Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) by Panasonic
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Digital camera reviews of Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
Digital camera Review: Fantastic camera for novice or DSLR user alike
Summary: 5 Stars
This is another great Panasonic camera. I own a couple of other Lumix models, the FZ20 and FZ50. I bought this as a lightweight option to those full-sized cameras. There are other smaller, less expensive cameras in this megapixel and price class.
My advice right off the bat is that this camera is an excellent choice. Don't be tempted by the more expensive TZ-5, unless you really need HD video capability in a still camera, and an extra megapixel.
At 8mp, this camera has plenty of capability to provide high quality shots at 8x10 or so. The lens is able to produce the equivalent of a 28mm focal length (wide-angle by conventional camera terms), and it has a best in class 10x optical zoom. Not digital, folks, 10x OPTICAL. That's like having a 28mm - 280mm lens on a traditional 35mm camera. Few competitors match that.
Like its bigger FZ brothers, the TZ4 features a lens made by renowned lens maker Leica.
The ISO speeds on this camera range from 100 to 1600, exceptional speed range for a compact digital. 80 ISO is very nice for minimizing "noise', but Panasonic's new Venus IV engine works wonders in that respect, and I really don't see a difference in noise between my other cameras at 80 or 100 ISO and this camera at 100 ISO.
The 2.5" LCD is very bright and easy on the eyes.
The TZ-4 also has "face detection". It has the ability to "find" faces in the exposure and select the best focus for the subject.
For a fairly small camera, this device is easy to operate, takes great shots, and is a wonderful "second camera" when you don't want to carry a lot of gear yet still produce high quality photos.
This camera works well for the novice, those who don't like gadgets or the young camera user! it also has enough flexibility to allow more experienced photographers to enjoy it.
I've taken a lot of shots with the TZ-4 and can't find much difference between the shots and my other Panasonics or my Nikon DSLR.
Digital camera Review: For the size (and money) you can't do any better
Summary: 5 Stars
I just attended the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, with my recently-acquired TZ4 in tow. I had wanted a small camera with a wide-angle lens and powerful zoom, along with good speed and accurate capture (especially with color contrast), and the TZ4 or 5s seemed to be right up my alley. Since the TZ4 was cheaper and I didn't need the upgrades in video capture, I chose that over the TZ5.
It's not a DSLR, but then again no DSLR would ever be this cheap or this small. It can go into my regular purse unobtrusively, which is important. I never took photos because I never wanted to lug a big camera around, but now since I have a small camera that can go everywhere, I'm taking photos all the time! It's not shirt-pocket kind of small, but it should go into a jacket pocket pretty easily.
It takes a bit of practice to get the timing right, especially with figure skating and the shutter delay that comes with all digital point-and-shoots, but I took some amazing photos during the event. If I had the focus at the ready, the delay was almost nonexistent. (Uploaded some mid-jump and mid-spin pictures to prove it.) Sometimes the camera needed a few moments to find the focus point and the moment was lost, but c'est la vie.
During the exhibition, I had two fellow spectators ask me which camera I had because the photos were turning out so good. Again, it's not a DSLR so the photos aren't extra-crisp unless you have strong lighting to help, but it still captures a lot of details. You can even use it as binoculars, since the 10x optical zoom will visually capture more information than your eyes can. The zoom, when used at its full power, needs a steady hand to limit any blur, but it's pretty awesome.
There's not a lot of manual controls, but you can do some bracketing with exposures and limit the ISO, which was about the extent of manual control I truly wanted. (Manual control of the shutter speed would have been really nice though, especially if you wanted to take star trail photos, for instance.) There are a TON of automatic settings you can choose from, so it's somewhat like having manual control. It's a lot of fun playing with them and seeing what you can do.
I haven't tried everything the camera is capable of, especially the movie-mode. But for my personal needs, I couldn't have picked a better camera.
Digital camera Review: GREAT CAMERA
Summary: 5 Stars
I had searched for over a month for a camera under $200 with over 7mp, 2.5" or bigger screen, good battery life, good optical zoom, and optical stabilization. This camera met all of my expectations and more. It is very good looking. I have the dark grey/charcoal one. I purchased this a little over a month ago at $160.00.
This camera takes great photos. I have taken roughly over 100 pictures since I bought it. The IA mode is a godsend. I didn't think that it would be a prominent feature that I would use since I like to change the advanced settings according to the scene. It's not like the AUTO mode found on other cameras. IA really chooses the best settings in a fraction of a second. This optical stabilization is very good. It is able to keep up with my little nephew while he's running without blurring the image. The battery life is better than what I was expecting; it can really take up to 175 photos, with flash, on a single charge. The optical zoom is very handy; my previous camera had only 6x. The 8.1mp allows me to take great pictures and enlarge them without seeing pixilation.
The 28mm makes all the difference when taking a group picture. It fits everyone in the picture without having to be 20ft away. The lcd on the back is beautiful. It certainly beats my 8.1mp HP camera hands down. It is very bright and rich colors, also much better definition. This camera is by far the best camera I have used. It is not too bulky; I can carry it comfortably in my pants pocket or jacket pocket.
I would definitely recommend this to others.
Digital camera Review: GREAT camera.
Summary: 5 Stars
Best point-n-shoot I've ever owned. Crisp, clear pictures every time. Speedy, easy to use.Digital camera Review: Go for a Sony
Summary: 1 Stars
I've had this camera for just over a year. It's very easy to use and has a nice menu of photo taking options, but the photos aren't great. Last week I was walking in the house and dropped in and now it won't turn on - it's just completely dead. It's not like I dropped it from a great distance - it was just from my hand to the floor. Makes me think the construction isn't great.
My father has a Sony CyberShot DSCW170 and the photos it takes are amazing. I would recommend that and will buy a Sony for my next camera.