The Panasonic Lumix
ZS19 is a fine digital camera of the point-and-shoot compact class.
It is small, lightweight, and packed with features. It works well
for me, but will it satisfy you? That depends on what you are
looking for in a camera. A simple point-and-shoot will perform very
well in most situations. My 6.0 megapixel Canon Powershot SD600,
ancient now, takes fantastic photos and is solidly built. I wanted
to step up to something better, while still retaining the size
profile of a compact camera. It had to fit into a coat pocket, and
so could not be much larger than a bar of soap. I also wanted a
better zoom capability than my Canon’s 3x so that I could take
acceptable pictures of subjects beyond ten feet in distance.
Sometimes, when I snapped on a distant subject with the Powershot, it
made everything in the photo look as if it was on the other side of
the Atlantic. A DSLR would have given me great shots from a long
distance, but it would have been much too large to fit into a jacket.
So instead I would go with a so-called travel zoom, which is a
compact camera with a telescoping lens that extends far out from the
body.
My initial
impressions of the ZS19 have been very favorable. Image quality on
the 14.1 megapixel, 20x optical zoom ZS19 is generally fantastic, the
3.0 inch LCD is bright and sharp, and the controls are simple to use.
The small Leica lens is superb. In portrait mode, bokeh is
excellent. Onboard effects are plentiful, and most can be accessed
via a small dial on the top of the device. I found that the zoom
function was occasionally problematic. It was easy to overzoom on a
subject because the control was a trifle jerky. The far older
Canon’s zoom, by contrast, is silky smooth. Also, at extended
ranges, a computerized “digital zoom” effect takes over on the
Lumix, and the results can be either hit or miss. Panasonic promises
40x with the Intelligent Zoom function engaged, an impressive number,
but don’t expect it to work out in every instance. 20x maximum is
more realistic. Low light photos, as you could expect, are also
spotty, sometimes okay, sometimes not. I also wish that the build
quality was better. It isn’t that I expect the Lumix to break, it
is not flimsy, but I just can’t help compare it to my rugged,
all-metal Powershot. The ZS19 feels a bit plasticky.
At short distances,
the image quality is very close what you would obtain from an
entry-level DSLR, so if high quality close-up pictures, with an
occasional distance photo, is what you are about, the ZS19 will be a
great carry camera. If you need something more, such as if you are
taking photos of the Grand Canyon, Paris in the springtime, the
Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, or simply want the highest quality
images, a DSLR will provide everything you need, but it will be a
much larger machine. There is also an intermediate class of digicams
known as compact system cameras, or CSCs, which do away with mirrors
and produce images comparable to lower-end DSLRs, in a
smaller-than-DSLR package. However, many of these devices, with all
but the shortest lenses attached, are still significantly larger than
a compact point-and-shoot, and cost about as much, or more, as an
entry-level DSLR.
The ZS19 sells for
$249.00 at Costco, so do not pay any more for it than that, period.
You will also have to get a proper carry case for it. The kit case
is barely adequate. Battery life is sufficient, and no more. No
charging unit is supplied, so the battery will have to charged while
in the camera itself.
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