Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 Concise Review

Panasonic launched the aboriginal 'Travel Zoom' TZ1 aback in February 2006. In 2007 came the TZ3 and now, about absolutely one year later, Panasonic brings us the third bearing of this accepted alternation in the appearance of the TZ5 (The TZ2 and TZ4 are the abate sister models of the TZ3 and TZ5 respectively). Like its predecessors it offers a counterbalanced big zoom lens in a actual bunched package.

With the new archetypal Panasonic has ashore to the approved and activated TZ blueprint and alone implemented a about baby amount of modifications. As one would apprehend sensor resolution was added (from 7.2 to 9.1MP on a hardly beyond sensor) and so was the resolution of the 3.0" awning (from 230K to 460K pixels). Additionally the in-camera accretion is now powered by Panasonic's latest bearing imaging engine - the Venus IV. However, the a lot of absorbing new affection is the HD video capability. The TZ5 can now abduction video in a resolution of 1280x720 at 30fps in a 16:9 format.

In the agenda age a artefact aeon of 12 months about seems like an eternity. Has Panasonic fabricated acceptable use of the time and managed to adamant out some some of the angel superior issues that let the contrarily superb antecedent TZ ancestors down? Let's acquisition out, starting as accepted with the banderole specification:

• 9.1 million effective pixel / 10.7 million pixels total 1/2.33" CCD
• 10x (28-280mm equiv.) Leica DC Vario-Elmarit optical zoom
• MEGA OIS image stabilization
• 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios
• Venus IV Engine processor
• High Resolution (460,000 pixel) 3.0-inch LCD
• Movies up to 1280 x 720 pixels (HD) @ 30 fps
• 22 scene modes plus a 'clipboard' mode for travelers