Home > Consumer Reviews > Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ7S 7.2MP Digital Camera with 6x Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)

PROS: Fantastic "straight outta the box" image quality. There is almost little or no shutter lag the second your press the shutter button. Auto focus is fast too. It wasn't so much that this was a standard point-and-shoot when I was looking for an ultra-slim camera - but most of the ultra-slim cameras I've tried sacrifice image quality to cram as much technology in such a little body - while boosting the price up. The LZ7 is a fantastic performer. The 6x optical zoom with OPTICAL image stabilization (not digital, I'm not a fan of "digital" image stabilization) is a plus. It's actually BETTER than the IS on the Canon SD700IS and SD800IS that I previously tested out (I returned both of them because paying DSLR body prices for a point-and-shoot camera is outrageous). The major plus of this camera is the image quality. Fantastic, sharp and decently saturated. It's one of the few cameras where I feel comfortable printing photos straight outta the camera. I even impressed a few colleagues of showing some 8x10s that I printed straight out of my silver LZ7 and they were shocked that I didn't take the shot with a DSLR. That's what I call great image quality!

CONS: This is quite a beefy camera. In the age of ultra-slim point-and-shoot cameras that boasts the same features as the LZ7, for the price I paid for it, it's totally worth it. The use of AA batteries might be convenient to some, but it sure contributes to the weight and size of this camera. I'm still pleased regardless. The image quality and pros outweigh the cons of this camera.

This camera shoots gorgeous pics and movies. I picked it after some pretty intensive research. I wanted a camera that would capture ALL pics even in low light with a stabilizer that would give me steady pics even if the person holding it had shaky hands. I also wanted it so simple that it had icons that was obvious. (In other words, a camera for the "point & shoot" challenged.) I wanted it to have easy to get and cheap batteries (Double A)and memory card (my 2 gig SDM cost $29) I also wanted it to download right to my pictbridge printer in the event I didn't want to power up my pc. And just to make it REALLY fun, I wanted all this for less than $250.

Does it deliver?

Oh yeah.

Many reviews comment about the bulkiness of this camera. That's what drew me to the LZ7,... it's size. I have large hands and cannot curl my fingers around something small like many of the cameras currently on the market. I also wanted something that was easy to use and had buttons large enough for my fingers to be able to use them without me stopping to look at the camera controls every time I wanted to take a picture.

My main use of a digital camera is to take pictures of items that I put up at internet auction sites. I didn't need something that would have such a high optical zoom that I could count the individual stitches on the picture of a sweater. But I did want something that gave me a little more clarity than my current Olympus 1.3 Megapixel without going into debt to get one. I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion this camera should suit my needs nicely for several years to come. I checked it out at a local big box retailer and was pleased with how it fit in my hand. Buttons were easy to reach and use. The shutter button is located in from the edge just over 3/4 of an inch which allows my index finger to extend out comfortably as I press down.

This is my first camera without a viewfinder and that is a little hard to get used to but it's the way of the future. The screen is not quite 2 ½" diagonally but it is generous enough. I like how the camera freezes the shot and shows it on the screen for a couple of seconds before it goes back to live mode.

My Olympus required the card to be in the camera before I could take a picture. This one does not. It has a bit of built in memory which can be a good and a bad thing. It's great if you happen to forget to put the card back in and snap an important once in a lifetime shot but it's bad in the fact that once you take the shot you have to dig out the USB cable and connect the camera to your computer to get the picture. I usually use a card reader but I'll be searching for a USB hub soon since the only free USB slots I have are in the back of my computer and I often forget to put the card back in.

The thing about this camera that has impressed me more than anything else is the clarity and colors, especially in a shot that was totally lacking of light. In testing, I went into an interior room that has no windows. The only light was a small amount under the doors but not enough for me to see anything. I set the camera on normal mode, pointed the camera toward the interior of the room and pressed the button. When I looked at the picture I was amazed at how brightly lit and clear the shot was. Colors like light lavender, turquoise, ekru and bright yellow were exact. I doubt if I will have a lot of need to take pictures in total darkness but sometimes I get into a situation where the light is not always the greatest. I know this camera will be able to handle it and give me a great picture the first time.

One review I read stated to be sure to read the manual. That gave me the impression this camera was complicated. I have not read the manual yet and have been able to take pictures with no problem. I am sure I will be reading the manual when I want to take a picture with a feature I haven't used or to delve deeper into the many different options this camera has. The pictures, all of mine have been JPG, are clear and the colors vivid. The colors weren't so vivid for me in ISO mode but that's just one of 4-5 picture modes so you have plenty of options. I haven't had the opportunity to use Scene mode yet but in playing around with it I found it very simple to select from the multitude of options and having the option name right there on the screen helps, and the animations on the option icons is an fun touch. I really like the "Heart" (simple) mode. It's great for taking my auction pictures but I have found that the other modes (Normal, ISO, Simple and Macro) are all pretty much `point and shoot' simple. I am sure they can be more complicated and I know, when I want to get into the more complicated side of this camera, it will be waiting for me. Meanwhile, it and I are quite content using the simplistic controls of this Panasonic LZ7 to get some really great shots.

If you are looking for a camera that is a little too big to stick in your shirt pocket or your cosmetic bag or your wallet but don't want something that requires a PhD to operate, consider the LZ7. I'm sure glad I did!

First of all, I was just looking for a decent camera for ~$200 that took good clean pictures and had a 6x zoom. I narrowed it down to a Canon A710 and this. Since I didn't need the few extra features the Canon had, I went with the cheaper LZ7 and although I had some reservations, I'm very happy with my decision. I primarily use the camera for taking pictures of my pets, family get togethers and wildlife/nature pictures while hiking...I've had the camera for about two months.

Pros: Simple to use, image stabilization works great, takes AA's so you'll never run out of batery power, there are several different image size settings that change to accomadate the use of the extended zoom (up to 9x v. regular 6x), manual exposure controls, nice bright screen, battery life is excellent using NiMH batteries, price for everything that comes with it.

Cons: There is a lag when the flash is used, but I think this is common for all cameras that don't use a lithium battery; there is no view finder although I haven't encountered a situation where I've wanted one; the size is a little large for a "pocket camera" but any camera with a 6X optical zoom will be, and it's really not bad.

I haven't really used the camera for night-time party type shots, which I'm guessing would not be a problem. I have also not used the video capabilities, which based on the claims should be excellent.

Overall, for $200, you'd be hard pressed to find a 7 megapixel, 6x optical zoom camera with excellent image stablization, and excellent picture taking capabilities. Seven years ago, I paid $180 for a 1.8 megapixel Fugi with no zoom...this camera is an awesome deal!

I've only had the camera for a few days, so I hope to write a more encompassing review later.

But I'm writing now to clarify that the movie function on the DMC-LZ7 DOES record sound...I had read (maybe in the product specs) that there was no sound, so I was quite happy to discover otherwise! I had purchased the camera for its low-light abilities and thought I had to give up the sound to get it -- so glad that I was wrong.

NOTE: The nearly-identical DMC-LZ6 does NOT record sound. The lack of sound-recording and the size of the LCD monitor (the LZ7 has 2.5 inch screen, LZ6 has 2-inch screen) seem to be the only differences between the models. Certainly worth the extra $30 or so to get the DMC-LZ7 with the sound.

The DMC-LZ7K movie quality is good for a digicam. My only comparison is my 4-5 year old Canon Elph -- and it's much better than that. The old Elph only records approx 15 second clips, and the Lumix will keep going until you fill up your card.

As one might expect, there is noticable chromatic noise using ISO settings above 800 -- but even the manual says that setting is basically only suitable for 4x6 prints. But at least you will get the picture in extreme conditions, even if the quality is less than optimal.

Again, comparing to my old camera - the 1200 ISO on the Lumix looks like the 400 ISO did in my old Elph. The Lumix 400 ISO looks great, at least on the monitor. I haven't printed anything yet.

Shutter response time is good and I have no major complaints, at least not so far.

I'm using rechargable AA batteries and a SanDisk Extreme III 1GB card. Both are working well with this camera.