Comments on: HD Video Record Time Limit: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 vs DMC-TZ7 (AVCHD Lite)

By: sb

sb — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Regarding the “language lock”, I just bought a Japanese model, and I can confirm that there is NO language selection menu entry: Japanese only if you buy in Japan. Off to google to look for a language unlock trick…

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:53:19 +0000

Hi there

I have a friend who sellin a zs3 bought from japan. He said the camera is in Japanese but can’t be changed to English. Is that true? It doesn’t make sense for a camera to have no language option

By: Amit

Amit — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:56:36 +0000

Jim,

The reason why videos work OK on your PAL TV using AV output might be because Hong Kong cameras, while being ZS3 actually shoot PAL videos.

Have a look at this thread containing comments of angry Americans buying ZS3 in Hong Kong:
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43797

So I guess the verdict is unclear… Can ZS3 videos be seen on PAL TVs using HDMI/AV?

By: Daniel Liuzzi

Daniel Liuzzi — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:38:57 +0000

Apparently, the recording time limit in the European model is to avoid the 4.9% EU tax on devices classified as camcorders, and affects other models as well:

“Any digital camera that records 30 minutes or more of video is classified by the EU as a camcorder and is therefore subject to 4.9% import duty”

Sources:

http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/06/03/the-lumix-30-minutes-eu-recording-issue/

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL1777271820070717

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:37:30 +0000

Further to my last comment … I have not yet purchased an HDMI cable and tested the results but will do so shortly and report here …

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:35:11 +0000

I have purchased a camera from eBay from Hong Kong and its DMC-ZS3, I live in Australia where TV is PAL … From my many reading on many forums I understand that the difference is when you output AVCHD via an HDMI cable it is not compatable wih the PAL system which uses 25/50 fps (NTSC 30/60)… On the box it states “NTSC OUTPUT ONLY … However outputing video via the AV cable supplied in the box works OK on a PAL TV for both MJPEG and AVCHD but I beleive the AV output is analog, tell me if I am wrong or confirm please …

By: Dino

Dino — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:32:41 +0000

I too ordered a Lumix TZ7 for use in the UK but had a US Lumix ZS3 delivered. AS Paul says the settings can’t be changed from the US normal NTSC to Europe normal Pal. Will that mean the quality of image when showing HD videos on TV will be poorer on a UK Pal TV ?
Any help would be much appreciated.

By: Friendly User

Friendly User — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:36:45 +0000

Changing the “Video Out” in the menu, only affects the output (NTSC/PAL) for video playback direct to a TV from the camera. The video file is not changed. As far as I know, the video file record settings (NTSC/PAL) can not be changed in the ZS3 camera menu.

—–

But for some more info, PAL should have a video frame rate of 25 fps, and NTSC has 30 fps. AVCHD Lite format videos can appear doubled in some software, so that PAL videos can be 50 fps and NTSC videos can be 60 fps.

You could check your video file properties using a program like MediaInfo ( http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en ). From my ZS3 files, based on the file frame rate, AVCHD Lite format files are 25/50 fps and Motion JPEG format files are 30/60 fps. I’m not sure but, based on frame rate, maybe for my ZS3 the AVCHD Lite is PAL and Motion JPEG is NTSC.

But in any case, since TZ7/ZS3 is basically the same camera, I’d guess any noticeable quality differences between NTSC and PAL would be minor, if there are any. Just my opinion, but main things are if you can view the video properly on your TV/computer and that the ZS3 has no time restriction on AVCHD Lite video.

By: Paul Thomsen

Paul Thomsen — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:14:01 +0000

Hi, I have just got a dmc-zs3 but expected it to be a tz7 with pal. (I live in Spain). On the box it states that output is NTSC only.
PAL has a better quality than NTSC so what happens when it is changed in the menu will the quality be better like 576 pal instead of 480 ntsc or ?

By: Friendly User

Friendly User — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:43:44 +0000

Depending on the region, ZS3/TZ7 will have different user interface language options. For example, for a camera sold in China the language choices are English and Chinese.

About video output, in the setup menu there is an option to change “Video Out” to either PAL or NTSC, for when the camera is connected to a TV for playback.