Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 - Review - Probably the best compact zoom camera on the market

Reviews for Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5

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Probably the best compact zoom camera on the market (Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5)

Member Name: bobsta

Product:	Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5
Date:	01/02/09 (895 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Zoom lens, video mode and fantastic outdoor shots, excellent build quality

Disadvantages: Very poor video sound, indoor/night time shots are noisy

Are you in the market for a compact camera with excellent picture quality and possessing a better than average zoom lens range? Then the DMC-TZ5 could be just what you are looking for.

For me, there has always been two troubling element to taking pictures - finding a camera that has a decent zoom lens range and having a decent stabiliser to eliminate shake when taking pictures. I love to go to concerts and my original camera just didn't cut it. After a fair bit of research in the web, I tested three cameras - the Canon SX10 IS, Panasonic FZ28 and Panasonic DMC-T5. Both the SX10 and FZ28 both had fantastic zoom ranges but they were just too bulky. Seriously, going to a gig with one of these would present portability problems. So, I looked at the DMC-TZ5. After having a play with the camera for almost an hour, I became the proud owner of a black DMC-TZ5. The zoom, view screen and build quality won me over. So, how does it translate into everyday situations and the odd gig or two?

Firstly, the camera is built to a high standard. It is mostly metal and feels reassuringly solid. The menus are relatively straight forward but reading the instruction manual is advised. The camera comes with one battery, charger, various leads but no SD card. Considering how cheap SD cards are, surely a nice 2GB card wouldn't have gone amiss?

Anyway, start up is pretty quick for a zoom camera. The camera has a range of settings - the iA mode does all the work for you. There are dedicated scene shots (beach, snow, night time etc). You do get a manual setting where you can fiddle around with the various settings to your heart's content. So what happens when you've taken a picture - it appears on the fabulous view screen which is sharp, clear and bright. There is a nifty little function that allows you to virtually tilt the screen so you can hold the camera up above your head to take pics and see the live preview.

The zoom function is fantastic. It is quick and responsiveness. Here's a little known fact about the zoom mode. The camera does have a 10x optical zoom but if you press the eZoom button after reaching the 10x range, you can get another 6.9x optical zoom on top but you can only take 3 megapixel pictures instead of 9 megapixel shots. Of course, there is a digital zoom but I would leave that alone as the results are pretty dreadful. Outdoor shots are brilliant for a compact camera and the wide angle lens is a bonus in capturing a wider view of your subjects. Indoors the camera doesn't do that well in poor lighting so make sure someone turns the light on.

The video mode on the camera is a HD mode recording at 720p. Now don't get fooled - it is not a camcorder but the quality is useable for everyday viewing. The zoom also works in movie mode and testing it at a gig I could zoom in close to the band. The fans in the audience just looked at me amazed when they saw how close I could get in. I made a few friends that night wanting those shots and videos I took. But here's the bad news - the sound quality is bloody awful. It's mono and it really is quite bad. Why couldn't Panasonic stick on a decent microphone I will never know.

Battery life is pretty good. I managed to get 300 shots but using the zoom and video mode depleted battery life at an alarming rate so make sure you have a spare. Another thing worth bearing in mind is getting a SDHC card - why? Well, this camera takes big pictures and the movie mode is a space eater. Ideally you need a 6 speed class card otherwise you may have trouble recording video.

All in one, the DMC-TZ5 is a good all rounder. It's not perfect but when the conditions are right, it delivers some cracking results especially when used with that great zoom lens.