Overview
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.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
8
10x
2.5 inches
103.3 x 59.3 x 36.2
208g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
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.
Portraits
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.
Macro, Colours and Noise
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.
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.
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.
Summary
I haven't seen anything in my tests that would put me off this camera. It manages to tick most of the right boxes.
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.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.45 seconds
9.94 seconds
0.5 seconds
11.87 seconds
Ease of Use
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
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.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Panasonic DMC TZ4 Review Panasonic DMC TZ4 Specification Panasonic DMC TZ4 Sample Images Panasonic DMC TZ4 Features
Review Date
May 2008
