I love my Panasonic DMC ZS3. I did have a problem with it on my 2011 Steam trip; the lens stopped working. I'm pretty rough on the point and shoot. I've dropped them, banged them, had them flopping around in my purse with who knows what all else, so I'm not sure I can blame Panasonic for the failure, though at the time I wanted to. Getting it fixed on vacation wasn't an option so I picked up a Canon Digital Elph (the store didn't carry any Panasonics). The Elph is also a great camera (it was my first digital camera) and having the Panasonic on the first half of the trip and the Canon on the second, I honestly can't decide which was better. When I got back, the Slacker swapped cameras with me and now I have two Panasonic ZS3s, one that works and one that doesn't.
I have, however, reached the point where I feel I'm ready to move beyond the limited flexibility of the point and shoot. I'd like to have more control over adjusting aperture and shutter speed, be able to swap out lenses, that sort of thing. My dad taught me a lot back in the day with the 35mm. I've forgotten most of it, though, so I've been going through the photography intro classes at Lynda.com. I think I have a good eye for composition but it needs to be buffed up with some of the technical knowledge. There are things I want to see in a photo that I know I can achieve, I'm just not exactly sure how to make it happen. I've also been taking notes for future reference.
That being said, I had no idea what I was getting into as I begin to review my options. Cost. Weight. Kinds of lenses. Manufacturers. Specifications. Features. I've spent countless hours over the last three or four weeks reading reviews and comparisons, looking at model specifications, reading photo blogs, looking a sample photos and talking to friends who are photography enthusiasts.
I've pretty much narrowed my choices down to two possibilities:
If I stick with the traditional APS-C DSLR I'll go with the new Canon SL1, due out at the end of April. It is the lightest DSLR body as of the time Canon announced it and is part of the Canon Rebel family which suggests it would be a good entry level DSLR. With the Canon reputation and their range of lenses, it looks to be a fine option.
If I break away from the familiar comfort of a traditional DSLR (and by familiar I mean most of my friends who are big on photography all have DSLRs with the APS-C sensor) and go with the Micro Four Thirds option, I'm leaning towards the Panasonic GX1. The reviews I have read are positive, they have a good selection of lenses with a good rep and the sample photos I've seen look good. With the kit lens, it only weighs about 13oz, compared to the 14oz of the Canon without a lens.
Feature-wise both seem to have the things I'm looking for - in as much as a novice like me can know. I'm going to try and check both out in-person this weekend. A key differentiator right now, though, is price. Amazon and B&H Photography have the Panasonic GX1 listed under $450, and that's with the kit lens. This suggests to me that Panasonic may be getting ready to announce either a new version of the GX1 or some comparable new model. I'm just not sure I want to wait around for them to announce or not announce such a thing. Price is the differentiator right now and if I wait for the new model then that would cease to be an advantage. Plus, I might be able to get an extra lens, too.
So, we shall see what I determine after I check the cameras out in person. I confess I'm ready for the new camera and want to start experimenting!
It's been a while since I posted a fluffy picture. Here's one of Katja taken with my ZS3 and the same one "enhanced" by the Slacker on his iPad Mini.
1 comment:
kitty!
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