Customer Rating:  
Summary: Great all-purpose camera...
Comment: I'm very happy with this camera. My goal was to have a camera that would take nice still photos, along with decent video. It has been everything I expected based on other professional reviews I had read.
For me, there was a small learning curve to get the video focused the way I wanted. I've learned to frame the shot, focus, and then shoot video, without the continuous focus running. Because the video is 720p, and the camera is so small compared to a camcorder, handheld video is more likely to be a little shaky. I've learned to be a little more diligent about the way I hold the camera, and I also take advantage of the Image Stabilization feature. Compared to the video from my last mini-dv camcorder, the video is beautiful. For home videos, it is more than adequate. The audio is lower quality, which I expected based on other reviews, but I can hear people's voices and understand what they are saying, so I am fine with it.
The photos are great for a point-and-shoot. I would definitely recommend following other peoples' advice I've read, which is to keep the INTELLIGENT-ISO mode at a max of 800 to help reduce the "grainy" look. There are a LOT of features, and I haven't learned them all yet. But for the amateur photographer, it would appear that there are numerous options to help you get a great picture.
I've taken this camera on a couple of one-day trips, and it has been wonderful. Having one relatively small camera that is capable of shooting great photos and video is one of the best accessories a father of three could have. I've not had any battery issues yet. I like having a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. I just charge it up the night before any event, and it always gets me through the next day.
Some more notes about the video as a semi-professional videographer:
A great thing for me has been that the video is in a QuickTime format that is native to my Mac (Motion JPEG). I have been able to create a preset in Final Cut Pro that allows me to work with the video in it's native format, without any transcoding. To me, that's a big plus compared to using some of the other HD camcorders out there. Something that needs to be considered, though, is that you need plenty of hard-drive space to store these videos. I bought an A-DATA 16GB Turbo SDHC Class 6 Memory Card here on Amazon to use in this camera. I was a little leery considering it only cost $30 bucks, but it has worked fine so far. Again, I took another person's advice, and I've left the card in the camera ever since I put it in. I only transfer the photos and video by plugging the camera into the computer. I figure I don't want to mess with the physical integrity of the memory card any more than I have to. Playback of the video is also something that needs to be considered. You can plug the camera into a standard TV for standard resolution playback, or you can buy an extra Component Cable, which I'm sure would yield better results for playback on an HDTV. However, when you take the files off of your memory card, you'll need to have another playback option. Personally, I plan on using a Mac Mini, with the built-in Front Row software, connected to an HDTV for my future viewing. But for now, the only way to watch my home video in full HD is on my laptop.
Overall, I think another reviewer here put it best when he wrote, "If you know what you're getting into, you'll be thrilled." It's a great option for a very portable, high quality still-photo and video camera... possibly the best in its category so far.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Lumix TZ5K Camera
Comment: The price was 35% less than anyone else and the vendor, Vanns, was terrific. Shipped on time and delivered on time. Follow-up report from the vendor was very thoughtful. Will buy more from them in the future.
I always check Amazon before buying anything on-line.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great picture, great video, terrible sound!
Comment: Everything was great about this camera except the sound during videos. It was awful. I returned the camera.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5S
Comment: This was purchased as a gift for our oldest granddaughter who wants to produce better photography. It has enough menu items for her to increase her knowledge, without being to complicated. During a summer vacation this year she used her grandfathers nikon 4300, showing quick study skills as well as good composition. We liked this camera as a upgrade from the lesser point, without purchasing a more expensive SLR types.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great camera
Comment: This was a birthday present for my girlfriend. She loves it. The 10x zoom and compact design are a great combination. This is a big upgrade from her 2mp camera.
|
