A 1/3.2 inch CCD with a total
of 3,340,000 pixels, of which 3.1 million are effective, is
used in the Lumix FZ3. CCD sensitivity starts at 80 ISO, and
can be increased to 100, 200 or 400 ISO. An Auto setting is
also available, adjusting the sensitivity of the camera between
80 and 200 ISO when the flash isn't used, and between 100 and
400 ISO when the flash is used.
The Panasonic DMC-FZ3 is equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit
12X zoom with a focal length of 4.6 to 55.2 mm, equivalent to
a 35 to 420mm.
The lens is composed of 13
elements in 8 groups and includes 3 aspherical lenses to
control curvilinear distortion. Its image is stabilized using
Panasonic's well-known MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)
which adjusts the focal point of the lens to compensate for
the photographer's inadvertent movements which are emphasized
by a long lens. A 4X digital zoom is also included, but it interpolates the
image to a selected size, lowering the image quality. (To
understand the difference between an optical and a digital
zoom, read
through our article.)
The zoom offers a constant aperture of f2.8 across
the entire zoom range, and the aperture of the FZ3 extends to f8 in 10
steps, while the shutter speeds cover from 8 seconds to 1/2000 second.
As with the DMC-FZ20 and earlier models, Panasonic includes an adapter
with a bayonet mount that fits on the metallic trim of the lens, and
a flower-shaped "perfect" lens hood — a type of lens
hood that can be used with the complete range of the zoom and which prevents
flare — that mounts onto the adapter.
The DMC-FZ is capable of capturing images at any one of 5 image sizes:
2016 x 1512 pixels
1920 x 1080 pixels (HDTV, a format compatible
with the 16:9 ratio of HDTV)
1600 x 1200 pixels
1280 x 960 pixels
640 x 480 pixels
Two JPEG formats are available: Fine, yielding
the highest image quality, and Standard, with a
stronger compression. A TIFF format which records
the image without any compression is also available.
Image size and quality, along with a number of other camera settings,
are selected in the FZ3's menu. The most comprehensive menu is available
while the camera is set to one of the more advanced modes (P/A/S/M):
White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen (incandescent),
and Custom, which uses a white balance setting
for specific conditions which has previously been set
with Custom Set.
Sensitivity: Auto (80 to 200 without the flash,
100 to 400 with the flash), 80, 100, 200 and 400 ISO.
Picture Size: selects any one of the 5 image
sizes available (see above).
Quality: selects either JPEG Fine, or JPEG
Standard, or TIFF.
Audio Rec.: On or Off. Allows recording a 5
second audio clip after a JPEG image is captured.
Metering Mode selects the metering pattern:
Multiple: meters the frame by evaluating multiple
points and combining the readings to set the exposure
parameters (default).
Centre-weighted: meters the centre of the
frame and the periphery but gives more importance to
the reading obtained at the centre than the rest of
the frame.
Spot: meters the centre metering point.
AF Mode:
9-Area-Focusing: allows the camera to automatically
select the focus point from one or more of 9 areas
in the frame.
3-Area-Focusing: as above the camera automatically
picks the focus point, but this time from 3 points
horizontally, one at the centre of the frame and one
on either side.
1-Area-Focusing: focus is established on the subject
at the centre of the frame.
Spot-Focusing: on a small area at the precise centre
of the frame.
Continuous AF: On or Off. When On, the FZ3 continuously
focuses, but the battery gets depleted more quickly.
AF Trigger: decides whether autofocus will be
triggered by a half-press of the shutter release (default),
or the Focus button which is below the 4-direction
control.
AF Assist Lamp: On or Off. Controls the focus
assistance lamp which the camera would automatically activate
when the ambient light is too soft for the focusing system.
Digital Zoom: On or Off. Controls the 4X digital
zoom
Col. Effect offers four settings:
Cool: increases blue tones slightly.
Warm: increases red tones in the image slightly.
Black and White: records a grayscale photo.
Sepia: records a sepia-tone image.
Pict. Adj.: controls the sharpness of the image.
Three settings are available, Natural (softens sharpness),
Standard (default setting), Vivid (increases sharpness).
Stabilizer has three possible settings:
Off to turn off stabilization when it is
not needed such as when the camera is mounted on
a tripod.
Mode 1: the stabilizer operates continuously,
not only stabilizing the image when the photo is
captured, but stabilizing the image in the viewfinder.
Mode 2: the stabilizer only becomes active
when the shutter release is pressed. This mode offers
a greater degree of stabilization.
Flip Animation: allows creating an animated sequence
of images, up to 20 seconds long and comprised of 100 320
x 240 pixel frames.
The second part of the menu, common to other modes with
the exception of the Simple Mode, is the Setup
menu and its content is covered in the Interface
and Software section of this review.
When set to the Scene Modes, the
FZ3 first displays a list of Scene modes when the Menu button
is pressed, and only when pressed a second time does it offer
a slightly shorter version of the menu.
This menu displays options over 2 pages, and grays out others which need
to be specifically controlled by the scene mode, and which should not be
altered by the user.
The Simple
Mode also presents a short, 4-option menu:
Pict. Mode selects the image quality and size
based on how it will be used:
Enlarge: captures a 2016 x 1512 pixel image
with the Fine JPEG mode.
4" x 6" (10x15cm): captures a 1600
x 1200 pixel image.
E-mail: records a 640 x 480 pixel image.
Auto Review: On or Off, decides whether the camera
displays a just captured image.
Beep: controls the beep sounds made by the camera
(Off, Low, or High).
Clock Set: sets the date and time for the FZ3.
When in Playback, the FZ3 can display photos with, or without,
any information overlaid on the image. By default the camera
displays the image with a simple level of data that includes
the image size; the compression or TIFF, indicating
that the photo is uncompressed; the file number; the position
of the photo within the group in the current folder; and
the date and time at which it was taken.
Pressing the Display button
adds the aperture and shutter speed used; ISO setting; the
flash mode; the shooting mode; and a histogram that graphically
illustrates the distribution of brightness within the image.
Finally, if the Display button is pressed a second time the information
overlaid on the image is removed, leaving just the photo.
The playback Menu is designed along
the same lines as the recording menus, offering the playback
options in the first section, and an access to the Setup menu
in the second. The playback options are spread out over two
screens:
Rotate: allows rotating any image, once selected,
in 90° increments to the right or left.
Protect: makes selected images "read-only" preventing
their accidental erasure.
DPOF Print (Digital Print Order Format):
allows selecting images to be printed, either by a DPOF
service, a DPOF compliant printer, or directly, via USB
and by-passing the need for a computer, to a PictBridge compliant
printer.
Slide Show: sets the camera to display either
all photos or those selected through DPOF, automatically.
The on-screen duration for the photos can be selected (1,
2, 3, or 5 seconds); and should there be audio attached
to images, whether or not it will be played as well.
Audio Dub: allows adding a 10 second narration
to an already recorded image. TIFF images cannot have audio.
Resize: allows resizing images down to store more
on a card. Images with attached audio, or recorded in the
TIFF format, cannot be re-sized.
Trimming: is used to crop an image, and the cropped
image can either be saved as a new image, or be saved by
overwriting the original. As with the Resizing option,
images that have attached audio cannot be trimmed and neither
can TIFF or HDTV images.
Format: formats the memory card.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ3 is supplied with an 8MB SD (Secure
Digital) memory card, but is also compatible with MMC (MultiMedia
Card). The card slot is located underneath the camera, next
to the battery, both of which are covered by a hinged solid
door.
Regrettably, Panasonic retails the DMC-FZ3 with an all too limiting 8MB
SD card, and the immediate purchase of an SD card with a greater capacity
should be considered as an absolute necessity.
The table below shows the number of photos
that can be captured with both the 8MB card included, and an
inexpensive 256MB card:
Resolution
TIFF
Fine
Std
8
256
8
256
8
256
2016 x 1512
0
25
4
157
8
306
1920 x 1080
0
37
6
236
12
445
1600
x 1200
1
40
6
255
13
487
1280
x 960
1
62
10
390
19
709
640
x 480
6
236
32
1200
58
1950
A rechargeable Lithium-ion battery powers
the FZ3, the battery and its charger are supplied with the
camera. As noted above, the battery fits in its own slot, retained
by a clip, in the same compartment as the memory card.
Recharging a completely depleted battery takes about 2 hours, and allows
the camera to record approximately 250 photos before needing to be recharged.
In addition, the FZ3 can be powered with an external AC-DC adapter (DMW-CAC1)
which is plugged into a jack located on left side of the camera.
The dual purpose USB and A/V (Audio/Video)
jack is positioned above the DC-In jack, and both cables are
included with the camera. The USB port is compatible USB 2.0
(Full Speed), meaning that its top transfer speed is that of
USB 1.1.
Last, the AV out signal can be set to either NTSC or PAL, an option found
in the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of
the review).
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Characteristics
