The Panasonic Lumic DMC-TZ10 is a well-designed, solidly built and extremely versatile camera with a lot of useful features. The 12x zoom, optical image stabilisation, HD video and excellent low light performance are the main benefits, and manual exposure is a nice bonus. The GPS feature is a bit of a gimmick, and drains the battery too fast to be much real use but it can be turned off.Read full review
A thorough review, well done. But I'm confused by your 'major concern' about battery life: the words major concern seem pretty strong for me, and 80 shots, is this not a massive flaw? Yet this concern, despite its gravity, seems brushed under the carpet in your review. It's almost as if you're secretly hoping that you received a bad battery, or that it's just not true, as I gather this site has normally been very pro-Panasonic. But 80 shots? Surely this is devastatingly poor performance. Could you please shed more light on this, I'm depply puzzled by the lack of gravity you assign to this alleged show stopper!
The battery life of the TZ6 is also pretty abysmal and there was me hoping for a firmware update to fix this issue. I was also suspicious of the reason why it was never reviewed, with its higher pixel density and smaller sensor size in comparison to every other TZ model released thus far. The TZ10 may also exhibit poor design/manufacturing process? I hope this isn't true.
The battery news is bad for those who want full-time GPS. I think, though, that I'd use it infrequently and have always carried a spare battery on those adventures.
OTOH - a full day of playing tourist would probably run through several batteries if I were using the TZ rather than my DSLR. I'm thinking of a boat trip, Westminster to Hampton Court, that provided wonderful shots of buildings, bridges, etc. that I cannot identify.
I'd be using batteries faster than I could recharge them. And turning the GPS on intermittently is a pain owing to the time it takes to re-acquire the birds. Maybe I'll skip the 10 in favor of the 8 and live with the smaller screen and motion JPEG.
Never mind. I like the LCD a lot. I'd probably get the 10 for the improved stabilization and manual controls and leave the GPS off mostly. That suggests waiting for 6-12 months for the price to drop. OK with me. My ZS-3/TZ-7 works fine, thank you.
@johnbaker - Do you have any numbers from other cameras with build in GPS to compare with? Would be quite useful before making such a drastic conclusion.
I agree that 80 shots pretty much makes GPS a bit of a gimmick in this case though. It will at least still do around 300 shots with GPS turned off, but then you could just as well buy a camera without the integrated GPS.
Bertie, the FZ18 is excellent, I had one, but you cannot carry it everywhere in a pocket or in a trouser belt case. I have a TZ7 which I am very pleased with, would not change it for a TZ10.
Dodger - Cliff, I like others were a bit disappointed with the image quality results for the TZ10 in your excellent test. I was planning to upgrade my Fuji S5700 perhaps for the TZ10.Not so sure now!!In your opinion, why is it that the TZ10 appears not to be a significant improvement over the TZ7? Was this a pre - production camera used in the test? Is it because we have reached the best quality available from this compact size sensor. Or are Panasonic simply over complcating things with all the new features.?
i am looking to buy a compact with high zoom capicity digital camera with possibility to buy a dedicated uderwater housing (for example i do not think the ricoh has one). is there anything better than the Panasonic tz10?
It just boggles the mind why camera makers are still increasing Pixel Density... I have short-listed a few models with "lower" Pixel Density, that I'd like to see tested: Casio EX-FH100, Sony HX5, Fuji F80, Samsung EX1/TL500... Thanks.
Could you please tell me the time it takes from a totally off camera to a geotagged picture? I'm curious to know approximately how much time it takes to acquire GPS signal. Am I looking at under 10 seconds or over a minute? Thanks for the review!
@Eric Landry: So long as it's turned on (via a dedicated switch), the GPS is on permanently, even when the camera is otherwise turned off. As such you should get a lock straight away and it's just a case of waiting for the camera to boot up and take the picture. The GPS does drain the battery, though, so you might well want to turn it off. In which case, I don't know how long it might take.
I don't particularly want a GPS in my camera, nor do I care about 2 extra megapixels... Would I be better off buying a TZ7 instead, since it is £100 cheaper..? Or are there other improvements that makes the TZ10 worth it..?
Cliff - You gave the TZ7 9/10 for picture quality and the TZ10 only 8. As I don't want GPS is there any reason to pick the TZ10 over the TZ7 bearing in mind it's £100 more expensive.
Hello, I owned last years model but I didn't like the slow focus on the video. I returned it and just bought this one. Problem: When useing the included software which you need for the panarama pictures to work, and that it needs win7 PC. Some PCs are not compatable withdows 7. Mine isn't. I don't know what to do. The company says that they re going to get out of the software business. I also found that without windows 7 that there are gliches (like huge red and green areas on the pictures and background. Even the cursur turns a differant color. After investigating a while I found out that the computer doesn't even have to be very old to not be compatable with windows 7. So unless You have an answer for me, I have to buy a new computer to make my camera work. I would love some help. Brad at bradley158@charter.net PS The company told me to go to google and use their software Picasa 3.6, but that software won't do the panarama the camera offers.
I got a chance to use the TZ7 and the Canon powerShotSX200S and after reading all the reviews, both cameras performing well with both having their own limitations. To tell you the truth, the colours with the SX200 are much richer than the TZ7. Beside, some of the snaps that been transferred to the PC from TZ7 could not be recognized by the normal software (JPEG formats). The only advantages on the TZ7 are the zooming & the Stereo audio ability on the movie function, otherwise the Canon is kicking ass. It all depends on the user utilization purpose and taste.
Did you say the TZ10 does NOT have optical zoom in video mode? Well, it does! The full 12x range, plus some added "intelligent digital zoom", if needed.
I have the TZ5. Could anyone tell me if there's a real reason to upgrade to the TZ10 now, especially in terms of video / picture quality. Or have we just added some very small cosmetic tweaks and GPS ?
Does the TZ10 have the same 15min video mode recording limit that I have on my FZ28. For the FZ28 it was reported as some european imposed restriction.
i'm so confused now after reading all this comments :( i have a panasonic lumix fx07 and wanted to get a much better camera,something that has all the newest features and spotted this one but now i'm not sure :( i don't need the GPS, i want a nice camera that will to great photos and HD videos. Wanted to get the CANON IXUS 130 but i didn't read a good review about that eather. Please help me !!! I don't know what to get .
What is better ? ... CANON or PANASONIC ?? and why ?? MANY MANY THANKS
If your primary interest is best image quality for your money but want the good features of the Panasonic then the Fuji F80EXR is a good alternative. Nothing will beat the Panasonic TZ10 video mode, but the image quality is better and with dimmer lighting it is significantly better, as long as you know what ISO settings and Dynamic Ratios are. It doesn't have GPS and high capacity battery replacements are easy to get hold of and are dirt cheap (less than £5 vs £12 for replacement oem ones for the Panasonic)
In the video it says "care must be taken to turn the GPS off before boarding an aircraft". Why? GPS is just a receiver and is not currently banned by any airlines. Sounds like the reviewer is confused between GPS and GPRS (which are unrelated).
"Externally at least the Lumix TZ10 is virtually identical to the TZ7", not so ! I would say it is more identical to the TZ8 rather than the TZ7 (position of the Mode Dial). Essentially the TZ8 is the TZ10 without the GPS. Due to the TZ7 Mode Dial, blurring while zooming in video mode issues, would it not be more appropriate to opt for the TZ8 rather than the TZ7 if you prefer not to have GPS ?
Correction: Just found out there's also a TZ9, which is the TZ10 without GPS, whereas the TZ8 has Mono recording and smaller LCD. So better to purchase the TZ9 if you prefer not to have GPS.
Am a novice when it comes to digital cameras and have been told Panasonic TZ10 is really good - have read the reviews and am delighted to say i will be purchasing one very soon...
Just bought this camera and I've been checking it out this week. It's amazing. I love it.
I don't have a use for GPS so I have it switched off mainly, but for those with concerns about battery life, honestly, the included battery seems to last A LOT long than other digital camera's I've had. It seems to go on forever. The seperate charger is a god send and with the cost of batteries, if you really have any concerns, just buy a few more as I have. The zoom is great. Especially when shooting video. You go do almost 100x zoom on intelligent digital zoom mode and it doesnt shake when your zooming video, it just pans about smoothly. I don't know how it keeps the picture so steady. The Intelligent Auto makes taking shots very easy. The scene modes make it easy to take more complicated shots (easily) and for those wanting more advanced features you've got 1/2000 to 60 seconds exposure and 3.3 to 6.3 apature. 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 ISO. 16:9 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio shots. histograms, detailed phot mode and shot details tagging for when you review it in programs like lightroom, 2 types of grid so you can line up your photo correctly. Like I say, I've had this camera for almost a week, and I've been an IT Manager for 25 years. I'm STILL learning about its different features. I've got to say, the one thing which is a bit week is the manual. It's NOT the most straight forward reading and you've got to read the PDF manual to get the full details, but small booklet is garbage. The PDF is far too complicated, it should just tell you what each feature in the camera does, but instead it tries to tell you what each "mode" does and that then makes for A LOT of duplication (IE reading about the SAME features you just read about on the last page AGAIN). When your just trying to learn what the "difference" is. Also, the way it explains things like zooming is almost impossible to understand (graphs and ratios).
All in all this is an almost pefect camera, for A) the money B) the features and C) the person who wants a VERY GOOD picture in nearly every envoironment. easily. D) the person who wants to go a bit deeper... knock of that flash, put that ISO level up, play about with the exposure a little and get a more natural picture of the world even when its not that bright (like britain!).
I recently bought the Lumix TZ10 in duty free at Heathrow and when I got home I put the software disc into my laptop (it uses Windows 7) and the operating manual downloaded perfectly but the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.1 HD Edition has been a total flop. Every time I try to open it an error message comes up saying "Photofunstudio" has encountered a problem and needs to close, it offers to send an error report to Microsoft or not send, and whichever one I choose it closes the program down. I called Panasonic South Africa for help and they advised me to download an update from the internet and then try again, which I did even deleting my original download and then reinstalling it again both before and after I had done the update . I have had a computer expert in to see if he can get it to run, he has followed all the things I had already tried, and then when he typed the error report into Google we found hundreds and hundreds of people who are having the same problem as me. I would like to use the editing features on Photofunstudio and anyway if the camera comes with the software I feel I should be able to get it to work? I love the camera and all its features, it is incredible, and I am desperate to put the photos on my screen and be able to edit/crop them as I want. Can anybody help me?
Buzzy, for cropping and editing images, try installing GIMP software - free image manipulation software from the LINUX community. They have a Windows version available on their website. Its as powerful as Adobe Photoshop, although a little slower. Good luck
This comment is hidden because you have chosen to ignore MarkKovalevsky.Show DetailsHide Details
I recently bought a TZ10 (two in fact, they were on special in Dubai Duty Free for US$330). I gave one to my daughter in Australia and she's not having any problems with it, but I brought one back to Africa with me and I have an issue that I hope someone can help me with. It takes great pictures, but when I look at them closely there is a faint green grid right across the photo. It's not visible when I'm taking the pic, but it's visible on the screen when reviewing shots, and it migrated to my iPhoto when I move the shots there. I CAN'T WORK OUT HOW TO GET RID OF IT! I've been right through the PDF manual, and the only possible area that seems relevant is the leveling feature, which also uses a grid. However, this doesn't seem to be the answer. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get rid of this grid, as it is the pics I take are unusable.
With reference to the colours lacking depth and saturation in the review: If you use any shooting mode other then iAuto, you are able to adjust contrast, saturation, sharpness and noise reduction. If you boost colour saturation and sharpness to +1 on the scale, you will get much punchier photos. They are then as good as the TZ7 if not better. Also these are now available as manufacturer refurbished items on ebay. I paid £140 for mine, and it is as good as new. The only thing is the box is a bit tatty.
I have recently bought a TZ10 and so far I am quite happy with it. I bought it because I am going on safari in summer and wanted a camera that was compact and had a better zoom than my old finepix (which was great but a bit old now).
The reviews I read made me happy enough to buy.
I have a question though...
I did not know that the camera would come with an external battery charger. I thought it would be along the same lines as my old camera and my phone where I charge the battery in situ. So, I can plug into wall or computer or whatever through various adapters.
As I will be travelling in places that will not have electricity I can't plug into the mains electricity. I wondered if there was another adapter I could use with my battery or charger that I could then use usb or solar or something as my energy source?
We're sorry. We were unable to report abuse at this time.
We limit the number of reactions an individual user can submit over a given period for quality reasons. You have currently reached that limit. Please try resubmitting your abuse report again later.
Comment is too long. Enter 500 characters or less.
Comments