Last year Panasonic amazed us by shoehorning a 10x zoom into its TZ1 pocket
camera; 12 months on and the latest attempt, the TZ3, maintains this impressive
range and its predecessor’s price but ups resolution from five to 7.2
megapixels.
Light sensitivity has also been given a boost – from a maximum ISO1600 to
IS03200 here.
The fact that the zoom starts at a wide 28mm going all the way up to a
film-camera equivalent 280mm also provides greater flexibility than its
competitors currently offer.
And all this from a camera that while perhaps not the cutest around, at least
doesn’t resemble a house brick.
The big lens doesn’t mean the
Panasonic
Lumix DMC-TZ3 is slow to get going either; flick the on/off switch and
you’re ready for the shot in a couple of seconds.
Shooting at the telephoto end of such a long zoom requires some form of image
stabilisation, and
Panasonic
has included one of the more reliable varieties, built into the optic itself.
This means the image relayed to the camera’s large 3in screen is impressively
steady when zooming in fully, and an on-screen indicator helpfully details at
what point in its range you are. Operation of the zoom feels smooth and fluid,
allowing you to glide from one end to the other in just three seconds.
The
TZ3
is also user friendly, with fully automatic functionality and a range of common
shooting and playback options accessed via a mode wheel atop the camera. Give
this a twist while the unit is activated and a ‘virtual’ version momentarily
appears on screen so you don’t have to take your eye off your subject when
choosing a setting.
In terms of images, the
TZ3
delivered some of the sharpest most vividly coloured shots we’ve seen from a
compact in recent months – at the wide end of the zoom, that is.
At maximum telephoto there was by contrast a degree of softness, but not so
great as to make the image unusable.
While its styling is a tad underwhelming, the TZ3 still holds its own as the
best compromise for those wanting an impressive zoom range yet a camera that
slips comfortably into a pocket, and as such comes highly recommended.
Vista compatible: N/A
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