Comments on: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and ZS1 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/ Macro Perspective on the Capital Markets, Economy, Geopolitics, Technology, and Digital Media Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:08:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: RB http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244849 RB Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:25:52 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244849 Barry, Glad to know you took my suggestion :) http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/07/ultrazoom-cameras/ Barry,
Glad to know you took my suggestion :)
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/07/ultrazoom-cameras/

]]> By: nkbay99 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244824 nkbay99 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:30:49 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244824 Only one flaw in the logic. have you looked at the prices of digital SLRs? The big 2 keep coming out with "new improved" models. Each one is fancier and a few hundred dollars richer. Three years ago, the typical DSLR was running $5 to $6 hundred. Now, it is very common to see them for $1,200 to $1,500. Must be larger lens envy!! Only one flaw in the logic. have you looked at the prices of digital SLRs? The big 2 keep coming out with “new improved” models. Each one is fancier and a few hundred dollars richer. Three years ago, the typical DSLR was running $5 to $6 hundred. Now, it is very common to see them for $1,200 to $1,500. Must be larger lens envy!!

]]> By: Investradamus http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244822 Investradamus Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:22:37 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244822 IIRC, it was only about 12-13 years ago that a 1TB hard drive would cost you nearly $1,000,000. Now, you can pick one up for just under $100. IIRC, it was only about 12-13 years ago that a 1TB hard drive would cost you nearly $1,000,000. Now, you can pick one up for just under $100.

]]> By: hgordon http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244815 hgordon Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:41:46 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244815 OT: Mark - The company's customers are mainly universities and research labs, and there are some projects combining blimps and rovers such as this joint project of Carnegie Mellon University and Lockheed Martin - http://www.surveyor.com/cgi-bin/robot_journal.cgi/2009/12/03#242 QC inspection applications are specific to each task, using VGA cameras with gigabit Ethernet interfaces, etc, so that is outside of our interests. We mainly focus on relatively simple programmable vision-enabled devices that are ideal for different types of sensors, autonomous behavior, and some inter-robot communication. It is interesting work. Thanks for asking, and apologies to anyone who didn't want to know ... Howard OT:

Mark –

The company’s customers are mainly universities and research labs, and there are some projects combining blimps and rovers such as this joint project of Carnegie Mellon University and Lockheed Martin –
http://www.surveyor.com/cgi-bin/robot_journal.cgi/2009/12/03#242

QC inspection applications are specific to each task, using VGA cameras with gigabit Ethernet interfaces, etc, so that is outside of our interests. We mainly focus on relatively simple programmable vision-enabled devices that are ideal for different types of sensors, autonomous behavior, and some inter-robot communication. It is interesting work.

Thanks for asking, and apologies to anyone who didn’t want to know …

Howard

]]> By: Mark E Hoffer http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244801 Mark E Hoffer Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:24:39 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244801 OT: hgordon, cool, I was fixin to ask if you read ya any VSD, but, seeing this: http://www.vision-systems.com/display_article/352282/19/none/none/Feat/Picking-a-Camera-with-Punch that's, probably, moot. though, w/this http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/03/17/yarb-robot-blimp-offers-totally-obvious-aerial-surveillance/ do you do any 'Rover' to 'Blimp' comm? or, more specifically, are y'all totally focused on Vision Systems for mobile apps, or do you use it for things like QC on assembly lines, as well? OT:

hgordon,

cool, I was fixin to ask if you read ya any VSD, but, seeing this:
http://www.vision-systems.com/display_article/352282/19/none/none/Feat/Picking-a-Camera-with-Punch

that’s, probably, moot.

though, w/this http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/03/17/yarb-robot-blimp-offers-totally-obvious-aerial-surveillance/ do you do any ‘Rover’ to ‘Blimp’ comm?

or, more specifically, are y’all totally focused on Vision Systems for mobile apps, or do you use it for things like QC on assembly lines, as well?

]]> By: hgordon http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244778 hgordon Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:48:18 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244778 Mark - Yes. Mark -

Yes.

]]> By: Mark E Hoffer http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244773 Mark E Hoffer Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:33:21 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244773 OT: hgordon, rad link, is surveyor your co. ? OT:

hgordon,

rad link, is surveyor your co. ?

]]> By: hgordon http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244768 hgordon Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:09:46 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244768 @diogenes dog - The DMC-ZS3 is a substantially different from the DMC-TZ5, with new sensor and dual processor. The TZ5 received mid-range reviews, while the ZS3 received a lot more respect. Given that the ZS3 is already cheap, you probably won't get much for your TZ5, but that's technology for you. Speaking of deals, besides the ZS3 for my daughter, I bought a Canon Rebel XS (1000D) SLR for my wife for $414. Looks like that was a special, because the price is back up to $449 on Amazon. It is a heck of a camera - probably half the weight of the original Rebel 300D, and the photos are gorgeous. @diogenes dog -
The DMC-ZS3 is a substantially different from the DMC-TZ5, with new sensor and dual processor. The TZ5 received mid-range reviews, while the ZS3 received a lot more respect. Given that the ZS3 is already cheap, you probably won’t get much for your TZ5, but that’s technology for you.

Speaking of deals, besides the ZS3 for my daughter, I bought a Canon Rebel XS (1000D) SLR for my wife for $414. Looks like that was a special, because the price is back up to $449 on Amazon. It is a heck of a camera – probably half the weight of the original Rebel 300D, and the photos are gorgeous.

]]> By: calvin_trager http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244735 calvin_trager Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:47:28 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244735 A nice feature to have is RAW image output--in addition to jpeg. You can clean up and save a mediocre pic from a RAW image file (using some great free image editing s/w). I"ve got a 2006 6MP ELPH Canon that was able to download free 3rd party firmware that now give me both jpeg and raw image files. Unfortunately it only for Canon cameras, check it out. http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK A nice feature to have is RAW image output–in addition to jpeg.

You can clean up and save a mediocre pic from a RAW image file (using some great free image editing s/w).

I”ve got a 2006 6MP ELPH Canon that was able to download free 3rd party firmware that now give me both jpeg and raw image files. Unfortunately it only for Canon cameras, check it out.

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

]]> By: Moopheus http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/12/panasonic-lumix-dmc-zs3-and-zs1/comment-page-1/#comment-244734 Moopheus Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:46:43 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=47544#comment-244734 Dud, you're seriously fooling yourself if you think you're getting a real Leica lens for $200. You can't even get a real Leica lens CAP for that. Sure, Leica optical engineers helped design the lens--design it to be mass-produced as cheaply as possible, which is NOT what got Leica its reputation. Consumer electronics may have gotten cheaper with time and economies of scale, but good glass has not. Personally, I'm waiting until after I've used up the last of my Kodachrome. Dud, you’re seriously fooling yourself if you think you’re getting a real Leica lens for $200. You can’t even get a real Leica lens CAP for that. Sure, Leica optical engineers helped design the lens–design it to be mass-produced as cheaply as possible, which is NOT what got Leica its reputation. Consumer electronics may have gotten cheaper with time and economies of scale, but good glass has not. Personally, I’m waiting until after I’ve used up the last of my Kodachrome.

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