How useful does a 10x/12x Optical gets on a compact?

chouglez

chouglez

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I am planning to buy a really slim compact lile canon ixus models with say standard 3x or 4x zoom but then I am in a dilemma to go for a panasonic 10x or 12x like the TZ7. I was wondering whether on a compact a 3x is mightly sufficient or the 10x/12x comes real handy? :thinking:

Suggestions/Advice please anyone? :)
 
When I changed from a 5x zoom to a 10x zoom (Panasonic TZ1) I found the extra zoom a revelation. Most of our photos were printed as standard size prints or for the internet, not sure what the quality is like if printed bigger.
 
My wife has a TZ7, but I would not call it really slim, it's on the bigger side from compacts (not G10 size).

We find the zoom fantastic, and it's made a great travel camera. I can't recoomend it highly enough (not owned an Ixus but did have a 3x optical zoom and once had a play with the TZ7 you really miss it).

I suppose it depends on your style of photography and intended use.

Good luck

Al
 
Thanks guys for all your replies but still indecisive. :thinking:
 
I have a 10x zoom Minolta Z2... Whilst it's eq fl range is 38-380mm, it's actually a 6.5x crop... as long as you're not trying to shoot the moon with it, it works well..

it's an older image, and was taken before I had a clue about shutter speeds etc (so the rotors are pretty static...) but it gives an idea of the capabilities.



Click for bigger.
 
Just looked at a few TZ7 reviews.

300mm equiv at f5.6 and has IS and reasonable performance at 400 ISO. Optics don't look to shabby, fairly even across the frame although not widely sharp. Looks like a good bet to me if you don't mind it's size.
 
I've got the TZ6 - same lens/zoom system as it's bigger bro. just not geared up for HD Video (which wasn't a problem for me). The zoom is pretty much 28mm-300mm in 35mm film terms - or something like a 18-190 (if such a beast existed) on your Canon 40D. It's a good all-round walkabout coverage - if anything i'd prefer it to go a bit wider, but then i'm a bit of a landscape nut and like W-i-i-i-i-d-e angles. The IS that's built in is pretty reasonable - though remember you're looking at a Screen on the back of the camera rather than through a viewfinder with the camera pressed against you for stability, so it can still be a bit wavery. It's not too deep when switched off - the lens retracts most of the way, and it's only a couple of mm deeper than the Ixus3 it replaced - it'll still fit in a shirt pocket for example. Only thing I miss to be honest is a proper optical viewfinder and a raw shooting mode to fit with my normal workflow.

All things considered i'm well happy with it, and would definitely put it on the recommended list.
 
We have a tz3. Zoom comesin handy although I found image to either be noisy or soft. You can't change the settings because they are hard coded in the camera. Not sure about tz7 but the build of the tz3 was great. The wide or zoom useful. And it just fits into z pocket. Easily in the inside of a cost or bag.

Start up was a little slow af not too bad.

Over all I liked the panasonic.

Depend on price now. Might be worth a decent lens instead? Or your needs. If it's replacing a x3 then you'll enjoy the zoom. Just find something to put it on to steady it. Of use a mini tripod.
 
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