Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4

Updated - Sunday, 25th May 2008

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4

Latest - Review and Sample Photos by Cameras.co.uk (added 25 May ’08)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4 features:

8.1 megapixel
28mm wide angle
10x optical zoom
2.5 inch LCD
ISO 100 - 1600

Overall Rating: 3 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5

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Sample Photos

[Sample Photos at Cameras.co.uk]
[Sample Photos at TrustedReviews]
[Sample Photos at StevesDigicams]

Specifications

[Official Panasonic Specifications]

Press Release

Panasonic is pleased to introduce two new Lumix digital cameras, the 9.1-megapixel DMC-TZ5 and 8.1-megapixel DMC-TZ4, each featuring a 28mm wide-angle 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens (equivalent to 28-280mm on a 35mm film camera). The 28mm wide angle lens can capture the subject or scene wider at the same standpoint than a normal 35mm camera, zooming in or out with the 10x powerful optical zoom.

The DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 are the latest members of the Lumix TZ family, which is renowned for packaging a remarkable 28mm wide angle 10x optical zoom lens in a compact body. The new DMC-TZ5 newly integrates recording capabilities for 720p HD (high-definition) motion pictures, together with its direct output function as a stills camera, allowing users to enjoy watching both still and motion images in impressive HD quality on a large-screen HDTV via an optional component cable.*

The DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 boast Intelligent LCD function, which detects lighting conditions and controls brightness levels of the LCD in 11 steps, to offer a display with the clearest image in any situation with newly developed 460,000-dot high resolution in 3.0-inch (TZ5) and 230,000-dot in 2.5-inch (TZ4).

Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto mode, comprising various shooting-assist functions, has been developed further for the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4. New Intelligent Exposure feature and Digital Red-eye Correction** are included in addition to the conventional Mega O.I.S., Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection and Quick AF functions. Mega O.I.S. to suppress unsteady hand-shaking and Intelligent ISO Control to prevent motion blur. Intelligent Scene Selector sets the appropriate scene mode by automatically selecting it from the most frequently used scene modes such as Portrait, Scenery, Macro, Night Portrait and Night Scenery. Face Detection system detects human faces to set the focus and appropriate exposure for them automatically within a potential shot. Unwanted red-eye effects caused by the use of flashes can be digitally corrected** now and the newly added Intelligent Exposure function automatically controls the ISO sensitivity partially to increase the exposure of only darkened areas in shot due to backlighting or insufficient flash lighting to capture the scene as you see it, by suppressing extreme brightness and darkness in the picture. Continuous AF system allows the camera to keep focus on a subject without having to press the shutter button halfway, to achieve the best result out of a potential shot by minimizing the AF time. Once entering iA mode, these multi-capable functions happen automatically to ensure users can shoot without the hassle of adjusting settings every time conditions in the shooting environment change, guaranteeing simple, trouble-free shooting for a range of environments.

The high-performance image-processing LSI has entered a new fourth generation, reborn as Venus Engine IV. This assures higher-quality images with an advanced signal processing system.

The slideshow format now offers a musical effect to match the mood of a screening for audiences so users can personalise pictures for emotional impact.

Integrating high performance, multi-capable lens and a host of unique, easy-to-use functions in a compact body, the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 are the ideally built for travel. Clad in stainless steel, the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 will be available in silver and black .*** * 720p HD(high definition) motion image recording capability comes with DMC-TZ5 only. ** Digital red-eye correction comes with DMC-TZ5 only. *** Availability of models and colors may vary depending on the sales area.

1. 28mm Wide-angle* 10x optical zoom Leica DC lens and 9.1-megapixel CCD (TZ5) / 8.1-megapixel (TZ4) CCD in a compact Body

The 9.1-megapixel DMC-TZ5 and 8.1-megapixel DMC-TZ4 condense a 28mm wide-angle**** LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 10x optical zoom into a compact body. Comprising 11 elements in 9 groups, including an ED (extra-low dispersion) lens and 3 aspherical lenses, this advanced lens unit surpasses Leica’s exceptional standards and delivers an outstanding optical performance. The 28mm wide-angle lens makes capturing dynamic wide-perspective shots of a sweeping landscape or large architectural structure as well as fitting a whole group of people into a group shot indoors easy. In 3-megapixel resolution mode the Extra Optical Zoom function provides additional magnification, extending zoom power to 16.9x (TZ5) or 15.9x (TZ4) by using the centre part of the CCD. Using this feature in combination with the 4x digital zoom provides a total zoom factor of up to 67.5x (TZ5) or 63.8x (TZ4). This powerful zoom also works during motion picture recording.

The CCD in DMC-TZ5 can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 28mm to 280mm in any of three aspect ratios – 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9 – ensuring you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective. New Multi Aspect mode***** allows the camera to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously and allows the photographer to choose the one that best takes the advantage of the scene after shooting. **** When the picture size is set to 3 megapixels or larger, the photo is automatically resized to 3 megapixels. When the lens is shifted back to the wide-end, the picture size is set to the original size automatically. The original size is maintained for photos smaller than 3 megapixels. ***** In standard compression format only.

2. Great Photography is not only for Professional Photographers Anymore — Intelligent Auto Mode

Panasonic has incorporated Intelligent Auto mode in pursuit of ultimate simplicity in operation and reduction of misshots. This mode is further advanced with the inclusion of Intelligent Exposure feature for DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4.

Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) which compensates for hand-shake and Intelligent ISO Control to detect and suppress motion blur, are built into all Lumix cameras as the industry’s most advanced measures to counteract blurring. Both image stabilizing technologies have been enhanced in terms of detection accuracy and correction effect thanks to new image-processing LSI, the Venus Engine IV. In addition to these anti-blurring technologies, Panasonic continues pursuing the ideal that anyone at any technical level of photography should aim for, being the ability to take beautiful pictures with ease and this can be aspired to by incorporating the new Intelligent Auto mode.

Increasing the number of scene modes is one step, but taking advantage of them is another, and that’s where the Intelligent Scene Selector comes in. This function automatically sets the appropriate scene mode according to the scene you’re going to take from among the most frequently used scene modes, such as Portrait, Scenery, Macro, Night Scenery and Night Portrait mode. The Face Detection System helps the camera to recognize human faces and sets the to focus and exposure automatically in relation to these, with up to 15 faces being located, plus with the DMC-TZ5 red-eye effects can be digitally corrected.

The Continuous AF system allows the camera to keep focus on the subject while the camera is in recording mode even before without pressing a shutter button halfway, to get best result out of a shutter chance because the focus is always near the subject and the AF time is minimised.

New Intelligent Exposure function increases exposure only in the under-exposed areas by detecting the brightness level part-by-part in the picture. For example if the background of an image includes the sky, both cameras automatically adjusts the aperture and shutter speed to keep the setting slightly under-exposed. This prevents a washed-out, dullness common with some cameras, as it brightens the darkened area by only increasing the ISO in that area. If the background of an indoor portrait receives insufficient lighting from a flash and becomes dark, the ISO sensitivity is raised in only the low-lit area to make the image brighter without causing graininess in the subject’s face resulting in a well balanced picture.

These multi-capable functions are automatic and allow for shooting, without the bother of adjusting the settings every time conditions change as the Powerful Intelligent Auto mode does all the work.

3. Exciting options to expand the fun of photography in the High-Definition Era

All Lumix cameras have the ability to take 1920×1080 pixel HD (high-definition) quality photos that perfectly fit a wide-screen (16:9) HDTV for full-screen viewing. The new DMC-TZ5 records dynamic HD motion pictures in 1280 x 720p at a smooth 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848 x 480) and normal VGA (640 x 480). The powerful zoom of the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 also works with the recording function to capture the distant subject up close, allowing for more dynamic movie making. With newly added HD component output capability, users can enjoy watching their stunning stills and motion pictures by simply connecting the camera to the HDTV via an optional component cable (DMW-HDC2).******

The DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 provide new slideshow capability complete with additional music option. By simply selecting the pictures users want to showcase and choosing the mood that best matches the selection from natural, slow, urban or swing, users can inject personality and emotion into a slideshow alongside a variety of slide change effects. If the slideshow is compiled with HD photos in 1920 x 1080 pixels, you can also enjoy watching an impressive HD slideshow with music on a large-screen HDTV by using the optional component cable. ****** 720p HD(high definition) motion image recording capability comes with DMC-TZ5 only

4. 3-inch 460,000-dot super high resolution (TZ5) / 2.5-inch 230,000-dot (TZ4) Intelligent LCD Assuring Clear View for easy shooting and playback

The DMC-TZ5 incorporates new easy-to-see 3-inch 460,000-dot super high resolution (2.5-inch and 230,000-dot for DMC-TZ4) LCD for comfortable viewing while monitoring shots in detail and playing back results, even in thumbnails as tiny as 30-split. Intelligent LCD function detects light conditions and automatically boosts the LCD backlighting (by maximum of 40% when shooting outdoors in bright sunshine and adjusts the frame rate when shooting in low-lit situations) in addition to using the pixel mixed readout method to ensure the clearest possible image is captured. Detecting the precise lighting condition and automatically controlling the brightness with a total of 11 steps, this function gives the display the clearest possible image in any situation without using extra energy.

The High Angle mode makes the LCD screen extremely easy to view when the camera is held high, for example when shooting over a crowd.

5. High-Speed, High-Quality Image-Processing LSI Further Evolves into the Venus Engine IV

New image-processing LSI, the Venus Engine IV, features more advanced signal processing technology for rendering even higher-quality images.

Parallel noise reduction in both luminance signal and chromatic signal processing systems, a technology established by the preceding Venus Engine III, has been further advanced. The luminance noise is two-dimensionally separated and only the low-frequency noise is eliminated without affecting the high-frequency noise that greatly influences resolution. The information of the change point between colours is minutely stored for precise determination of edges dramatically reducing colour bleeding. This not only produces a clearer image in high ISO sensitivity recording, but also accurately reproduces details in low-lit areas of pictures taken at low ISO sensitivity.

The Venus Engine IV also elevates the detection accuracy and corrective effect in both Mega O.I.S., which prevents hand-shake, and Intelligent ISO Control, which minimises motion blurring. These new cameras feature the multi-task image-processing engine, Venus Engine IV which supports an incredibly fast response time. The shutter release time lag is a very quick 0.008 seconds enabling users to capture those spur-of-the-moment shots easily. In burst shooting mode, 2.5 (TZ5) / 3 (TZ4) shots can be snapped per second at full resolution.******* In High-Speed Burst shooting mode,******** an incredible 6 (TZ5) / 7 (TZ4) shots per second can be captured, with unlimited consecutive shooting ability,********* allowing users to keep shooting until the memory card is full.

The Venus Engine IV also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 record up to ISO 6400, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash.********** ******* Max. 5 (TZ5)/ 7 (TZ4) images in standard mode, 3 (TZ5) / 4 (TZ4) images in fine mode. ******** In 2-megapixel(4:3), 2.5-megapixel(3:2), 2-megapixel(16:9) recording ********* The consecutive shooting speed varies with the memory card, image size, and image compression mode. The number of shots depends on the memory card size, battery life, image size and image compression mode. ********** In 3-megapixel(4:3), 2.5-megapixel(3:2), 2-megapixel(16:9) recording

6. Other Features

The new DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 feature a variety of functions to provide solutions and experimental fun for users to enjoy whilst capturing beautiful images.

The energy-efficient Venus Engine IV imaging engine contributes to the long battery life to shoot around 300 (TZ5) / 330 (TZ4) shots despite their large, bright LCD on a single battery charge.*********** A total of 22(TZ5) / 21(TZ4) scene modes help users to take more beautiful pictures in a wide range of situations and environments. New Multi Aspect mode featured on the DMC-TZ5, allows the camera to take images in all three aspect ratios simultaneously giving users the ability to choose the one that best takes the advantage of the scene after shooting.************

Additionally new Title Edit function, allows text to be input as additional information to accompany the picture, such as the names of children and pets as well as travel places which can be particularly useful when compiling a photo album for example. A Text Stamp function allows this text to be added to photos and printed off. Around 50 MB of internal memory is built-in to back up the SDHC/SD Memory Card recording and copying.

All new Lumix cameras incorporate a REC/PLAYBACK mode switch, which helps users switch instantly between recording and playback modes, while always knowing which mode the camera is in. The GUI (Graphic User Interface) has been upgraded with a more futuristic design and colour while maintaining the visibility of characters.

The major features mentioned above can be quickly understood with the newly installed slideshow program called Demo mode.

The DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 are compatible with optional marine case (DMW-MCTZ5) enabling users to shoot underwater, for example while scuba diving.. *********** Based on the CIPA standard ************ In standard compression format only.