Previous article
Next article

Fujifilm 14MP FinePix JZ500 Ultra Compact Review by MacWorld With Rating 2/5


Samsung 14.6MP NX10 Hybrid DSLR Camera Review by NeutralDay With Rating 8.5/10


Panasonic 12.1MP Lumix DMC-ZS5 (aka TZ8) Review by TR With Rating 9/10

2010-06-24 10:34 | DMC-ZS5 Sales Ranking: #54 | Tag:  Panasonic  Rating  Lumix  Review  With  | Source
Average Camera Review Rating [7 reviews]
On February 11 2010, Panasonic announced the four new cameras - the Lumix TS2 (aka FT2), ZS7 (aka TZ10), ZS5 (aka TZ8), and ZR3 (aka ZX3). Panasonic also announces today that all of the models will begin shipping in mid-March.

Successor to the hugely popular DMC-ZS1 (aka TZ6), Panasonic's new DMC-ZS5 (aka TZ8) comes with an optically stabilised 25-300mm lens in a compact body that offers 12.1 megapixels of resolution and manual exposure control. Comprising 10 elements in 8 groups, including 2 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with 3 aspherical surfaces, and utilising 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, the company claims. The new model has a 14.5-megapixel CCD and shoots with up to 12.1-megapixel resolution. The ZS5 features A, S and M exposure modes for creative photographers. 720p HD movie recording and SDXC support round off the features list. The camera is currently selling at around $229 (drop from $240 about 2 weeks ago). Here is the summary of a recent review by TrustedReviews, giving the camera a rating of 9 out of 10:

"
When the camera does decide the conditions are at optimum levels the images returned are superbly sharp, putting a number of similarly specified cameras to shame. With a multi-zone focusing system the frame quickly becomes filled with green squares, making it clear which portion will be concentrated on. When in manual mode a half press of the shutter also gives an exposure preview, which is a handy way of determining if the settings adopted are beneficial or detrimental to the end image quality. When stepping away from taking full control of the camera the iAuto mode is quite useful at the wider angle of the focal length, but zooming fully in can add an unnecessary delay to snapping the shot. For those who would like to avoid changing too many settings the Program mode is perfectly serviceable when utilizing the zoom at advanced lengths. 

Colour quality is impressively balanced when on the standard, automatic settings and in bright sunlight, not straying too far into the overly vivid territory. There can be a slight magenta cast on occasions, but it isn't noticeable enough to spoil the images. In lower light the pixel smoothing comes into effect to keep the noise levels down to a minimum, making the colours a touch less graduated than in perfect conditions. Fortunately the smoothing isn't overly aggressive as to ruin any detail, keeping just on the right side to maintain sharpness. At the wider angle dynamic range keeps things balanced enough to maintain a consistent exposure across the majority of the image, from the brighter areas to the shadowed corners. 

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.
"

Panasonic DMC-ZS5 Sample Photos on Flickr



Panasonic DMC-ZS5 Camera Reviews Roundup

CameraLabs: "Panasonic may no longer be the only player in this market niche, but the TZ8 / ZS5 remains a very attractive proposition. Fundamentally, travel zooms are about packing the biggest zoom range into the most compact body. While the competition may have a marginal size advantage it's hugely outweighed by the ability of the TZ8 / ZS5's zoom to go where others can't follow. Often cut down versions of more capable mod..." - Aug 01 2010 More »
CNET: "The TZ10 comes with a choice of recording movies in AVCHD Lite or regular Motion JPEG formats, whereas the TZ8 only shoots Motion JPEG. The key point here is that both cameras can shoot standard 1,280x720-pixel HD movies, and many users will opt for the Motion JPEG format anyway. AVCHD Lite is more efficient, but it comes with a complex file structure and demands compatible software and hardware. The Motion JPEG for..." - Jun 03 2010 More »
MacWorld: "A camera's digital zoom is rarely worth mentioning, but the DMC-ZS5's enhanced digital zoom feature is an exception. Thanks to some refined in-camera trickery, the Intelligent Zoom and Intelligent Resolution features of the DMC-ZS5 expand the zoom range to a simulated 16X, boosting the telephoto end to a virtual 400mm. Normally, a camera's digital zoom will simply crop an image and blow it up, pixelating the mess in..." - May 28 2010 More »
TechRadar: "If you're looking for a neat compact with reliable auto exposure and AF performance, a quality lens and an easy-to-use HD movie mode, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8 is a good choice, and reasonable value at £250.We liked: The Leica 25-300mm lens is a beauty, delivering good wide angle performance. The intelligent exposure and AF widgets make it very hard to take a bad picture with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8..." - Mar 13 2010 More »
Pocket-lint: "The TZ8 is a pleasure to use overall. The size and the range of features on offer in this package are backed up by good overall performance. Manual controls are on the fiddly side compared with something like the Canon PowerShot S90, but we'd rather have them than not. The chances are, however, that most will be drawn to the TZ8 by its impressive zoom and use it in auto mode. There is plenty of detail in shots..." - Mar 12 2010 More »
InfoSync: "After an extensive jaunt with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5, it became apparent that this camera was a Manual control performer. With a shutter speed that descended to 60-seconds, we could actually shoot into the pitch-black night sky and achieve a fairly decent exposure, as highlighted in our final image sample. Although we had a tight aperture range to play with (f/3.3 - f/6.3), and ISO only reached 1600 (outside of..." - Mar 07 2010 More »
N/A
PhotographyBLOG: "The Lumix DMC-TZ8 is a solid addition to Panasonic's travel-zoom camera lineup, but we'd rather save up some extra pennies for its more accomplished bigger brother, the TZ10, which additionally offers GPS tracking, a better LCD screen and AVCHD movies with stereo sound. Every manufacturer now offers a camera that has a big zoom range but is still small enough to fit into your pocket, so Panasonic no longer has..." - Mar 02 2010 More »

DSLR Photography Latest Posts




Cameras In The Article
 




Add your comments