Panasonic DMC-LZ3 Performance

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Panasonic LZ3 Performance

Timing and Performance

Panasonic LZ3 Timing
Good to average speed for a consumer camera.

Startup/Shutdown
Power on to first shot	1.9 seconds	Time it takes for LCD to turn on and lens to deploy
Shutdown	1.8 seconds	How long it takes to retract lens
Buffer clearing time	2 seconds	Worst case buffer clearing time. -- This is the delay after a set of shots before you can remove the card. Some cameras won't retract their lenses and shut down until the buffer is cleared.
Mode switching
Play to Record, first shot	1.0 seconds	Time until first shot is captured
Record to play	1.8 seconds	Time to display a large/fine file immediately after capture
Display recorded image	1.2 second	Time to display a large/fine file already on the memory card.
Shutter response (Lag Time):
Full Autofocus Wide	0.48 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at wide angle position.
Full Autofocus Tele	0.55 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at telephoto position.
Prefocused	0.013 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Cycle time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode Large Fine JPEG	1.95 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots
Single Shot mode 640x480 JPEG	1.69 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots
Early shutter penalty?	Yes	Some cameras won't snap another shot if you release and press the shutter too quickly in Single Shot mode, making "No" the preferred answer
Continuous High mode Large Fine JPEG	0.32 second (3.14 frames per second); 3 frames total; 2 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous High mode 640x480 JPEG	0.32 second (3.14 frames per second); 5 frames total; 2 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous Low mode Large Fine JPEG	0.48 second (2.08 frames per second); 3 frames total; 2 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous Low mode 640x480 JPEG	0.49 second (2.06 frames per second); 5 frames total; 2 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous "infinite" mode Large Fine JPEG	0.72 second (1.39 frames per second); buffer clears between shots	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Continuous "infinite" mode 640x480 JPEG	0.72 second (1.39 frames per second); buffer clears between shots	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first
Flash recycling	7 seconds	Flash at maximum output
Download speed
Windows Computer, USB 2.0	651 KBytes/sec	Typical Values: Less than 600=USB 1.1; 600-770=USB 2.0 Low; 771-4000=USB 2.0 High

The Panasonic LZ3's performance ranges from quite fast to just average, depending on what you're trying to do. It starts up reasonably fast, and has a fairly fast shutter response when the lens is set to its wide angle position. At the telephoto end of the lens' range it's only a little slower, with a lag time of 0.55 second, about average. And if you "prefocus" the camera by half-pressing and holding down the shutter button before the final exposure, it's blazingly fast, with a shutter delay of only 0.013 second, among the fastest on the market. Shot to shot cycle times are average, at about 1.95 seconds for large/fine JPEGs. Continuous-mode speed is quite good, at a bit over three frames/second, for up to three shots in succession in large/fine mode. The flash takes about seven seconds to recharge after a full-power shot, a little longer than average for this class of camera. Connected to a computer, download speeds are fast enough that you probably won't feel a need for a separate card reader, but nonetheless aren't as fast as many cameras currently on the market. Bottom line, while not a first choice for sports or other fast-paced action, the Panasonic LZ3 is responsive enough (particularly at wide angle lens settings) to handle most family photo opportunities.

Battery and Storage Capacity

Battery
Best battery life achieved with NiMH rechargeables.

Test Conditions	Number of Shots
AA alkaline batteries	155
AA NiMH rechargeable batteries	400
Oxyride batteries	250

The Panasonic DMC-LZ3 uses two AA batteries for power, and non-rechargeable Oxyride batteries are included with the camera.

The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of (on either a fresh set of disposable batteries or a fully-charged rechargeable battery as appropriate), based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions. (See below for a discussion of the CIPA battery-life standard.)

Storage
No card is included with the Panasonic LZ3, although it accepts SD/MMC cards; 14MB RAM is built into the camera.

Image Capacity vs Resolution/Quality 14 MB Internal Memory		Fine	Normal
2560 x 1920	Images (Avg size)	5 2.6 MB	11 1.3 MB
2560 x 1920	Approx. Compression	6:1	11:1
2048 x 1536	Images (Avg size)	8 1.7 MB	17 850 KB
2048 x 1536	Approx. Compression	6:1	11:1
1600 x 1200	Images (Avg size)	14 1.0 MB	27 533 KB
1600 x 1200	Approx. Compression	6:1	11:1
1280 x 960	Images (Avg size)	21 684 KB	40 366 KB
1280 x 960	Approx. Compression	5:1	10:1
640 x 480	Images (Avg size)	67 216 KB	110 133 KB
640 x 480	Approx. Compression	4:1	7:1

The Panasonic DMC-LZ3 stores its photos on SD / MMC memory cards or in approximately 14MB of internal memory, and no card is included with the camera. (I strongly recommend buying at least a 256MB card, preferably a 512MB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings.) The chart above shows how many images can be stored in the internal memory at each size/quality setting.