This is one of my favourite digital camera. I am using Lumix TZ1 which was bought in 2005. This camera has served me well. It takes good quality pictures and excellent video with zoom and sound.
The 2nd generation was the Lumix TZ2 and TZ3 which was launched in 2006. Now here comes the next generation of TZ series, the TZ5. It was launched on 29 Jan 2008.
Here are some of the highlights in features:
· Intelligent Exposure – With this new feature, photos will no longer be under- or over-exposed. Instead, the TZ5 and TZ4, instantly analyze the framed image and adjusts the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.
· Digital Red-eye Correction*– This feature helps to eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at the night. Incorporated into the built-in flash, the camera emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.
· MEGA O.I.S. – Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.
· Intelligent ISO – With Intelligent ISO, the TZ4 and TZ5 can determine if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.
· Intelligent Scene Selector – Intelligent Scene Selector senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.
· Face Detection – Panasonic’s Face Detection detects faces anywhere in the frame and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear and crisp. Detecting up to 15 faces, Panasonic’s Face Detection can even track a face if the subject is moving.
· Continuous AF – The Continuous AF (auto focus) system maintains focus on the subject even without pressing a shutter button halfway, thus minimizing the AF time.
This camera is capable of taking High Definition motion pictures (720p) and accept SD High Capacity cards up to 16GB. It uses the new generation of processing chip, the Venus Engine IV.
I just love the design and functionality of this camera. Lumix rocks!
