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Hi everyone!
My friend is considering either models.
Which one would be the best re. ease of use and results?
Thanks
Marcel
PS I mistakingly posted the same message in rec.photo.digital.slr-systems

Celcius wrote:
> Hi everyone!
> My friend is considering either models.
> Which one would be the best re. ease of use and results?
> Thanks
> Marcel
> PS I mistakingly posted the same message in
> rec.photo.digital.slr-systems

Well, rec.photo.digital.zlr would be the most appropriate newsgroup!

The Panasonic FZ20 is an older model than the Canon S3 IS, the more recent
Panasonic models are FZ7 and FZ30 (smaller and larger cameras). If ease
of use is an issue, try the cameras in a photo shop. I tried the earlier
Canon S2 and rejected it in favour of the lighter and easier to handle
Panasonic FZ5. The Panasonics have a better lens than the Canon, but the
Canon has a swivel LCD viewfinder. The Panasonic tends to have a sharper
image by default, but therefore shows more noise.

My wife has the Panasonic FZ20 and I have the Panasonic FZ5. We have both
been very pleased with the results.

David

"David J Taylor" <david-(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote in message news:zattg.100858$(E-Mail Removed) .uk...
> Celcius wrote:
> > Hi everyone!
> > My friend is considering either models.
> > Which one would be the best re. ease of use and results?
> > Thanks
> > Marcel
> > PS I mistakingly posted the same message in
> > rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
>
> Well, rec.photo.digital.zlr would be the most appropriate newsgroup!
>
> The Panasonic FZ20 is an older model than the Canon S3 IS, the more recent
> Panasonic models are FZ7 and FZ30 (smaller and larger cameras). If ease
> of use is an issue, try the cameras in a photo shop. I tried the earlier
> Canon S2 and rejected it in favour of the lighter and easier to handle
> Panasonic FZ5. The Panasonics have a better lens than the Canon, but the
> Canon has a swivel LCD viewfinder. The Panasonic tends to have a sharper
> image by default, but therefore shows more noise.
>
> My wife has the Panasonic FZ20 and I have the Panasonic FZ5. We have both
> been very pleased with the results.
>
David,

Thank you for your prompt response.
I had advised my friend against the Panasonic, because I had heard in this
or other newsgroup that it was noisy. Not that DPReview is necessarily
perfect, but although they evaluate the Panasonic as Highly recommended,
they also point out that there is "Visible noise at ISOs above 100".
I decided to seek advice on his behalf and to relay the answers so that he
can make a good choice. He tends toward the Panasonic.

Best regards,

Marcel

Celcius wrote:
[]
> David,
>
> Thank you for your prompt response.
> I had advised my friend against the Panasonic, because I had heard in
> this or other newsgroup that it was noisy. Not that DPReview is
> necessarily perfect, but although they evaluate the Panasonic as
> Highly recommended, they also point out that there is "Visible noise
> at ISOs above 100".
> I decided to seek advice on his behalf and to relay the answers so
> that he can make a good choice. He tends toward the Panasonic.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Marcel

Marcel,

All cameras produce noise, but some produce more than others! The default
settings on the Panasonic produce sharper images, and this probably
contributes towards the slightly greater visible noise. However, I would
urge caution because:

- the noise may only be visible when the image is zoomed to 1:1
magnification on the display - hardly a realistic viewing scenario for
most people.

- when the image is printed at normal size, the noise may not be visible.

- a little noise can sometimes add character to a photo, but there is a
fashion today for completely noise-free images.

So see if your friend finds the noise on the Panasonic objectionable or
not when the camera is used in his particular viewing circumstances.
Print out some of the sample images, if prints are what your friend
normally uses. Do the same for the Canon. Having said that, for daylight
I would normally use the camera at ISO 100, so that the noise does not
become objectionable to me. And I do the same with my other small-sensor
cameras!

To me, those cameras are sufficiently different that image noise would
only be a small factor in the decision.

David

"David J Taylor" <david-(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote in message news:zattg.100858$(E-Mail Removed) .uk...
> Celcius wrote:
>> Hi everyone!
>> My friend is considering either models.
>> Which one would be the best re. ease of use and results?
>> Thanks
>> Marcel
>> PS I mistakingly posted the same message in
>> rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
>
> Well, rec.photo.digital.zlr would be the most appropriate newsgroup!
>
> The Panasonic FZ20 is an older model than the Canon S3 IS, the more recent
> Panasonic models are FZ7 and FZ30 (smaller and larger cameras). If ease
> of use is an issue, try the cameras in a photo shop. I tried the earlier
> Canon S2 and rejected it in favour of the lighter and easier to handle
> Panasonic FZ5. The Panasonics have a better lens than the Canon, but the
> Canon has a swivel LCD viewfinder. The Panasonic tends to have a sharper
> image by default, but therefore shows more noise.
>
> My wife has the Panasonic FZ20 and I have the Panasonic FZ5. We have both
> been very pleased with the results.
>
> David

I would second the Panasonic.... we have both cameras where I work as well
as the older Canon S2 IS.....

The Panasonic results taken at the same time and locations always look
better and more detailed than the Canon.... from a personal point of view
the Panasonic is nicer to use as well but that is just personal
preference....

Noise really has not been a problem and a quick look through sample images
from a range of sites should back that up.

Monkee wrote:
> "David J Taylor"
> <david-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message news:zattg.100858$(E-Mail Removed) .uk...
>> Celcius wrote:
>>> Hi everyone!
>>> My friend is considering either models.
>>> Which one would be the best re. ease of use and results?
>>> Thanks
>>> Marcel
>>> PS I mistakingly posted the same message in
>>> rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
>>
>> Well, rec.photo.digital.zlr would be the most appropriate newsgroup!
>>
>> The Panasonic FZ20 is an older model than the Canon S3 IS, the more
>> recent Panasonic models are FZ7 and FZ30 (smaller and larger
>> cameras). If ease of use is an issue, try the cameras in a photo
>> shop. I tried the earlier Canon S2 and rejected it in favour of the
>> lighter and easier to handle Panasonic FZ5. The Panasonics have a
>> better lens than the Canon, but the Canon has a swivel LCD
>> viewfinder. The Panasonic tends to have a sharper image by default,
>> but therefore shows more noise.
>>
>> My wife has the Panasonic FZ20 and I have the Panasonic FZ5. We
>> have both been very pleased with the results.
>>
>> David
>
> I would second the Panasonic.... we have both cameras where I work as
> well as the older Canon S2 IS.....
>
> The Panasonic results taken at the same time and locations always look
> better and more detailed than the Canon.... from a personal point of
> view the Panasonic is nicer to use as well but that is just personal
> preference....
>
> Noise really has not been a problem and a quick look through sample
> images from a range of sites should back that up.

Forty years ago we had the same arguments over "grain" in our then film
cameras.

We learnt to handle it and live with it.

Nothing changes.

Dennis.
Panasonic FZ20 and Nikon F3.

"Celcius" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e95mik$fsn$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi everyone!
> My friend is considering either models.
> Which one would be the best re. ease of use and results?
> Thanks
> Marcel
> PS I mistakingly posted the same message in rec.photo.digital.slr-systems
>
>
Thanks to you all.
Your comments are most welcome and useful.
Marcel

> I've got a Canon S3 IS. My problems have been that the
> rubber grip coating has slowly flaked off, and the LCD
> is a bit hard to see in bright conditions.

Have you tried to increase the LCD brightness in the menu?
/per

"y_p_w" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> per wrote:
>> > I've got a Canon S3 IS. My problems have been that the
>> > rubber grip coating has slowly flaked off, and the LCD
>> > is a bit hard to see in bright conditions.
>>
>> Have you tried to increase the LCD brightness in the menu?
>
> Yes. Even at the brighter setting, I couldn't see great through
> mid-day sun. Tilting the display sometimes helped, but I found
> that the EVF was a better choice under those conditions.


The EVF to my mind is not the greatest either - my old Panasonic Lumic LC-70
has
a really bright viewfinder and I find the Canon S3 quite dim in comparison.