Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
List Price:$349.95 Our Price:$269.94 Your Save: $ 80.01 ( 23% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer:Panasonic
Average Customer Rating:
Batteries Included: 0 Binding: Electronics Brand: Panasonic Color: Black Connectivity: AV Digital Zoom: 4 Display Size: 3 EAN: 0037988987665 Feature: 9-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints Floppy Disk Drive Description: None Has Red Eye Reduction: 1 Included Software: Yes Is Autographed: 0 Is Memorabilia: 0 Label: Panasonic Manufacturer: Panasonic Maximum Focal Length: 47 Maximum Resolution: 9100000 Minimum Focal Length: 4.7 Model: DMC-TZ5K Optical Zoom: 10 Publisher: Panasonic Release Date: 2008-03-07 Studio: Panasonic
Features
9-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens; Face Detection New Panasonic Venus Engine IV improves noise reduction, elevates the detection accuracy and corrective effects 3.0-inch LCD; Mega O.I.S. and Intelligent ISO Captures images to SD memory cards (not included)
Now you can fit sweeping landscapes into a single frame with the 28mm wide-angle setting. Pull in subjects from far away to capture even subtle facial expressions with the dynamic 280mm telephoto setting. Ideal for traveling, the DMC-TZ5 Lumix 9.1-megapixel digital camera combines a wide-ranging LEICA DC Vario-Elmar lens with a handy, compact body. The Extra Optical Zoom function also extends the zoom to as much as 16.9x, giving you even greater telephoto power. Set the TZ5 to iA mode and let the five Intelligent Auto functions team up to help prevent shooting errors. Intelligent Exposure corrects lighting differences, so images come out just the way you see them; Intelligent Scene Selector chooses the mode that best fits the situation; MEGA Optical Image Stabilization helps prevent blurring from hand-shake; Intelligent ISO Control helps prevent motion blur; and Face Detection helps produce clear portraits by optimizing the focus and exposure settings. The TZ5 can record motion images with sensational 1280 x 720 HD resolution at 30 frames per second (fps). f=4.6-46mm (35mm equiv - 28-280mm) Focal Length 3.0 Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (460K dots) Focusing Area Normal - Wide 50cm/Tele 200cm - infinity, Macro/Intelligent AUTO / Clipboard - Wide 5cm / Max 200cm / Tele 100cm - infinity 8 - 1/2,000 sec. Starry Sky Mode - 15, 30, 60sec. Shutter Speed Auto /100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 (High Sensitivity Mode - Auto(1600 - 6400) ) ISO 27MB Internal Memory (additional memory recommended to store more photos and video) Built-in Microphone and Speaker SD/SDHC, MultiMedia Card Slot Built-in Flash with Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced Off modes DC Input, AV Output (NTSC/PAL), HD AV Output (Component), USB Connections PictBridge Compatible Approximate Battery Life - 300 Shots (CIPA Standard) Approximate Unit Weight - 0.507 lbs
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Great all-purpose camera... Comment: I'm very happy with this camera. My goal was to have a camera that would take nice still photos, along with decent video. It has been everything I expected based on other professional reviews I had read.
For me, there was a small learning curve to get the video focused the way I wanted. I've learned to frame the shot, focus, and then shoot video, without the continuous focus running. Because the video is 720p, and the camera is so small compared to a camcorder, handheld video is more likely to be a little shaky. I've learned to be a little more diligent about the way I hold the camera, and I also take advantage of the Image Stabilization feature. Compared to the video from my last mini-dv camcorder, the video is beautiful. For home videos, it is more than adequate. The audio is lower quality, which I expected based on other reviews, but I can hear people's voices and understand what they are saying, so I am fine with it.
The photos are great for a point-and-shoot. I would definitely recommend following other peoples' advice I've read, which is to keep the INTELLIGENT-ISO mode at a max of 800 to help reduce the "grainy" look. There are a LOT of features, and I haven't learned them all yet. But for the amateur photographer, it would appear that there are numerous options to help you get a great picture.
I've taken this camera on a couple of one-day trips, and it has been wonderful. Having one relatively small camera that is capable of shooting great photos and video is one of the best accessories a father of three could have. I've not had any battery issues yet. I like having a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. I just charge it up the night before any event, and it always gets me through the next day.
Some more notes about the video as a semi-professional videographer:
A great thing for me has been that the video is in a QuickTime format that is native to my Mac (Motion JPEG). I have been able to create a preset in Final Cut Pro that allows me to work with the video in it's native format, without any transcoding. To me, that's a big plus compared to using some of the other HD camcorders out there. Something that needs to be considered, though, is that you need plenty of hard-drive space to store these videos. I bought an A-DATA 16GB Turbo SDHC Class 6 Memory Card here on Amazon to use in this camera. I was a little leery considering it only cost $30 bucks, but it has worked fine so far. Again, I took another person's advice, and I've left the card in the camera ever since I put it in. I only transfer the photos and video by plugging the camera into the computer. I figure I don't want to mess with the physical integrity of the memory card any more than I have to. Playback of the video is also something that needs to be considered. You can plug the camera into a standard TV for standard resolution playback, or you can buy an extra Component Cable, which I'm sure would yield better results for playback on an HDTV. However, when you take the files off of your memory card, you'll need to have another playback option. Personally, I plan on using a Mac Mini, with the built-in Front Row software, connected to an HDTV for my future viewing. But for now, the only way to watch my home video in full HD is on my laptop.
Overall, I think another reviewer here put it best when he wrote, "If you know what you're getting into, you'll be thrilled." It's a great option for a very portable, high quality still-photo and video camera... possibly the best in its category so far. Customer Rating: Summary: Lumix TZ5K Camera Comment: The price was 35% less than anyone else and the vendor, Vanns, was terrific. Shipped on time and delivered on time. Follow-up report from the vendor was very thoughtful. Will buy more from them in the future.
I always check Amazon before buying anything on-line. Customer Rating: Summary: Great picture, great video, terrible sound! Comment: Everything was great about this camera except the sound during videos. It was awful. I returned the camera. Customer Rating: Summary: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5S Comment: This was purchased as a gift for our oldest granddaughter who wants to produce better photography. It has enough menu items for her to increase her knowledge, without being to complicated. During a summer vacation this year she used her grandfathers nikon 4300, showing quick study skills as well as good composition. We liked this camera as a upgrade from the lesser point, without purchasing a more expensive SLR types. Customer Rating: Summary: Great camera Comment: This was a birthday present for my girlfriend. She loves it. The 10x zoom and compact design are a great combination. This is a big upgrade from her 2mp camera.
