Hardware

Introduction
Panasonic Lumix TZ5 presence stabilized super zoom on a compact digital camera so it went easily into a pocket. With a 10x zoom, ranging from 28 mm to 280 mm equivalent 35 mm format there are few shooting situations that bring fear. You are ready to take pictures of everything with the added advantage of being able deal with a discrete machine which does not give the eye as a reflex and is easily transportable skills particularly useful in metropolitan reportage like Street Photography and travel. The fact that the Leica zoom is marked and that provides an opening (f / 3.3 - 4.9) acceptable of this price .

The Lumix TZ5 has replaced the Lumix TZ3 with great success, introduced in January two years ago. The formula has remained essentially the same the body is compact, lightweight luggage, zoom 28 - 280 mm, simple operation. But compared to the previous model the TZ5 offers the possibility to zoom while recording video in high definition (720p) LCD display more defined (the resolution is increased from 200k to 400k points per inch) and all the new features that Panasonic has incorporated the latest compact machines (Intelligent Auto mode).

The Panasonic TZ5 has 9 megapixel. You can print photos with good quality, in a larger size or enlarge portions of the image, without loss of quality. The loss of detail and noise especially when photographing with the sensitivity set to high values.

Design and Controls
The Panasonic Lumix TZ5 is a well made body available in black professional and silver or blue, very compact size: 104 x 62 x 35 mm. The weight is only 214 grams without battery and 245 grams for the machine ready for use. In short a digital camera that can take us below easily into a pocket . Alternatively you can bet on one of the many super zoom compact camera, with still wider objectives, but their overall dimensions and weights are well above those of Lumix TZ5. If you have the versatility and comfort of the controls things that matter most, then a better to switch. If on the contrary, the portability and the discretion are essential, then the TZ5 is for ours.

The camera body is rugged and challenging, though of course one can not expect the digital camera of this size . Panasonic however has done his best acting in the previous design of the machine with small corrections (grip and back). There is the stabilizer, which works well and helps a lot, but cannot do miracles.

The TZ5 has the large LCD display of the TZ3 with a diagonal of 3 inches, but this time with a double resolution, 460,000 points to 230,000. The vision in playback has improved although in full sun are the problem (which also screens with 900,000 points from the latest reflex). One point against the TZ5 is the lack of optical viewfinder in this compact.

The upper part of the machinery is extremely simple. I would say essential button for on / off, controls for zoom extension, before the shutter button scroll wheel for selecting the mode (That are Normal, Intelligent Auto, movies, clipboard and two scene mode) and E. Zoom button. The latter is used to quickly locate the zoom on maximum focal length and to activate the digital zoom when you press the button twice.

The command to switch between shooting that replay is now positioned in the top right of the back of the machine. Below is the 4-way control that allows you to move through menus and by using the four arrows can rapidly compensation, flash, access to macro mode. The delay for the self adjustable between 2 and 10 seconds. 

Battery ,storage connectivity
The Panasonic Lumix TZ5 has the rechargeable lithium-ion CGA-S007E, which has a capacity of 1000mAh. The autonomy is greatly influenced by the manner in which it uses the compact, the LCD at maximum brightness, the stabilizer and video recording of the cut. In normal use you can take approximately 300 photos with refills.

On the right side of the camera protected by a small door, i find DC input, USB / AV and the exit for the cable DMW-HDC2, which allows the TZ5 to transfer the files in high definition on an HD TV. The memory slots which is placed in the same housing for the battery and accepts SD cards. 

Image Stabilizer
The presence of the tested Panasonic OIS stabilizer provide comfort in shooting with little light and compact face. The stabilizer compensates micro movements of the machine by reducing the risk .The stabilizer mounted on the TZ5 has three modes of operation. In mode 1 the stabilizer is constantly active. The 2 comes into action only when the photographer presses the shutter (this is the most effective, but does not allow to monitor the effect of stabilization before taking). The third mode allows you to exclude the stabilizer for example when it is not necessary because the machine is securely anchored to a tripod or resting on a stable support.

Zoom
There's only super zoom between the strengths of the small but captivating TZ5 but the Leica DC Vario-Elmar 10X zoom certainly does not pass unnoticed. The objective has a range equivalent on 35 mm film format, 28 - 280 mm. You can photograph a all kinds of internal group portraits, from landscapes to reportage. The brightness f/3.3-4.9 is not the best but not even bad. The jumps are a lot of focus so you can maneuver well enough zoom to find the desired focus. There are two speeds for the zoom, which are activated depending on how it acts on. Macro mode allows zooming a minimum distance of focus of 5 cm. The lens cap is incorporated and automatic has a guarantee against dust and accidental bumps.

Face detection
The Lumix TZ5 incorporates recognition technology and the optimization of the faces. It can recognize up to 15 in the scene. Face detection works automatically with Intelligent Auto mode but can also be activated via the menus in Normal Mode.

Video
A good movie compared to the TZ3 from 848x480 pixels to 1280x720 pixels (30fps) of the TZ5. If you purchase the optional video cable you can connect the camera to a high definition TV to enjoy the best HD video. During registration you can use either of the zoom camera is the image stabilizer (only mode 1). It should be noted that both the quality of the video because the quality of sound is not even comparable to those of an HD camcorder also economic. The quality of the video, it is good to have a memory capacity to record HD in a few minutes.

Formats
The TZ5 record 9.1 megapixel images while having a sensor with 10.7 megapixel. This allows you to record images in 4:3 or 3:2 (the same 35 mm) resolution, respectively, 9.1 and 8.5 megapixel. There is also the wide 16:9 format, with resolution down to 7.5 megapixel.

ISO sensitivity
The range of sensitivity from 100 to 1600 ISO. High Sensitivity mode allows you to climb up to 6400 ISO, but with reduced resolution to 3 megapixel.

Intelligent Auto Mode
It is a new mode, present in all digital compact made by Panasonic last year, which combines several features to improve the quality of the photos: Intelligent ISO, Face and Scene detection (recognizing faces and the scene), Digital Red-eye Correction ( corrected digital red-eye), and Intelligent Exposure (improves balance lights-shadows) is a help to take better photos.

Intelligent ISO
The function recognizes the movement and automatically raises the ISO to allow shooting with a rapid time to freeze the subject.

Flash
The built-in flash offers Auto, Auto with reduced defect red-eye, Forced, Slow sync with reduced defect red eye and off .

23 preset Scene
High Speed Burst (bursts of high speed but with reduced resolution) and Multi Aspect, which takes three pictures with different formats, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.

Speed
The Panasonic TZ5 is a fast machine that is already appreciates when the is ready to take in less than two seconds and turns off in a shorter amount of time. The autofocus system is fast and accurate and can count on an excellent illumination that was a great help in difficult shooting situations like low light.

The choice is between two methods of shooting at full resolution over a third, very fast but with the resolution lowered, Normal mode lets you shoot at a speed of approximately 2.5 frames per second for a maximum of three Fine JPEG. Free Burst mode allows you to take an unlimited number of images to fill the memory card. However implies a slight reduction in speed about 2 pictures per second. Who wants to go further is to use the new shooting modes High Speed Burst, which allows you to get to 6 photos per second but with a 2 megapixel resolution and the sensitivity range of the contract between 500 - 800 ISO. 

Conclusion :
I can say now that Panasonic has succeeded in recent years to improve the quality of the photos of his excellent compact while continuing to increase the number of megapixel. The images taken with the Panasonic TZ5 is well exposed and show colors generally faithful. The Panasonic TZ5 has a strength of no little importance as it is a compact pocket. With a big zoom with a 10X optical zoom. Above is a digital well built, with the body largely made of metal and feature-rich.

The Lumix TZ5 is a truly versatile, ready to photograph interiors and monuments where the zoom starts from 28mm equivalent ,as well as group portraits, landscapes and even something more, thanks to television support which reaches 280 mm. Zoom Leica shows a level of very low distortion, very little purple fringing and overall makes a ok in this category. For all those who are looking for a small but solid camera to keep in your pocket, for travel, portraits and reportage for the metropolitan, the Panasonic Lumix TZ5 is well made.

Pro:

• 10x zoom with 28mm
• Stabilizer
• Response time
• HD video recording with zoom
• Large LCD display with 460,000 points
• System fast and precise autofocus

• Lack of manual controls
• Disturbance in and above the photos at ISO 400
• There is no RAW format
• There is no optical viewfinder
• Wide little brighter