Image Stabilized Zoom

Hello All,
I am new here. I came across a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ3S Digital Camera. Since i just have a basic knowledge related to digital cameras. I know what zoom is all about. But the specs was mentioned 6x Image Stabilized Zoom. What does this "Image Stabilized" mean ?
PS : This is an amazing forum.

Image stabilazation (IS) senses camera movement and uses small motors to move internal parts to compensate. It works very well and helps while hand held in low light conditions and old fogeys like me who shake and can no longer hold a camera steady. With longer zooms it helps to negate the shaking that can be a problem at long focal lengths.

Here's the panasonic page explaning it for your camera.
http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/l...3/megaois.html

I have a Panasonic LZ 20 and hope to always have a camera with IS.

actually i dont think its a motor - its usually a slider or the sort attatched to some of the elements, or in minoltas case attatched to teh CCD (which i believe is now a copied technology).

I could be totally wrong but that was my understanding of it.

I was thinking of a linear type of motor when I typed that. Guess I could have been more specific. Not all motors are cylindrical with spinning shafts, even though the vast majority are.

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Originally Posted by Chunk

I was thinking of a linear type of motor when I typed that. Guess I could have been more specific. Not all motors are cylindrical with spinning shafts, even though the vast majority are.

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ah yes i see what youre saying...

Welcome to PR! I learned everything I know about photography on PR........and I hope you enjoy being here and learn as much.

I have the Panasonic DMC-FZ3 and use it as my 2nd camera as I have a Canon Rebel XT as my main camera. The FZ3 has the IS lens also and is similar to the LZ3. I have 2 IS lenses for my Rebel along with the IS on the Panasonic P&S. Since others have shared what Image Stablization is and what it does - I'll just share my experience with it - and what you can expect using it.

I actually love IS. I have a slight camera shake problem and using IS, I get very sharp images. It is extremely helpful with camera shake. Many people like the IS especially on P&S cameras because being smaller, it is easier to get a blurred or soft picture. IS normally prevents that.

Bottom line - IS is wonderful. Here is a picture shot with the FZ3 with no flash. The light in the background is sunlight. Most of my images are sharp. I'm sure the LZ3 is similar.

http://mariaimage.smugmug.com/photos/14793269-M.jpg



Liz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by klick76

Hello All,
I am new here. I came across a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ3S Digital Camera. Since i just have a basic knowledge related to digital cameras. I know what zoom is all about. But the specs was mentioned 6x Image Stabilized Zoom. What does this "Image Stabilized" mean ?
PS : This is an amazing forum.

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some people image stabilization is awesome and some people its not so effective - it certainly does help you increase that borderline shutter speed ability- depending on how still your hand is of course - but maybe from 1/80th of a second to 1/15th of a second.

just remember - it compensates for VERY MINOR vibrations, if your a shaking maniac then not even IS will help you.

Something else you may consider - noise performance of a camera. Increase the cameras shooting ISO will be a much more effective way to decrease blur. Standard is 100, but when you bump it up to 200 or 400 you get a much larger shutter speed difference, something much more effective then OIS. Best bet is having the best of both worlds - good performance at higher ISO coupled with optic image stabilization.

btw - if you havent allready purchased it - i might check out the LZ5 for the small increase in cost its really worth it.

well, thank you guys. You guys have amazing knowledge. All i have understood in laymans term is that IS helps reduce/eliminate the blurr/disrurbance in the captured image due to natural unavoidable phenomenon like shaking of hand. I guess i got that right.
I have not bought one yet. Will be buying one in the next couple of days, what do u guys advice ?

Well guys, i just could not wait longer do i got myself a Canon Digital Camera , the model is Canon PowerShot S2 IS for some $338.88 online at thecameramart.com website. I hope i have made the right choice.