Panasonic Dmc Tz4 Digital Camera Review
The Panasonic DMC TZ4 has 8 megapixels. For a digital camera with a 10x optical zoom lens it has a very compact body.
Why Buy the Panasonic DMC TZ4?
The main attraction of the DMC TZ4 is its body size in relation to the length of the lens. O.K. it is too big to fit into a pocket, but if it is zoom power you are after then you will struggle to find a good quality camera that is smaller than this one. It also has a wide angle lens. This is an advantage if you are planning to take lots of landscape shots or want to squeeze groups of people into your pictures.
Image Quality Panasonic DMC TZ4 test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
I like the look of this picture. The colours work well for me and the contrast between the trees, sky and boats is good. As with other Panasonic Digital Cameras the detail that the DMC TZ4 is able to bring out in shaded areas is impressive. An example of this is how clear the name on the front boat is. One problem worth noting is that where the sun strikes the boats some of the blue lines have taken on a purple tinge.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
As mentioned above, this camera has a wide angle lens. You can see the effect of the lens as a wider scene is squeezed into the photo. Focusing is sharp, especially for a wide angle lens. The only negative point is that a small amount of noise can be seen on larger prints in the most distant parts of the shot.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
On the whole, focusing with this Panasonic digital camera is sharp, although a small amount of softening occurs towards the edges. This is another bright photo with plenty of contrast.
Outdoor 4 (Building)
Here and there I can see small amounts of purple fringing around some of the windows where the sunlight catches them. As with the third outdoor shot focusing is fine in the centre, but as you move towards the edges the picture is not quite as sharp.
Outdoor Portrait
For the outdoor portrait I have used a white balance setting of shady. This adds a warm, orangey tint to the picture. I also think this is a very sharp photo.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
This Panasonic digital camera produces plenty of light while managing to keep plenty of colour in the photo. This is also a strikingly sharp photo.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
Without flash you can get a more natural looking photo. Once again there is plenty of colour in the shot and if anything the pink in the skin tones is a touch strong. Levels of detail are good.
Colours
As with other cameras in the Panasonic range colours can be a touch strong at times. In my view the vivid colours normally work well, such as in my outdoor scenic shots.
Macro
Panasonic digital cameras usually produce sharp and clear macro shots. The DMC TZ4 should take high quality macro shots for you in most situations.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600
Looking at my test picture taken at ISO 400 it has a lot less noise than many other brands manage. Although there is the expected loss of quality as you increase the ISO setting this camera does a good job when compared to other, similar cameras.
Overall
I haven’t seen anything in my tests that would put me off this camera. It manages to tick most of the right boxes.
Shutter Lag
Shutter lag times were O.K, although the times taken to capture a single photo could be that bit quicker. My times without flash were 0.45 seconds for a single photo, 9.94 seconds for five photos. My flash the times were 0.50 seconds for a single photo and 11.87 seconds for five photos.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: You can pick up the DMC TZ4 in black, blue or silver. It is quite a wide camera when looking at it front on. There is a small grip area on the front to help you take a good hold.
Dimensions: 103.3 x 59.3 x 36.2mm mm
Weight: 208g
Batteries: A lithium ion battery provides the power. Both a battery and charger are supplied by Panasonic as standard. According to Panasonic you should be able to take around 330 shots in between charges.
Memory cards: Panasonic have built a healthy 50mb of storage into the DMC TZ4. I was able to take 20 shots before the storage was full. The camera is compatible with SD and SDHC cards.
Ease of use rating: Very Good. There is nothing exactly frightening about the DMC TZ4. This is one if the simplest super zoom cameras around.
Points I like:
Ease of use – design and build quality – overall picture quality – wide screen movies – size and length of lens – wide angle lens
Where it could improve :
There is nothing that stands out
Alternatives
If you would like the same camera with an extra megapixel you could try the Panasonic DMC TZ5.
Verdict:
As you can see I like the Panasonic DMC TZ4. There is a bit of a gap in the market for a compact camera with a long zoom lens and this camera fills that gap well.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Panasonic DMC TZ4 Summary
Description:
8 megapixels and a 10x optical zoom lens
Ease of Use:
8
Features:
8
Colour:
8
Macro:
9
Indoors:
9
Value for Money:
8
Style:
8
Movie Mode:
9
Image Quality:
8
Build Quality:
8
Total:
83
Verdict:
“This camera will do a good job for you. It manages to do more or less exactly what it sets out to do. So if you are after for a straightforward, compact camera, with a longer zoom that can take a good photo take a look at this one.”
Review Date:
May 2008
About the Author
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