Help with new camera - Lumix DC SZ70: I just acquired a Lumix DC SZ70 - took it out today for the first time and was extremely disappointed in the photos which came out very grainy. I...

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

I just acquired a Lumix DC SZ70 - took it out today for the first time and was extremely disappointed in the photos which came out very grainy. I was using the Lumix FZ 1000 but needed to switch to a lighter camera because I'm having issues with hand tremors. I was hoping that someone might be able to tell me the ideal settings for the SZ70? Granted this was not an ideal day for taking photos -we're in the midst of a huge fire so the light was very strange. But even the indoor shots came out exceedingly grainy. I'm wondering if it's me or the camera or a combo of both. A few years back I was using a Canon bridge camera and one of the members of this group kindly supplied me with some ideal settings which worked with pretty much every scenario. With the Lumix FZ 1000, I pretty much used the "intelligent" or "intelligent plus" automatic settings and my photos came out beautifully - crisp and clear every time. I always shoot in RAW. Thanks ahead of time for any help/suggestions/leads to where I can get help.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Hi Lparis, don't have the 70, but I do have both the 50 and 60. No problems with grainy. What mode & settings were you using? To start, Try this: go back outside and take some more pic's using the Auto mode. See if they are grainy.

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

I was using the auto mode when I got the grainy photos.

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

Instead of the word "grainy", I should have used "noisy" -- I can eliminate some of the noise with my Noiseless CK program but don't feel I should have to do that on every photo. It seems to be happening more obviously on close-up shots - shots of landscapes are better unless I zoom in on my editing program - then they are very noisy.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Post one of your noisy pics here and click on the save original button so we can download the pic and see the settings auto is using.

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

not sure how to add an attachment here! help?

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Click on quote reply. Write your message but don't try to preview it. On the bottom left click on choose file. Select an image from your computer. (It's easy to locate if it is on your desktop). Select your image and click on OPEN in the lower right corner. This will bring you back to your Reply window. Check the box (store original) under the message then clck on Add Attachement (see screenshot I attached). Then press Send under the reply window.

LParis wrote:

not sure how to add an attachment here! help?

(Download)

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

Bobspez wrote:

Click on quote reply. Write your message but don't try to preview it. On the bottom left click on choose file. Select an image from your computer. (It's easy to locate if it is on your desktop). Select your image and click on OPEN in the lower right corner. This will bring you back to your Reply window. Check the box (store original) under the message then clck on Add Attachement (see screenshot I attached). Then press Send under the reply window.

I am trying to do what you suggest but my computer doesn't like it! won't let me click on send. I'll keep trying.

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

LParis wrote:

I am trying to do what you suggest but my computer doesn't like it! won't let me click on send. I'll keep trying.

I did send you an attachment - hopefully you can open raw files.
I've just been online with a girl who bought the same camera for the same reasons - she took it on a trip and came back and was very disappointed with the quality of the photos - I'm thinking of returning the one I got but am not sure what else to get. I want a small point and shoot camera, with zoom (and not just 2x or 3x), shoots RAW, and obviously has a bigger sensor than this model -- any suggestions?

the photo I'm attaching is a jpeg from the RAW - after I denoised it severely. I want something that shoots bright and crisp.

sergiohm

Check the ISO Setting, if it is set to AUTO (which probably is since you said you were shooting in intelligent mode) the camera is using a very high ISO value.
If that is the case set the AUTO ISO to a lower value

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

After you have clicked on add attachement, and before you press send, you should see the pic below your reply. I don't see any attachments.

LParis wrote:

I am trying to do what you suggest but my computer doesn't like it! won't let me click on send. I'll keep trying.

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

this is one of the photos I converted from the RAW file to a jpeg in my software and then added a really strong denoise edit. still really poor quality in comparison to what I'm used to. I think I will just have to return the camera.

LParis Loc: Victoria, BC Canada

Bobspez wrote:

After you have clicked on add attachement, and before you press send, you should see the pic below your reply. I don't see any attachments.

I tried to attach a raw file but it was not accepted so I can't really show you how despicable the quality is.

Attached file:
(Download)

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

You did a good job of denoising. I downloaded and converted your raw file, here it is without processing. I see what you mean about the noise. The only thing I can think of is you shot at a high shutter speed which caused the iso to be unacceptably high.
However I can't get any exif data from your raw file, which would show me exactly what your shutter speed, aperture and iso were. Do you have any unprocessed jpg shots that you can upload and remember to click a check in the box just to the left of "(store original)"? Also these are large files, UHH will only upload a jpg file that is 20MB or less. I resized the jpg converted from your raw file as it was 32MB.

LParis wrote:

I tried to attach a raw file but it was not accepted so I can't really show you how despicable the quality is.

(Download)

JPL

LParis wrote:

I just acquired a Lumix DC SZ70 - took it out toda... (show quote)

Maybe use flash indoors? And try Program mode or aperture mode and use wide aperture?