- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 25 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
-
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"My Summary of reviews and results out of this camera - This is the best value for money !!"
Pros: Superb images, Exceptional build Quality, Perfect fit for general public
Cons: Shoddy reviews - I got a point here - read my opinion carefully !!
Summary: Well,
I was extremely impressed with the results, build quality, features on this camera and for a while was taken by shock to see a rating of 7.4 for such a beauty.
Then again, the users rate it at 8.4 !! So, there yo go. On one side, the experts rate it at 7.4 and on the other side, the users rate it at 8.4.
I somehow felt the same desparity among other products from panasonic - check out the difference between the editors rating and user ratings here:
FZ7 - 7.2 versus 8.1
FZ30 - 6.9 versus 8.6
TZ1K - 6.6 versus 8.4
I somehow miss this difference when I look at maybe a canon or a sony. Check the ratings against Canon Rebel XT or anyother for a matter.
So, there we are, while the expert says, this is a 7.4, users feel this is better at 8.4 !!!
I feel it is time to draw a conclusion. Let me consider both the aspects and an average of both the ratings make it a 7.9 or an 8.
Which according to the CNET standards make this camera:
8.0 to 8.9 (Excellent):
A product that receives a rating in this range is superior in so many ways that its relatively few drawbacks are not very important.
7.0 to 7.9 (Very good):
While the strengths of a product scoring in this range certainly outweigh its weaknesses, it has some minor faults that certain users should be aware of.
And that perfectly summarises the camera for me.
I would rate this extremely high on all the features it has and the image quality is very good. (8 - 8.9) range
The only reason why I would put this camera in the (7 - 7.9) range is not the camera itself, but the manufacturer. Panasonic have the most unpleasant customer service and post sales support.
While their products are extremely impressive, but, try comparing Sony and Panasonic - the main difference is the customer service and support. Panasonics are more often better products.
Unfortunately, we don't marry the product alone when we buy it. We marry the organisation - that's a fact we got to realise.
- 1 reply to this review
-
Not all of us want to be pros, but still need good results and the reviews are incomplete. Why pan Panasonic's 800 - 3200 ISO possibilities against the Canon AS3-IS maximum of 800 and then issue what READS like exactly equivalent complaints of noise on both models? I don't get it. Then, I see nothing else that explains why the Canon is held in such higher regard. WHY?
I'm trying to find a 12X unit that will take sharp 12X photos of broadcast tower tops, looking for faults. My Sony DSC-H1 can't do it with clarity; assuming it would even work, carrying a tripod for this occassional purpose is impractical. And, I like to ride horseback with camera in hand. Flint will NOT understand a tripod on his back. In-store with auto settings, I notice the Panasonic's IS system is rock steady at 12X in low store light with a razor sharp hand-held shot. CNET's Canon favorite was wholly USELESS with the same shot, supported by CNET's own, lousy 12X Canon demo photo. So, explain to me again why this makes it a better camera with equivalent noise complaints?
BUT, Panasonic better learn customer support. The warranty is wholly lousy, assuming it could even be used; I'm surprised Panasonic hasn't been sued out of its socks for this. Considering what looks like a superior IS, it also reads like it could be VERY fragile (moving lenses, gyros and such) and might not take the stress of riding in a hot car day in and out. For these reasons, it would be suicide to buy on-line and is the one reason why I would buy our local Circuit City's in-store support extended warranty if I choose Panasonic. No matter how good the camera is, it's useless when it fails and can't be supported. This is the kind of stuff that makes a review meaningful.
%20user%20review%20and%20rating%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fz50k/4864-6501_7-31977237-3.html){kind=small}