I have found this camera to be very user friendly. The menu's, control's, manual are easy to follow (except for the AM/PM issue). I am not a technical type so the point and shoot is just what I wanted in a digital camera. Also, the 10x zoom was the main feature I wanted for taking close ups of my 2 dogs, without having to get on top of them. I like the size, weight and shape of it in my hands. I did not want a too small, credit size, toy feeling piece of equipment. I like the Lithium-ion Battery, my previous digital ate AA rechargable's. The memory card and battery use the same door release lever and has an extra slide lock to remove the battery, so it doesn't just fall out. Has good diagrams for orientation placement of battery and card. It does not have a View Finder, but I like using the LCD better. The shape makes it easy to hold. I did some researching on other opinion site's and this camera came highly recommended. So I took the plunge and have been happy with it, but I am not a very critical person. Photographers that are more advanced might want a more sophisticated piece of equipment.
Strengths:
10x Opitcal Zoom
Lumix lens
Good Manual
Nice crisp pictures
Comes with a Battery Charger
Comes with a Lithium-ion Battery
Optical Image Stabilizer
Substantial weight, but not too heavy or bulky.
Will not take a picture with the lens cap on.
I like the shape of it, especially the right hand side where most of the controls are located.
Weaknesses:
I do not like the seperate, tethered lens cap. I tend to lose these.
PC software is not very versitile, will only use Outlook for emails.
Would like if there were eyelets on each side for attaching a neck strap. It comes with a wrist strap, but a neck strap would be better for me.
This is probably the smallest most portable digital with a "super" zoom lens (10x) equvalent to 35mm~350mm. It's east to carry around, which means you carry it more, and you get more pictures. The optical quaulity is good, colour and image are decent, and the image stabalizer works well. Start-up and focus speed is decently fast, and viewing screen is sharp and lag-free.
The major dissapointment is ccd noise - which is a complaint for all Panasonic cameras. It is definitely noisier than similar Sony, Canon & Fuji cameras that I've used recently. However, the final product is the picture and how you use it that counts. For viewing on screen and small prints, it works superbly. It is easy to carry while mountain biking, quick to extract and take pictures, and the range of the lens gives you great lattitude to compose some great pictures. And for large prints, it still produces a acceptable image.
Strengths:
Excellent zoom range
Image stabailzation
Zoom in video mode
Decent final picture
Weaknesses:
No optical view finder.
Noise in shadows and higer ISO settings
Propriotary battery
No manual modes
separate lens cap
Similar Products Used:
Nothing with this range of zoom lens.
Fuji E900
Sony W1
Minolta X
Sony 505
This is one awesome camera. I've searched for a small 10x zoom camera and didn't hesitate when this one was offered.
I saw a bird in a tree above me and took several shots. Because it's hard to hold anything steady at that angle, the results were fuzzy. But those pictures revealed a robin shaking and cleaning itself after a bath nearby! Waterfall pictures show crisp edges on the spray. I use the "sport" setting for this for the constant refocusing. Colors are wonderful and I used the night scenery setting and a tripod to get a moonlight picture in the fog.
I use this to take reference photos for paintings. I also use photos to reproduce those paintings as prints and cards. I can enlarge to 13x19" paper with no trouble. I hesitated slightly because the TZ1 doesn't have manual controls. But I actually never took time to use them on other cameras. Explore the built in settings and understand how to use them in any situation. Learn to use the histogram feature to balance the light.
Strengths:
The small size coupled with a 10X zoom.
Clarity of pictures.
The histogram feature.
The incredibly clear, large viewfinder. More pixels than others.
Menu buttons are easy to understand and remember. And they are comfortably placed.
Creates sharp, smooth videos.
Battery life is MUCH improved over a previous brands camera model.
SD card is versatile.
I use a tripod (or hold camera steady against a tree etc.) with the long zoom for the best shots.
Weaknesses:
Lack of a viewfinder of course. Many cameras went this route this year. I expect they'll be putting them back next year. A simple rangefinder would be wonderful.
This is picky - but if the tripod could be fastened to the center, it could be used on a minipod. This would not keep me from buying this camera though. In extreme sun I "hunt and hope" and take several shots. It works.
Not weaknesses; but a wish list.
I'd like to be able to use a threaded filter.
Attachment on both sides for a neck strap. I don't like keeping it in a camera case.
An integrated simple wrap around cover to protect the screen and lens cap. I made my own.
Put the pict mode to 'standard', good for shooting outdoors, put it to 'natural' and the inbulit noise reduction algorithm starts to work and is good for shooting indoors ,and if you want some extra fun with colors, use the 'vivid' mode.
Strengths:
1. Very Good 10x optical zoom with Panasonic's Mega OIS gives a very good picture even for people with a little shaky hand.
2. Can use the full 10x zoom even while shooting the video.
3. when you shoot at 3MP or less, you can have effective optical zoom of 12.5x
4. Lots od inbuilt scene modes, which is of gr8 help to avoid manual settings to get a good photo.
5. Start up time is very quick
6. Hand Grip is very good.
7. Its one of the few panasonic Lumix which looks good
8. Shutter can open for 15, 30 or 60 secs in 'starry sky scene mode' and 8 secs in 'night scenery scene mode'
Weaknesses:
1. It uses Panasonic Proprietary battery which is expensive and also a disadvantage if you go for a three day trek in a jungle :) (Panasonic claim its a traveller camera!!!, at full charge by using flash for alternative photos, u can click 235 photos)
2. No optical View finder, big disadvantage given the optical zoom range and using a proprietery battery.
3. Shutter speeds are fixed, and u cannot have full control over it.
4. Lens cover is not inside the camera, u have to manually out the cap from outside (cap is provided with the camera and needs to be tagged to it)
Similar Products Used:
Canon A430, Sony S90, Canon A520, Panasonic Lumix LZ5
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