PANASONIC LUMIX ZS50 Camera, 30X LEICA DC Vario-ELMAR Lens, 12.1 Megapixels, High Sensitivity Sensor, Eye Viewfinder, DMC-ZS50S (USA SILVER)

Top of the line smartphone cameras by Apple and Samsung take some really great pics. So good that years ago, I stopped carrying a brand-new and beautiful Panasonic ZS-50 digital camera everywhere. Early 2010's maybe? I put it in a junk drawer! OMG.BIG MISTAKE. It's coming back out 10 years later. IDK how easy a mobile phone camera is to use and share.A dedicated camera is a camera and it's not a mobile phone with a nice camera.But either way, take video of loved ones and to try not to look at the world from behind a lens. So - I definitely don't take so many pics anymore. The only pics and videos that matter are the ones you're gonna want to see when someone is gone.Pics are not the primary function of a phone, but they've evolved enough to replace a real camera.This Lumix camera, my old one from 2015? as old as it is? Is still one of the best cameras I've ever owned.I can't believe the prices they fetch as used cameras, but it's good money. They're still around $350 US dollars back then, and used Panasonic Lumix cameras still fetch a great price.If you're looking to get back to a single-purpose camera, definitely consider this one. It's gorgeous. The settings are easy to use. I love using a real camera and I LOVE having a viewfinder to look through like a person taking pics in 1993, rather than using a screen, especially in bright-light conditions. Anyway, my camera looks exactly like the one in the photo and TBH I am really looking forward to using it again.

UPDATE 7-Jan-2017: The annoying behavior of the viewfinder's automatic eye sensor that I mentioned in my original review has been solved! Using the camera's standard internal settings menu, I turned off the automatic sensor and programmed the 2nd function button on the back of the camera to toggle between viewfinder & big screen. Joy! I also recently used the camera in a winter ice display where the average temperature was just seven degrees Fahrenheit, keeping the camera turned on almost continuously for 35 minutes plus zooming in & out every few minutes to make sure the lenses hadn't frozen. I came out of the display with about 1/3 of a battery charge while other visitors had their camera & smartphone batteries drained almost completely by the cold. YMMV but it's not the first time I've found the batteries this camera uses do very well in extreme cold (just keep in mind the camera _can_ freeze if exposed to extreme cold for too long without warm hands around it).ORIGINAL REVIEW: This being my 3rd Panasonic Lumix camera, I was expecting few (if any) surprises -- and for the most part was right. This is A Good Thing.The ZS50 replaces a ZS40 that went to the beach with me one time too many (sand gets in very bad places with all those moving parts on the lens). It feels a bit heftier than the 40 but all the controls are exactly where I'd come to expect them and the general physical handling of the two cameras is nearly identical. The one caveat is that the viewfinder will automatically turn on -- thus turning off the main screen on back -- any time a finger, loose shirt collar, etc. gets too close to the sensor, so I've had to pay more attention to exactly how I'm holding the camera to avoid those, "omigosh, it just stopped worki- oh, no, it's just the viewfinder" moments. (I expect this to become automatic as I use the camera more over time.)Some things I've come to especially like:- The "shoot through glass" option in the Scenes menu (I don't remember having this on the ZS40)- MUCH much higher resolution image in the viewfinder, good enough to use it 100% of the time if I want.- The camera's reaction time seems faster; even using the "Intelligent Auto" setting (see note below) there's less wait between pressing the button and actually taking a picture. The old ZS40 was fast enough most of the time, but this new ZS50 is fast enough nearly ALL the time. I can't tell you if this is real or just my perception... but in any case I'm happier with this perception.- There's been a definite improvement in the quality of low-light images.- Just as with my older ZS40 and TZ5, the ZS50's zoom capability is amazing (especially in a camera this small).- The ZS50 uses the exact same batteries as its older sibling, saving me a bunch of money (and now I have *three* extra batteries, which is great for travel and events where I'm keeping the camera turned on for long periods of time).- The ZS50 comes with an actual battery charger as well as a USB cable, a real improvement over the USB-only charging feature of the ZS40. (I was able to buy a 3rd party charger with 2 extra batteries, so it was more of an annoyance than a problem; it's nice to know I now have a spare charger along with the spare batteries.)Some differences that don't really matter:- The ZS50 actually has a lower megapixel count than the older ZS40 (I think it's 12.1 vs 18) but I've not been able to see any difference in image quality until I start enlarging images beyond 8x10.- I had the all-black version of the ZS40 so the finish of the ZS50 looks flashier, but this isn't an issue aside from the two looking different. The all-black coating was supposed to have some anti-slip properties but I've had zero problems hanging onto the ZS50 even with damp hands while moving fast.Some caveats:- The "Intelligent Auto" setting on the ZS50 has the same annoying habits of the older version, especially its propensity to decide many photos are either backlit or a hand-held night shot even when not. I've learned that the Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes are my friends.- That auto-on feature for the viewfinder can go from "wow, cool" to PITA in no time flat; I'm still having to pay attention to exactly how I'm holding the camera and/or what's near it when I'd rather pay attention to my subjects. (Hopefully this will be a case of familiarity breeding adjustment.)- The flash is located perfectly to be blocked or shaded by my hand; I'm also having to learn how to hold it properly when using the flash.- Problems shared with the older ZS40 are the lack of hot shoe or microphone jack, but the flash is relatively powerful (especially when your fingers aren't blocking it) and the sound from the two tiny microphones on the top of the camera is surprisingly good.- Also similar to the ZS40 (but slightly improved) is the amount of image pixelation at higher zoom levels, even when using only optical zoom.- The GPS feature built into the older ZS40 is gone; I never used it (the feature eats batteries) but for some users this could be an issue.All in all, this is an excellent camera that blurs the line between high-end point & shoot versus low-end DSLR. Battery life is good; color balance is good under a wide range of lighting; the full-range zoom is droolworthy; shutter delay is nearly nonexistent; it's small enough to (carefully) fit in a pocket or into a cheap case hanging from one's belt; and it's compact enough to be great for travel. Treated with proper respect (and based on the older TZ5 and ZS40 I abused), I expect the ZS50 to last me at least 3-5 years and probably become a hand-me-down in the family.

This is my fourth Lumix camera and it is the best. It is a metal casting/machined case that gives it a good feel It just takes superior photos compared with the competition. i have owned Nikon and Cannon and these have far better durability and photo performance. I have now taken about 1500 photos with this camera. These Panasonics have s superior zoom mechanism especially compared to the plastic gear Nikon zooms that just strip and fail way too soon. The Leica lens is superior to the competition, is optically and mechanically superior, and is the longest lived.I really like the 30X zoom and stabilizer. I get a good image at full zoom 90% of the time compared with about a fourth of the time with a 10X Nikon that also had a stabilizer. I also like the SCN modes. The hand held night mode works superbly. It seems to take multiple exposures and stitches the pixels to make an image. I use the P mode for most regiular photos. The I'A mode works fairly good, but it gets confused on when a flash should be used for fill light. The IA mode does work very well on bringing in the macro mode. The red eye reducing flash mode is not reliable with the IA mode. The sunset mode really works well and gives a very nice orange bias to the coloring for sun \rises and sunsets.I don't miss the GPS feature. I usually know where I am and the GPS feature ran down my batteries much quicker. I prefer simplicity.I have tried the view finder, but I have trouble using it with eye glasses. I know about the diopter control, but it is still hard to see the photo frame. I find the camera screen works well enough, even in sun. .I especially like the image quality from this camera. It has superior sharpness, colors are vivid, it has a great dynamic range that results in good images in poor light without a flash. We used this camera at a restaurant function and got far superior images compared especially to I-phone photos, but also Cannon and Nikon cameras. Everyone sent me their photos and I made a photo file and burned DVD data disks for everyone. The Panasonic had by far the best images.The 12 Megapixel sensor doesn't seem to be a shortcoming compared to a prior 18 Megapixel camera we had. We get sharp prints up to 8X10.The serious shortcoming Panasonic has had with the Lumix cameras is that dirt leaks into the camera and leaves black spots in the picture. That is what has killed three of our Panasonic cameras. It happens at about two years out and about 10.000 photos. We hope this one will do better. There is a U-tube video that explains how to disassemble these cameras and clean off the sensor and rear lens element. I haven't been brave enough to do this.In summary, this is a great camera, fits in a shirt pocket, and one i can have with me a lot more than the old SLRs. To do better photo quality, you have to go to the big SLRs and spend another $2K or more and that will be a camera you won't have with you much of the timek plus this one travels better.