Helpful Customer Reviews292 of 295 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't get much better than this for a Point & Shoot, November 15, 2011 This review is from: Panasonic DMC-ZS9 14.1MP Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 21x Intelligent Zoom Function (Black) (Electronics) The Lumix DMC-ZS9 is my 7th digital point & shoot and my third Panasonic ( I also own a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 (Violet), and a Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1 (Black)). After playing with it for a while, these are my thoughts:
PROS
- Features:
I got this camera as a lightning deal here on Amazon and was very pleasantly surprised what all it offers for the price (even when one buys it at regular price it is still impressive). There is the Leica lens, for starters. Cheaper Panasonic cameras usually do not have Leica lenses so I am very happy. 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:
I like that this camera allows me to assign two of my preferred Scene modes to positions on the dial on top of the ZS9. My DMC-FH20 also has scene modes but I cannot assign them to any buttons, etc. This is definitely progress and appreciated. I tend to mostly photograph landscapes and pets, so my MS1 (stands for My Scene Mode 1) is set to Landscape mode, MS2 to Pet mode. In addition to that, the camera 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)
- As with all cameras in this price range/class, I found that image noise and general image quality is very dependent on the zoom setting, even at lower ISO settings such as ISO100. While the camera shoots very well at short focal lengths and low ISO settings, it sometimes does not so well at long (digital) focal lengths. This is not too much of an issue when printing regular 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 prints but enlarging an image that was taken at full zoom will likely be problematic. Even with the Leica lens, I do not see a noticeable improvement in image quality when comparing it to my simpler and older DMC-FH20. While disappointing, this is also to be expected, and image noise is a sensor issue anyway. There is probably not a camera in this class out there that does not have the same problem. I am only mentioning this to be comprehensive.
- Weight & Size. Don't get me wrong - the 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 ;-).
- The color/surface. Call me nit-picky, but I LOVED the brushed metal surface of my FH20 as well as the fact that it came in several colors (my choice was violet at the time). While the ZS9 looks like it is made of high quality materials, I miss the classy brushed metal look and would have preferred almost any other color over the black. But in the end this is really strictly personal preference.
SUMMARY
I am very happy with this camera. I believe it is the ideal device for my primary purpose, which is using it as a compact travel camera. As a matter of fact, the ZS8 (the almost identical twin to the 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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106 of 116 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars Poor low light performance, November 12, 2011 This review is from: Panasonic DMC-ZS9 14.1MP Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 21x Intelligent Zoom Function (Black) (Electronics) Okay, first off I bought this during the lighting deal at $149. I was concerned with everyone saying Amazon had made a mistake and that this was the ZS8. Well I just got it and it says it is the ZS9. The manual (which is made for the ZS8 and ZS9) appears to suggest the sole difference between the two is that the ZS9 does stereo recording in video while the ZS8 only allowed for mono. So, Amazon did not make a mistake. ZS9 is written write on top of the camera. Found it odd Panasonic's own web site did not mention the ZZ9.
**Update 11/19/11. Camera continues to work well. I have never expected much from flashes on point and shoot cameras but this one seems to have less output than most. If you plan on shooting with a lot of flash I am not sure this would be the best camera (though I try to never use the flash anyway). I also learned that firmware on some of the Panasonic cameras (and I believe this one) prevent the use of third party less expensive batteries (ugh). If you are like me and stock up on cheap extra batteries you may want to look into this as an issue. The Panasonic battery runs about $33 bucks while one can usually find third party batteries around the $10 range.
**Updated 11/26/11. After having enough time with the camera I decided that the flaws, at least in my situation, made this a camera not suited for my use. My house tends to be darker with a majority of the lighting coming from incandescent light. The low light photo quality was just not very good. Even when using the flash on auto the camera would sometimes set an ISO of 800 which I could not understand. At ISO 800 the pictures have noticeable noise. I would say that the low light quality even with flash would be best for facebook, etc. I would be afraid to blow them up to anything maybe beyond a 4x6. I also had an opportunity to review the video quality. I had once tried a Canon 230 HX and that quality was simply great. I did not see anywhere near that quality indoors - but perhaps it is a light issue once again. If you are planning on mainly shooting in the outdoors I am sure this may be a great option. However, if you are looking for a small camera that can be used in all lighting conditions a back sided CMOS camera may be a better option. I am still trying to find that perfect fit between my old Canon ELPH and my Canon T1i SLR. Still looking for something that fits right in the middle.
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34 of 34 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Great photos and so easy to use, November 22, 2011 This review is from: Panasonic DMC-ZS9 14.1MP Digital Camera with 16x Optical Zoom and 21x Intelligent Zoom Function (Black) (Electronics) I wanted a digital camera that I didn't have to mess with all the settings to take a picture. The reviews kept saying how easy this camera was to use so I bought it. I took it on vacation without even reading through the manual and it was so easy to use. My pictures came out so beautiful that I surprised myself. Everyone commented what an amazing photographer I was which made me laugh because all I did was leave it on the "intelligent mode" which basically lets the camera decide what setting it thinks it should use. The zoom is amazing. After 3 different digital cameras I am finally happy with my choice. I would definitely recommend this camera.
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