Next day with the new ZS50/TZ70...

D

dalethorn

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Next-day photos with the Panasonic ZS50/TZ70: I've done the night shot several times with previous tiny-sensor (1/2.3 etc.) cameras, but this image is a huge improvement over previous attempts, even though I'm using ISO 200. The soil-sample collectors make a good sunlit example, and the foliage (always a tough item) is reproduced well. The pelican isn't the best quality, and I may have over-cropped it, but just imaging a bird in flight handheld at maximum zoom (720 mm effective) is a big challenge.

I read reviews that say this camera's lens (ditto other similar cameras) suffers a significant loss of quality at the long end of the zoom, yet I think if you subtract out the distortions from air currents etc. at the distances between the camera and those long-zoom subjects, the net loss of quality from the lens isn't serious. In fact, what you get can't be had any other way short of using a much larger camera that costs several times as much.

f5.1, 4 seconds tripod, ISO 200.
Charleston_Downtown11a_s.jpg


f5.6, 1/250 handheld, ISO 80.
Mtpleasant_Park11_s.jpg


f6.4, 1/320 handheld, ISO 80.
Pelican01_s.jpg
 
Next day after that is this on the side of a building. The ZS-50 pulled this off very well, with decent color and detail in spite of flat lighting. f3.8, 1/200, ISO 80.

image.jpg
 
Oh, these are just fine, Dale. Even the handheld ones. I can't wait for my ZS50 to arrive.

I think you'll like it. I've been really skeptical about the idea that reducing the pixel count would make for better images, especially in lower light. I believe now - and I go back and look at my Panasonic LX3 photos from circa 2008, and many of those indoor shots at ISO 800 look good with low noise.
 

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