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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:30 am
by KUS
~~~~~4j~~ wrote:Panasonic TS3 just came out this month.
-Waterproof to 12m, Shockproof to 2 m, Coldproof to -10.
-Full HD video. No 60 fps though. It has a handy dedicated video on/off button!
-28mm equivalent to 4.6 zoom. Leica lens!
GPS, compass, altimeter. (!) Edit: I'm testing out one of these for work. The GPS is slow and only updates periodically, so if you want accurate location information you have to be patient and force the GPS to acquire satellites while you wait in one spot (takes about a minute). The compass function works well. RoboGeo is still the best way to georeference your photos.
any more good feedback on this one, 4J? I wanna pick a new one up....apparently a lot of the new point and shoots with the increased capacity and zoom are experiencing focus problems....basically a point and shoot using a tri-pod is required
have you had trouble with blurred photos in various settings
It's gonna be tough to tell using the thing in the store i figure, any field use
comments appreciated
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:05 am
by ~~~~~4j~~
I have been trying the Panasonic TS3 for a few weeks now.
Positives: Great photo and video quality! Easy to use...I love the dedicated video button. Feels extremely well built. Easy to change settings (not a lot of scrolling through menus). Negatives: GPS takes a long time to acquire satellites, so you have to wait in one spot for a minute or so to have the camera record an accurate location of your shot. It has fewer camera settings than the Pentax, and a less-close macro.
Compare the Panasonic to the Pentax.
I have used the older Pentax W90 at work and I assume it is similar to the new WG-1. So far the Pentax Optio WG-1 and Panasonic TS3 are close, depending on what features you value. I slightly favour the Panasonic due to its photo quality and ease of use. The Pentax still has great photo quality though.
I just phoned some local stores and a few now have the Pentax Optio WG-1 and GPS models in stock (e.g.
http://www.vistek.ca/store/DigitalCamer ... black.aspx). The Panasonic TS3 has been out for a while now. I recommend trying both out and seeing which feels best, and which has the features you like most.
I haven't had a problem with blurred photos with my Panasonic yet. The Pentax has been good too, but you have to account for low light and vibration with any of these cameras with small lenses. Hold the camera as steady as possible as you press the shutter button and for a moment afterwards. Always avoid using the zoom on small cameras -- you are just asking for blurry photos. I basically just use these point-and-shoots as wide angle cameras only. For good shots of the action way out from shore you really need a DSLR and telephoto lens. That said, I plan to try to get some shots of the surf action with my Panasonic TS3 while IN the waves with you guys! Just watch out for me floating in the waves...and let me know if I get in the way too much.
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:26 am
by KUS
one of the new Tough's (many) major problems was not being able to charge a spare battery while u use the cam, I hope this one has a dedicated battery charger independent of the cam? thx for this input, 4J, really helps. yes, I do not hope to take amazing distance surf shots from shore
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:39 am
by ~~~~~4j~~
KUS wrote: I hope this one has a dedicated battery charger independent of the cam?
Yes, both the Pentax and Panasonic have separate battery chargers. The batteries last for several hundred photos. Video and flash will eat power faster. If you plan to be away from a 110V charging source I recommend getting a universal battery charger that can work off your vehicle's cigarette lighter like this one:
https://www.thecamerastore.com/products ... ger-li5000
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:10 am
by JL
Instead of these silly 12v adapters for all your toys just buy an inverter
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:19 am
by ~~~~~4j~~
JL wrote:Instead of these silly 12v adapters for all your toys just buy an inverter
Inverters are a handy alternative too, but spend the extra for a true sine-wave one if you can, or risk corrupting your Li-Ion batteries with the cheapy inverters.
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:22 am
by JL
O.K. I admit it, your techno savvy is way beyond me ... I will stick to bogus weather analysis
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:26 am
by ~~~~~4j~~
I just learned that the hard way, JL. Cost me $$$.
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:37 pm
by BK
GoPro HD wrist mount showed up today... Should make for some cool shots from up in the kite canopy...
Looks like tomorrow afternoon will be a good day to try it out.
