Panasonic DMC-TZ1

Reviewed April 2006

Interface & Software

Interface

If the Lumix DMC-TZ1 breaks new ground with its optics, it simply follows the path of previous Panasonic cameras when it comes to its interface, and the design of its menu system. The interface is very legible, displaying current camera settings on the periphery of the frame, and atop semi-transparent grey backgrounds that enhance their visibility. The menus are also very legible because of the use of a mix of colours — red, white and blue for the recording menus, and green, white and blue for the playback mode, for example — and well-defined, all-caps, black text.

The Setup menu accessible from all modes with the exception of the Simple mode, also uses sharp upper-case characters, but with more neutral background colours. Each option is clearly defined, and its current setting is indicated in a column on the right of the screen. The Setup menu contains basic configuration options:

• Clock Set: allows setting the time and date on the TZ1.
• World Time: serves to set an alternative time, useful when travelling.
• Monitor: makes it possible to adjust the brightness of the monitor over 7 steps (± 3 values and 0).
• Travel Date: makes it possible to record the date and the number of the day into a trip, along with the image data. The information, for example: 1st day, April 22, 2006, is shown superimposed on image in playback, but is not permanently embedded into the image itself.
• Auto Review: decides whether or not the image is displayed immediately post-capture, and for how long (Off, 1 or 3 seconds, or Zoom). When Zoom is selected the image appears full-screen for 1 second, and then zoomed to 4X for an additional 1 second so that its sharpness can be checked. The option is not available with images captured with the Burst or Bracketing modes, or that contain audio.

• Power Save: selects the time delay after which the camera turns itself off if it is unused (1, 2, 5, 10 minutes or Off).
• Economy: increases battery life by powering down the monitor:
  • Level 1 turns off the monitor if the camera is not operated for more than 15 seconds in the recording mode.
  • Level 2 turns off the monitor if the camera is not operated for more than 15 seconds in the recording mode, or 5 seconds after taking a photo.
  • Off: cancels the Economy mode.

• Beep: serves to adjust volume of the sound produced by the camera when it is operated (Soft or Loud), or turn it off.
• Shutter: serves to set the volume of the shutter sound (Soft, Loud or Off).
• Volume: serves to adjust the playback volume for audio recordings or movies over a range of 7 steps.
• No. Reset: selects whether photo files will be incremented, or restart at 1.
• Reset: returns all menu options, with the exception of the date and time and the folder name, to their original factory settings.

• USB Mode: controls the USB protocol. Three settings are available:
  • Select on Connection allows the selection of the protocol to be made when the TZ1 is connected to a device or a computer.
  • PC is for use with a personal computer.
  • PictBridge (PTP) is to print photos when the camera is connected directly to a PictBridge compatible printer or to connect to a computer using PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol).

• Highlight: On or Off, decides whether or not potentially overexposed areas of an image are displayed as blinking when the camera is in Playback mode, or Review mode.
• Video Out (accessible in Playback mode only) decides the video out signal: NTSC or PAL.
• TV Aspect (accessible in Playback mode only): allows setting the output aspect to either 4:3 or 16:9, depending on the TV to which the camera is connected.
• Scene Menu: decides whether or not the scene menu is shown when the Mode dial is set to SCN1 or SCN2. Alternatively, pressing the Menu button once displays the Scene menu.
• Language serves to select the interface language: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, or Japanese.

Software

PHOTOFunSTUDIO Viewer is also an image browser, but one with additional functions such as the ability to convert RAW format images, a format available on some Panasonic cameras, but not with the DMC-TZ1.

While PhotofunStudio is also a viewer, similar to Lumix Simple Viewer, it does not require images to be registered into its database, and is surprisingly enough, a more user friendly program than the often overly cryptic Simple Viewer.

But aside from re-sizing or rotating photos neither of these Panasonic programs can be used to do serious image editing. That task is left to PhotoImpression 5.

PhotoImpression 5 allows retouching photos using tools to sharpen, brighten or change their contrast, saturation, or colour tone of images. The program can also be used to resize images, or add frames and text, and is capable of performing automatic red-eye correction. Finally it can also be used to create photo albums, and offers a wide range of templates.

PanoramaMaker 3 is designed to stitch together a series of contiguous photos so they can be assembled into a single large image horizontally, vertically or as a mosaic. Regrettably, the DMC-TZ1 does not offer a panoramic mode.

PhotoBase 4.5 is intended to organize still images and video clips, and manage them through a database. And finally, QuickTime is to view the video clips recorded with the DMC-TZ1.