Looking at this Panasonic camera for my wife. Why is the zoom so low compared to other point and shoots? Panasonic-DMC-LX7K http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-LX7K-Digital-Optical-3-0-inch/dp/B008MB719C/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t It says it is 3.8X. Other point and shoots have 20X. I understand digital vs optical. This is supposed to be some kind of unreal point and shoot camera but not getting why the zoom specs are so low.
I'm assuming it's more of the entry DSLR-like features and specs than a single featured 20X optical zoom that other point-and-shoots have.
That camera chose high quality low zoom lens versus a crappy quality high zoom lens. It depends on what you need. I seldom need a big zoom.
Go for the lower zoom with better quality. You can crop your subject if you shoot in a high enough resolution.
+1. (opinion, not optics) OP, this is the common trade-off in the range you're exploring. To get real quality 20x zoom, you need one of those professional cameras that looks like a bazooka.
Those aren't zoom lenses. Most professional zoom lenses are 3x max zooming from 24 to 105mm or 70 to 200mm. The large lenses are prime and don't zoom in or out, for example 600mm. A 20x zoom is a creation of the desire to have a consumer level camera that sacrifices aperture and image quality for a huge range in focal length.
I have this camera. I used it extensively for my trip to cambodia a couple of months ago. It's a great point and shoot for the amateur and the pro. What it lacks in zoom it makes up for with a fast lens. The 1.4 aperture is fast and allows for great low light shots. You MUST purchase this guide though to understand its full capabilities. http://www.amazon.com/Photographers...ks&ie=UTF8&qid=1392998745&sr=1-1&keywords=lx7 from macro to creative zones to 60 fps video, it's packs a lot punch in that small case. the accompanying manual is crap. also, if you like to shoot raw the lx7 uses the RW2 format. just something to think about if you don't have up to date lightroom or photoshop. AND you will need to get this lens cap if you dont' want get frustrated with missing shots because you forget to manually remove the one it came with. http://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-Pro...=UTF8&qid=1392998970&sr=8-1&keywords=lx7+lens
On cheap lenses, usually the focal distance is appropriate for the aperture, and the aperture diminishes as you're "zooming" more Xs... You don't even know what the x stands for. What are the other models you're comparing? Do you care more for the Xs it zooms or for the quality of the photo? Doesn't it come with its own RAW editing software? Otherwise, shoot with JPG output.
yes, it does. but if you're like me who still using lightroom 3 you don't really want to learn a whole new software to edit a raw file.
4.7 - 17.7mm (24 - 90mm in 35mm equiv.) F1.4-2 That's the two numbers that matters when it comes to looking at lenses.
That should take some pretty nice shots for a P&S. Zoom is overrated in still photography unless you are a professional sports or wildlife photographer.
yup. zoom introduces a whole new set of problems in point and shoot cams. apertures get smaller, so shutter speeds slow down to allow more light..and then you get all the blurry, zoomed in, grainy pics. here's a better option for you if you don't mind the bulkier lens. http://www.amazon.com/Sony-NEX-3NL-...=UTF8&qid=1393001147&sr=1-1&keywords=sony+nex
I think the question about the zoom has been well-answered. I'd like to offer a more basic response to the OP... that Panasonic is a very good camera with a very good Leica lens that will serve your wife well. Hard to think of a comparably priced or featured Nikon or Canon that I would recommend over it.
I don't use Lightroom. I shoot in RAW, modify/edit if anything, usually none in Canon's Digital Photo Professional, then work in Photoshop if I need to, but usually don't have to. I have a 6D, 7D, and T1i.
This is what you do with the Nokia Lumia 1020 with it's 42-megapixel camera. It can and does take pictures in RAW format. So you take the picture from far away, zoom in and crop it after you snap the shot. The resolution is so high that you can be hundreds of feet away, crop the photo and still have 7-8 megapixel density.
How so? There's no reason you can't snap a shot, then zoom and crop it directly from the camera - just like you can from countless smart phone camera apps. In fact, It isn't an expensive solution - because if you merge your phone and your camera you kill two birds with one stone. I gave away my point and shoot and DSLR when I got my Lumia 1020 - I simply don't need to carry them anymore.
