I had this camera for a little over 5 years before it stopped working. The primary reason I bought this camera was for the special features, or the "scene" capabilities. However, the camera worked so well on "intelligent auto" that I rarely used these other than beach or sunset pictures. I carried it around with me everywhere, and used in many different lighting situations. Dark actually came out better that some more expensive cameras - very little blurring and good capture! Fast action could stand to use some improvement - though I never bought high capability sd cards to go in it, so I don't know if that would improve it. But I prefer a fast shutter, with continuous taking, and the DMC-LZ7 didn't have that. You also can't take pictures while shooting in movie mode, but you can zoom, which is fantastic. Battery life wasn't the best, but it's AA batteries, which is great if you have rechargeables. I liked it so much, I bought the next model up for a replacement (which I actually don't like as much, but it's higher zoom & megapixels).

princessariane

Charlotte, NC

We had the older version of this Lumix wit 6x optical zoom. Picture quality what fine and it was easy to use--it has a dial with all of the difference settings on it. It has an easy use setting as well as settings for different scenes and one where for more savvy photographers who are accustomed to messing with exposure, etc. It uses regular AA batteries which makes it easy to find replacements when the batteries went dead. It did make for a less compact camera--much thicker than the Canon I bought to replace it, which has a rechargeable flat battery. Why did I replace it? After about 5 years all of a sudden something happened with the motor (I think) and the camera would not focus. A bummer if we had been on a trip since there was no warning but we were at home and found a replacement on clearance. In summary, an OK buy but I'm not raving. Image Quality Fine for an casual photographer Performance Worked well until its unexpected demise but 5 years might be good for a camera Ease of Use Easy to figure out Durability Again--worked well but the end came without warning Battery Life Uses regular batteries and had a decent battery life. For a week-long Disney trip 3 sets of batteries was more that sufficient. Portability Kind of bulky in comparison to many cameras out there.

Brockstars

USA

We reviewed many reviews online before selecting a camera. This camera is the most you can get for a fair amount of money. It does alot and is very simple to use. It even has a "simple" mode for the less technical person.  I use it all the time and always keep it handy. I have three kids and I don't want to miss a thing. The fact that you can take as many pics as you want and delete the ones you don't like is awesome!

bairdfamily5

Canton, GA

My husband and I are electronically challenged and struggle to operate even simple items.  The Panasonic Lumix has been a great camera for us...we can operate it with ease and our pictures have come out great.  We just returned from a trip to China and got some great photos with this inexpensive, easy to use camera.

jillqu

Indian Wells, CA

I received this camera as a gift. I have enjoyed it. It is easy to use... easy to set up... and takes great pictures. I have used it at birthday parties, weddings, outdoor scenes, etc... I would recomment this camera to anyone who likes to take pictures but not into the professional side of picture taking.

tweetybird108

Noxapater, MS

Awesome camera. I did some research before choosing this one and I made the right choice. Very durable and comes with many features for the price. I love the zoom range!  It takes awesome close-up shots and has different color options that can put unique spins on photos.  I would definitely recommend this camera to anybody looking for quality at a low price.

tacey14

State College, PA

The Panasonic DMC-Lz7 is a great value of the cost. It takes great, clear pictures and is good in different lights. It's video function is also pretty good. However, because the camera doesn't cost as much as others might, you have to sacrifice a couple things. There is no view finder (just the digital screen) and I've heard some call the camera "bulky" (it's not super slim, but it's really not that bad). I really don't think either of those traits make this an inconvenient camera to use. If you don't need all the bells and whistles of a "professional" camera and are just looking for a reliable camera that takes good pictures, this is it. It's a great camera for families.

MyPretty96

Mc Lean, VA

I was very impressed with this camera.  The quality of the pictures is outstanding.  I was quickly able to tell this was a quality camera when I took a picture 2-3 feet away and was able to read the address written on a piece of paper behind the person I was taking the picture of.  There are a lot of options and set up features for the camera for a more experienced camera user.  I am not experience and was able to get quality pictures from the camera with ease.The lcd screen on the camera is also great and the zoom feature is really easy to use.The only draw back I saw was that because of the mega pixel quality the file size of the pictures once downloaded to the computer was quite large. 

vfstlouis28

St. Charles, MO

I've had this camera for a couple of years and am very pleased with it. The 6x zoom is perfect for my family's needs and the anti-shake feature on the camera is great. There is no optical viewfinder, though...makes it hard to see what your shooting when in bright light conditions.

tabergen

Sussex, NJ

This particular model of the Panasonic DMC-LZ7 was bought in August of 2007. Since then, it has been my regular camera and has traveled all across the country with me on my photo outings. The main purpose for buying this camera was to get a better camera that could actually take a photo of exactly what I tried to get a photo of. The old cameras I had did not seem to understand this little request, and many great photo opportunities were missed due to slow shutters. The DMC-LZ7, or the "Lumix", took care of this easily. It also has a very powerful flash, but as this quickly drains the batteries, one can easily go into the menu and select the flash off. This ends up making the camera work faster and doesn't drain the battery as quickly. It has a plenty good zoom as well. All of the little features the camera has, such as the little noises it makes, can easily be turned off to keep the camera quiet. This is just a small look into a very impressive camera. If you see it and are looking for a good and small camera, the Panasonic DMC-LZ7 is a good choice

joneau261

Gaithersburg, MD