Conclusion

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 is a perfectly competent digital camera for beginners that won't break the bank, with the added bonuses of a stylish design, responsive operation and 720p movies. Sure, it doesn't have too many bells and whistles, but that could well be seen as a benefit by prospective owners.

A wide-angle setting of 28mm is a real attraction of this model, with the telephoto reach of 112mm enough for candid head and shoulder shots. The 14.1 megapixel sensor produces good image quality, , with noise readily apparent at ISO 400 and much more obvious at ISO 800 along with smearing of fine details, with the fastest speed of ISO 1600 being something of a last resort. Th S3 shares the same sensor as the twice-as-expensive FX77 model, so Panasonic haven't cut any corners here.

An official asking price of £107.99 / $129.95 doesn't feel like too much for such an accomplished camera. If you're in the market for a budget compact point-and-shoot, then the Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 certainly fits the bill.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	3
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	4
Value for money	4.5

Share this review

Entry Tags

hd video, hd, 720p, wide-angle, beginner, 14 megapixel, 2.7 inch LCD, lumix, 28mm, 4x zoom, budget, s3, dmc-s3, Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Review