Imaging-Resource reviews Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 9.1MP digital camera
Panasonic released the TZ5 in March of 2008, updating the TZ3 with a new sensor, slightly new styling and a few new features.
The Panasonic DMC-TZ5 upgrades the 7.2 megapixel sensor of the DMC-TZ3 to 9.1 megapixels, but maintains the 10x Leica-branded optical zoom lens and Panasonic's signature Optical Image Stabilization (MEGA O.I.S.). The lens offers a 28-280mm zoom range, offering a true wide-angle option. Panasonic has trimmed the size and weight again: it's 0.6 an ounce lighter at 8.4 ounces (240g) and just a few millimeters thinner. It's still not comfortable in a shirt pocket, but it's definitely compact and portable.
Panasonic has made some subtle alterations to the body and interface dials to make it simpler and easier to use. The Panasonic TZ3 crammed 10 settings onto the main mode selector dial; the TZ5 removes four of these settings to the operation menu, and adds a dedicated image playback switch near where your right thumb will rest on the back of the camera body. The results is a less imposing selector dial, that also doesn't switch to playback mode when the dial gets accidentally turned. The Panasonic TZ5's 3.0-inch LCD screen is also maintained, but the resolution has increased from 230,000 pixels to 460,000 pixels, offering a much clearer and sharper playback image...
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