Recently, we found ourselves in the market for a new compact digital camera to be able to use on trips where our beloved Nikon D90 was not an option due to luggage space constraints. Our local Costco had a good deal on two promising looking compact digital cameras: a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 on sale for $179.99 and a Nikon Coolpix S570 discounted at $149.99. The two cameras had a similar basic feature set–both had 12 megapixels and a 2.7 inch LCD display. The Nikon was slightly smaller and had a sleeker appearance…and I have to say, based on our favorable experience with the Nikon D90, we were initially predisposed toward the Nikon Coolpix. However, when we delved a bit deeper into the camera specifications and read some online reviews, our ardor toward the Nikon Coolpix began to cool slightly. While both the Coolpix and the Panasonic Lumix got favorable reviews, the Lumix’s were a bit better, and it clearly boasted a more upscale feature set. The Lumix has a 8x optical zoom, compared with the 5x on the Nikon, and its slightly larger size allows it to have a considerably longer battery life–330 pictures, as opposed to the 220 pictures that the Nikon Coolpix is supposed to have. The feature that really tipped the balance for us, however, was the faster continuous shooting speed for the Lumix, which has 2 frames per second as opposed to 0.6 frames per second for the Nikon Coolpix. The icing on the cake was the Lumix’s HD video resolution (1,280×720), as compared with 640×480 for the Nikon Coolpix.
After trying out both cameras, it was obvious to us that the Panasonic Lumix ZR1 was the clear winner. The shooting speed was a standout difference between the two cameras and the Lumix seemed to have a more easily viewable LCD in bright sunlight. The extra $30 for the Lumix was easily justifiable.
Some helpful online reviews of the two cameras:
CNET review of Panasonic Lumix ZR1
CNET review of Nikon Coolpix S570
Very detailed Amazon user review of Panasonic Lumix ZR1
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