Panasonic Lumix TZ5S Review
- Details
- Category: Home Electronics
- Published: Friday, 02 January 2009 08:55

The Lumix TZ5S features a Leica Lens, 10x optical zoom, image stabilization and the ability to take both still photos and VGA resolution video. The camera is made in Japan and feels good in the hand but not as solid as a Canon digital ELPH. It doesn’t feel cheap just a bit light for its size. However, it travels well and can be crammed into pants pockets if necessary so it makes a great everyday point and shoot camera.
This camera performs best under ideal lighting conditions. Late afternoon sun in Orange County yielded beautiful results. Indoor pictures require a bit more finesse with the settings. Overall we were very pleased with the quality of the pictures.
One of the biggest complaints with cameras in the $200 or less range is the slow speed and recovery times. I’ve seen moms become irate trying to capture their kids with a cheap camera when they really need a digital SLR. Of course, it’s not convenient to carry around a high-end piece of gear to the park or Chuck E. Cheese, so a point and shoot camera with reasonable performance is a good option.
The Panasonic Lumix TZ5S performs reasonably well with prefocus and optimized ISO speeds. Sure, you’ll miss some great shots but you’ll capture some too. With or without a digital SLR in your arsenal the Lumix TZ5S is easy and fun to use and you won’t hesitate to bring it with you when bigger gear would be a burden.
Visit Panasonic for more information.