Latest update: Review @ DigitalVersus
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 (TZ8) announced on January 26, 2010 is a 12.1 megapixel compact digital camera that features a 12x optical zoom starting at a wide 25mm, SDXC memory card support, 2.7 inch LCD, sonic speed auto focus, optical images stabilization, high dynamic mode, camera dimensions are (W x H x D) 103.3 x 59.6 x 32.6 mm (4.07 x 2.35 x 1.28 inch) and it weighs 214 g (0.47 lb) with Battery and SD Memory Card.
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Review Index – (updated 28 August’10)
DigitalVersus has posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘The TZ8 is an affordable compromise with a 25-300 mm zoom lens. It’s pleasant to use and takes decent photos. In spite of its limited video capabilities, the TZ8 is an excellent and highly versatile digital camera.’
CameraLabs has posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘With its up-front positioning of the Travel mode tab and it’s associated features, Panasonic has made a noteworthy attempt to make the TZ8 / ZS5 a real traveler’s camera. All in all, the TZ8 / ZS5 represents a very capable compact travel zoom with wide appeal that deserves to, and almost certainly will be, hugely popular.’
CNET has posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘There is a ton of compact megazoom cameras available. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 is one of the better options, thanks to a well-rounded feature set and very good photo quality at lower ISOs.’
TrustedReviews has posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘The Panasonic TZ8 isn’t a pleasant surprise, as its predecessor the TZ7 has similar pedigree, but an impressive continuation of previous form. The only criticisms are slight and infrequent, making the end performance of this compact some of the most balanced available on a compact currently on the market.’
WDC has posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘True, it’s not as slim-line or stylish as some of the competition out there, but in terms of ease of use, and decent results it’s a high flier for sure. Add 720p HD video with the ability to zoom into the mix and the TZ8 has most bases covered, including a variety of manual control for those seeking more advanced creative control. All in all, the TZ8 is a real winner.’
CNET.uk has posted their video review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘It’s a superbly designed camera which offers immense versatility, high-end photographic controls and overall image quality that’s not just exceptional for a superzoom, but for any kind of compact digital camera at all. It’s up to you to decide whether gadget lust for the TZ10′s extra features wins out over the TZ8′s lower price tag.’
PCWorld has posted their video review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 where they write – ‘Like most pocket megazooms, the Lumix DMC-ZS5 is a bit too large to be truly pocket-size. It can squeeze into an inside coat pocket and would have little trouble fitting into a bag, purse, pair of overalls, or kangaroo pouch, but the 1.3-inch-deep camera is a tight fit for a pants pocket.’
T3
“This is an exceptional compact. After a week of testing, the only quibbles we can come up with are that macros could be sharper and that there’s no HDMI output to show off the excellent 720p HD movie mode. Ultimately the TZ8 is a compact anyone can pick up and use – great for snapshots, holidays and movies. We love it.”
Cameras.uk
“The Lumix DMC TZ8 compares very well with all its direct competitors. Picture quality is very good and the range of features is impressive too. I found it hard to find fault and I am happy to recommend this camera.”
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PCWorld.au
“You could definitely say that we’re disappointed with the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ8. Despite being released a year later than the LUMIX DMC-TZ7, it’s not a better camera. It can take some decent looking images in bright light when using its auto mode, but overall its images are noisier and softer than the TZ7 and it won’t perform optimally indoors or in other low-light environments.”
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ImagingResource
“The 12x zoom really seals the deal, providing a room-gulping wide angle and enough reach to bring distant landmarks home. Not all cameras can do that. In a way, the Panasonic ZS5 is more attractive than the ZS7 thanks to its more straightforward design, with fewer special features to distract from the act of getting great pictures. Its ability to output 16×20-inch prints really seals the deal. In sum, the Panasonic ZS5 is a sweet digital camera that earns a Dave’s Pick all on its own.”
InfoSync
“Basically, in Auto and Scene modes, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 will pump up the ISO and use the flash whenever necessary, and the results were mediocre. It wasn’t until we shot in full manual mode or Program AE that things started looking good.”
Pocket-lint
“Panasonic pitch the Lumix DMC-TZ8 as an ideal travel companion and for many it will be. The combination of creative control through the manual settings, the wide zoom range and HD video capture make it a good all-rounder. The performance and image quality impress too.”
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TechRadar
“The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8 is a very likeable and stylish compact that bends over backwards to help you get good shots. The lens is a real winner. It’s also very easy to record high quality HD movies. SLR users seeking a back-up compact might find its restrictions and usability quirks frustrating, though.”
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PhotographyBlog
“The ZS5/TZ8 is caught a little stranded between the best models of the previous range and the new 2010 lineup, especially if you’re more interested in shooting video than getting creative with the new A/S/M modes. Add in a price increase on launch from the comparable TZ6, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8 is a likeable if not spectacular travel-zoom that’s till worth a look.”
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Owner Reviews
Most recent owner reviews for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8 at Amazon.com.
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Sample Photos
[Sample Photos @ CameraLabs]
[ISO Performance Photos @ CNET]
[ISO Performance Photos @ TrustedReviews]
[Sample Photos @ Cameras.uk]
[Sample Photos @ ImagingResource]
[Sample Photos @ Pocket-lint]
[ISO Comparison Samples @ TechRadar]
[ISO Comparison Samples @ PhotographyBlog]
[Sample Photos @ Panasonic]
Specifications & Camera Profile
[Specifications]
Press Release
January 26, 2010: Successor to the hugely popular DMC-TZ6, Panasonic’s new DMC-TZ8 with a 25mm ultra wide angle and powerful 12x optical zoom in a compact body continues to push the boundaries, offering consumers the perfect travel companion. This 12.1 megapixel powerhouse performer TZ8 includes a multitude of features, such as Intelligent Resolution Technology and manual exposure, whilst remaining pocket sized to ensure portability and convenience.
Pocket Sized Power
The TZ8 features a high-quality LEICA DC VARIO ELMAR 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens with a 12x optical zoom. A lens like this, with a range from 25mm to 300mm*1, is almost inconceivable in such a small, lightweight camera. Comprising 10 elements in 8 groups, including 2 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with 3 aspherical surfaces, and utilizing new lens material in its design, this advanced lens unit realizes the outstandingly slim and compact body while passing Leica’s stringent standards to deliver exceptional optical performance. Thanks to the newly incorporated Intelligent Resolution technology, a ground-breaking Intelligent Zoom is available with the TZ8 which extends the zoom ratio by approx.1.3x maintaining the picture quality even combining a digital zoom. This means the 12x optical can virtually extend to 16x equivalent. Furthermore, the Extra Optical Zoom function that extends zoom power to 21.4x (at 3-megapixel resolution) by using the center part of the large CCD to bring subjects even closer.
The new model has a 14.5-megapixel CCD and shoots with up to 12.1-megapixel resolution. This is because the CCD on the TZ8 is multi-aspect and can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 25mm to 300mm in any of three aspect ratios – 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9 – so you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective. The Multi Aspect mode lets you to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously then choose the one that best suits your scene after shooting.
New Intelligent Resolution Technology
The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine VI has been re-engineered to compile the new image processing technology “Intelligent Resolution”. It enables the recording of beautiful photos and high-definition movies with higher quality signal processing.
With Intelligent Resolution technology, 3 areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation areas are automatically detected. The outline parts are enhanced effectively to give edges more clarity while giving a moderate accentuation to the texture areas to look it more finely detailed. To the soft gradation part, the superior noise reduction system of the Venus Engine HD II is applied to make it smoother. Apart from the uniform enhancement of sharpness, the innovative Intelligent Resolution technology precisely performs signal processing pixel by pixel in the most effective way for it. As a result, images are naturally clear and crisp in both photo and movie recording.
The Intelligent Resolution technology also realizes Intelligent Zoom, which virtually extends the optical zoom ratio to its 1.3x equivalent maintaining the picture quality even whilst using the digital zoom. The details of an Image taken in high sensitivity recording tends to be lost in the noise reduction process, however the Intelligent Resolution works to keep the detail, improving the picture.
At the same time, the multi-task image-processing engine Venus Engine VI supports a super-fast response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 seconds and the camera’s quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus) that lets you lock on the subject minimum in approx. 0.35(wide-end) / 0.41(tele-end) seconds*2 and the short startup time of approx. 1.1 seconds.
Power O.I.S to Combat Handshake
Following in the footsteps of the award winning TZ6, the TZ8 of course includes Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode – a hallmark of Lumix cameras – featuring Face Recognition. AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Intelligent Exposure. Additionally, the new model also features new POWER O.I.S (Optical Image Stabilizer) which features a double the suppression power compared to the conventional image stabilization system, MEGA O.I.S. The hand-shake, which is physically generated when pressing the shutter button or when shooting at night with a slow shutter speed, is effectively compensated by the new POWER O.I.S. to enjoy blur-free photography. The iA mode is also available in movie recording mode. It automatically selects the most suitable Scene mode and helps to correct handshake, focus and brightness problems – making iA mode your one-stop solution to capture beautiful still and motion images.
Featuring Manual Exposure
Building on the success of the hugely popular DMC-TZ6, the TZ8 goes one step further to offer manual control for advanced expressive shooting. It has A(Aperture Priority) / S(Shutter Speed Priority) / M(Manual Exposure) modes for step up users to enjoy the creative shots depending on the subject or the scene by controlling the shutter speed and aperture. Each of these modes and iA mode can be quickly set by the mode dial on the top of the camera unit.
Bright and Beautiful Motion Pictures
Not only can you capture beautiful still images – the TZ8 also offers HD movie (1280 x 720) Recording in Motion JPEG at 30 fps – ensuring no matter what your special moment, the TZ8 can capture it.
In addition to the conventional SD/SDHC Memory Card, the DMC-TZ8 accepts next-generation SD format SDXC (SD eXtended Capacity), that features high potential in both capacity and data transfer speed. The DMC-TZ8 is compatible with Windows 7 and includes software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 for your convenience.
Perfect for all occasions, the small and stylish sized DMC-TZ8 offers a wealth of features and effortlessly slips into your pocket ensuring you are ready for any photographic occasion. With an extended battery life of approximately 340 pictures (CIPA) you can be sure you’ll never miss that perfect shot – truly making the TZ8 your perfect travelling companion. Available from mid March 2010, the TZ8 will be available in a choice of black or silver.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I recently purchased the ZS5 for an upcoming trip to the Bonnaroo Music Festival in June. I bought the camera because of the quality for the price and of course the HD video and audio!(I am pleasantly surprised with the video quality) I agree with the other reviewer that sometimes the Auto modes have issues, but I find it a lot better than other point and shoots. With that in said, Manual mode is where it’s at! Pictures are crisp, takes amazing up close shots, and feels like quality in your hands! I got mine from BestBuy.com who currently has the ZS5 on sale for $239 and you get a free 4GB memory card free! For the price, can’t beat it!
The info booklet with the panasonic zs5 is pretty skimpy. It doesn’t even tell you how to format your sd card, how to set up camera for the best possible picture. I just had a canaon camera break down on me, so with some research I purchased an zs5. Canons book covered all the possible angles for a person who doesn’t understand a lot of the terminology panasonic fall extremely short of the mark. If I had the opportunity to view the panasonic booklet before purchase I would have bought a canaon.
What would be the best memory card for this camera, in order to optimize picture and video quality?