If you are the type of person who likes to drive in, super-size it, and speed off, then this is the camera for you. With its extra-long-range zoom, jumbo LCD screen, and a variety of pre-set scene modes that allow you to avoid manual controls, the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ3 may be the one way you can have a no-fuss super-size portion without any guilt the morning after.
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Photo Gallery for Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
Long and stable 10x zoom with a huge 3" LCD makes this a great buy for the intrepid traveler
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
OVERVIEW
A snazzy looking, easy-to-use camera that packs a
lot of metal and technology—including wow-inducing
Leica optics—into a small space. Expect super sharp
photos with realistic colors, too.
This Panasonic Lumix TZ3 has style. Squint and you might think it is a $600 Leica. Of course, that’s not entirely coincidence….
WHAT'S SPECIAL
-
High-performing true Leica lens. Leica makes some of the best optics in the industry. The 28 mm to 280 mm 10x optical zoom on the Panasonic Lumix TZ3 will satisfy all your homeland security surveillance needs and still let you get up close and personal. Be aware that the lens has a smaller aperture than many others in a similar class, which basically means that you will need to use a flash more often for low-light indoor photos.
-
Image quality. Colors are realistic and pleasing. With the default “standard” color mode, colors have a natural vividness. The exposures are also accurate; you get sharp photos with plenty of detail--even with the zoom extended out to 10x
-
3-inch LCD screen. Many will consider the big star of this camera its jumbo LCD. The big screen allows the items on the extremely intuitive menu to be displayed in extra-large type. I especially like that when you turn the mode dial, you see the name of the mode so that you don’t have to guess what the hieroglyphics (heart, flower, etc.) mean.
MODE SQUAD
The Panasonic’s mode dial allows the user to
choose from an array of modes that describe the type
of scene being shot. Each particular mode “tells” the
camera how to act in certain situations, thereby
freeing the user from fiddling with lots of technical
settings. Here are some of the modes I found most
useful:
-
BABY allows you to enter a child’s birthday and then prints the age of the baby on the photo. This could be especially useful to the archivist parent.
-
PET mode does the same, rightfully assuming that pet-owners are just as zealous about their pet’s legacy.
-
HIGH SENSITIVITY mode will let you take a picture in almost complete darkness, but will render a very grainy photo. Use this mode only when surveillance is a must.
-
SNOW performed quite well when capturing the whites (which often blow out) on a homemade snowman.
THE LOOK AND FEEL
While the TZ3 is considered compact, it’s not a
sub-compact class camera. It measures in at 4.1
inches wide x 2.3 inches high x 1.4 inches thick and
weighs about 9 ounces. It won’t fit comfortably
in a pants pocket, but is portable enough to fit
comfortably into a jacket pocket or purse. The camera
has to have some size to support that wonderful giant
LCD.
Ease of use. For those of you who
shun manuals, simply turn the mode dial to the heart
(as in “I heart Panasonic”) icon, et voilà, you are
in SIMPLE MODE. No fidgeting with settings, just
shoot. Right out of the box, this mode will cater to
I-need-it-yesterday types and technophobes alike.
Willing to do a little more? You can call up other
modes to dovetail to your specific situation.
Optical Image Stabilization
(OIS). Most coffee lovers cannot hold a
camera still enough in low-light situations or when
using the zoom or digital zoom. Small hand movements
in these situations blur your photos. Optical Image
Stabilization (OIS), Pansonic’s cure for this
syndrome, renders sharp photos on all zoom focal
lengths, including the digital zoom. So, head over to
Starbucks and load up on as many cappuccinos as you
like!
BOTTOM LINE
The Panasonic TZ3 is a great value for anyone
looking for a compact point-and-shoot with a long
stabilized zoom lens. There are a variety of 10x
optical zoom cameras out there, but none with the
simplicity, design, and efficiency of the TZ3.
| Mega-
pixels |
Lens
|
LCD
|
Size/Weight
|
Street Price |
| 7.2
|
10x
Optical Zoom |
3.0 inch
|
4.1 x 2.3 x
1.5 inches/9.9 oz.
|
$199.
|
