The Panasonic DMC-FZ3 is
one of two recently released cameras — the other being
the FZ20 — that
are equipped with 12X zooms and image stabilizers. The design
of the FZ3 has much in common with the FZ20 (see below).
Like the FZ20, the body of the FZ3 is dominated by the lens,
and aside from the bright metal lens trim, the body is composed
of a polycarbonate that is offered in either a silver or black
finish.
Offering a 3 megapixel resolution, the DMC-FZ3 is an upgrade over its predecessor
model, the DMC-FZ1 which
was only 2-megapixel.
Yet, by today's standards, its resolution
remains entry-level, albeit coupled with a powerful zoom and
a stabilization system.
The top right side of the FZ3 supports the 2-stage
Shutter Release with the Zoom Lever around it, the Mode dial and
the Single/Burst mode button. In Playback, the zoom lever also serves
to display 9 thumbnails per screen of the captured images when pushed to
the Wide side[],
and magnify the image currently displayed []
up to 16X.
The Single/Burst mode button,
which is the small button directly behind the shutter release,
offers 3 Burst modes in addition to the standard Single shot
mode. Note that the frame rates listed below assume the use of
an SD (Secure Digital) memory card:
Burst L captures JPEG
images at 2 frames per second at the highest resolution
and least compression for up to 7 frames.
Burst H captures 4
frames per second at the highest resolution and least
compression for up to 7 frames.
No Limit captures 2
frames per second at the highest resolution and least
compression for as long as there is space on the memory
card.
The DMC-FZ3's Mode Dial has been redesigned and provides separate settings
for the P/A/S/M modes while consolidating the
Scene modes into a single dial position:
Simple Mode: as the name
implies, the Simple mode is the DMC-FZ3 easiest to use mode.
Exposure parameters are automatically selected, so is CCD
sensitivity and most parameters. A menu is available (see
the Characteristics section) but it is quite limited.
Full PlaybackMode:
provides access to the playback menu.
On the other side of the Playback mode, the Mode dial provides the more
advanced shooting modes:
Normal Mode: shutter speed and aperture are automatically
selected by the camera, but the user has control over all
other photo parameters.
Aperture Priority: gives
control over the depth of field in the image by controlling
the camera's aperture, which ranges from f2.8 through to
f8, while the FZ3 matches it to a shutter speed.
Shutter Priority: allows
the user to control the shutter speed from 8 seconds to
1/2000 second at f8, while the camera selects the aperture.
Manual Mode: offers
complete control over both the aperture and shutter speed.
Macro Mode: allows the
lens to photograph subjects as close as 5cm (1.95 in.)
when the zoom is set to the wide angle end.
Motion Images Mode:
captures video with a 320 x 240 frame size with sound,
at either 10 or 30 frames per second. Focus, zoom, white
balance, and aperture are locked at the first frame. Recordings
last as long as there is space on the memory card.
Next, the mode
dial position is the access to all 9 scene modes. The specific mode
is selected using the scene menu which is displayed when the menu button
is pressed once, while pressing it twice displays the standard menu (see
the Characteristics section for a list of its options):
Portrait: uses a wide
aperture to soften the background while maintaining the
subject in sharp focus. The blurred background effect is
more noticeable if the lens is at a telephoto setting.
Sports: gives preference
to a fast shutter speed to capture movement.
Scenery: sets the focus
to operate from 5m (16.4 ft) to infinity. The AF assist
lamp is disabled and the flash is forced Off.
Night Scenery: uses
a slow shutter speed and the use of a tripod is necessary.
The flash is forced Off and the AF assist lamp is disabled.
Night Portrait: requires
the flash to be opened as it uses both a slow shutter speed
to capture the background, and the flash in slow sync with
red-eye reduction to capture the foreground.
Panning: allows tracking
a subject with a slow shutter speed that will cause the
background to blur. In this mode the stabilizer only compensates
for vertical jitter.
Fireworks:
sets the focus to infinity, the sensitivity to 100 ISO
and sets the shutter speed to 1/4 second. The use of a
tripod is necessary.
Party: allows only 2
flash modes: Forced On with red-eye reduction or Slow sync
with red-eye reduction. Sensitivity is set to Auto.
Snow: adjusts both the
exposure compensation and white balance to ensure that
snow is imaged as white and not gray.
More controls are arranged on
the edge of the 1.5 inch LCD monitor. The MENU button
is at the top, and serves to display either the shooting menu
that corresponds to the mode in use, or the playback menu.
Below is the Cursor button which consists of 4-directional arrows
to facilitate menu navigation and image playback, and whose directional
arrows provide supplementary functions when the camera is in the capture
modes:
The up arrow of the control
cycles through 3 or 4 different compensation settings.
With the white balance set to Auto, the options offered
are: Exposure
Compensation over ±2EV in 1/3 EV increments; Auto
Bracketing over 3 frames and ±1EV, also in 1/3
EV increments; and Flash Exposure Compensation, also over ±2EV
in 1/3 EV increments. The fourth option is shown if the
white balance is set to something other than Auto.
It too can be compensated by increasing its blue or red
content.
The left arrow turns on
the Self Timer. Two delays are available, 2 seconds,
or 10 seconds.
The right arrow controls
the Flash Modes (the flash must be open for the function
to work). The modes available are Auto, Auto with Red-eye
Reduction, Forced On, and Slow Sync with Red-eye Reduction.
Forced off is selected by leaving the flash closed.
The down arrow of the controller
has 2 extra functions. First, it turns on Instant Review,
which allows a quick look at the last captured photo for
at least 5 seconds. Moreover, the image can be magnified
for a closer look (8X), or deleted, if need be.
As a secondary function, the down arrow also serves to confirm specific
actions in the menus.
The lowest button on the right side of the LCD monitor is the FOCUS and Delete button.
The Focus button serves to pre-focus the camera on a subject — useful
when the Panning mode is used — instead of having to maintain the
shutter release at mid-course. The function is enabled in the camera's
Recording menu.
Another five controls are aligned
above the LCD monitor.
First, nearest the top, is the button to release the pop-up flash. Below
is the EVF/LCD button which toggles between the EVF and the LCD,
both of which have 114,000 pixel resolution.
Next in line is the DISPLAY button which controls the overlays for
both the LCD monitor, and the EVF.
By default the DISPLAY button overlays some basic information
about camera settings, but there are 4 additional overlays available
if the camera is set to any mode other than or :
The default display shows information that includes: shooting
mode, image resolution and size, number of shots remaining,
the aperture and shutter speed once the shutter release is
pressed halfway.
The next display adds a histogram.
Next is a display that shows the image in the upper left
side of the display and places the camera settings on a black
background to the right and bottom of the screen.
One more press of the DISPLAY button clears all the information
from the screen and replaces it with a composition of grid
lines and the AF brackets.
Last is a display with only the AF brackets.
Third in the group is the EXPOSURE button,
positioned to the left of the camera's On/Off Switch.
The button allows selecting apertures or shutter speeds, or both,
when the FZ3 is set to one of the priority modes or the manual
mode.
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Introduction
],
and magnify the image currently displayed [
]
up to 16X.
mode
dial position is the access to all 9 scene modes. The specific mode
is selected using the scene menu which is displayed when the menu button
is pressed once, while pressing it twice displays the standard menu (see
the Characteristics section for a list of its options): 
Delete button.
The Focus button serves to pre-focus the camera on a subject — useful
when the Panning mode is used — instead of having to maintain the
shutter release at mid-course. The function is enabled in the camera's
Recording menu.
