Topic: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 - Feedback for HD Video

[guitard]

Recording in HD eats up the battery life much faster than recording in SD.  Right around twice as fast with another camera I own.  I assume it's because the camera has to write so much more data to the card.

[indiie]

I tested recording live music with the wind cut function turned on vs turned off. I previously had been doing most recordings with it on but after listening to the difference I recommend really only using it when required.

Wind cut on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41CmpUml3kc

Wind cut off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuRB5bNdOK4

You hear it takes out all of the bass which obviously makes a big difference to a recording, especially for a hip hop set.

[Datfly]

Any reviews on the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS7 as it looks like B&H & a few others have discontinued the Z3 ?

Thanks,
Datfly

[tcf]

I don't think it does continuous HD.  I believe it only writes 2gb files. 

[Ziggz]

It does continuous AVCHD lite, splits files at the 4gb mark. Motion JPEG/mov files aren't continuous with a 2gb limit. 

[Neilyboy]

It does continuous AVCHD lite, splits files at the 4gb mark. Motion JPEG/mov files aren't continuous with a 2gb limit. 

Is that the ZS7 you are talking about? I am in the market for a digi and have been drooling over the ZS3 for its hd vid ability but now that it is discontinued I have been looking into the ZS7 and will pull the trigger soon as I figure out if it has the same ability to record until my sd card is full or battery dies (whatever comes first).

thanks
neil

[justink]

i got the newest Lumix recently and am more than happy.

but does anyone know how to transfer and open video files on a mac?  i just copy/pasted everything into a folder on the desktop to make room on the card.  but i'm not sure what to do with them...

[Ziggz]

It does continuous AVCHD lite, splits files at the 4gb mark. Motion JPEG/mov files aren't continuous with a 2gb limit. 

Is that the ZS7 you are talking about? I am in the market for a digi and have been drooling over the ZS3 for its hd vid ability but now that it is discontinued I have been looking into the ZS7 and will pull the trigger soon as I figure out if it has the same ability to record until my sd card is full or battery dies (whatever comes first).

thanks
neil

Yep, ZS7/TZ10. I have the TZ10. I picked up a spare 3rd party battery- the one that came with it lasts around 95-105 minutes. Can get roughly 2.5.hrs on a 16GB card (may be slightly less on the ZS7 as the framerate is higher than the TZ10. Only the European TZ10 has a time limit for AVCHD.

Panasonic camera forum: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1033

And a review mentioning the AVCHD recording
http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/review-panasonic-lumix-zs7-digital-camera-20100518/
The camera can shoot long videos, thanks the use of AVCHD Lite, so you are mainly limited by your choice of memory card and your video quality setting.

[polewka]

Just done my first outdoor shows this last week ago......

forgot all about the wind cut feature, but turns out wind wasn't an issue anyway....

very pleased with the results......used my cloned battery too (posted about that earlier in this thread), runs nicely, but does run out rather abruptly (same record time as the Panasonic though), but goes from 1 (battery indicator) 'pip' gone to 2, then down to dead fairly promptly....word of warning.

Filmed about 10 gigs and took 200 photo's on 2 batteries, lots of zoom though too throughout all my films....

anyway.....see what you think.....  http://www.youtube.com/user/polewka123#g/u

[polewka]

oh, and just taken delivery of a TZ-10. I convinced folks at my office that my team *needs* one........should be a bonus for weekends taping.....got a nice little 16gb card in that one too....

[spyder9]

Thanks for the info, I finally managed to pick up a ZS3 recently so have been on the lookout for a spare battery, didn't really want to risk the 'hit n' miss' ebay. Just need to find a good outlet for the 16Gb SDHC cards now. Cheers

I think Costco has the best deal. I'm about to pick one up from there soon.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11307826&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|79&N=4001368&Mo=7&No=1&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=2255&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C

I hope you didn't pay $119 for that 16gb card.  You could get 3 for that price.   

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=16gb+sdhc&x=0&y=0

[sabrewulf]

Guys,
I'm about to get the ZS3 or ZS7 for concert taping. Would prefer the ZS7, but I read that the recorded volume drops when the volume at the venue is high. Didn't read anything like that regarding the ZS3. So: is the ZS3 superior regarding the sound? Would love to have a camera where I do not have to dub every single video with my separately taken Edirol audio...
Please help. 

thanks!

sabrewulf

[Chrisedge]

Guys,
I'm about to get the ZS3 or ZS7 for concert taping. Would prefer the ZS7, but I read that the recorded volume drops when the volume at the venue is high. Didn't read anything like that regarding the ZS3. So: is the ZS3 superior regarding the sound? Would love to have a camera where I do not have to dub every single video with my separately taken Edirol audio...
Please help. 

thanks!

sabrewulf

LOVE the sound on my ZS3. It won't compare to a HQ rig, but I have found it MORE than decent for video camera quality.

See many of the posts on here, or go to my YouTube page. http://www.youtube.com/user/Chrisedge ANYTHING there without HQ Audio in the title is just the camera audio.

[spyder9]

I'm gonna have to pick up one of these puppies.  The Mothership, my original Lumix TZ-1, just crapped out on me a couple of weeks ago.  Got four solid years of pictures out it.  Time to upgrade.   

[fmaderjr]

LOVE the sound on my ZS3. It won't compare to a HQ rig, but I have found it MORE than decent for video camera quality.

See many of the posts on here, or go to my YouTube page. http://www.youtube.com/user/Chrisedge ANYTHING there without HQ Audio in the title is just the camera audio.

Audio certainly is good for a camera, but I'd still need to patch in audio from an audio recorder to satisfy me if I was going to be watching it often (and I don't think I'm particular-still love the sound of standard mini-disc).