons are located on the camera , but not what their functions are . Additionally , although it does describe some of the settings , such as IA , portrait , landscape , action , etc . , it does not describe what other settings , such as S , A , P , or M are for . Considering this is not a professional grade camera , I feel that it should include some more basic instructions / information for non-professional users .
• 077 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) After debating whether to go with the Canon equivalent or the Lumix I went with the Lumix on the basis of the various camera reviews . I haven't been disappointed . I've just returned from a demanding two-week photo shoot in Cambodia and Vietnam , where I was doing heavy duty photography under a variety of conditions . The camera was great in its ease of use , flexibility and response to different lighting conditions , and the overall quality of the results . As with any new camera , the user needs to become comfortable with the product and test its capacities . The Lumix battery that comes with the camera is solid in support of heavy use - - I made the mistake of purchasing the less expensive same as battery as my back up , and found that it provided only half the battery life as the original . I was getting around 300 photos on the original with a limited mix of flash shots . I was quite pleased at the camera's capacity to take solid photography in a variety of lighting conditions without the need to pop-up the in-camera flash . I would often double with flash shots in testing the camera's capacity , and found that the non-flash shots offered a good end-option . It takes about 2 hours to recharge the battery ( not the 90 minutes the instructions suggest ) ; the battery charger that comes with the camera was easy to use in a variety of international settings ( 110 - 220 ) without the need for a separate adapter other than a wall-plug conversion . I'm currently transitioning my photos into a variety of media uses , and finding that the high density and overall quality of my originals supports any follow-up editing at publication standard . The reviews I had read praised the camera's quality leica lense - - I totally agree . Several of the product reviewers were negative on their ability to handle the camera's small adjustment mechanics . I did not find this to be the case , although I did find that I needed to get up-to-speed in the effective use of these . The camera's auto field response is solid ; you need to learn how to use the variety of focal options that the camera provides . The camera's zoom is good - - I found that really long-distance close-ups were of less quality than what I can get with my SLR Nikon lenses , but overall I was pleased with the zoom once I became comfortable with its capacity . I was very satisfied with the camera's lense speed in negating potential shakes . In sum , I highly recommend this camera as an excellent product for the price , its overall ease of use , and the consistent quality of its end-product - - this is a great camera for those who are uncomfortable in making ongoing camera adjustments and would rather leave the camera in auto . My wife attest that this is a great and easy step up from her smaller point and shoot digital .
• 080 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) After read many reviews about this camera and see the pictures taken with it I chose to buy it and now after more than 300 pictures I can say that I'm vey happy with the camera and accesories . The lens cap is very good and I use it all the time for protection of the lens . The only thing that you should have present is that you should remove it before to start the camera to avoid hit the lens , but it's not a really problem because the camera is programed to retract the lens if it find any obstacle . The belt is good though not excellent because is a little thin but it make very good its function . The weight of the camera is very good and is like if you were using a little camera not a DSLR , this could be a problem to some people but for me is a very good point . The picture quality is very good and the most important thing is that if you are not happy with the result you can set up parameters like saturation , sharp or contrast and get the quality picture in the way you wish In my experience the camera tends to underexpose a little the pictures and the brightness of the LCD is a little high than the reality but these details it's possible to adjust them with a little more EV and decreasing the brightness of the LCD in the setup . It's neccesary some experimentation with the camera to adjust it to the right condition for you but it's not a difficult thing . The programed modes of the camera are very good and they have functioned very good when I have used . I have used specially the aperture priority and the portrait modes with very good results . In every single picture that I have taken I have used the help of the histogram and this has been a execellent way to guarantee very good pictures . The video has two formats , one is called AVCHD Lite and the other is in quick time format ( . mov ) both of it function very good , but to upload videos to youtube is more practical to use the . mov format . The quality is very good for my expectations and it has been very practical in the travels and events . The time of life of the battery is good and I think is indispensable a battery spare , I used Lenmar DLP006 Digital Camera Equivalent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A , CGR-S006A / 1B , CGR-S006E Batteries and is a very good battery . For the memory card I use Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6 and it functions very good . The case that I use is Case Logic DCB - 66 High Zoom Camera Case ( BLUE ) and though is not the most large case that you can find I can put in it : the camera , the spare battery , the original battery , the USB cable , the memory card and the lens hood . After to read so many reviews and use the camera for some months I can say that this is the best point and shoot in the market today and if one learn to use it in the right way the picture quality could be similar to a DSLR though not the same and this is important to remember .
• 082 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have been very happy with this camera so far . I wanted a camera that would accommodate filters , go from wide angle to substantial zoom , allow for a range of programmed as well as manual modes , have high optical quality yet cost less than a digital SLR . The Panasonic delivers on all those criteria .
• 085 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) When looking for a camera I had a set of requirements , namely , super zoom , HD movie capability , optical zoom while in movie mode , full manual controls , . raw images , and a reasonable price . Every camera I looked at lacked one or more of those requirements , except this one . The picture quality is good , especially in well lit , low-ISO situations . Outdoor shots look amazing , almost all having absolutely no noise or fringing . High-ISO shots get pretty noisy of course , but it's no worse than other similarly priced cameras . 400 - ISO indoor flash shots show a tiny bit of of noise , but it's easily ignorable unless you want big prints . The zoom is great and the OIS system helps a lot with the shakes , but isn't fool-proof . The auto white balance usually picks a good setting and the auto focus rarely has troubles . 720p videos look great and the microphone seems to work well . The only thing that this camera could have used would be an articulating LCD , but its absence doesn't bother me . I'm very happy with this camera and would recommend it to anyone .
• 087 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is amazing in so many ways . The image quality , ease of use , and the built-in-features cannot be beat within this price range . I was tied between the FZ35 and FujiFilm's FinePix S1800 . In the end , the FZ35 won me over . It was pricier , but I felt the quality and features were worth the extra $80 . To those who are new to photography , as I am , I would recommend that you read the 200 + page manual found on Panasonic's web site BEFORE using the unit so that you are able to use the camera to its full potential . This is definitely not your average point and shoot camera , although it can be used as one . It would be a shame to purchase a camera with features as great as this one and use it only in iA mode . Also , it would help greatly to know a thing or two about aperture , ISO , and shutter speed . Learning these things has increased my image quality tremendously . I couldn't have picked a better choice for my first digital camera .
• 089 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera for my girlfriend who needs a camera that has a powerful optical zoom and will not blur motion shots . Her previous 4 mp 4x optical digital camera fell short at her daughters soccer games . We needed something to zoom in from 100 feet away and not blur due to all of the motion . This camera did just that . I would recommend this to anyone that doesn't want to pay SLR money but needs SLR capability .
• 091 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have been using this camera for about 10 days . I had a canon S2 which is a similar super-zoom , its screen went black . I called canon and they fixed it for free after 3 or 4 years of ownership . But while my camera was down I started looking for another camera , my wife wanted to buy a new one for me . My 16 year old son was more then glad to get to use the canon full time . I did my research , CNET review was not so hot and consumers guide review of the FZ 28 did not get their recommendation . But Amazons users gave it 5 stars and CNET users gave it their highest marks . Also looked at other photo sites and it got very highly recommend . I do like camera labs.com . Before I put a lot of effort on learning how to use a camera I want it to be a keeper . Some of the things I have done so far are the following . First I video in HD 3 water polo games onto one 8 giga byte disk . I tried it with a tripod and without not much difference the stability was very good without a tripod . The HD was very good , I played it on my Panasonic blue ray player onto my Panasonic HDTV . I downloaded it to my Macbook which was easy . Getting used to I movie is also a work in progress . I tried the flash burst which also was very good . So far no blurry pictures . The zoom is very good , I noticed when I put it on manual I could use the digital zoom , there I would say you need a tripod lots of shaking when zooming out to 35x to 72x digital . The camera has lots of choices on the internal software which should keep most people happy . The sound Im picking up is very good in movie mode . The screen in back , is bright and has a way to enlarge the letters . Handling of the camera is nice because its light and of a mid size . The joy stick is easy to use . So far this camera is a keeper and a work in progress . I can not be to critical because Im not a professional . Also I did take some indoor pictures and so far very good . The price also seems fair . The lens has threads and comes with a hood . Really no complaints . Im enjoying this camera .
• 093 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is my 3rd Lumix ( it replaces my 5mp FZ5 which is still a great camera - but I was looking for more zoom & megapixels ) . This is a fabulous upgrade ! ! I've only had the camera for a few weeks but have gotten some great action and scenic shots . The zoom is just incredible . A bonus for me is the video quality - even at maximum zoom . I've uploaded some short clips to youtube and it has been straightforward and problem free . I'm not so much a seasoned photographer as I am a gadget enthusiast who can appreciate a great product . I recommend the DMC-FZ35 ( as well as the smaller Lumix P & S cameras ) without hesitation .
• 096 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I absolutely love this camera . I researched for about 8 months trying to figure out the right one to buy . I was initially looking at the fz - 28 but when I found out this model was coming out I decided to wait . I am a total beginner and I will have a lot of catching up to do before I can even enjoy all this camera has to offer but being able to put on the IA and just start taking pictures was awesome . I really wanted a great zoom so I could take it to baseball games and get good pictures even if I wasnt super close . It hasnt disappointed . I experimented with the video at a concert recently and we were blown away by the clarity of picture and the awesome sound . My seats were far in the back and with the zoom the video looks like I was right up close ! So , if you are like me and intimidated by all the technical reviews and all the terminology being used , take it from a beginner this camera is awesome !
• 098 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) was torn between the canon sx20is and the panasonic fz35 i first bought the canon the picture quality wasnt as great as i thought it would be maybe because i didnt play around with the option much , but i returned it and got the fz35 which had great picture quality . highly recommend this camera . my first superzoom and im loving it .
• 100 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bouht this camera to replace a lemon of a Nikon P90 that took yellowish tint pictures all the time and had no white point setting , what ? NO WHITE POINT SETTING ? COME ON ! ? WHERES THE SLR LIKE CAMERA IN THAT ! I shipped it back to amazon and they promptly refunded me , great service and I ordered this . The image quality is superb , even if you barely have set up the camera it looks great , slightly noisy when you have 22x of zoom but I expect that from any digital camera after you hit the 18x optical and slip into digital zoom , It still looks freaking awesome . The image quality in the DEAD OF NIGHT is beautiful . [ . . . ] You can also see the image which I took at 22x zoom ! Beautiful camera and I will be sticking to the Panasonic name for a while now , the Nikon is good in the D series but the P series is god aweful from my experience . The battery life on this camera is awesome , just like my Nikon D40 but even boasts HD videos ! [ . . . ]
• 102 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is the 2nd in this FZ series from Panasonic Lumix that I own . I have several other larger and heavier cameras ( some also Lumix ) and over the years ( at least 67 taking photos ) I have owned complete systems and more cameras than I care to count . I am an avid advanced amatuer photographer and always carry a camera of some sort . With age you want less to carry . I no longer enjoy having several cameras hanging on me , etc . or lugging a large camera around all the time . My need in what I call my daily camera is moderate price , small size , light weight , portabiity , great lens , good zoom range , dependability , full features and , absolutely , a viewfinder . The viewing screen on the back of the camera is worthless to me for focusing , framing , making sure I have what I am expecting , etc . Only value is in reviewing what I have already taken . I have tried the pocket cameras etc . , but they fall into rapid disuse . Good for snapshots but nothing else . This camera is bigger than a pocket one but a lot smaller than a DSLR . Even smaller than my Panasonic G1 which itself is small by comparison to other cameras with interchangeable lenses . However The DMC-FZ35 gives you big camera features and has a fantastic Leica lens . The clarity of the camera lens and its ease of use make it a joy to use . I have only had this FZ35 a short time and am still discovering all the things it does . My latest discovery was HD Video . Many times I have been in the field photographing birds , my current obsession , and wished I had a small video camera . Now I can just move my thumb to the video button , press it and I am shooting HD Video with stereo sound and full access to all the settings including zoom and macro without taking my eye off the viewfinder thus losing my subject . I wish my larger , heavier cameras had this ability . The future ones will . If your needs match mine , then this is the camera for you . If in your one and only camera you want the flexibility of a DSLR without the need for interchangeble lenses and the extra baggage , then this is the camera for you .
• 104 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This product REALLY needs a printed operating manual . The included disk did not cut it for me . I acquired it two days before a cruise where the boat's computers had no disk I / O software . Previous digital cameras have had more intuitive operational features , but not this one . So I really was left to cut-and-try ! But here is the good part : the images are drop-dead fantastic . I take many shots of transportation ( railroads , boats , etc . ) , architecture , bridges , etc . and am amazed at the wonderful , detailed pictures - those that I didn't miss because of fiddling with the controls . I am a long-time Leica 35 - mm user , and this Leica lens compares with the best of them . Also , better buy an extra battery and keep it charged . This camera seems to devour stored energy with a passion . To the manufacturer : PLeeese : supply a written manual , even if you have to jack up the price a few bucks ! So - if you contemplate buying this item , reserve some time to get to understand the many , many features before you go into action . Amazon Verified Purchase .
• 106 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera replaces my 5 year old kodak megazoom digital camera ( great camera , but after breaking the lens while almost falling off a cliff in Kauai . . . it never worked the same ) . I've been borrowing my parent's DSLR camera because the ability to set aperture , shutter speed , and focus ( among other reasons ) , but I got tired of lugging around the large camera plus all the lenses needed to get great nature shots . I wanted something that was more portable but also offered good picture quality , zoom , manual focus , manual settings , and macro functions . I found it here with the FZ35 . It's a great camera that can take very high quality pictures - almost as good as my parents dslr ( pentax k50 ? ) , but much more portable and less expensive . The other added bonus is the hd video function that you cannot do with most dslrs . Not only is the movie quality excellent , but you're also able to zoom the complete optical range ( 18x ) , use manual settings , including aperture , shutter , and focus and you can even affix lens filters without needing adapters ( 46mm ) . I was in a toss up between the Canon and Panasonic - Panasonic won because it's lighter , smaller , has a larger sensor , lens threading without needing an adapter , and about 100 bucks cheaper . I'm very happy with my purchase and it was worth the 3 week wait ( backordered on amazon ) .
• 108 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Excellant quality - camera - Works well out of the Box - Kids look Great and playing soccer and Macro works well also , i got rid of the bulky cameras for one that has everything i am doing - macro , presets , Video - they sound great . - i was skepitical but the price was right and the camera works well - the kids like it to .
• 111 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) this camera was purchased to suplement my DSLR for use while hiking also to take movies . Down side of camera is you have to print up the 214 page manual . or view on CD . this is a camera that can do many things the movies appear very high quality , . photos are very sharp and need no photoshop for quality . 1600 iso shots in low light appear quite good on computer with little noise . image stabilzation appears to work well when at 16 x all in all a very nice light camera with a lot of versatility . It is not a dsl but works as well as one for 95% of shots . slower focus in low light and not as good at high iso .
• 113 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera was a compromise between very portable and a DSLR . We wanted something that would take quality photos , but not a suitcase to take it with you . I think this was a great choice . Camera feels sturdy , not too big , and easy to use . I like how switching modes will tell you basically what it does , and the menus change depending on what mode you're in . Learning the different features has proved to be very valuable so far . You can just snap on auto everything , but changing just a few things with 20 minutes of education has resulted in better pictures than I've been able to take before . One of the modes enabled me to take crystal clear shots of a bird with branches all around ( fuzzy on auto ) . As other reviewers have noted , no detailed instruction manual is included . A little inconvenient since we immediately left on a trip , but I suppose it does save a lot of paper and it's perfectly easy to read on the computer anyway . Well worth a few minutes to figure it out . Startup is quicker than any camera we've ever had ( we generally have had Canon ) , and between shots is very fast turnaround . Dark pictures are distinctly more grainy , but I don't know a camera that isn't . Light pictures are extremely clear , and we reduced the setting to 5 MP to save space . The on switch tended to stay on a lot , and we burned though a battery charge in a week or so . The video mode isn't intuitive ( not hard , just not intuitive ) . Overall , we are very pleased with the camera . Feels good in your hands , takes quality photos with plenty of options if you want ' em , or just takes photos . The zoom is fantastic . I have a picture from the 11th floor of a hotel of a theater across the way you couldn't discern from another on the ground without zoom .
• 115 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) When I decided to go for a high-end point and shoot camrera I was sceptical about this product as I did not really heard about panasonic in digital camera market before this . But Thanks to amazon I got a first hand idea of this product with some very solid reviews . Moving on to the product experience - the camera has a firm grip in your hand . the buttons may feel a little too small and changing mode may feel a little less comfortable but apart from those small buttons the mode changes are easy . Automatic modes are simply awe inspiring . So many options ! ! it's at times mind boggling ! ! The documentation could have been better for this product as some of the descriptions may sound confusing .
• 117 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought my camera in early January 2010 . I wanted a camera that was easy to transport and use and had a longer range zoom . I didn't want to have to haul around a bunch of lenses , but wanted more capabilities than the smaller point-and-shoots provide . The Lumix DMC-FZ35 has fulfilled my wishes to the max . I won't reiterate what everyone has already said . I agree . . . I LOVE this camera . Its auto intelligence mode is photographically smarter than I am , and truly seems to have an inner sense of what is needed to produce top quality photos . I am certainly not a professional photographer . I just want to be able to easily take artistic pictures . This camera meets and exceeds my expectations . The colors are vivid and true . The photos are sharp and clear . The performance in low light is outstanding . In my opinion , it far surpasses my Canon point-and-shoot in all of these categories . ( I have never been happy with my Canon's color and low light performance ) The video capability is fun to have and super easy to use . Quality is adequate for on the fly video . I have a MAC so working with the video clips is not an issue . Drawbacks ? Yes , it may have been nice to have the swivel viewfinder , but I can live without it . It may have been nice if the camera used AA batteries , however , the lithium ion is quite light-weight and has so far provided me with more than adequate battery life . I bought an extra battery . My needs are met . I did not think the lack of a printed user manual would be an issue . IT IS ! This is the only thing I would change . I really would like to have a printed user manual , however , at 215 pages ( and however many languages it has to be done in ) I can understand why there is not one . Save some trees . . . . So . . . the long and short ? Love the camera . Dislike no printed user manual . You can't beat this camera for the money .
• 120 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera on dec 23rd and it shipped me on very next day . Camera is extremely light weight compared to other in its league like Canon SX series . Before deciding it I went to best buy to test Nikon's 24x zoom and Cacon SX20 is . Both are good but I found better images and fast shutter speed with lumix FZ35 . I had Canon SX100 and was satisfied with its pics but this is more more better when you are taking moving pics in a definite frame / sec . Especially when you are taking breath taking pics of Shamu ( Killer Whale ) which jump is spur of second . Use it you will feel the difference . . !
• 122 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera actually measures up to all the positive reviews . You can pull it out of the box , charge the battery , put a decent sized SDHC card in , set it to Intelligent Auto ( IA ) and get great pictures . I was impressed at how good the camera is at recognizing different shooting conditions and compensating for them . The video looks and sounds great . And to top it all off it's got full manual control so that you can get the images to look exactly as you like . This was a solid purchase and fulfilled or exceeded all my expectations .
• 124 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I did extensive review looking for a lightweight camera to take on day trips where I would have to carry the camera on my old body all day long . I wanted a long zoom and good pictures . I am not a professional but have always used a good Canon SLR . My current Canon is a 5D with some good glass and so I am used to being able to take acceptable pictures . However , I do go to tennis matches where it is necessary for me to carry the camera for 8 to 10 hours and it becomes heavy . The FZ - 35 is much easier to carry all day but I will have to sacrifice quality . I have seen very good photographs taken with the Panny and have been taking pictures to learn how to get the best quality for my purposes . The camera is easy to use , I haven't tried the video yet but have been pretty well satisfied with the first pictures I'm getting , but know I will do better as I become more familiar with it . The stabilizer works great , I have taken handheld picture at 18x and 72x and the pictures are clear . Keep in mind this camera is not a professional camera and will not withstand the kind of rigorous testing that a pro would demand , but it is good for a second camera that is quick and gives pictures that are acceptable to me .
• 126 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I moved up from a FZ20 and have been very pleased with the expanded options and features of the FZ 35 . Amazingly , the camera is more compact and lighter than the FZ 20 . One thing Panasonic should do is to include a complete owners manual . A disc is provided but that means the buyer has to print the 200 page manual .
• 132 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera about a month ago and have used it almost daily . Thanks to the leica lens , the resolution is beyond my expectations . If you compare images from other super zoom cameras I think you'll find the Lumix images are clearer than others even with a more powerful optical zoom . My nature pictures are unbelievable . The resolution is so good I've found an unintended use for my Lumix . I am an avid birdwatcher that has often been frustrated by not being able to identify distant warblers . Now I take several photos , and due to the high resolution I can blow the image up in camera using the trimming function ( note you can use this to enlarge your enlarged image ) or later on my computer I enlarge the image until I can identify the bird . Sometimes an image that has been enlarged MANY , many times is not photographic quality , but good enough to identify the bird .
• 134 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) The FZ35 is the best camera I ever had . To someone like me that is not a Pro , but photografy lover this camera delivery every thing that we need . Very easy to use , Leica lents are execelent , X18 zoom is great , custom features gives many possibilities and the price is fair . The only thing that I am missing is a manual focus . Some times you want to try different pics and the auto focus do not let you .
• 136 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I lost my last camera and looked for a similar one with the same functions . I was surprised at the higher quality when I received it . My biggest complaint with my old camera was that when taking pictures of action items the camera was slow and I didn't get what I was after . My new camera is so much faster that I get great action shots and I can keep clicking to get more pictures . My new camera doesn't have the time lag between taking pictures like my old one . I really like the rechargeable battery pack also . Great camera at a reasonable price .
• 140 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I owned my FZ18 for a couple of years , and I loved it . It took a few weeks for me to decide whether or not to buy the FZ35 . I took the plunge and bought the FZ35 and gave my FZ18 to my daughter and her husband to use . Since I had the FZ18 , getting familiar with the FZ35 ' s functions and menus were no problem . I read the manual a couple of times to ensure I was confident with the FZ35 ' s functions , and still refer back to it when necessary . Love the video and sound upgrades of the FZ35 ! ! I'm still in the camera testing mode , and I'm very pleased with the photos that I've shot . Photos in low light after playing around with the settings / ISO , have provided me nice photos , with or without the flash . I use all the setting modes . . . iA , Program , Aperture , Shutter Priority , and Manual liberally . Don't really have a favorite mode , but I like Program . I play around with the various ISO settings for various pictures to get a feel of how this camera handles low light . Like the FZ18 I owned , I really just use the heck out of the FZ35 , take a bunch of photos to get the feel of it . It's not a film camera , so I just shoot a bunch of photos . Auto-focus , zoom , macro is great on the camera . Be sure to zoom in on the person / subject you are going to shoot , press the trigger down half-way for the camera's focus to get correct , hold camera steady , and press the trigger all the way down to take the picture . A really quick 3 - step action to get great photos . The OIS of the FZ35 is great . All in all , I've very pleased with my FZ35 and I know I made a good decision for my purposes and for knowing the capabilities of the FZ35 . Also , I'm able to use the same batteries that I used on my FZ18 . My daughter will have to buy her own spare battery . HAHA ! !
• 142 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Excellent product ; however , reproducing the instruction manual from CD is a lenghty and expensive process . Also , accessing different through the menu is not clear in all functions
• 145 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I love this camera . You can spend a lot more and get a little more . Or spend a little less and get a lot less . Great feel , lots of customizability , better than the older Lumix I have . It's a little confusing for my wife , but I show her the basics and she's good to go . And I can get great shots of my kids playing basketball , inside , without a flash . Nice ISO range .
• 147 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I needed a camera for a website that is food based . Most of the shots are taken at night and this camera is such a no brainer . . . . . fantastic in all lighting that Ive tried it with and the first pictures I posted with this camera people noticed . Great job Panasonic
• 149 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) OK , I , too agonized between this and the Canon SX20 . Read all the review for both , but only got to check out the SX20 in person at a local store . ( No local stores carried the Panasonic FX35 , including the big guys ) . The movable LCD display on the SX20 seemed very handy , but the overall weight , balance and grip ( with the 4 AA batteries inside ) just didn't feel right in my hands . Maybe my fingers were just the wrong length for the shape of the grip . The video reviews for both cameras were helpful , but to me , the proof is in the holding . My girlfriend has a lower model Lumix which I like for it's large display , straight-forward menus , and great pictures . To shorten the story , I ended up ordering the FX35 without ever toughing one ahead of time . I've only had it a few days , now , but it just feels right in my hands . . . . . light weight , good balance , and perfect grip . And with the Case Logic DCB - 66 case , I can carry this camera ( and accessories ) on my belt . So read all the reviews , but , if you can , hold each camera in your hands before making your choice .
• 151 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Upgraded from my FZ - 18 because of the major improvements . HD jpeg movie is amazing with focusing while zooming and with stereo sound . Movie button on back enables fast switch from still to movie and back . 12 mp ccd gives denser colors and greater optical zoom when dropping to 3 mp . Auto focus tracking is uncanny as it tracks the locked target across the LCD / EVF . Review switch is now on the back for quick review . The old review button is replaced by a function button enabling it to be set for five possible functions . There is so much flexibility in the camera , the operating manual had to be put on a CD for PDF viewing of its 219 pages . Basic instructions come in a paper version . Fabulous camera for a little over $300 . Sold my used FZ - 18 for a good price .
• 153 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Camera does everything they say it will do , but don , t buy it if you want a common point & shot ! This camera comes with the best online manual I've ever seen ! You need to take advantage of it to get the full range of amazing capabilities . So far very happy with results !
• 158 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) For the end-user with a new camera , some of the following might suggest results could be improved after thorough experimentation with settings . I am not trying to compare this to my previous camera , but rather note similarities in picture quality and movie quality without much use of manual controls , for instance . Performance and extensive set of controls is why I am rating this camera five stars , not four as I had originally . Any cons given are minor features that would have been nice , but given its price , Panasonic was very generous with this model , and every other camera I compared it to just didn't cut it for me . I purchased the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 because my previous DMC-ZS3 stopped working after a bad fall two months ago . This new camera is not a compact , looks like DSLR but can't be mistaken for it ( lightweight , most obviously doesn't take SLR lenses , and quality far from it ) , and very good but not great . Here are the pros and cons ( all I say here is the photo and movie quality is the same as the ZS3 , which is disappointing compared to the photos samples on a site such as Photography Blog , but I might not be using the correct settings ) . Honestly , in my experience , I would give this camera four stars , mainly because ( with any given camera in its price range / specifications ) , flash is weak ( not listed in cons ) , and photos often aren't consistent even after the same shot . On to the rest of the review . . . Ease of use : Five stars - - user-friendly and many different settings , very fast performance Picture quality : Four stars - - very good in decent lighting but poor in low-light / higher ISO , but RAW will help somewhat Battery life : Five stars - - haven't measured it but given daily usage between movies and photos , about a week before recharge necessary Durability : Five stars - - very well-constructed , comfortable , and lightweight compared to some cameras its size ( possibly thanks to plastic ) Macro function : Four stars - - sometimes might not focus well but it depends on lighting conditions and the settings used for the subject Pros : 18 X zoom is excellent for close shots , but consider zooming slowly and in decent lighting conditions or it won't focus well Average photo quality for a camera in its price range ( low-light performance is near-average , expected given its CCD sensor size ) Excellent HD movie quality in ample light ( see cons for the same drawback as the DMC-ZS3 ) Image stabilization is ( at least ) average and works better than some cameras in its price range Zoom noise not evident ( or barely audible ) while shooting movies , unlike most cameras capable for this function , very good stereo sound RAW support ( but two cons with this format ) Very fast performance ( as fast as some DSLR cameras in ample light - - fraction of a second in ample light , about 2 seconds in low-light ) Formats high-capacity card ( 8 GB ) in two seconds ( much faster than other cameras I have used ) Accepts lens filters ( not included ) , lens hood ( included ) , and snug lens cap , similar to those found on a camcorder Camera is lightweight and some people might think you are carrying a DSLR look-alike ( design may resemble DSLR , but you know it's not ! ) Perhaps as close to DSLR performance and appearance you can get ( somewhat redundant to the above , but does it really matter to you ? ) Battery life is excellent ( or average - - much larger battery pack compared to the relatively small battery pack used in compact cameras ) You can use generic or other brands of spare battery ( TechFuel by Batteryheads an excellent choice , and inexpensive ) Cons : Can't record voice memos ( you can on Samsung HZ25W , Canon's PowerShot SX20 without record voice memos as was featured on SX10 ) , which is quite odd Can't take pictures while shooting movies ( some cameras and most camcorders can do this , but will interrupt the movie clip some seconds ) Face detection seems a little below par ( often achieved slightly better results with the DMC-ZS3 , mainly a tad less noisy on faces ) Doesn't feature blink and smile detection that some newer cameras offer ( such as Samsung and Sony ) Movies recorded in AVCHD Lite look severely compressed in low-light regardless of quality setting - - use the MOV ( motion JPEG ) instead AVCHD Lite works best in good lighting conditions , but I am guessing to reduce the level of noise in low-light , compression artifacts RAW format is R2W extension , most programs like Photoshop don't support it ( unsure about CS4 - - I have CS3 ) , and slightly better over JPEG Lens filters seem to have green bubbles when a very bright subject is in the field ( especially the sun ) , perhaps common reflection issue Use of inexpensive lens filters that aren't multi-coated , such as UV filter , appear in my eye to give only 5% reduction in bluish tint No fluorescent light mode ( can improve indoor lighting issue ) , slight vignetting , slight green / purple fringing , and poor high ISO quality However , in some cases , higher ISO looks decent enough for small prints ( a little better overall compared to the DMC-ZS3 ) Can't take multiple shots ( fps mode ) in high-resolution ; same for some other Scene modes can only be taken in 3 , 2.5 , and 2 MP resolution Some settings in other modes ( such as Intelligent ISO , Picture Adjustments , etc . ) resets to default when dial changed or camera turned off I think this camera is very good , but not excellent . For $350 or so , this was a great purchase with many different settings , modes , and overall average quality for movies and photos , depending on what you want to achieve . Not much different from the DMC-ZS3 , and that camera I really liked because it was compact , but the advantage with the DMC-FZ35 , and all camera that aren't compact , you don't have to worry as much about dropping it as long as you have it around your neck with the shoulder strap . It won't be pocketable , but you wouldn't want to anyway if you carry lens filters and other accessories . Between a lightweight fixed-lens camera and a heavy DSLR with point-and-shoot speediness , you have the best of both worlds . I haven't used the software and don't intend to try it - - all I do is move the files off the card to the Mac . Highly recommended product ! If anyone has any suggestions on how to achieve better results , please let me know . I haven't used the camera for very long , but just long enough to write my review as promised ( read my review on the DMC-ZS3 , if you haven't already done so ) . The lens filter I bought with this is the Tiffen ( the basic $8 or so type ) and TechFuel spare battery . They work great , given any limitations provided . Make sure you have the appropriate bag to tote this wonderful piece of equipment around . Tamrac is an excellent choice - - my father uses that brand , and I have a little one that will fit this Panasonic just fine . Of course , this camera isn't waterproof , but the lens filter and lens hood might protect it better if you are using it on a day with light mist or light snowfall . If the UV lens filter doesn't cut down on the bluish tint , set the dial to SCN and the Snow Scene mode will probably work better . Generally , you want to purchase the appropriate filter for what you are doing . Maybe spend a little more for a ( better-quality and better-coated ) Hoya lens filter . The UV lens filter doesn't seem to cut it for me , but that was my mistake . Good luck ! Any feedback is welcome ! I am planning to keep my broken DMC-ZS3 if I ever want it fixed . In fact , if you have the DMC-ZS3 , you will really like the DMC-FZ35 . They complement ( and compliment ) each other ! For example , use the DMC-ZS3 at an amusement park where safety and portability matter most ; use the DMC-FZ35 on a hike or in the mountains where accessibility and accessories matter most . Of course , you can use either on a tripod , and the screw-hole where the tripod mounts made of metal , whereas plastic it could fracture easily . One last question - - can you use MultiMedia cards in the DMC-FZ35 as you can in the DMC-ZS3 ? ( I don't use MultiMedia , and so perhaps this question isn't practical for me , but what if someone else uses them and wants to know ? )
• 160 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Very good camera . Amazing Pictures . Nice controls like color adjust . Pictures are very nice . Light weight . Better than my previous Nikon P80 / P90 . I would recommend this one instead of Canon SX10 which has AA batteries . Somehow I dont not like AA batteries due to reliability . You could buy lenmar replacement battery for the same cost . Lenmar battery is working fine with this camera . Update 12 / 05 This camera is very good for people who knows how to take pictures in different conditions ie low light , indoor light . Please do not complain about this camera if you do not know about digital photography . I would recommend this to any one . Li-ion batteries are far superior and reliable than AA batteries . That is the reason I do recommend this camer over SX20 / SX10 Lemmar replacement batteries are awsome . I would recommend this to any one 12 / 12 Pictures are very sharp and crisp . Taking shots using Manual Mode with Apperture / shutter settings works well in low light indoor party , portrait modes . I love this camera . I bought PATRIOT 16gb Class 6 SDHC for this camera.They are very fast with this camera Very reliable camera and downloading pictures are super fast . I beleive this is excellent camera in the range of 18x Cameras .
• 162 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera for my sister when they were visiting us from abroad . My borther-in-law took a lot of pictures with this camera on trips to Niagara Falls , Grand Canyon , Las Vegas and NYC . My overall impression of this camera is very good . The quality of the pictures taken was great . Some of the zoom pictures taken at Niagara were very good and without any noise . The bright colors of Vegas ( day and night ) were captured beautifully . The only comment I have is the I felt the pictures are exposed slightly on the over side . The colors and clarity was good but it was bit uncomfortable to the eye when looking at these pictures . If I were to buy a zoom camera in this price range , I'd go for Panasonic again .
• 164 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I love this camera ! ! I was trying to avoid buying an SLR due to the size as I knew I wouldn't always want to carry it even though I wanted great pictures . This camera allows me to take the best pictures I've ever taken along with having easy portability . Wouldn't trade it for anything !
• 166 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is my 4th Panasonic and the first SLR type and I am absolutely pleased and amazed by the features and capabilities of this camera . . . the 18X zoom actually can be increased . . and the external flash capability is great
• 168 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I just love this camera . It takes terrific pictures . . . especially outdoors . I use the automatic function and it is wonderful . My husband will enjoy being able to use his own settings whenever he uses it . It is a great value for the price - a great mid-level camera for the novice / intermediate level user .
• 170 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I owned the earlier versions of this , FZ18 and FZ28 . They have been great cameras but with the stereo sound ( which is very high quality ) and the very fine AVCHD videos this FZ35 is the best of them . Very lightweight , easy to carry , with amazing zoom . Exposure , focus , etc are very reliable . Only con is that sometimes the color , bluish or greenish cast , is off but usually can be corrected in PP . I think it is overall the best super-zoom available .
• 172 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) The preponderence of high reviews on this site certainly seems justified . I didn't realize how good the pictures were until I viewed on my HD tv . Easy enough to use for such a feature-rich camera .
• 174 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I was looking for an upgrade from a Sony camera FSC200 model . This camera is short of the SLRs , great ease of use and good second picture speed . Very satisfied with the purchase and price !
• 176 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This has to be one of the best camera's ever ! and I should know I am a graphic designer . I have looked at many camera's before getting this one and I needed somthing that was easy for my husband to use but still get the quailty that I wanted . Even the Nikon with 24x lens and 12.1 mega pixels didn't have clear enough of a picture as the camera dose !
• 179 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera from Amazon Warehouse deals and I must say that I was very skeptical about buying a digital camera used . I was pleasantly surprised about the condition , the quality of the pictures and the amazing video that this camera produces ! This is a must have for someone thinking about getting more serious about photography as I was . This camera has sold me on digital photography !
• 181 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is my first above average non-DSL camera , so I might be biased in favor . I used it for a few months now and I am pretty satisfied . What is best about this camera is its VIDEO capabilities . It records amazing HD videos even at night . Picture quality is also better than my old camera , although I must admit I expected more . Very likely because I couldn't adjust the camera for best settings , but the night shots were not very good . I tried raw mode and two of the compressed modes . Wide lens and zoom is very useful for close and far shots . And the camera is very fast even with flash on . Another thing I liked is that there are dedicated buttons for one touch recording , flash adjustment , auto focus , etc . The battery lasts long , but you might want to have a spare . For the bad part , I find it difficult to play with the settings , because there are so many , and I am not a professional photographer so in most cases I don't know what I am doing . It wasn't easy looking at the raw pictures on my PC so I don't recommend shooting in the raw mode if you don't know what you're doing . For the AVCHD Lite mode videos , there are some free apps for playback on your PC if you can't use media player ( requires and AVC codec pack ) . Also you need to buy the HDMI cable separately . Overall , I think this camera is worth its price .
• 183 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I own an earlier version of the Panasonic Lumix and found it to be quite satisfactory . Several reviews of the new DCM = FZ35 let me to invest in this new one . Although I have not used it extensively , the results so far have been stellar . Last ween-end , I took pictures of my seven year old grand-daughters playing in a basketball tournament . Setting the controls on Indoor Sport and adding the burst feature produced excellent results . And the download to my Adobe on the Dell is easy and efficient . I couldn't has for a better camera for my uses .
• 185 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Fantastic camera for a great price . It has a great quality movie feature , a fantastic zoom , and just takes beautiful pictures . I highly recommend it .
• 187 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have had this camera only a week but so far I love it . Took some video's - - have windows 7 on my Gateway . I have Pisca as my picture software . could not get video's to download . Called Panasonic Tech support - downloaded a patch - since I have been able to download into the lumix camera software . Don't know why won't go into picasa yet . Take very clear pictures and ever better videos . Had an Olympus that was 2 years old - loved that camera as well - it took great pictures also . Sold that camera kept the DMC FZ35 . Have not used any function but the IA and the movie mode . Both work great . Would recommend this camera to everyone . Compact but is a great point and shoot .
• 189 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) To preface this review , I am a photoghraphy enthusiast and I already have an older SLR , and a very nice point and shoot ( Canon sd 700is ) but wanted one that covered a longer distance and shoot indoor and night pictures , without having to keep wondering about , which is the better setting . So , having the choice of the Canon sx20 and the Panasonic dmc fz35 was what I narrowed my search to . And , after reading many reviews from the experts and from the customers who have already experienced using this camera , I decided to have my husband buy the Panasonic fz35 for me for a christmas gift . Excellent camera ! I have had it now for a little over a month and I LOVE IT ! Picture quality is good and you can use the manual setting to get great low light pictures . The wide angle is great along with the image Stabilization . I have tried using the video capability only a couple of times , it is good and the sound is decent . Overall , it is a very good camera and I am glad I have it , would recommend it highly .
• 191 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera really is AMAZING . I did my research for hours on end and finally ended up buying this product . I was looking for something a little better than your standard point and shoot , but not as high-tech as an SLR . For your average user , you will get amazing pictures . There are so many features to this camera that even I haven't figured out yet , but I am amazed at quality of the pictures just on the auto mode . I have had the camera for about a month now and I am so happy that I bought it . Buy this . . . you wont be dissapointed .
• 193 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) No doubt this device was chosen as the best digital camera of 2009 . Has many features and it is really fast . With its powerful lens you could almost think its a DSLR camera . Also with its zoom capabilities you could take great pictures that would be be difficult or impossible to take with other devices . For me it has been the best choice .
• 195 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera after endless hours of reviewing diffrent cameras . I was sold on a Nikon , then changed to a Canon , then right before purchasing read a review that told me to look at the Panasonic Lumex FZ35 . Man , am I ever glad I did . This camera has been flawless . The pictures are amazing . The options and layout are simple and easy to use . My biggest issue's was having a camera that would adjust to motion without being an expert and one that would take great pics in low light without a flash . The FZ35 does both excellent . Point and shoot . AMAZING PICTURES ! I just love love love this camera . I've been so tickled taking pictures I have yet to try the HD camcorder mode . If I had to nit pick something it would be the fact that you can't stick this camera in your pocket . On the bright side , its half the weight of any SLR . So , there you have it ! This is the only camera on amazon that is flawless . 5 stars is hard to argue with ! What are you waiting for ? Buy One !
• 199 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is everything I expected . I researched , read reviews , and went to several camera stores looking at many models . I wanted a camera for travel , w / an extended telephoto lens , without the expense of a dslr . This camera works very well for a neophyte like me . Zoom works very well , photos ( 300 in 2 weeks ) are great , and the video function works very well . My son , who has never handled a digital camera took 100 shots at a wedding , 95 of them came out perfectly , the missed photos were user error . This camera is easy to use , and takes great photos using the factory settings . The only negative so far is the owner's manual , which is on a cd , so printing it would require 200 pages , there ought to be something easier than this . That being said , I would not hesitate to recommend this camera to anyone , it is that good .
• 201 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) We just got our camera , to replace our old Sony cybershot dsc w12 that we were extremely happy with for the last 5 years . As we were looking for a replacement we had looked at many different cameras , including Nikon Coolpix L100 - total disappointment , and finally relying on characteristics and good reviews we bought this Lumix fz 35 . And we are so happy with it ! ! ! It takes great pictures at night and day , it is light and comfortable in using . And it had tons of various functions that we did have before and enjoying now . There is so much more to explore in this camera and I look forward to it ! Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
• 202 4  We just got our camera , to replace our old Sony cybershot dsc w12 that we were extremely happy with for the last 5 years . As we were looking for a replacement we had looked at many different cameras , including Nikon Coolpix L100 - total disappointment , and finally relying on characteristics and good reviews we bought this Lumix fz 35 . And we are so happy with it ! ! ! It takes great pictures at night and day , it is light and comfortable in using . And it had tons of various functions that we did have before and enjoying now . There is so much more to explore in this camera and I look forward to it ! Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD
• 205 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I was looking for a nice camera that I could take with me wherever I went . DSLR cameras are too pricey for me and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking it to a beach or throwing in my backpack when hiking . Point-and-shoots are nice and all , but I wanted something a little more versatile . Enter the FZ35 . The overall image quality is great . The 18X optical zoom ( no digital zoom nonsense here ) is wonderful . Even if you don't have a tripod , the image stabilization allows you to take markedly good zoomed photos . And speaking of tripods . . . metal screw mount , not plastic ! The 720p HD video recording is a nice feature to have and works very well . An 8GB SDHC card ( purchased separately ) will record 60 minutes of AVCHD Lite 720p video . The camera itself is solid with a good weight to it . I don't feel like I'm holding a cheap piece of plastic . I do have a couple of complaints , but nothing too horrible . When taking pictures under fluorescent lighting , anything brown seems to take on some green highlights ( e.g . cardboard , wood , etc . ) I'm not sure if this is common among digital cameras , the FZ35 in particular , or my unit alone , but it's annoying . That being said , it's usually an easy fix in whatever photo editing software you may have . The AVCHD Lite codec support seems a bit light right now . This isn't a fault of the camera , and the codec itself is amazing in what it can cram into a relatively small amount of space , but as far as Mac OS X is concerned , well , it's tedious . iMovie will import the video , but it has to convert it to AIC format first , which can take some time . The AIC files are HUGE compared to the AVCHD videos , so make sure you've got some extra hard drive space . These AIC files can then be further compressed with iMovie or Quicktime , but this too takes time , so like I said , it's tedious . My only other complaint is more or less an annoyance . The camera can be hooked up to a TV via HDMI ( Yay ! ) , but it does not come with the cable ( Boo ! ) . Luckily , you can pick up an HDMI to mini-HDMI cable on Amazon for less than $10 . It's obvious these things are cheap ( don't tell me Panasonic can't get a deal better than I did ) , so they might as well include it . Overall , this a great camera that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for more than a point-and-shoot , but for whatever reason , isn't wanting to go the DSLR route .
• 207 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is a very durable and light weight camera . I love this thing , I am selling my DSLR camera because this thing has better zoom , since its a point and shoot , there are less settings to worry about . Its a bit smaller than a DSLR and the form factor is a plus for holding . I simply cannot hold the slim cameras available nowadays properly . This has a thread in the front for filters and other such things . The built feels strong ( no flimsy plastic ) but would probably break if dropped [ I guess no camera would survive a fall ] . It has image stabilizing sensor but no shock sensor .
• 209 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is the first Panasonic digital camera that I have purchased . So far , I have been very satisfied with my purchase . Some people complained about the lack of printed full manual . Personally , I don't think that this is a problem , for two reasons : 1 . The full manual is included in the CD , and it is easy to install it into the computer for reading . In fact , because it is a digital copy , it is very easy to jump to other sections that you want to read by just clicking the page number . You can also search any word you want . I think it can be easier in this regard than a printed version . 2 . The camera is very easy to use and very user friendly . I didn't have to refer much to the printed manual or the digital manual . I spent more time on playing , trying , testing the camera itself . I pretty much understand how it works now just by doing that . The zoom range is great . The optical stabilizer works very well . The only thing lacking is an articulating LCD which I think can be very helpful in some shots . Overall , I think it is a very highly recommendable digital camera . Update : I found that the Autofocus works really really fast , especially in good lights .
• 211 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is the camera I waited for . Does excellent still photography and HD video . The one button to start stop video is an improvement over needing to turn the selection wheel , however , lumix ( Panasonic ) should consider a better location and require less pressure to turn on and off , for the next version . Seriously , that's my only complaint . Lumix makes a great camera , smaller , lighter than the others , but full featured .
• 213 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is fantastic . I have had other Point and Shoot , but this one is the best I've ever owned . This camera take very good pictures and video on low light condition . The 18x optical zoom is incredible and the optical stabilizer works perfectly . The quality and sound of videos is also excellent . The HD movies recorded are perfect . The battery life is acceptable but I highly recommend an additional battery Lenmar DLP006 Digital Camera Equivalent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A , CGR-S006A / 1B , CGR-S006E Batteries Also recommend an optical filter to protect your len from scratches and hits Tiffen 46mm UV Protection Filter Because of its high resolution photos you also need a quick and high capacity SD card Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6
• 215 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Love my Panasonic Lumix . Very easy to use and the LCD screen is bigger than most other comparable cameras . The battery that comes with it is rechargeable and I have only charged it once when I first received the camera , a month ago . So buying an extra would be nice for those just in case times , but not a necessity . All and all , I am extremely pleased with the camera . I am no expert and have not read the manual . All I did was charge the battery and put it on Intelligent Auto . Does the work for me . Will probably be even more pleased when I take the time to figure out everything it does . Very pleased with this purchase .
• 217 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Both mega zoom cameras are about the same . I have used both . I need a camera that can take pictures in low light . The Panasonic is a little better in this category . The Canon is built like a tank & feels more secure in your hands . The Panasonic has a light plastic feel to it . Also , the Canon eye viewer is bigger & easier to see through . And the Canon also has a swivel LCD . But , like I said , I need the extra low light capabilities , so I went for the Panasonic this time . But , If Canon improves their low light capabilities , I wiil buy there camera when it comes out .
• 219 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I first bought the FZ5 , a few years later the FZ28 and now the FZ35 . Obviously you will not get super great photos in low light with a small sensor and a very long zoom lens . In daylight this camera is awesome . I took it up to the top of Half Dome and got some fantastic photos . The 18x zoom is very versatile ! The fact that it is fairly wide angle made for some great group photos without me stepping backwards off the face of Half Dome ! I'd just like to see them use a larger sensor for even better image quality ( especially low light without a flash ) , but all the cameras of this class use small sensors . I shoot mostly in Program mode but for some photos I used Aperture priority with the lens set at f / 2.8 to try to defocus the background . Again , the small sensor in all these cameras makes this not work well compared to a dSLR , but still the photos turned out pretty good . Burst mode is reasonable , slow compared to a dSLR ( I have a Canon 20D ) , but about average for this type of camera . The EVF blacks out after the 1st photo in burst mode , so if you're shooting a moving subject ( for me it was a cliff diver ) you need to pretty much need to anticipate where they're going . Auto focus seems fast , and auto exposure ( I rarely leave the white balance on AWB - auto ) worked quite well . It's a good deal !
• 222 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought the FZ - 35 before a trip to Alaska , realizing that my smaller Lumix TZ - 4 would not provide a wide enough range of focal lengths . I'm an amateur at best , but learned to use a handful of modes besides Intelligent Auto . I'm very pleased with most of the photos I took , and got some good shots of wildlife using the extended zoom . It does a good job in macro mode for close-ups of flowers , etc . EXCEPT in damp , rainy conditions . Seemed to have trouble focusing due to moisture . Also the photos I took on overcast days are a bit washed-out looking . The controls are a little confusing and I need to study the manual and practice more to understand all of them . The camera is light-weight , so not a hassle to carry around . I get pretty good usage on the included battery , but most days needed my backup battery as well . Overall , I'm very pleased with this camera and so happy I upgraded before my trip .
• 224 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I really really wanted to like this camera . I spent months reading all of the reviews here on Amazon . I have owned a 12X Panasonic Lumix FZ10 ( 4 megapixel ) and wanted a wider wide and more zoom if necessary , plus higher pixels for poster prints . I spent four days working with this camera in every possible scenario : tripod and no tripod , indoors and outdoors , day time and night time . Here is the overriding problem : The noise in the pictures is definitely higher and more noticeable than my Lumix FZ10 because it does not have an ISO 50 setting ( the lowest is ISO 80 ) , AND , the biggest difference , my old Lumix FZ10 maintains the 2.8 aperture all through the zoom range . Once you get past 12X in the FZ35 , the aperture automatically goes up , and you can't even force it down in manual mode . Even when I forced the ISO to 80 and took pictures in full sun , the details were much more noisy than my old Lumix FZ10 . I'm sure they would print fine for the most part , but if you want high-end posters , you will see it . I also noticed that the FZ10 stabilization ( Lumix Mega OS ) was better than the dual Power OS on the FZ35 . Sadly , I returned the camera and will stick with my Lumix FZ10 that has a low ISO for now . If you want to see some great pictures I've taken with that , I published a book at blurb dot com . Search PHOTOPOURRI . Vic
• 226 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Having to upgrade to a new camera after owning a Pentax Optio 43WR was quite a chore . There is so much information , and technology has certainly advanced . However , that Pentax took some great pictures . We were in need of a new camera for our first child and our outdoor adventures . This Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 takes great pictures and allows one to play with the different settings to manipulate images from the beginning . The zoom is incredible , along with the power image stabilization . Add the digital zoom and images jump at you . They are much more clear than I expected , still some digital rendering , but nothing like my old camera . It has so many menu options , one could get lost or confused if they are not a little tech / camera savy , yet it has the simple IA mode for a true point and shoot process . The flash is long range , with that be careful for close up images . Sometimes they get over-exposed , yet we've taken some great flash-macro's . We have enjoyed the macro function taking non-flash portraits of our newborn . We've used the burst mode which is great to capture that instant moment . This camera has it all for the day to day users with plenty of functions from the PASM , to low light , motion , macro , panoramic , all to fit that appropriate scene / event . And it is only 3x the width of my old one . I will still take this on our backpacking trips with more caution to exposures to water . We haven't tested the HD video because we don't have HDTV . The downside - if you're really into photography , you'll want a DSLR anyways . For the day to day and amateur photog's who want to have a great zoom , explore settings or just use it as a point and shoot for incredible pictures , this is it .
• 228 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) My intent was to purchase a Nikon , however in checking reviews of the Nikon , it was suggested I check out the Panasonic FZ35 , and my son also urged me to do so . I purchased the Panasonic and am very pleased with it . I took it on my 3 - week trip to Europe and took pictures that I never thought I would be able to get . The AF Tracking function is awesome , as the camera keeps tracking the subject as it moves . I used the Intelligent Auto Mode and the pictures turned out great . After taking a picture you can view it with one click of a button , which I found to be a great feature . The menu selection button is extremely easy to use . Overall , I found the FZ35 easy to use and with less frustration than my earlier cameras . The only negative I found is the battery life , as it died after approximately 10 hours . Granted , I was taking a lot of pictures , but this seemed like an extremely short battery life . I would suggest purchasing a spare battery pack and having it handy when you know you will be taking a lot of pictures . Overall , it is a great little camera , and well worth the price .
• 230 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Very good camera . Takes both still and video with good results . Quick start and time between pictures . Would be better if it had a flip-out lcd screen .
• 232 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) As a passionate amateur in photography I'm happy with this camera so far , it didn't take long to learn and find out about all the features it offers , all I was doing was practicing , taking pics in all light conditions or situations.Anyway there are some limits of course in this camera performances , is not a SLR but u can play a little next to that level without breaking your bank , I think the price is quiet fair for this camera and the picture quality very good , even with maximum zoom , which is great .
• 234 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Panasonic Lumix FZ - 35 is a great camera at a pretty good price for what you get . Great picture , very easy to use , numerous features , . . . the list could go on and on . Very happy with my purchase .
• 236 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I researched many top end point and shoot cameras . The reviews on this camera were great . After taking nearly 500 pictures in a variety of situations , the camera exceeded my expectations . The camera was easy to use and the Intelligent auto mode worked well for many situations . I was able to hand the camera to others and they took great shots immediately . I used the portrait and macro modes as well and was pleased with the results . The lighting in portrait mode brought out facial features and expressions clearly . I highly recommend this camera to anyone wishing to make taking great pictures easy .
• 238 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Excellent camera for the money . Has with SLR picture quality and features . Would be better if battery could be charged without removal .
• 240 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Camera works well . Light weight . With 8 GB of memory can take over 1000 pictures and over one hour of video . Only problem having is the sofeware for working with the photos on my computer not as nice as some other products . Overall like the camera , but have been using it for only one month . Still have things to learn .
• 242 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Great pictures . Really fast to shoot . Great functionality . Very very good product . I am fascinated with it . Read the whole manual and tried every item , it is really great . The face recognition is a fantastic innovation . It can zoom while recording movies . Incredible zoom .
• 244 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) If you're looking for a camera with DSLR features without the price , this is the camera for you . Very easy to use for the casual photographer , but with plenty of advanced features to keep a semi-professional happy . I was very impressed with the picture quality . The 18x optical zoom is great . After power-up , the camera can take a picture in less than one second . Subsequent pictures are taken at a rate of around two per second . Battery life is good , even when using the flash . The image stablization function works very well , making for good clear images even when not using a tripod .
• 246 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) WOW ! This is the camera to buy ! It does everything well ! Long battery life ; easy to use . The automatic feature makes this a true aim and shoot camera . Leave your brains at home , this camera does it for you . The scene selection is wide reaching with choices for every situation I can think of . The image stablization is the best . You will want to purchase a large memory card . I can't say enough good stuff about this camera .
• 248 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This superzoom camera is taking some great bird pictures from moderate distances . One complaint : the manual is on CD and the camera has so many features , I found it necessary to print the whole 219 page instructions . I was able to print it 4 pages to a sheet . Many of the features can more easily be accomplished by computer after shooting but might be useful for some people . There is a quick menu button which is a joystick that is only about 3 / 8 and too small to press in 4 directions . Otherwise the controls are easy to use . I have not tried the video function .
• 250 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I just received this camera and it is an amazing little camera . I'm still playing around with it but it is so cool for a bridge camera . I definitely recommend this camera for someone that wants something compact , light and not expensive . I'm really happy about this camera .
• 252 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) The DMC-FZ35 is a very capable camera . I am happy with my purchase except for one small but important area . The viewfinder is horrible for those of us who wear glasses . I have never liked using the LCD on any camera because it seems awkward in many situations , especially when photographing sports , action , etc . where you need to track people or things that are moving . Two problems : First the focus control for the viewfinder ( the little tiny wheel on the left side of the viewfinder window ) is not easy to adjust . Just a bad design that is not finger friendly . In addition , once adjusted , it does not seem to stay put . But I can almost live with that . The worst problem is that this camera does not have a little rubber boot on the viewfinder window . Such a boot is essential for anyone using glasses . It allows the user to maintain constant contact with the viewfinder , in both the vertical and horizontal planes and also distance between eyeglass lens and the viewfinder window . It also keeps the user from scratching his / her glasses on the back of the camera . It is pretty obvious that whomever designed the viewfinder window has never worn eyeglasses and hadn't given a thought to those that do . Or else Panasonic chose o save 25 cents by eliminating a boot . I tried a rubber boot from an older Olympus I had in a drawer . The Olympus boot did not fit the Lumix very well and fell off easily but even with these drawbacks it made a world of difference despite with not fitting well . The Olympus boot is obviously not a viable day-to-day solution but it proved the problem could be easily and inexpensively fixed by Panasonic . Why doesn't Panasonic make some sort of retrofit boot ? I would be happy to buy a boot and I would be happy to attach it it with a spot or two of cement . It would make a decent camera into an excellent camera for those with glasses . Failing Panasonic doing this , maybe a camera accessory maker could make such a thing .
• 254 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Recently purchased a Panasonic Lumix FZ35 camera from Amazon.com . Original camera arrived with a defect . Contacted Panasonic , told to return camera to Panasonic for replacement with refurbished camera . Choose to return camera to Amazon.com who promtly replaced defective camera with a new one . Have had the FZ35 for two weeks now and very happy with it's performance . Thank you Amazon.com
• 256 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Excellent camera , although the battery does not last as long as previous models , and the lens cap does not close well , and comes off with any small touch , which is a danger for the lens .
• 258 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is awesome . Picture quality is perfect in the auto mode . I still have to learn how to use this camera though . . looking at the pictures that i took in auto mode gives me the confidence that I can get stunning pictures if I learn how to use the camera . Finally , I recommend this any camera to anyone .
• 260 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I am not a professional but I like to take pictures as them ; I was looking for a portable and multi functions camera , I found it with the FZ35 . It is not small , it is medium size , but enough size to carry in my ski jacket .
• 262 4  This review is from : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera has an excellent price vs . performance ratio . The battery life does not come close to the published specifications and the User Interface / Settings are not as intuitive as desired , but this camera is capable of producing excellent images . If you're not ready for a DSLR , and willing to spend some time getting used to the DMC-FZ35 ' s setting selections , this camera is well worth $300.00 .


• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have been taking pictures for about 45 or more years and this is my third digital camera , including my wife's camera . Most of what I like to take is telephoto and macros and this camera is great at both . I have some pictures uploaded of some small white flowers on the back of my fence . They come out very clear . If the slight wind would cooperate , I could do better on some of the shots I took , but I tend to take a dozen to get one good shot anyway . I can't add too much more to what has already been said , so I will talk about the one point I think it could be improved . Editing movies . Although no digital camera can compare to a dedicated digital camcorder , they do come out rather well . What my complaint is about is the editing . There are two modes to shoot in . AVCHD Lite and MOTION JPEG . The AVCHD can be played on your big screen TV , although I cannot on mine , maybe not compatible with Samsung T。
  's , I don't know , but my bigger complaint is it cannot be edited on the camera , as my wife's small Cannon camera can . It can be edited on the computer when uploaded , but then cannot be saved to your hard drive , but it can only be saved to a DVD disc . The JPEG version cannot be edited , but can be saved on to the computer , as easily as it does with my other small cameras . I don't have any movie editing software on my PC except Windows Movie Maker , which does well for me if I upload movies from my wife's Cannon , but not this camera , nor my other , the Nikon coolpix . If you shoot a movie in AVCHD mode , and edit it on your PC , you have to keep it on the camera memory chip and wait until you can upload it to a DVD disc . To me this is frustrating . So , depending on what you want to do with the movie you take , you need to be sure which mode you have it in before shooting .
• 047 4  Enough good things said about the Fz35 camera so I won't waste your time and just get to the point . I am very satisfied with this camera . It takes great pictures and the movie quality is also very good . It looks professional and feel sturdy . If you shopping around for a perfect camera then don't look any further , buy this one . You won't be disappointed . If you take a lot of pictures , you may have to buy an extra battery .
• 156 4  I have been taking pictures for about 45 or more years and this is my third digital camera , including my wife's camera . Most of what I like to take is telephoto and macros and this camera is great at both . I have some pictures uploaded of some small white flowers on the back of my fence . They come out very clear . If the slight wind would cooperate , I could do better on some of the shots I took , but I tend to take a dozen to get one good shot anyway . I can't add too much more to what has already been said , so I will talk about the one point I think it could be improved . Editing movies . Although no digital camera can compare to a dedicated digital camcorder , they do come out rather well . What my complaint is about is the editing . There are two modes to shoot in . AVCHD Lite and MOTION JPEG . The AVCHD can be played on your big screen TV , although I cannot on mine , maybe not compatible with Samsung T。's , I don't know , but my bigger complaint is it cannot be edited on the camera , as my wife's small Cannon camera can . It can be edited on the computer when uploaded , but then cannot be saved to your hard drive , but it can only be saved to a DVD disc . The JPEG version cannot be edited , but can be saved on to the computer , as easily as it does with my other small cameras . I don't have any movie editing software on my PC except Windows Movie Maker , which does well for me if I upload movies from my wife's Cannon , but not this camera , nor my other , the Nikon coolpix . If you shoot a movie in AVCHD mode , and edit it on your PC , you have to keep it on the camera memory chip and wait until you can upload it to a DVD disc . To me this is frustrating . So , depending on what you want to do with the movie you take , you need to be sure which mode you have it in before shooting .
• 198 4  I have been using a little 7.2 megapixel sony point and shoot for years and I finally decided to get a better camera . I wanted to start photography as a hobby and this is a great camera to learn about photography with . I also wanted a camera with great pictures and good video recording and this is perfect . videos and pictures look great . has a ton of features I didn't even know about like the panoramic scene mode where u can take nice panoramic shots . the feel of this camera is very nice too . If you're a beginner and you aren't ready to step into the dslr range then this camera is unbeatable .
• 245 4  If you're looking for a camera with DSLR features without the price , this is the camera for you . Very easy to use for the casual photographer , but with plenty of advanced features to keep a semi-professional happy . I was very impressed with the picture quality . The 18x optical zoom is great . After power-up , the camera can take a picture in less than one second . Subsequent pictures are taken at a rate of around two per second . Battery life is good , even when using the flash . The image stablization function works very well , making for good clear images even when not using a tripod .


• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD ( Electronics ) Pros : All the good things people have said and more . Read other thoughts below for discoveries about this camera and personal experience with SX20 . Cons : Screen doesn't flip out and close ( but the screen has clear thick hard plastic over it so add screen protector for scratches and all is good ) . Other : 64 - bit SUPORT . All software installs fine despite any warning pop up . Panasonic drivers , that are ONLY for viewing RAW same as you would a jpeg in the explorer , the installer is not 64 - bit compatible . . . BUT there is a free 3rd party Codec pack that will install the Panasonic drivers for viewing RAW on Vista and Windows 7 64 - bit [ . . . ] My OS is Win 7 64 - bit . I had trouble with AVCHD video playing and editing , but it turned out my own drivers were corrupt for AVCHD . So I went and install k-lite codec pack ( free ) . Everything is working fine now . [ . . . ] Use a class 6 or class 10 SDHC card for faster pictures and HD video . 4GB fills too fast . Accessories : Tiffen 46mm filter kit ( fits nice and low price ) . JJC DMW-LA3 lens adapter . Digital Concept Macro filter kit 55mm . Lens cap fits on 55mm macro lenses . Don't use step up ring for 46mm area . See Advanced Features Manual page 190 - 192 [ . . . ] Here is link to Panasonic accessory parts for size reference . [ . . . ] my other reviews will go into detail for each accessory . Light diffuser or bounce you can make ( even out of a bubble bag ) , so cool , see examples here [ . . . ] I tried the Canon SX20 and took it back the same day . Hated it ! Took over 100 pictures at a party and 95% were grainy , over saturated , or to soft with ghosting and SX20 doesn't support adding filters . Must use a pop on 3rd party adapter . Called around looking for FZ35 it was nowhere around and asked a small camera shop why nobody had it . He said because Panasonic will not lower the quality of the FZ to match the lower price that the big stores want ( Walmart , Bestbuy , Costco ) . When this came in it was instant love and no regrets . Mine came with a paper manual . My kids practiced mid-air kicks off chairs while I took shots in iA mode . WOW , what a camera . Great fun . My 4 year old Panasonic DMC-LZ5 is still working great and the FZ35 is a welcome addition to my home .
• 017 4  The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 is exceptionally versatile . I am a serious photographer and I was looking for a quality point & shoot that was more portable than an SLR . This camera has filled this need splendidly . Years ago , I would have needed a bag of lenses and a tripod to get some of the shots that it successfully took with little effort . During a recent trip , I put the image stabilization to the test with extremely low expectations . On a very overcast day , I took several fully zoomed telephoto shots of the landscape ( at 12 MP resolution ) from a moving car - on an interstate . Although a few were blurry , most of them came out exceptionally sharp . I was pleasantly surprised how well the camera held up under these circumstances , where shooting is normally impossible . Another important feature for me is the filter threads ( 46 mm ) so I can use a polarizer on outdoor shots ( which is a must for any serious photographer ) . This was the only camera in its class to offer threads . With most of the competition , only their SLR's offer this . Additionally , a UV filter is always a good idea to protect your lens . There are a few cons , but I consider them to be minor - especially considering the price I paid : 1 ) Vignetting at full wide-angle when using a polarizer . NOTE : I recently solved this problem using the the manufacturer recommended polarizer that was made for this camera ( Panasonic DMW-LPL46 46mm Polarizing Filter ) . I had been using a third party Tiffen polarizer , which was much too thick . The Panasonic polarizer is linear and not circular , but it works fine & does not affect the autofocus . It's also a bit pricey , but it's a safe option . 2 ) Smallest aperture is f / 8 . A neutral density filter would be needed to slow-down most waterfall shots . 3 ) No bulb setting for night photography 4 ) No hot shoe for flash
• 041 4  Pros : All the good things people have said and more . Read other thoughts below for discoveries about this camera and personal experience with SX20 . Cons : Screen doesn't flip out and close ( but the screen has clear thick hard plastic over it so add screen protector for scratches and all is good ) . Other : 64 - bit SUPORT . All software installs fine despite any warning pop up . Panasonic drivers , that are ONLY for viewing RAW same as you would a jpeg in the explorer , the installer is not 64 - bit compatible . . . BUT there is a free 3rd party Codec pack that will install the Panasonic drivers for viewing RAW on Vista and Windows 7 64 - bit [ . . . ] My OS is Win 7 64 - bit . I had trouble with AVCHD video playing and editing , but it turned out my own drivers were corrupt for AVCHD . So I went and install k-lite codec pack ( free ) . Everything is working fine now . [ . . . ] Use a class 6 or class 10 SDHC card for faster pictures and HD video . 4GB fills too fast . Accessories : Tiffen 46mm filter kit ( fits nice and low price ) . JJC DMW-LA3 lens adapter . Digital Concept Macro filter kit 55mm . Lens cap fits on 55mm macro lenses . Don't use step up ring for 46mm area . See Advanced Features Manual page 190 - 192 [ . . . ] Here is link to Panasonic accessory parts for size reference . [ . . . ] my other reviews will go into detail for each accessory . Light diffuser or bounce you can make ( even out of a bubble bag ) , so cool , see examples here [ . . . ] I tried the Canon SX20 and took it back the same day . Hated it ! Took over 100 pictures at a party and 95% were grainy , over saturated , or to soft with ghosting and SX20 doesn't support adding filters . Must use a pop on 3rd party adapter . Called around looking for FZ35 it was nowhere around and asked a small camera shop why nobody had it . He said because Panasonic will not lower the quality of the FZ to match the lower price that the big stores want ( Walmart , Bestbuy , Costco ) . When this came in it was instant love and no regrets . Mine came with a paper manual . My kids practiced mid-air kicks off chairs while I took shots in iA mode . WOW , what a camera . Great fun . My 4 year old Panasonic DMC-LZ5 is still working great and the FZ35 is a welcome addition to my home .
• 130 4  I have recently bought DMC FZ35 after a long research to buy a camera . I wanted a Mega zoom ( > 12X ) , so my choices were limited . Panasonic is truly one of the best companies out there . Its a great camera for both point and shoot and doing some experiments with the images . Image quality is par excellence . This is a super light camera for its size ! Only problem with the camera is its burst mode , its limited only to max of 5 pics . Other than that its the best camera out in the market today !