I bought this camera from Amazon. I am a 3d photographer, interested mainly in still 3d photography. I have used the camera for a week. Based on my experience so far, and comparing it with the Fuji and other 3d camera systems I have used, here are my first impressions:
Panasonic (+):
Good image quality (for what it is)
Well-aligned images
Image stabilization results in sharper pictures
Wide angle 25mm focal length is a big plus
Short stereo base (distance of lenses) is good for close-ups
Good battery performance
Compact & relatively easy to use
Panasonic (-):
No manual controls for exposure or ISO (in 3d)
No ability to turn the flash on (in 3d)
Limited settings and controls in 3d
Not as easy to use with one hand compared to the Fuji (you cannot slide the cover with one hand easily and you end up touching the back of the screen changing settings you cannot turn the touch screen off)
The location of flash (almost between the lenses) is a problem (just like the Fuji, it leads to pseudoscopic shadows)
The Stereo base (30mm) is too narrow for general 3d
No 3d display
Very expensive (for what it is) [This was written when the camera sold for $500, which is what I paid]
The Panasonic is very limited in what it can do in 3d. It is mainly good for snapshots in tight situations and close-ups (which, I have to admit, is a favorite shooting situation for me.) It will produce relatively sharp and well-exposed pictures even in low light and without flash (with care). It will let you shoot a self-portrait at arm's length (try that with the Fuji!) It will get some interesting 3d pictures (like close-ups of people and pets) that no other 3d camera I know of can.
But it falls short for general 3d photography due to the narrow stereo base (the pictures without close objects look flat.) Not being able to turn the flash on and control exposure manually severely limits the use of the camera with an external flash so you are stuck with the unpleasant shadows of the camera's internal flash.
Panasonic had the chance to make a much more useful 3d camera but failed, in my opinion. The lack of 3d exposure & flash control (and flash placement) is downright criminal :) The thinking behind this is a mystery for me. You trust people to use the many 2d features but disallow them in 3d. Why?
As things stand right now, I cannot recommend this camera at this price ($500) for the average stereo enthusiast, for general 3d photography. I give it 3 stars. That is 5 stars for being a 3d camera, minus one star for the lack of manual controls in 3d and minus another star for the way too narrow stereo base. [Note: A couple of months later, this camera has become my most often used stereo camera. I get to appreciate the good image quality. What I wrote here is still true, but I am moving the rating up one point for the surprisingly good image quality, so 4 stars.]
If the Fuji had some of the Panasonic features (better image quality, wider focal length, narrower stereo base, say 60mm) it would have been a terrific 3d camera. As things stand right now, neither camera is perfect. That's why I need both. :)
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