I had a gift certificate and used it to buy the following camera, a Panasonic DMC-FZ7K. I'd like some opinions as well advice on how to best learn to use it. I was initially going to buy a DSLR that matched my 35mm Pentax equipment but decided to go this route first since it's a gift. If I really get into it, then I'll start to consider other things. Does anyone have any experience with this and can anyone suggests any aides / guides / books on how to best learn digital photography? I do a lot of painting and drawing and hope to use the camera for the foundations of drafts which I'll then paint or draw. You're input and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks guys! Panasonic DMCFZ7K Features Functional And Fun Panasonic has packed a lot of terrific features into the handy little DMCFZ7. The 6 megapixel camera features a super-powerful 12x optical zoom lens. It features outstanding high-speed response to help you capture beautiful shots instantly and efficiently. The DMCFZ7 boasts a large, easy-to-see LCD monitor with a High-Angle LCD feature that helps you see the screen when you're holding the camera above your head. A variety of Scene Mode settings optimize baby portraits, night scenes, and more. A Widescreen 16:9 modes lets you shoot in widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio), so that you can achieve bold, panoramic images that are perfect for dramatic, wide prints. Plus, you can view photos as full screen images on your widescreen TV. Advanced functions such as white balance fine adjustment, exposure compensation and High Speed AF for quicker, easier focusing give you more shooting flexibility and fun. There are also several manual operation features, many of which are easy to use thanks to the joystick control and flexible manual focus. Powerful, High-Quality Zoom Lens The DMCFZ7 features a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens with a remarkable 12x optical zoom, equivalent to a 30 to 430mm lens on a 35mm camera. A film camera with an optical zoom this powerful would be so big and heavy, you couldn't handle it with one hand. The FZ7, on the other hand, is small, lightweight and easy to handle. It also has Panasonic's Extended Optical Zoom. While causing mimimal deterioration by using the center part of the high-resolution CCD, this function magnifies the image to give you total zoom power of 17.5x -- roughly equivalent to a huge 1680mm lens on a 35mm camera. 2.5" Diagonal LCD and High-Resolution EVF The DMCFZ7 features a large, 2.5" diagonal LCD and the Power LCD funtion. Simply touch the Power LCD button and the display becomes about 40 percent brighter for easier viewing on sunny days. The FZ7 also has the world's first developed High-Angle LCD feature, which makes it easier to check the LCD when you're holding the camera high to shoot over a crowd. The large LCD lets you check the focus, frame the shot, and use functions like 25-thumbnail display and Calendar View in comfort, with no eye strain. Also, Panasonic aligned the electronic viewfinder and LCD along the same line of sight to minimize differences in the images you see when framing shots. Easy Manual Operation The joystick on the back of the DMCFZ7 gives you quick, easy and accurate manual focusing. You can also use the Manual Focus Assist function, which helps you set a perfect focus by magnifying the center of the LCD image and displaying a bar graph of the focal distance and depth of field. The joystick also makes it easy to manually adjust the exposure and focus. You can set the aperture, shutter speed and focus with your thumb while framing the shot on the LCD. Press and hold down the joystick, and you can also instantly change four key settings -- white balance, ISO sensitivity, image size, and image quality -- while viewing the subject on the monitor. There's no need to switch to the menu screen. MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer Jitter from shaky hands is one of the main reasons why cameras produce blurry images. You can't expect everyone to have hands of stone when taking pictures -- that's why the DMCFZ7 helps solve the problem of unsteady hands with advanced MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer technology. The camera has a built-in gyrosensor that detects any hand movement and relays a signal to a tiny microcomputer inside the camera, which instantly calculates the compensation needed. A linear motor then shifts the Optical Image Stabilizer lens as necessary to guide incoming light from the image straight to the CCD. You won't even notice it working -- all you see are the outstanding results. High Sensitivity Mode In most situations Mega Optical Image Stabilization is all you need for crisp, sharp shots. But sometimes, in a dark setting or when the subject is moving, shooting at a faster speed is required for truly great results. That's why the DMCFZ7 offers a High Sensitivity Mode. When combined with OIS, this remarkable shooting mode allows you to shoot at up to ISO 1600. And that means stop-action clarity in nearly any situation. Consecutive Shooting The DMCFZ7's consecutive shooting feature lets you take up to 13 images in Standard Mode at 3 or 2 frames per second and 7 images in Fine Mode with full resolution. In addition, the Unlimited Consecutive Shooting function lets you continue shooting until the memory card or built-in memory is full. All this is made possible by the Venus Engine Plus, which reduces power consumption by about 50 percent compared with the previous Venus Engine. The multi-task image processing in the Venus Engine Plus LSI has accelerated response speed, giving you more comfortable shooting with a release time lag of 0.008 second minimum. Included With Purchase Battery charger, battery pack, 16MB SD memory card, lens cap, lens hood and adapter, AV and USB cables, strap, ArcSoft PhotoImpressions, ArcSoft Panorama Maker, ArcSoft PhotoBase software, USB Driver, Lumix Simple Viewer, Photo Fun Studio software. More reasons to buy the Panasonic DMCFZ7K from Vanns.com No Sales Tax! Vanns.com is a Fully Authorized Dealer (Learn More) Panasonic DMCFZ7K Details The powerful DMCFZ7 has more great features than its size may indicate. This 6 megapixel camera has a powerful 12x optical zoom lens, aspect ratio control, 9 point AF metering, manual exposure settings, movie capture, MEGA image stabilization, and a handy joystick control that makes it easy to change settings while viewing the LCD screen. 6.0 Megapixels (Effective) Recording Media: SD Memory Card, Multimedia Card (16MB SD Card Included) 12x Optical Zoom, 4x Digital Zoom Shoots 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 Aspect Ratios, Motion JPEG 4:3 and 16:9 Aspect Ratios Built-In Flash: Auto, Auto/Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Sync./Red-Eye Reduction, Forced On/Off Motion JPEG (4:3 Aspect): 640 x 480, 320 x 240 Pixels, (16:9 Aspect): 848 x 480 2.5" Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display, Power LCD Mode, High Angle LCD Mode USB Connection, DC Input, Video Output (NTSC/PAL) Image Quality: TIFF/Fine/Standard Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens, Aperture: Wide: F2.8-F8, Tele: F3.3 - F8 MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer with 2 Modes AF Metering: 1 Point, 1 Point High Speed, 3 Point High Speed, 9 Points, Spot Auto Focus/Manual Focus Switchable, Normal/Macro (Dial), Continuous AF On/Off Program Mode, Aperture Priority Mode, Shutter Priority Mode, Manual Mode, Macro ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400 (High Sensitivity Mode: 800, 1600) White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen, White Set 1/2, White Balance Adjustment Exposure Compensation: 1/3 EV Steps, +/- 2 EV Auto Bracketing (AE): +/- 3EV-1EV Step, 3 Frames Intelligent Multiple/Center-Weighted/Spot Light Metering Mega Burst Shooting Mode, Unlimited Consecutive Shooting Still Image Recording with Audio (5 Seconds), Audio Dubbing (Maximum of 10 Seconds) Picture Adjustment: Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation, Noise Reduction Real-Time Histograms, Composition Guide Lines PictBridge Direct Print Compatible Image Sizes Ranging from 2816 x 2112 to 640 x 480 Playback Modes: Thumbnail (3), Zoom, Rotation, Slide Show, Favorites, Resize, Trim, Calendar Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 710mAh) Included Scene Modes Include: Portrait, Sports, Night Scenery, Panning, Night Portrait, Fireworks, Snow Color Effect Modes: Cool, Warm, B&W, Sepia Dimensions: 4.43" W x 2.84" H x 3.11" D Weight: 0.68 lbs. Panasonic DMCFZ7K Warranty Details One-Year Parts, 90 Day Labor
I have this camera as well and it competes very nicely with my girlfriend's $1,200 Nikon. If you're going to be taking a lot of portraits, etc. I'd consider getting a tripod, but I've had really good luck with this one taking all kinds of pics. I have a 15 yr. old who's into baseball/football/basketball and I've gotten some great action shots with the Panasonic. You posted in December so you probably already know more about the darn thing than I do.
