Panasonic Lumix TZ6 / TZ7

[Goochie]

Having spent much of the day looking for a suitable compact camera to take on our US road trip next year, I thought I was settled on the Panasonic Lumix TZ7. It has had fantastic reviews and does HD video.

However, having read many bad reports about it's large high-def screen cracking I've gone right off it!

It's TZ6 sibling does without the HD video but as that is of little interest to me that is no great problem.

Both of them share the same lens arrangement and have a nice wide angle and zoom (perfect for our road trip)

So, given I've been unable to find anything negative about the TZ6 through Google, I thought I'd try here!

Anyone?

[dontfollowme]

dpreview.com will have some cons of the TZ6 either in a review or in the forums.

[BigAlinEmbra]

Trying very hard not to buy one of these at the moment.
180 quid on amazon at the moment if you hadn't spotted it, which seems good value to me.

[Rich135]

I went for the TZ7 after my TZ5 screen smashed (3 small kids and the wife not putting away in it's case... can't really blame Panasonic for that one).

The 7 is excellent. Fantastic HD video and much better sound than the TZ5 which has the microphone placed handily underneath my finger. Picture quality on film and video is ace, and battery life is also really good.

You really can't go wrong for a 2-in-1 package with this.

[leyorkie]

I have a TZ4 and I have been very happy with it. I saw these in Practical Photography Magazine and it looks like they could be the answer to fragile screens and glare on the screen.
http://www.delkin.com/store/uk/product.php?product...

Edited by leyorkie on Monday 28th December 15:51

[CivicMan]

Had my TZ7 since March 09 and can only give it the highest recommendation.

This is a handheld shot, on automatic, nil post processing.

Edited by CivicMan on Monday 28th December 18:21

[Nero601]

BigAlinEmbra said:

Trying very hard not to buy one of these at the moment.
180 quid on amazon at the moment if you hadn't spotted it, which seems good value to me.

tempting yes , but no uk g'tee i suspect at that price !

[BigAlinEmbra]

Nero601 said:

BigAlinEmbra said:

Trying very hard not to buy one of these at the moment.
180 quid on amazon at the moment if you hadn't spotted it, which seems good value to me.

tempting yes , but no uk g'tee i suspect at that price !

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001T0H0J4/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Should have said I'm talking about a 6 rather than 7. Wouldn't have thought Amazon would be flogging non-UK items?

[Goochie]

As mentioned above, I dont really want to go for a 7 as many many people seem to have problems with the screen breaking. It seems that the Menu buttons are mounted on the same PCB as the screen, but that PCB is not well supported so after frequent pressing, the screen gets damaged.

The TZ6 (and others with the smaller screen) is constructed differently and the screen is better supported.

Panasonic wont repair them under warranty as they say it must have been caused by the user drpooing it etc.

[Prem]

Hi there,

Just to confuse you a little more, you should consider the Canon SX200is. Has a 12x optical zoom, 28mm wide angle,12mp, HD video, plus has the benefit of using the creative modes found on SLR's (aperture priority, shutter priority, full manual control) so you can be quite creative with it as well.
Image quality is very good, uses the same processors found on Canon's DSLR's and coupled with a excellent lens its very nice to use.

FYI theres also £40 cash back from canon on this until late jan.
I used it at wimbledon this year, check out the wide angle:
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_007...

This is the telephoto (photo taken from same position)
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_007...
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_008...
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_008...

[Goochie]

Prem said:

Hi there,

Just to confuse you a little more, you should consider the Canon SX200is. Has a 12x optical zoom, 28mm wide angle,12mp, HD video, plus has the benefit of using the creative modes found on SLR's (aperture priority, shutter priority, full manual control) so you can be quite creative with it as well.
Image quality is very good, uses the same processors found on Canon's DSLR's and coupled with a excellent lens its very nice to use.

FYI theres also £40 cash back from canon on this until late jan.
I used it at wimbledon this year, check out the wide angle:
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_007...

This is the telephoto (photo taken from same position)
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_007...
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_008...
http://gallery.me.com/premal_mistry#100029/IMG_008...

That Canon is often found in group tests with the Panasonic models I've been looking at. Is it true that the flash has to be in the up position in order to take any photos?

[Prem]

it does, and is the only flaw I have found with it. You do get used to it, and it can be held down and used a switch to disable the flash (its spring loaded).

[G20RG B]

I bought a Panasonic TZ7 for my wife and I have to say it is Fantastic, she has used it far more than she did with her last Cannon as she says it is easier to use and takes better pictures....As for problems with the screen, everything is OK here and as I said it has been very very well used..

I would certainly recomend one...fab camera.

[igiveup]

I have a TZ6 and find it a very easy camera to use, I generally leave it in Auto all the time and it always takes great pictures. Video quality is also very good and you can make full use of the zoom in video mode too, which I could not on my old Canon IXUS's.

A few example shots

A Macro Shot

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Z4OBMAQj59HVp...

Wide Angle

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S2Xd3e8MEaAT9...

Full Zoom

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SIOmcdojkoqG1...

[Barreti]

I've just bought a TZ6 today, expect to pick it up tomorrow. It will get used tomorrow night if it arrives as we're out for dinner to celebrate my birthday, so I'll let you know how I get on with it.

As a DSLR owner for the last 3 years this is either going to be frustrating or liberating and I'm not sure which my money will be on yet.

[Goochie]

Thanks for the tip-off, Prem!

I bought the Canon today and am very pleased with it.

[Prem]

Glad you got it mate!

p.s. the color accent feature in the scene mode is cool!

[Olf]

So why do I struggle so much with my TZ5. Outside it's fine but inside/low light it is truly dreadful. Rarely focuses well even with flash and skin tones and textures represent very badly. On the basis of this camera I wouldn't buy another Lumix and that's after having very good experience with my previous FZ20.

[chrisga]

Hi, we bought the canon sx200is for our recent trip and it takes some very nice photos. Havent read the instruction manual so it may do even cooler stuff...
Some of my past cameras have struggled on snow in bright sunshine but this seemed to cope fine with no loss of detail or over exposed areas:



The only downside (apart from the flash being up all the time) that ive come across is the not being able to zoom while in movie mode as someone else mentioned. Oh and if you want to take a couple of shots after each other it seemed a little slow with the previews but that may be a setting we havent found yet. Everything else is great though, nice little camera.

[Simpo Two]

chrisga said:

Oh and if you want to take a couple of shots after each other it seemed a little slow with the previews but that may be a setting we havent found yet

That's probably more to do with the internal buffer or read/write speed of the card you use, than a menu setting.