Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 - Compact Camera With Image-Capturing Massive Features

The Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 is an impressive 10.1 megapixel camera that's great for capturing still and moving images. Available in black, blue, silver and red colors, it's so compact that it can easily fit in your jacket's pocket. It measures 4.1 inches x 1.3 inches x 2.4 inches (L x W x H). But in Panasonic's world, even a size like this can pack in some of today's most admired features among digital cameras.

People who like to tinker settings to a very personalized level may frown at the DMC ZS3's lacking in manual function. However, for a real point-and-shoot camera, this definitely has a lot more bonuses than usual. There's an intelligent auto mode, or iA Mode. Once activated, this feature allows you to keep shooting errors at bay. It determines which shooting mode is best for the situation at hand. All that's left for you to do is aim and shoot.

It boasts of a LEICA DC Vario-Elmar lens and an optical image stabilization feature. You will notice that it doesn't have an optical viewfinder. However, there is a massive 3-inch polycrystalline TFT LCD. And for a digital camera this size, having an LCD display with 460,000 dots display is quite extraordinary. It allows you to see sharper and clearer images, whether during shooting or playback.

Capturing HD moving images is one of the fortes of the Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3. It's capable of recording images with pixel resolution amounting to 1280 x 270. While saving videos you have taken can be done in the conventional Motion JPEG format, there's also the AVCHD Lite format. Many people prefer AVCHD Lite format as it has higher image quality and uses less data for storage.

Motion JPEG format allows you to record HD videos at a rate of 30 frames per second On the other hand, AVCHD Lite can capture HD videos twice the frame rate Motion JPEG uses: 60 frames per second. Using AVCHD Lite format means you can maximize available space on SD/SDHC cards. But of course without compromising visual and audio quality. The DMC ZS3 is powered by a lithium-ion battery, which is good for 300 shots as per CIPA standards.

And what best accompaniment stunning HD images should have than superb audio quality? The Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 features the Dolby Digital Stereo Creator. When capturing moving images, it records dynamic and true-to-life sounds. Go ahead and shoot at the beach, park or anywhere else where there's wind. The Wind Cut function takes care of the distracting effects wind blowing into the microphone produces.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 has a surprisingly simple interface, making it very easy to use. While in action, you can easily access the various color modes, such as standard, natural, vivid, black and white, etc. A quick menu button enables you to quickly bring up a set of options. Adjusting the LCD brightness, picture size, white balance, digital zoom, AF assist and others now come really hassle-free.

Coming equipped with an HDMI output terminal, you can transmit image and sound signals without quality loss. With this, you can easily showcase your snapshots and videos on compatible HD devices, such as a television. If you have a Panasonic VIERA TV at home, then the conveniences can add up. Purchase an HDMI cable, attach the Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS3 to the VIERA TV, and use the VIERA remote for playback.