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Expert Recommendation
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Overview
Sporting a class-leading super-bright zoom lens that is sharp and offers an outstanding wide-angle view for capturing landscapes, a superb HD movie mode, and good battery life in a sturdy metal body, this camera is the best-in-class companion for novice as well as advanced users when traveling.
My Best In Class Pick
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
Panasonic is the pioneer of wide-angle image-stabilized digital cameras. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 is the latest top-of-line offering with significant improvements over its acclaimed predecessor (LX2). The camera now can capture a wider brightness range for high contrast images (e.g. a typical sunny outdoor scene has a wider brightness range than a conventional cameras can capture). The feature helps avoid blown-out highlights while retaining detailed shadows.
The unique sensor design offers optimum resolution for various image aspect ratios (e.g. 16:9 - good for landscapes, 4:3 - for portraits, etc.). The lens is sharp and brightest (widest aperture) of them all, which facilitates blur-free shots when hand-held. It offers a best-in-class wide-angle view for capturing dynamic, richly expressive landscapes with a wide perspective. During playback you will love viewing these on a high resolution 3” LCD screen. It also offers an HD movie mode.
The camera offers many scene modes, including Intelligent AUTO mode (it automatically sets the appropriate scene mode according to the picture you are about to take) for easy operation and full manual controls (including RAW mode) for use by advanced users.
In nutshell this is best-in-class travel camera offering outstanding image quality and feature set.
Comparison with Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5
Better resolution, image quality and brighter lens offering wider angle view. However if one fancy long zooms then TZ5 is preferred choice.
Comparison with Canon PowerShot A650 IS
Better dynamic range, wider angle view, compacter and better build quality.
Pros
- +Best in class lens (brighter and wider)
- +Outstanding image quality
- +Rich feature set catering to novice and advanced users
- +Class leading LCD resolution (460K dots) that is great for framing and checking focus
- +Compact size
- +Well built
Cons
- -Small zoom range (2.5x)
Where to buy
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
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Best Price:
$479
See It »
- $479 - $835 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 2.5x
- Resolution: 10.1MP
- Size: 4.3 x 2.3 x 1.1 in.
- Battery Life: 380 shots
- Easy to Use: Yes
Comparing My Best In Class Pick with Other Good Choices
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| Customer Rating |
 
(from 107 reviews)
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(from 517 reviews)
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(from 91 reviews)
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| Price | $479 - $835 | $289 - $399 | $688 - $766 | |
| Size (W x H x D) | 4.3 x 2.3 x 1.1 in. | 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.4 in. | 4.4 x 2.7 x 2.2 in. | |
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Effective Sensor Resolution
The Effective Sensor Resolution tells you the total number of pixels that are recorded when you take a picture. The units are MP, which stands for megapixels or millions of pixels. For outstanding fine compression prints, 3MP is required for 5x7's, 7.1MP for 8x10's, and 10.9MP for 11x14's. The effective sensor resolution is only one of many important factors that will determine the quality of the photograph when displayed or printed at different sizes.
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10.1 megapixels | 9.1 megapixels | 12.1 megapixels | |
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Shutter Lag Time (including auto-focus time)
This is the time from fully pressing the shutter button until the image is captured. Longer shutter lag times make it more difficult to capture the desired moment.
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0.8 sec | 0.4 - 0.5 sec | 0.5 - 0.9 sec | |
| Power to First Shot Time | 2.3 sec | 2.5 sec | 1.6 sec | |
| Video Zoom Available (while recording) | No | Yes | No | |
| Max Video Resolution | 1280 x 720 pixels | 1280 x 720 pixels | 640 x 480 pixels | |
| Max Video Frame Rate (max resolution) | 24 frames/sec | 30 frames/sec | 30 frames/sec | |
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Min Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. On any 35 mm film camera, a 30 mm or less lens is considered a wide-angle lens.
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24 mm | 28 mm | 35 mm | |
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Max Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. Larger max focal lengths make distant objects appear more magnified.
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60 mm | 280 mm | 210 mm | |
| Optical Zoom | 2.5x | 10.0x | 6.0x | |
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Image Stabilization Available
Image stabilization features are designed to reduce the blur that results from normal, minute shaking of a lens due to hand-held shooting. However, image stabilization does not prevent motion blur caused by the movement of the subject or by extreme movements of the camera.
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Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Auto Focus Assist Light Available | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
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Max Aperture (wide-angle)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (wide-angle) is the largest possible size at the wide-angle limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
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f/2.0 | f/3.3 | f/2.8 | |
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Max Aperture (tele-photo)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (tele-photo) is the largest possible size at the tele-photo limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
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f/2.8 | f/4.9 | f/4.8 | |
| Aperture Priority Mode Available | Yes | No | Yes | |
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Viewfinder Available
A viewfinder is a window that you look through to compose the picture. Some cameras do not have a viewfinder and instead use the LCD display. The LCD display may be difficult to see in bright light and may make it more difficult to capture fast-moving subjects because of the time required to update the display.
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Yes | No | Yes | |
| LCD Screen Resolution | 460000 pixels | 460000 pixels | 173000 pixels | |
| Battery Type | Proprietary Lithium Ion Rechargeable | Proprietary Lithium Ion Rechargeable | AA-size (x4) | |
| Battery Life | 380 shots | 300 shots | 500 shots | |
| Image Quality | ||||
| Corner to corner Sharpness | Good | Good | Good | |
| Fine details & colors | Good | Above average | Good | |
| Low light (High ISO) Performance | Best in class | Average | Good | |
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Sensor Size
Most digital cameras, even most digital SLRs, have sensors that are smaller than a standard frame of 35 mm film (36 x 24 mm). These smaller sensors have a number of effects on the captured image and the use of the camera, including an increased depth of field, decreased light sensitivity, increased pixel noise, and increased degree of enlargement.
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7.9 x 5.9 mm | 6.0 x 4.4 mm | 7.6 x 5.7 mm | |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5
The Pansonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 is part of the highly successful TZ (Travel Zoom) series. It packs a class-leading versatile 10x zoom lens with a wide angle view in a 1.44” thick sturdy metal body.
Despite being so tightly packed, the lens retains its sharpness & produces little distortion across the zoom range which is commendable. Battery life has been improved over its predecessor making it a great companion for travel. The camera also features a superb HD movie mode that supports using the optical zoom while recording movies (a rare feature among compacts).
For easy operation it also offers an Intelligent Auto Mode. However stuffing so many pixels on tiny sensors does take its toll, resulting in images which are clean but devoid of low contrast fine details because of noise reduction (smaller pixels are noisy & require higher noise reduction to produce clean images). Nevertheless this is generally true for all cameras in its class.
In nutshell, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 has good image quality with corner-to-corner sharpness, a versatile zoom range, and a superb movie mode making it a good travel companion.
Comparison with Canon PowerShot A650 IS
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 is more versatile for travel, with a wider angle view, a greater zoom range, a better movie mode, and a smaller size. The Canon PowerShot A650 IS has a slight edge on image quality.
Pros
- +Class leading 10x zoom with wide angle view
- +Low distortion lens with good corner-to-corner sharpness
- +Sturdy metal body
- +Class leading LCD resolution
- +Good image quality
Cons
- -Lacks useful Aperture/Shutter priority modes.
- -Images lack low contrast fine details because of heavy noise reduction
Where to buy
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5
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Best Price:
$289
See It »
- $289 - $399 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 10.0x
- Resolution: 9.1MP
- Size: 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.4 in.
- Battery Life: 300 shots
- Easy to Use: Yes
- Highly Recommended at DPReview.com
- Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
- Rated Very Good by CNET.com
Canon PowerShot A650 IS
The Canon PowerShot A650 IS is the most affordable camera with a swivel LCD feature & optical viewfinder in the Canon lineup. It has a high resolution 12 Megapixel sensor and a sharp 6x optical zoom lens, which is great for capturing landscapes.
The swivel LCD is great for shooting landscapes when using a tripod or taking over-the-head shots of tourist attractions at crowded places. The optical viewfinder is helpful for framing shots of bright sunny outdoor scenes (the image on an LCD screen is difficult to see under such conditions).
Along with an Auto mode and many scene modes, it also offers full manual modes. It runs on 4 AA Batteries, which is good for travel as one can use off-the-shelf alkaline batteries if needed. For enhanced versatility, it can support wide-angle and tele-photo conversion lenses, which are available separately as accessories.
Comparison with Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
The Canon PowerShot A650 IS is more versatile and a preferred choice for travel with higher resolution, a sharper lens, an optical viewfinder, and a swivel LCD.
Pros
- +Great image quality with good resolution
- +Good corner-to-corner sharpness
- +Useful Aperture/Shutter priority modes
- +Swivel LCD & optical viewfinder
- +Uses AA batteries
Cons
- -Lacks a wide angle view (compared to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5)
- -Bulky
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot A650 IS
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Best Price:
$688
See It »
- $688 - $766 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 6.0x
- Resolution: 12.1MP
- Size: 4.4 x 2.7 x 2.2 in.
- Battery Life: 500 shots
- Easy to Use: Yes
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
The Canon PowerShot SX100 IS is a superzoom without an eye-level viewfinder, a first of its kind from Canon. It offers an 8MP resolution sensor and is equipped with a sharp 10x super-zoom lens that is a snappy performer. The camera runs on 2 AA batteries. Along with an Auto mode and lots of scene modes, it also offers full manual modes (Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, etc.) for use by advanced users.
Recently a minor upgrade (SX110IS) has been launched with slight increase in resolution and tad smaller size. It should also perform similarly.
Pros
- +Good zoom range
- +Good image quality
- +Useful Aperture/Shutter priority modes
- +Uses AA batteries
Cons
- -Lacks a wide angle view
- -Build quality could be better
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
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Best Price:
$312
See It »
- $312 - $441 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 10.0x
- Resolution: 8.0MP
- Size: 4.3 x 2.8 x 1.8 in.
- Battery Life: 400 shots
- Easy to Use: Yes
How It Works
You tell us your budget, intended uses, and desired features. We show you personalized recommendations from unbiased experts to quickly identify the best digital camera for you.
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How to Pick Digital Cameras
- For Travel Photos
- For Photos of Children or Pets
- For Action or Sports Photos
- For Photos in Low Light
