Photo cameras with optical zoom bigger than 10x and a compact body are one of the specifications from Panasonic. Lumix TZ10 manages to stand out through a series of top specifications and gives us an idea regarding the way this segment might evolve.
Regarding the used technologies, the camera doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the table, however the image quality and other features will surely attract amateur photographers.
Robust Construction
Since the first time you take the Panasonic TZ10 out of the box it comes it, you get the impression of a solid photo camera. The metallic body seriously contributes to the camera’s weight ( 218 grams ) and it’s a construction element that Panasonic has gotten us used to lately. The same thing we can say about the buttons. Their dimensions are reduced, however even people with big fingers will be able to press them easily. The grip doesn’t not reach the closed objective level, but offers an acceptable support. The SD/SDHX/SDXC slot is placed right near the battery, and on the side we can find the miniHDMI slot and a slot for the data cable. As usual, the HDMI adapter cable is not included in the package.
Special equipments
Who ever takes a look at the Panasonic Lumix Tz10 cannot help but notice a higher area on the superior side, right above the objective. That area is marked with the GPS letters and might be the antenna of the integrated module. The photo camera cannot be used for GPS navigation, however when the GPS module is activated, all photos and videos will be marked with the coordinates of the place where you are located. If the images are uploaded to Flickr, for example, the location is indicated on a small map near the photo.
The screen of the Panasonic TZ10 might appear to be a regular 3 inch screen, however if we look more carefully we notice that things are different. Most majority of screens used on compact photo cameras have 230.000 pixels. In this case the number if pixels is double and the display seams to be identical to the one used on the Micro Four Thirds photo cameras. The visibility angles are very good and we can take pictures very easily when the photo is lifted over hour head.
A button placed on the back of the photo camera is dedicated for video recording, and another button activates what Panasonic calls Quick Menu. It offers access to many important settings, without actually entering the main menu. The feature is similar to the standard one on Canon cameras, however the options are displayed on the upper side of the display. Another button, above we can see the Exposure text, allows you to access manual settings, like exposure time and diaphragm.
The ISO Test
Although it does not have a big sensor, Panasonic TZ10 does very well with the noise. The pictures are very good even at ISO 400, where the trained eye can notice a slight loss of detail and some processing artifacts. The noise reduction algorithm is felt when using the ISO 800, with the loss of fine details and many visible artifacts. The images taken at ISO 1600 is recommended only for people that do not want or can’t use the Flash and which totally ignores their quality.
Image Quality
Like we expected, the quality of images made with Panasonic Lumix TZ10 is very good for it’s segment. The objective with efficient optical stabilizer allows the user of smaller ISO levels. In case of photos taken at night we notice a tendency of underexposure when the Flash was not used. It can be adjusted by compensating the exposure. The clarity is good, with slight exceptions at maximum zooming.
The white balance was precise in almost every situations, and professionals can use set it manually. The colors are very well reproduced, without over saturation, and the interested users also have the Vivid mode. Amateur photographers with more knowledge can use the entire range of manual settings that come with compact photo cameras.
GPS
In case you are using a photo sharing service, like Flickr, the camera can take the coordinates of the location where the photos have been taken and indicate it on a map. These information are added to the EXIF data of the photo when the GPS module was activated. The Travel Mode allows you to name the location where the photos have been taken. Using the GPS module may reduce the autonomy of the photo camera’s battery with up to 20-30%.
Video Recording at 720p with AVCHD Lite
Normally, one minute of video recording at VGA resolution occupies almost 100 MB. Panasonic TZ10 uses 100 MB to save an one minute video, at the 1280×720 resolution with 30 frames per second. The video is compressed using the AVCHD Lite codec. The optical zoom can be activated during video recording, however at a lower speed. The noise of the mechanism is hardly noticeable, the microphones being placed on the upper side and not near the objective.
Conclusion
If you are leaving on vacation and you want a compact photo camera that can provide a good image quality and that uses GPS, Panasonic Lumix Tz10 is very easy to recommend. The right package of equipments and features, which includes the GPS module, quality screen, excellent objective and HD video recording with compression is not very cheap, but the price is totally worth it. The device can be purchased at a price of $450. If the GPS module is not on your liking, and you are not bothered by a smaller screen of the lack of HD compression, you can then buy the Panasonic Lumix T28. It comes with the same sensor, same objective and almost identical performances regarding other aspects. And the price is a bit lower.
