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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 Digital Camera

Panasonic DMC-TZ5

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B&H $227.95
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Key Features of the Panasonic DMC-TZ5 :
  • Ultra compact body with 10X wide angle zoom lens.
  • Large 3" High Resolution 460K pixel LCD
  • 28mm/f3.3 wide-angle Leica DC lens
  • Advanced Optical Image Stabilization and Intelligent ISO
  • Autofocus/auto exposure Face Detection
  • HD Motion Capture video mode.
  • Digital Red-eye Correction

The 9.1-megapixel Panasonic DMC-TZ5 packs a 28mm wide-angle, 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens in a compact design, ideal for the active photographer who needs a versatile camera. By combining a 28mm wide-angle lens, which lets you capture a wider-framed shot when compared to a traditional 35mm camera, with the TZ-Series 10x optical zoom, you're empowered to take expanded shots, both wide and far. Panasonic's Intelligent Auto technologies are also expanded, with new Intelligent Exposure and Digital Red-eye Correction.

With the addition of Intelligent Exposure and Digital Red-eye Correction, Panasonic’s Advanced Intelligent Auto mode consists of seven intuitive technologies, all which are specifically designed to help make photo-taking an enjoyable and seamless process unnoticed by the consumer -- helping them to take clear photos. When in Advanced Intelligent Auto mode, the following technologies all operate automatically; no settings need to be manually changed.

Also new to the TZ5 is the Venus Engine IV, Panasonic’s new high-performance image processing LSI. The Venus Engine IV produces higher-quality pictures than its predecessor, the Venus Engine III, by using a more advanced signal processing system. The new Venus Engine IV also improves noise reduction, elevates the detection accuracy and corrective effects in both Mega O.I.S. and Intelligent ISO and reduces the shutter release time lag. Both models also incorporate Intelligent LCD, which detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level of the LCD in 11 fine steps, to offer optimal clarity in any situation, whether dark or light; indoors or outdoors. With a newly developed 460,000-dot high resolution in the TZ5’s 3.0-inch LCD, photos can be easily viewed on the display, regardless of the shooting environment.

The TZ5 is also capable of recording 720p high-definition motion pictures, and because of its support of SD memory cards, is easily compatible with Panasonic Viera plasma HDTVs that have an integrated SD memory card slot, so viewing photos is simple. Also, with the newly added HD component output capability, users can also connect the TZ5 to an HDTV and watch a slideshow complete with mood-appropriate music, choosing from natural, slow, urban and swing.


Lumix DMC-TZ5A Highlights

Intelligent Exposure With this new feature, photos will no longer be under- or over-exposed. Instead, the TZ5 instantly analyzes the framed image and adjusts the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.

Digital Red-eye Correction This feature helps to eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at the night. Incorporated into the built-in flash, the camera emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.

Mega O.I.S. Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.

Intelligent ISO With Intelligent ISO, the TZ5 can determine if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.

Intelligent Scene Selector Intelligent Scene Selector senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps you use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.

Face Detection Panasonic’s Face Detection detects faces anywhere in the frame and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear and crisp. Detecting up to 15 faces, Panasonic’s Face Detection can even track a face if the subject is moving.

Continuous AF The Continuous AF (auto focus) system maintains focus on the subject even without pressing a shutter button halfway, thus minimizing the AF time.



Panasonic DMC-TZ5 Photo Samples

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These are actual photos taken with Panasonic DMC-TZ5.
Photos courtesy of Flickr and belong to respective users. To view a larger image click on thumbnail.

Compare Panasonic DMC-TZ5 with similar cameras
Name: Canon SX100 IS Kodak Z812IS Panasonic DMC-TZ5 Canon SX110 IS
Megapixels: 8.3 8.1 9.1 9.0
Optical Zoom: 10 X 12 X 10 X 10 X
Max Res: 3264 x 2448 3264 x 2448 3456 x 2592 3456 x 2592
LCD Screen: 2.5 " (flip-out & twist) 2.5 " 3.0 " 3.0 "
Digital zoom: Yes 4x Yes, 4.2 x Yes, up to 4x Yes 10x
Image stabilizer: Yes, Lens Yes, Lens Yes, Lens Yes, Lens
Media Card: SD/SDHC/MMC card SD/MMC card, Internal SD/MMC/SDHC card + Internal SD/SDHC/MMC card
Battery: AA (2) batteries (NiMH recommended) AA (2) batteries Lithium-Ion rechargeable & charger AA (2) batteries (NiMH recommended)
Weight (with batteries): 316 g (11.1 oz) 340 g (12 oz) 245 g (8.6 oz) 285 g (10.1 oz)
Lowest Price: $214.95 $211.00 $224.95 $197.49
Details: View details View details - View details



Panasonic DMC-TZ5 User Reviews

Avg. Rating
4.5
Out of 5
 This item is reviewed by 322 people so far.
Click here for complete reviews.

5
Out of 5
Decent camera for the price
- Reviewd on: 2009-01-04 By: Bookworm
We used to have an Olympus 10x zoom camera, it was bulky and it was only 4 MP, this camera is much more compact with a big LCD display, it looked great. We have used it for a month or so, it's been working flawlessly, my wife likes it, that's what really matters. We will be on a trip to China in a few weeks, the camera will get a lot of usage for sure.
5
Out of 5
Panasonis Lumix TZ5K is great Camera and HD vdeo camera!
- Reviewd on: 2009-01-03 By: Anthony M. Colucci
I bought this camera for my family as we needed a small digital slim camera to take with us on vacations that would fit in a pocket or purse. I did alot of research because I wanted a minimum 9MP camera with maximum zoom and HD Video capabilities. I chose the Panasonic TZ5K and I am happy I made the right decision! It takes wonderful pictures in Intelligent Auto mode and sharp HD videos that playback perfectly on my Pioneer Plasma 50" TV. Panasonic has hit a Home Run with the TZ5 camera and Amazon always has the best price with fastest delivery. I would recommend both to everyone!
5
Out of 5
Just what I expected
- Reviewd on: 2009-01-03 By: V. Edwards
I did a lot of research before deciding on this camera. There really aren't many options if you want a compact camera with a big zoom lens. I have had the camera for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed using it. The overall performace is great, it looks good, and it has a nice size and feel. The video is quite good for digital still camera (this isn't a camcorder). The major weakness I have noticed so far is what I had read about before I purchased it: it doesn't take great pictures in poor lighting. While the pictures aren't terrible in such conditions, it is noticeably worse than other environments. This is THE camera for casual users or for someone like me who can't afford multiple cameras, wants good pictures with a lot of zoom, and needs a compact camera size.
5
Out of 5
Ditto...Excellent camera
- Reviewd on: 2009-01-02 By: Dirk W. Kadyk
My girlfriend has been trying to get me to start taking pictures again and gave me this camera for Christmas. The manual was a tad daunting at first...but a few hours later I was happily shooting away. I learned photography on a SLR (do we say analog camera now?). The TZ5 was very easy to migrate to from an SLR. Do get the memory cards...the on board memory will hold less than 12 high-quality photos. The other positive reviews will give you the technical perks and potholes. Excellent choice.....
3
Out of 5
Happier with my Canon SD870 IS
- Reviewd on: 2009-01-01 By: N. Roberts
I bought the Panasonic TZ5 because I usually buy Canons and wanted to see what else was available in the compact camera market. I wanted a camera that was lightweight and pocketable - two words that I would not use to describe my Canon G9. I wanted image quality that was good enough "as is" - clear detail and accurate color without requiring me to fix it. I was not concerned with lots of manual control - I have my G9 in my bag (but not my pocket).

I was not especially impressed with the TZ5 when I played with it at the local Best Buy, but I attributed that to the floor model being pretty beat up. After receiving one from Amazon, I compared the results with my wife's SD870 IS; both inside the house and outdoors. Indoor pictures were very yellow with the TZ5 - none of the white balance settings yielded good results. Outdoors, the TZ5 tended to wash out images and lose fine detail. In automatic mode, the Canon consistently turned out better pictures (in my opinion) than the Panasonic.

In the end, I'm going to return the TZ5 and get an SD880 IS. The Canon is smaller, lighter, and produces better looking pictures; too bad it can't also have that fantastic 10x Leica zoom lens.