Panasonic ZS9 Review - If you wanted a digital camera that didn't have to mess with all the settings to take a picture. This compact camera Panasonic ZS9 is best choice for you. You could took it on vacation without even reading through the manual and it was so easy to use.
Great performance Panasonic ZS9
The anti-shake Panasonic ZS9 works well, especially when using the telephoto mode to capture far away shots. In fact, the zoom is amazing on this little wonder... and while I don't care much for digital zoom (or the inherent artifacts), the true optical zoom is great... and the digital boost is very handy when I need incredible close-ups of distant objects.
The intelligent auto-everything mode works really well, even in outdoor conditions. The quick keys help me turn the flash completely off when I want to, without having to dig through the main menu system to do so. This camera, on a tripod, can take amazing low-light shots indoors. With flash, shots are flat and faces shiny (due to the oils in a face that hasn't been prepped by a makeup artist) - as expected. Turn off that flash, set the self timer, and take a picture that way - incredible!As expected, low light level performance is dismal (the aperture is pretty small - after all, this is a compact camera with lots of zoom). But, with some natural bounce light from windows and room lighting, some incredible pictures can be had by turning the flash off and using the auto-timer to avoid shaking the camera when pressing the shutter button. Buy a cheap tripod (or monopod if you don't plan on being in the pictures)... it's be well worth it.
Some Great Features of the Panasonic ZS9
* 14.1-megapixel resolution and 1/2.33-inch CCD captures high-resolution images up to 4320 x 3240 pixels* 16x optical zoom; 21x Intelligent Zoom function
* 24mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens system; optical image stabilization
* 3-inch TFT-LCD screen
* Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Some Technical Details of the Panasonic ZS9
* Brand Name: Panasonic
* Model: DMC-ZS9K
* Optical Sensor Resolution: 14.1 MP
* Optical zoom: 16 x
* Minimum focal length: 24.0
* Maximum focal length: 384.0
* Display Size: 3.0 inches
How about battery life Panasonic ZS9?
Battery life on this camera is excellent... several hundred pictures, and by not using flash, you extend its life even further. An 8GB SDHC card can hold approximately 1,400 pictures or so... easily a week's vacation, unless you simply don't know how to frame and take pictures correctly. Oh, speaking of that, this camera even features the classic auto-bracketing; when activated, it will take three pictures for every one click of the button, the first a little under-exposed, the next "normal" and the last over-exposed... so you can choose from the best of the three when dealing with tricky lighting conditions.
How about mode Auto Fokus on Panasonic ZS9?
Another thing I really like about this camera is the auto-focus... unlike previous compact cameras, it's FAST... even the "boot up" time is fast - you can turn the camera on and be shooting in under two seconds. That used to be the bane of my existence - having to wait 6 to 10 seconds for my prior Lumix to boot, and several seconds for it to auto-focus. Well, this one isn't like that - this one is a joy to own and operate!
How easy Panasonic ZS9?
I've taken indoor pictures, as well as pictures of my snowshoeing trip. All have been excellent (turned flash off for indoor pics), and color rendition has been quite good. Of course, I use Picasa to adjust and fine-tune the fruits of my efforts prior to displaying them. I'm considering selling my SLR, and just living with the Panasonic ZS9... as there's simply no point in my owning an SLR anymore. A good photographer can produce incredible images with any camera that can be manually controlled. The Panasonic ZS9, however, does a great job even when thinking for itself.
Panasonic ZS9 Pros and Cons
Pros :
Features:
Moreover, the wide-angle is 24 mm - very nice as well. Add to that the 16x optical zoom, the Power image stabilization and the ability to shoot with Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Manual, Program and Panasonic's own iA mode (Intelligent Auto mode) and a variety of more or less useful Scene modes, the HD video capability, and many other features such as Macro and Macro Zoom mode, and one really gets a full-featured, very compact camera with a quality lens for a very good price.
Custom Modes:
The Panasonic ZS9 allows the photographer to define custom settings with all sorts of combinations to satisfy users who want more than just take pictures with the pre-programmed scene modes. Scene Modes:
These include almost every scene imaginable - from Portrait / Portrait Soft Skin to Food, Party, Candlelight, Landscape, Sports etc. and gimmicks such as Transform which elongates or widens motifs/subjects. There is a scene mode there for everyone, I'm sure of it...
Auto Focus:
Very fast and accurate. I have not had any trouble to get it to lock, even in low-light, low-contrast situations. This is something I really value in a point & shoot because few things are more frustrating than not being able to get the camera to focus on the motif.
Easy Operation:
As mentioned above, this is my third Panasonic Lumix, so I am rather familiar with the operation of their cameras. But I think that anyone would find operating this camera rather straightforward, unless the person is a total beginner or has not had much if any experience with digital cameras. Sure, there are always instances where one would have to consult the manual, but every-day point & shoot operation should not require too much thumbing through that. Note that the hard-copy manual that comes in the box only explains the very basics. The complete user manual comes in PDF format on the CD that is in the box.
CONs (if one wants to call it that)
Weight & Size. Don't get me wrong - the Panasonic ZS9 is a small and lightweight camera but it still is bigger and heavier than for example the FH20. It is clear to me that it would have to be a bit heavier and bigger, considering the many more features the ZS9 has in comparison to the FH20. I am mentioning this only in case weight and size is the top priority for a reader. This camera is definitely not shirt-pocket material and I am not sure I'd be too comfortable carrying it in my jeans pocket either. Jacket pockets should generally be OK though ;-).
SUMMARY Panasonic ZS9
As a matter of fact, the ZS8 (the almost identical twin to the Panasonic ZS9) is called TZ18 in Europe, TZ standing for Travel Zoom. This best describes the area where this camera shines. It isn't an SLR and will not produce SLR quality images but for the money, convenience and the quality it provides in its class, I'd be hard pressed to find a better camera.
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