USB DONE RIGHT: Two magic boxes that let computer audio ...

Working Tools
Most of the tools we work with can bear the strain. The lens contains
are amplifiers, loudspeakers, and of plastic, and Leica lenses don’t. However,
course computers and software. But Panasonic told us that Leica had helped
UHF wouldn’t be a magazine if it didn’t set up its Lumix lens plant, and our tests
include pictures, and most of those with the loaner camera confirmed that
pictures come from our own cameras. the Lumix lens (14-42 mm, or 28-84 mm
And we have several GET of them. THE COMPLETE Albert in full-frame VERSION! terms) offers terrific
uses a Sony R1 for photos You’ll accompanying have noticed performance.
that this free
reviews. For shows, he has version been using of UHF Magazine However, the GF3 (known as the
a compact Lumix TZ7 is not camera, quite complete. and GF3X But if you you can buy it with the compact
Gerard has been using a slightly get the older complete zoom) version has a different advantage: it will
version, the TZ3 (the camera from at left). Maggie let for us $4. do a lot more of our show coverage
The two Lumix cameras Click are here, out- and away by available we go!
light rather than flash. Flash
standing picture-takers, and you don’t just looks less natural. What’s more, a
have to look far for the reason: they have lot of modern audio gear has reflective
Leica lenses. We have no trouble seeing surfaces that look awful lit by flash, if
that advantage on our high-resolution indeed they can be photographed at all.
screens, and you can see it in our pages The GF3X lets us look into near dark-
too.
ness and dig out the light we need.
But we were in for a surprise when
Panasonic lent us the GF3X, above right.
With its 3X zoom lens telescoped, it is
barely bigger than a point-and-shoot,
and it weighs a scant 100 g more, but
it has interchangeable lenses, a large
sensor, and it shoots RAW photos, not
just compressed JPEG. It even has a
(small) built in flash, indispensable for
show coverage.
It does not, as you can see, come with
a Leica lens, though Leica does make
its famous lenses for it, if your budget
The photos on this page tell the
story. The Mastersound amplifier then
awaiting review was very dimly lit. The
TZ3, at ISO 800, could do no better
than the photo at left. The yellowish
tone is digital noise, and could not be
removed by rebalancing. The photo at
right is from the GF3, operating with a
sensitivity, of ISO 1600. Even blown up
to large size, there is no noise apparent.
We ordered a GF3X, and we have
now received it. It will make our photos
look better than ever.
ADVERTISERS
ADL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Allnic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
April Music . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2
Audiophile Store . . . . . . . . . . 55-62
Audio Zendo . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3
Audiyo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Aurum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Blue Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Calyx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Charisma Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Europroducts International . . . 11, 15
Furutech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hammertone Audio . . . . . . . . . . 12
Liberty Trading . .31, Cover 2, Cover 4
Madison Audio Lab . . . . . . . . . . 14
Maggie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Manley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Mok & Martensen . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mutine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 3
Quad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 4
Roksan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Simaudio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Simon Yorke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sonic Artistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Super Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Thorens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
UHF Back Issues . . . . . . . . . . . 41
UHF Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
ULTRA HIGH FIDELITY Magazine 81
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