Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 (Lumix DMC-ZX1)

Opinion: As a pocket camera is very good. Image quality is excellent with this size of camera. It is perfect to keep in pocket.
Very small camera with very good feautures. Excellent image quality with this size camera.

Opinion: Bought to replace my excellent FX100, I took it back because the left hand side of
the images were blurred. The shop replaced it immediately and the new camera is
very good. I ran comparisons with my FX100. The ZX1 has less noise and better
resolution that the FX100 which has a bigger sensor. ISOs used in the tests were
80, 100, 400. It was also obvious that the IS on the ZX1 is better and so there less
need to use higher ISOs. The lens is very sharp over the whole zoom range with
just slight barrel distortion at the wider end. The bigger screen on the ZX1 is much
better with good vision from acute angled viewing. It is also lighter and slimmer
over most of the body. I will now reluctantly sell my much loved FX100 !

Opinion: Wow! What an unbelievable DISAPPOINTMENT! Coming from the ZS1 and ZS3,
both of which i found to take stunning pictures, the ZR1 blows! The OIS seems to
be nonexistent and focus is soft. even at ISO 100 in a low light condition the grain
looked like finger painting. I'm flabbergasted. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as
the ZS3 but its nowhere close. It must be the lense: too much zoom in too tiny of
a package? I could live without the extra 4x zoom and the pointless low quality
ACVHD Lite of the ZS3 and The ZR! is considerably smaller than the ZS 1 & 3 and
feels nicer in my pocket. But I bought a camera to take pictures with, NOT feel nice
in my pocket. Maybe it'll do better in bright daylight, but I already know I'm taking
this one back. The additional 2MP pixels don't seem to help resolution any, maybe
even worsen it. Should I go back to the ZS3 or wait for the ZS7 which has A/S
priority which in my mind is the only thing lacking on the ZS3

Opinion: I had the Lumix DMC-TZ3 for several years and used the cameral mainly for appraisal reports. Zoomed images were clear with distinct edges, even in low light situations. I got caught up in the more megapixels must be better thinking and bought the ZR1. The picture quality was so bad I sent it back to the Panasonic for replacement. When taking a photo under the auto setting and every other setting I could think of, I could not get a clean image without streaks and bloches when the image was looked at at 100% size in photoshop elements. Indoor pictures where I zoomed to full optical and used the level 2 antishake feature could not be made with clean edges. The edges of books on a bookcase 8 feet away were fuzzy dots. Blades of grass in a house photo during the middle of the day were a fuzzy mess. When I got the replacement camera it took the same bad photos. I was contacted by a tech person from Panasonic who said I needed more light. I did not need more light with the TZ3.

One last complaint, when I take a photo of a building on a sunny day I apply the 'highlight shadow' feature of photoshop elements. With this new camera the dark areas have very little detail and are hazzy. With the TZ3 this worked perfectly with clear detail in the shadow. I tried the 'dynamic range' setting on the ZR1 and the image in bright daylight was useless; there was lack of focus, noise, straight lines on siding 40 feet away were wavy, and the dark areas were lighter but still hazzy lacking detail.

I will be selling this camera and getting one that takes better photos overall with emphasis on the ability to take low light photos clearly.

I have been using digital cameras since 1997. The ZR1 is the worst camera I have used with regards to image quality in the past 13 years.

Opinion: + 25mm wide angle
+ excellent build quality
+ fast AF
+ effective image stabilization
+ good IQ

- lack of manual controls (aperture, focus...)
- batteries are very over priced
- switching between Record/Playback
- tripod receptacle in wrong place

Opinion: good wide angel and long zoom, image quality not as good as my old FX55, below average. Build quality far below my old FX55, not recommended.

I have since returned my camera at a loss.

Opinion: Good quality and excellent Video HD.
Very good image quality within 400 ISO.
Excellent stabilizer and optical zoom, the digital zoom is
not too bad.

Opinion: nearly perfect
-great jpgs
-fast AF
-good to Iso 400
-Iso 800 for small prints, use natural mode and its fine
-Video above average, but for normal use its fine with AF and Zoom, thats great
-small ideal for the pocket

Opinion: I bought this camera for use as a "pocket" camera. I own the Z3 and LX3 both of
which are two large for my pocket. This camera performs very well. My concern was
night time performance but it is a great party camera.
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