Panasonic DMC-TZ1

Reviewed April 2006

Characteristics

Unlike any other current digital camera, the DMC-TZ1 is equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 10X optical zoom with folded optics, a term that Panasonic uses to describe the fact that the greatest part of the optical elements that comprise the lens are mounted horizontally within the camera's body, while others extend from the camera in the traditional way. This lens configuration allows a 10X zoom to protrude no more than a 3X zoom, making it very practical.

Composed of 12 elements in 10 groups, the zoom includes 3 lenses with aspherical surfaces to minimize distortion, and has a focal length range of 5.2 to 52mm, the 35 mm equivalent of a 35 to 350 mm lens.

The DMC-TZ1 is a fully automatic camera, and in most modes controls both aperture and shutter speed. Nevertheless, apertures at the wide end are f2.8 or f5, while at the telephoto end, they become f4.2 and f71. This is combined with a shutter speed range that normally covers from 8 seconds to 1/2000 second, but which can be as long as 60 seconds when the Starry Sky scene mode is used for night photography.

As with some other of its recent models, Panasonic offers a non-interpolating digital zoom that simply crops the full 5 megapixel image the CCD captures to a field of view equivalent to that of an even longer zoom, as long as the image size to be captured is less than 5 megapixel. Called "Extended Optical Zoom," images sizes that can take advantage of that process are identified by the camera as "EZ".

As the DMC-TZ1 offers 3 image ratios — another feature that seems to be becoming a standard of Panasonic cameras — the TZ1 has a large array of possible image sizes:

4:3 Aspect Ratio	3:2 Aspect Ratio	16:9 Aspect Ratio
5M: 2560 x 1920 3M : 2048 × 1536 2M : 1600 × 1200 1M : 1280 × 960 0.3M : 640 x 480	4.5M : 2560 × 1712 2.5M : 2048 × 1360	5.5M : 2560× 1440 2M : 1920 × 1080

Images can be saved only with the JPEG format, but there is a choice of compression level: Fine which is the highest image quality, and Standard which compresses the image more and has a lower image quality, but which allows recording more images in the same memory space.

Image compression, image aspect ratio and image size are all set in the TZ1's menu, along with some other parameters. As is always the case with Panasonic cameras, the Program mode, identified by a red camera icon on the Mode Dial, provides the greatest number of user selectable settings, while the other menus (Scene modes, Simple mode and Movie mode) offer only some options, or very few in the case of the Simple mode (see further). Moreover, aside from the Simple mode, all modes offer an access to the Setup section, identified by a wrench icon in the left margin. For more information about the Setup menu, please consult the Interface and Software section of the review.

The following are the options contained in the Program mode's REC. menu:

• W. Balance provides settings for: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen (incandescent), White Set 1, and White Set which serves to set the white balance under ambient light that does not fit one of the preset, and store the setting.

• Sensitivity: Auto (reserved for the Auto shooting mode or the Scene modes) and 80, 100, 200, or 400 ISO.
• Aspect Ratio: serves to select from 4:3, 3:2, or 16:9 ratios
• Pict. Size: serves to select the image size (see above) and works in conjunction with the selected aspect ratio.
• Quality: offers a choice of two JPEG compression levels, Fine or Standard, as outlined above.

• Audio Rec.: allows recording a 5-second sound bite that will be associated with the image immediately after capture (not available when the camera is set to the Starry Sky scene mode.
• Metering Mode offers a choice of three metering patterns: Multi, Centre-weighted or Spot.

• AF Mode allows selecting the number of focus point the autofocus uses: standard 1-point AF, 1-point and 3-point high-speed AF for moving subjects, spot AF to focus on a selected area, 5 or 9-point AF.
• Cont. AF: On or Off. Controls the Continuous AF mode and operates when the focus mode is set to 1-area-focusing (High Speed), or 1-area-focusing, or spot-focusing.

• AF Assist Lamp: On or Off. Decides whether or not the lamp — the same lamp as is used for the Self-timer, located below the words "MEGA O.I.S." on the front of the camera — automatically comes on to help the AF when the ambient light is too low for the system to operate reliably by itself.
• Slow Shutter: allows changing the minimum shutter speed available to most camera modes from the default 1/8 second. Alternative choices are 1/4, 1/2, and 1 second.
• Digital Zoom: On or Off. In addition to the "Extended Zoom" option that is available when the image size is set to something less than the full 5 megapixel resolution, the TZ1 also has a standard interpolating digital zoom.
• Colour Effect: allows recording the image as Cool which increases the blue tones, Warm which increases the red content, Black and White, or Sepia.

• Picture Adj. controls the image sharpening in the camera prior to the image being saved: Natural is the default, and Vivid increases sharpness.
• Flip Anim.: allows capturing an animated sequence up to 20 seconds long and composed of up to 100 images, and which can be assembled into a animated sequence at either 5 or 10 frames per second.

Set to the Motion Picture mode, the menu contains some of the elements detailed above, but provides choices to set the movie frame size and the frame rate.

• Picture Mode presents picture size choices by their intended output:
  • Enlarge: to make "enlargements" captures photos at a 2560 x 1920 pixels.
  • 4 x 6 / 10 x 15 cm: captures an 3:2 format image measuring 2048 x 1360 pixels.
  • E-mail: captures a 640 x 480 image.
• Auto Review: On or Off, decides whether a image is displayed immediately post-capture.
• Beep: controls the camera sounds.
• Clock Set serves to set the internal clock and calendar of the TZ1.

When the DMC-TZ1 is set to the Playback mode the menu provides options to adjust images, or set printing parameters. The playback mode options are spread out over three screens:

• Slide Show: allows selecting photos to be included in a slide show, all or only those that have been selected as Favorites. In addition the on-screen time for the photos included in the show time can be specified (1, 2, 3 or 5 seconds or Manual) and should a sound be associated with an image, it can be allowed to play or not.
• Favorite: serves to select specific images so that only those marked as Favorites can appear in a slide show.
• Rotate Disp.: serves to display images captured vertically the correct way up.
• Rotate: allows rotating images in 90° increments to the left or right.
• DPOF Print: serves to select which photos will be printed on a DPOF or PictBridge compliant printer, or by a printing service. The number of prints to make of each photo can be specified, as well as whether or not the date will be superimposed on the photo.

• Protect: allows selecting and tagging images so they cannot be erased accidentally.
• Audio Dub: makes it possible to add a voice annotation lasting up to 10 seconds to any still image, unless it has been protected.
• Resize: allows resizing down an image to another size available in the same aspect ratio, and saving it over the original, or as a new image.

• Trimming: serves to crop an image and either over-write the original with the cropped version, or save it as a new image. Images that have an attached sound cannot be trimmed.
• Aspect Conv.: allows converting images captured using the 16:9 aspect ratio to a 3:2 or 4:3 ratio and either re saving them as new images, or overwriting the original image.
• Copy: serves to copy images or movies from the internal memory to a memory card, or vice versa.
• Format: serves to format the memory card or the internal memory.

The TZ1 is equipped with 13.4MB of internal memory, and in North America is not retailed with a memory card. It is nevertheless compatible with both SD (Secure Digital) and MMC (MultiMedia) memory cards, but offers better performance when used with SD cards. The card slot is located underneath the body, behind a door that also covers the battery compartment.

The chart below gives an idea of the number of images that can be stored using the 32MB card and an optional 512 MB SD card.

Memory	13.4 MB Internal		512 MB SD card
Format	Fine	Standard	Fine	Standard
4:3 Aspect Ratio
5M	4	10	203	399
3M	7	16	314	611
2M	13	26	503	975
1M	20	38	761	1419
0.3	65	106	2402	3905
3:2 Aspect Ratio
4.5M	5	11	227	445
2.5M	9	17	354	678
16:9 Aspect Ratio
3.5M	11	22	268	710
2M	28	54	472	1720

The Lumix DMC-TZ1 is powered by a Lithium-Ion (CGA-S007A) rechargeable battery. The battery is kept in place by a spring loaded catch so it will not slide out if the memory card is extracted. The camera is supplied with a charger (DE-A25) which is able to recharge a fully depleted battery in approximately 170 minutes.

The two external connections of the TZ1, are on the left side of the camera, and are protected by a solid little door that springs shut. The upper connection serves both for USB and for AV out, depending on the cable used (both cables are included in the kit). The USB connection is 2.0 Full Speed and A/V Out can be set to be either NTSC or PAL in the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review).

The DC-IN jack is the second connection, and is designed for use with the optional AC Adapter (DMW-AC5) which makes it possible to run the camera off of regular household current.