Panasonic - Lumix DMC-LZ3 Review

This is an excellent 5 Megapixel camera in a very compact package. Excellent Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which makes the x6 zoom a pleasure to use. I was unable to resist when I saw it at Office Depot at a closeout price of $80.  A full review of the LZ3 can be found at  http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/LZ3/LZ3A.HTM. Optically the DMC-LZ3 is very similar to LZ2 announced February 2005 (see http://www.megapixel.net/reviews/panasonic-lz2/lz2-gen.php) , with the menu/set button moved to the center of the four-way toggle and added focus illumination, reviewed in August 2005 at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicLZ2/.  The LZ4 is the same as the LZ3 with a 2.5" LCD screen. The CCD and Venus Plus processing engine performance are best represented by the DMC-FZ5, also reviewed by PRReview. The Panasonic TZ1 announced 14 February 2006 (http://www.megapixel.net/reviews/panasonic-tz1/tz1-gen.php) uses the same CCD, same menu options, but with the Venus III processing engine. The newer LZ7 is identical optically, but with a 7.2 MPixel CCD, available from Circuit City at $130. Based on published reviews, the  image qualiity of the 5 Megapixel and the 7 Megapixel camera  is very similar.

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