A new release from Panasonic,
the Lumix DMC-LZ2 is one of 2 cameras that share identical
bodies and characteristics, including a stabilized 6X zoom.
The other, the DMC-LZ1, is equipped with a 4 megapixel CCD,
while the one reviewed here provides a 5 megapixel image size.
The LZ-2 is a simple camera with few, but well-placed, external
controls. The top right of the camera supports the shutter
release, its chromed surface surrounded by the zoom
control, which offers the usual additional functions:
thumbnail preview
(9 photos per screen) when pushed towards the wide angle side,
and magnification
(up to 16X) when pulled to the telephoto side.
To the right of the shutter
release and zoom control combination, a small round button
marked
serves to select the stabilization mode, displaying a short
menu on the LCD screen:
Off: deactivates the stabilizer, such as when the
camera is mounted on a tripod.
Mode1: provides continuous stabilization for the
preview image on the monitor, as well as at the time of
capture.
Mode2: which only stabilizes the image at the time
of capture, is more effective and consumes less power.
Two other controls are placed closer to the back of the camera.
On the right is the power switch, and on the left is the Mode
Dial, which is placed so that it can be rotated with the thumb
from the back of the camera. The Mode Dial has 8 positions,
and two of these, labelled in red to indicate that they are
the principal still image capture modes, bracket the Playback
mode:
Normal Mode: is effectively
a Program mode, allowing the user access to the
camera settings available in the menu while the camera
selects aperture and shutter speed. (See the Characteristics
section of the menu for more details about the menu).
Simple Mode: leaves
all decisions up to the camera, and only the image size
can be selected by the user. The Simple mode shares the
same focus distance as the Macro mode (see further).
Three modes are positioned above the Normal mode:
Economy Mode: is similar
to the Normal mode, but adds measures that increase battery
life. The LCD monitor's brightness is turned down, and
the camera goes into sleep mode faster (15 or 10 seconds).
Macro Mode: allows
the camera to focus on a subject 5 cm (1.95 inches) from
the front element of the lens at the wide angle end, and
50 cm (19.5 inches) at the telephoto end.
Motion Image Mode:
captures video at an image size of 320 x 240 pixels with
sound, and at a frame rate of either 10 or 30 frames per
second. Focus, zoom position, and white balance are set
and locked at the first frame. Recording continues as
long as there is space on the memory card.
The two remaining positions on the Mode Dial are accesses
to the Scene modes, but serve to make 2 different modes immediately
accessible:
Set to either of these
positions, the Scene mode can be changed by pressing
the Menu button which displays the Scene menu first
— a menu spread over 3 screens — and the
normal Recording menu when pressed a second time. Eight
scene modes are available:
Portrait: uses
a large aperture to blur the background behind the
subject, and this effect can be more pronounced
if the zoom is used. Sensitivity is set to Auto
(between 80 and 200 ISO).
Sports: maximizes
the shutter speed so as to freeze action. The mode
requires the camera to be at least 5 m (16.4 ft)
from the subject as the autofocus operates over
a narrower range. Sensitivity is set to Auto (between
80 and 200 ISO).
Scenery: the
camera's autofocus selects a distant subject preferentially
from a range that covers 5 m (16.4 ft) to infinity.
Sensitivity is set to Auto (80 to 200 ISO) and the
flash is Forced Off.
Night Scenery:
forces sensitivity to 80 ISO to minimize the intrusion
of noise in the image and the shutter speed can
be as long as 8 seconds. The use of a tripod is
recommended. The flash is Forced Off.
Night Portrait:
sensitivity is set to Auto (80 to 200 ISO) and the
camera's shutter speed can be as low as 1 second.
The flash is automatically set to Slow Synch with
Red-eye reduction and the focusing distance is from
1.2 m (4 ft) to 5 m (16.4 ft).
Fireworks: the
camera captures an exposure with a shutter speed
as long as 1/4 second while the sensitivity is set
to Auto (80 to 200 ISO). Focus is set to a range
that covers from 10 m (33 ft) to infinity. The flash
is Forced Off.
Party: the flash
is activated, the flash setting can be set to Forced
on with Red-eye reduction, or Slow Sync. with Red-eye
reduction. Sensitivity is fixed to Auto (80 to 200
ISO).
Snow: adjusts
exposure compensation and white balance so that
snow appears white. Sensitivity is set to Auto (80
to 220 ISO).
The Lumix DMC-LZ2 does not
have an optical viewfinder, and composition, as well as reviewing
images and configuration of the camera, relies exclusively
on the 85,000 pixel, 2-inch LCD screen.
All the other external controls of the DMC-LZ2 are organized
to the right of the screen, starting with the DISPLAY
button:
In the capture modes,
except when the Simple mode is in use, four types
of image/information displays are available:
the default display superimposes information about
the capture mode, the flash mode, ISO setting, resolution
and image size, the battery state, the remaining number
of shots that can be stored, and when the shutter
release is held at the halfway point, also indicates
the shutter speed and the aperture selected by the
camera.
pressing the DISPLAY once adds a real-time
histogram that shows graphically the distribution
of brightness in the frame.
pressing the button a second time removes all setting
information, and instead overlays a composition grid
with the AF brackets (shutter speed and aperture are
still displayed when the shutter release is pressed
halfway).
a third press of the button removes all by the superimposed
AF brackets.
Set to Simple Mode, the display button only
switches back and forth between the default information
display and the AF brackets.
Set to Playback Mode, the DISPLAY button
cycles through:
the normal (default) display that includes the capture
mode used for the image, the image size and quality,
the battery state, the image file name, and its position
within the images stored on the card, and the date
and time at which it was captured.
Pressing the DISPLAY button once adds a histogram
for the image, the capture mode, the shutter speed
and aperture used, the ISO setting, and the flash
mode.
Pressing the button a second time removes all superimposed
information, leaving only the photo.
Directly under the DISPLAY
button, the 4-direction control not only serves to navigate
the menu, but each of its four directional buttons also provides
an additional function when the camera is in a capture mode:
the left arrow starts
the Self-timer which can have either a 2 or 10
second delay (10 seconds only with the Simple mode).
the up arrow provides
3 different but related functions:
Exposure Compensation over ±2EV in
increments of 1/3 EV in all but the Simple mode. With
the Simple mode automatic exposure compensation is
provided if the subject is back-lit.
Auto Bracketing captures 3 images, the first
at the evaluated exposure, then one overexposed and
one underexposed. The exposure variation can be up
to ± 1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV. Auto Bracketing
is not available in the Simple mode.
White Balance Bracketing is the third option,
available only if the white balance is set to something
other than Auto. The function allows capturing
3 images, one at the evaluated white balance, then
one with a reddish cast, the other with a bluish cast.
the right arrow serves
to select the Flash modes: Auto, Auto Red-eye reduction,
Forced On, Slow Sync with Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off.
and last, the down
arrow starts the Review mode which displays the
last captured image for 5 seconds. The Review mode allows
looking at other captured images, and zooming any of them
up to 8X. However, the Playback menu is not accessible.
Two more controls are aligned below the 4-direction control.
On the left the MENU button calls up the menu that
corresponds to the mode currently selected on the Mode Dial
(see the Characteristics section of the review for
more information about the menus).
And the button at right has two functions:
in the capture mode
it controls the Burst mode:
High Speed captures up to 3 frames at
3 frames per second at the highest resolution
and least compression.
Low Speed captures up to 5 frames at
2 frames per second at the highest resolution
and least compression.
Unlimited captures images at 1.5 frames
per second at the highest resolution and least
compression as long as there is space on the memory
card, but the frame rate diminishes as the buffer
memory fills up and images are transferred to the
card.
With the LZ2 set to Simple Mode, the only Burst
mode available is Low Speed.
And in the Review
mode or in Playback the button serves to delete
unwanted photos.
Although its resolution is
relatively low, the large LCD screen of the Panasonic DMC-LZ2
makes it easy to read, frame and compose shots. Moreover,
it remains visible outdoors, even under bright light, which
avoids missing the presence of an optical viewfinder.
Indeed, while quite compact, the DMC-LZ2, is comfortable
to use and has a good ergonomic design.
Introduction
(9 photos per screen) when pushed towards the wide angle side,
and magnification 
(up to 16X) when pulled to the telephoto side.
serves to select the stabilization mode, displaying a short
menu on the LCD screen:
