Camera Experience
The 10x 28-280mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens is the most impressive thing about the Panasonic Lumix TZ3. The 28mm wide-angle end of the zoom range has a real wide angle-of-view, something that’s not common on compact digital cameras. And image quality doesn’t degrade at either end of the zoom range as happens with so many other compact digital cameras. The 10x optical zoom maintains its sharpness when zoomed all the way to 10x. Zoom and focus operation are nice and quiet, as is turning the camera on and off. One of the last things you want is for everyone in a room to turn around when you turn on your camera.
The TZ3′s auto exposure metering worked well. It was spot on for the majority of my photos. And the exposure compensation control is easily accessible in the NORMAL PICTURE mode. I used the NORMAL PICTURE mode the most. However, the Mode dial turns too easily and would often change position in my pocket. So sometimes when I turned the camera on I was surprised by the mode it was on.
The NORMAL PICTURE mode offers the most control, with exposure compensation to lighten and darken photos and flash option controls. I also tried the SIMPLE mode (heart icon), although it’s too simple for me. It’s pure point-and-shoot and offers no control over camera functions, except the flash. Beginning photographers will appreciate the SIMPLE MODE but more experienced photographers will prefer the NORMAL PICTURE mode and scene modes. The Intelligent ISO mode is interesting. It’s supposed to detect subject movement and adjust the ISO to help freeze action. You choose a sensitivity threshold (such as ISO 400) and the camera chooses an appropriate sensitivity within that range, depending on light conditions and the subject. It works pretty well if you don’t want to worry about what ISO will work the best and helps ensure photos are sharp and without too much digital noise (grain).
The TZ3′s menus change depending on what mode you’ve chosen. I found this pretty confusing and annoying. The menu has SETUP, REC, and PLAY submenus organized by tabs. Depending on what mode you’re using you get a different menu. It makes it hard to find things in the menus. For example, to format the memory card you must either be in the PLAY menu or the PLAYBACK mode on the Mode dial. If you’re in a shooting mode you can’t format the SD memory card. People like consistency. That’s why big box stores and fast food chains are popular – they’re the same everywhere you go. But the TZ3′s menu is not consistent and the camera suffers for it.
The SD card goes in the opposite way that I think it should. When you’re looking at the rear of the camera, the label side of the card should face you so that you can see what size card you’re using. But the TZ3 is designed so you insert the card with the label facing away from you. This may not be a big deal to some people, but it was annoying to me.
The camera feels very sturdy and well built, with one exception. The battery door is a bit flimsy. Also, it must be manually locked every time. The lock probably does offer some additional security. But it’s an extra step that gets in the way of taking pictures.
The TZ3′s auto focus is a bit slow but the continuous capture rate is fast. Panasonic claims the camera will capture 3 frames-per-second and it does actually feel like it’s getting that many. The camera will do bursts in five frames – I was able to get five frames in 2 seconds – just below the claimed 3 frames-per-second, and quite impressive, even if it didn’t quite hit the mark. Once the 5 frames are up you have to lift your finger off the shutter release and depress it again to start shooting.
Panasonic’s MEGA O.I.S. image stabilization system works great. I was able to take several images at 1/10th of a second and they came out nice and sharp. There are two stabilization modes: Mode 1 constantly corrects so that you can see the stabilization in the LCD. Mode 2 only compensates for camera shake at the moment the shutter is released. Both help ensure sharp handheld photos in low light.
The TZ3′s movie mode works well, with resolution nearly twice what you need for YouTube uploads. YouTube recommends uploading a 320×240 picture size, the camera can record 320×240 or 640×480 with the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. It can also record 848×480 in the widescreen, 16:9 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, the main reason for buying the TZ3 – the 10x zoom lens – is disabled in the Motion Picture mode. Once you start recording video you cannot zoom in or out. The MEGA O.I.S. image stabilization does work, though. One really cool video feature is video frame grabs. While the camera is in the movie PLAYBACK mode, you can pause the movie and push the shutter release button as if you were taking a picture. The camera saves a single frame, at 640×480 resolution – even if you are recording at the 320×240 movie resolution. Of course the quality of a frame grab isn’t as good as taking a full-resolution still image. But it’s not horrible either. You can also save a 9-frame selection from a movie by using the zoom-out function.
Camera Menus
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 playback mode with image info and histogram displayed |
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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 during capture with image info and histogram on |
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Record main menu |
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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 MEGA O.I.S. Image stabilization system |
Image Quality
Like all digital point-and-shoots I’ve used, the Panasonic TZ3′s image quality is okay. It looks really good at ISO 100, good at ISO 400, grainy at ISO 800 and super grainy at its max ISO 1250. That’s comparing it to digital SLR image quality, which is much better. Comparing the TZ3′s images to other superzooms, such as the Kodak p712, the higher ISO does look much better. Between the two cameras at ISO 400 the TZ3 produces sharper images that have better color reproduction and less grain. Compared to other compact digital cameras I’ve used, the TZ3 produces a very impressive image file. In the past, most compact camera photos didn’t look very good above ISO 100. So having good image quality at ISO 400 is a great improvement. However if the lighting conditions are not good, such as low light, then ISO 400 still won’t look great. The highest sensitivities, ISO 800 and ISO 1250, definitely add quite a bit more grain, lose sharpness, and have more muted color. Overall, the image quality is much better than other point-and-shoot digital cameras I’ve used with less noise (grain) and generally better high ISO performance.
Contrast and color are good for the most part -although maybe a bit on the flat, undersaturated side. The Leica lens delivers images that are very crisp. I didn’t get a chance to test the camera much in bright, contrasty sunlight because of the pollution in Beijing. The smog is so thick that there’s little direct sunshine. That left me shooting in essentially overcast conditions.
I didn’t use the flash much. But 90% of the time I did use it, I used the SLOW SYNC./RED-EYE setting. The results were pretty impressive, with pleasing, well-balanced flash exposure.
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Click on thumbnails to view sample photos.
next page – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Conclusion >>
Excellent, informative review.
I am in the market for this type of camera. Leica optics are of interest to me, I found this review to confirm what I had heard. Great Glass!
Thanks
I took my TZ3 to the Canadian Rockies in July and carried it in my pocket all week with no troubles. The photos were fantastic. My buddies who were with me were jealous of the zoom. I loved the convenience, and sometimes while hiking pulled it out of my pocket with one hand, snapped a quick shot, and continued on my way while hardly breaking stride. My only complaints about the camera – you cannot zoom during videos and they are in Quicktime format. Videos are excellent quality though. Overall, wonderful camera.
JMeyers-
Thanks for commenting on our Panasonic Lumix TZ3 review. I used it a little before I sent it on the Nhat and I thought it was excellent, if a bit larger for a point-and-shoot. Although, to be fair, it’s a lot more powerful than your avergae point-and-shoot camera. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your comments and ecnourage you to click on the Reviews link at the very top of the page or the “Write a Review” link up a bit from here and post your own review for the Panasonic TZ3. We need reviews from people who actually own the camera. And the user reviews are the best way for you to share your experience with the camera.
Thanks!
I have seen some really personal picky reviews, but when you try to say that the SD card goes in with the label away from you so you cannot see what size SD card you using is pretty picky. If you do not know what card you have in your hand then I would suggest you go back to film and try not using a fantastic camera such as this. Also, who ever puts a camera in their pocket, and walks outdoors and gets a bit hot and sweaty will have condensation on the camera, not a good thing. Pocket-able cameras are simply named that because of the size, not that you would actually place it in your pocket for more than a few minutes because you have your hands full of something else. Yes, this camera will be heavier because it is a superzoom “pocket-able” camera and give me more zoom power over a 3 to 6X zoom any day. I have the TZ1 and it won camera of the year for P&S cameras for a reason, and I think the TZ3 will do the same. Just cannot find a better all around camera that can do it all.
Thanks for the nice comments everyone.
Actually Bear740 – it’s a compliment to the camera that I had to be picky. When you have to be picky it shows that there isn’t a lot wrong with the camera and nothing is perfect. It’s funny you should mention going “back to film” because that is exactly why I said the card goes in backwards… when you load a film camera the lens points down and you see what you’re putting in the camera. I use the exact same principle when loading digital cameras. It’s not an issue of knowing what size card I’m loading but to me it makes sense to have the lens pointing down and the SD card label pointing towards me when I load the card. If not then it’s backwards.
Anyway – the lens is awesome! thanks for reading and commenting!
Other than the lack of panoramic function, the camera is my choice as a frequent traveller who prefers not to lug around a DSLR or even a prosumer.
Is there anyone using this camera under water?
@Joke Bijl– I’ll let you know– I’m taking my TZ3 to the Bahamas next week where I plan to do some snorkeling. I’m normally a DSLR shooter but the work I’ve done with the TZ3 has so far left me pretty impressed. I’m leaving the Canon 20D at home for this trip, so I expect to give the TZ3 a real workout.
Excellent review! This review gave me the confidence I needed to buy this camera.
One question I have for you though – what memory card do you think would work the best with this camera? What kind of memory card did you specifcally use? What is the write speed of this camera?
Thanks!
I have read that with the higher megapixel cameras using the Ultra II or III SD cards are better? Is this the same as SDHC?
I want to buy a second compact flash card. I just use a 2GB now but want a back up.
Please advise what is compatible and which is best?
Thank you!
PJS-
Faster memory cards only make a difference if the camera’s transfer rate is fast enough to allow the memory cards to reach their own speed potential. It used to be the case that compact digital cameras were too slow to benefit from faster memory cards. I haven’t done any testing to see if this has changed, but I’ve seen reviews that report better performance with faster cards. Since the fast memory cards are gettng so cheap, it can’t hurt to buy a faster card. Those pro memory cards also come with file recovery software, in case a card gets corrupted or you accidentally format without saving your images.
SDHC cards are another subject. Speed is one thing. SDHC stands for Secure Digital High Capacity. It refers to SD cards that have a capacity over 2 GB. I tested one of the first SDHC cards to be introduced and wrote a bit about the new cards. Here’s a link to that review: http://www.photographyreview.com/lexarsdhccrx.aspx
Hi, It always takes a LONG time between when I press the button, and when it actually takes the photo. Do you know of a way to increase response time for taking quicker pictures?
Thanks for the review. I own a TZ3 and enjoy using it. Two questions, though: Is there a way to use an external flash? And, on indoor shots, is there a way to make the photos appear like the viewfinder image? I tried to shoot with the flash off, since the viewfinder screen showed a good image, but the resulting photo was too dark. I look forward to receiving your comment.
Wizdad
Wizdad-
Glad you enjoyed nhat’s review. He’s a real working pro, so I always appreciate what he has to say about a camera.
The only way I can think of to use an external flash with the TZ3 would be to use a slave. You would either buy a small, external flash with a built-in optical slave that triggers the flash when the camera’s flash goes. Or, you would use a flash and an accessory slave unit from Wein or another company that makes slaves.
You had the right idea, turning the flash off, if you want an image that looks like what you see on the LCD. However, the LCD brightens the scene so you can see it better. You will have to make sure your exposure allows enough light to make the scene as bright as the LCD. Sounds like you need a little basic photography principles instruction. You should register and start posting and asking questions on our forums: http://forums.photographyreview.com/
A couple of other resources you might find useful are our Photography Exposure Primer, and our Digital Camera Histogram Guide.
Hope that helps! Spread the word about our reviews, please!
I feel that there are only two things wrong(or need to be improved) on the TZ3
1) low light -> flash isn’t very strong, but you can boost up the ISO to 1600/(3200 for the sensitivie mode) but with noise
2) optical zoom (and AF)during movie mode…. COMEON!!!.. TZ1 had this feature(although its optical zoom was much quieter due to the folded optics)….. keep it in
hint: for the SD card…. if you get a 4GB and above, you have to get the SDHC standard…. cards labeled 4GB but not SDHC don’t comply to the standard and cannot be used here….. i personally have a SanDisk 4GB SDHC Class 2 (minimum write 2MB/s)….. the manual recommends at least 10MB/s, but my Class 2 card works:
Burst mode(3fps for 7(low quality) or 5(high quality)), works well on my card… movie mode works ok too(but i havent tried fillng up 2GB(max file size for one video) or 22minutes continuous video, my card might not be able to achieve such continuous video) … and if you get a SDHC card, dont get those off-brands, they aren’t made that well and i’ve seen reviews of those cards losing their glued construction and breaking
I’ve taken several photos with this camera and the results were terrible compared to what I got with my old Olympus Stylus 500.
Below you’ll find some samples:
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg89/tutemano/tz3mal3.jpg
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg89/tutemano/tz3mal.jpg
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg89/tutemano/tz3mal2.jpg
I would be glad if you could tell me which are the best settings for this camera to take good pictures (ISO at 100, Auto Mode, Intelligent Mode, etc.)
Thanks
Matias
Matias-
The three sample photos you linked to look fine to me. We’d have to see samples of what you were getting with your Olympus and you’d need to be more specific about what you do and don’t like. And this isn’t really the best place to do that. You should really post a question on our Digital Cameras forum. And you should also take a look at my Point-and-Shoot Digital Camera Tips article.
I hope that helps. Post some of these samples on the forum and tell us what you see as the problem. Then we can give you some specific advice.
Got this camera for Christams & have a few basic questions. I want to get another battery as a back up. Do I need to get a Panasonic brand? The battery I got with the camera doesn’t seem to have a very good life. I’m barely getting 100 photos before needing to recharge. What are the best memory cards to use for this camera?
Jem-
Congratulations on your TZ3. Its a super flexible camera and hopefully it will be great fo you. For questions about your camera you should post on the PhotographyREVIEW.com Digital Cameras forum. You’ll find a lot of information on that forum and you’ll get a better response as it’s really there for questions like yours.
Thanks for the comment. I’ll be watching for you on the forum
The Battery life is disappointing. I had to recharge the battery after every 50 shots. I am also worried when the flimsy battery door will come away. The tripod screw position is off centre and tilts when a table model short tripod was used. The audio even at full volume is hardly audible. The Panasonic sales outlet at the Sri Lankan Duty Free shop sells this otherwise EXCELLENT camera for a Duty Free price of Us$ 440/-
It is a shame, Lumix makers allow this Dealer to discredit them and their products.
Hi
Just bought this camera and on the same day found a serious bug. We tried 3 in the store they all do the same thing. In low light and without using the flash the camera defaults to -2 exposure setting. It doesn’t matter if you leave it set to “0″ or set it to +2 crazy. For example inside house at night with average lighting. Start the camera up set to macro mode. take photo at -2 0 +2 exposure they all look the same brightness. Note that initially when looking at LCD the the brightness does change with a change of the exposure setting but when the shot is taken the LCD changes to how it would look at the – 2 exposure setting. The photo when reviewed looks like it was taken with the exposure seting at -2… IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS ISSUE, I have searched the net no firmware upgrade. Seriously thinking about taking this back. I need this functionality for working on electronic CCTS. Maybe a bad batch …
I purchased this camera a year ago, preparing for a trip through the Grand Canyon. I continue to be amazed at its ease of use and the many options that it offers me.
Recently, my daughter lost her camera and I am now FORCED to think about whether or not to give her mine, or help her shop for a replacement, (she had a Canon). Normally I’d make a child suffer the consequences, but under the circumstances (she has borrowed my camera and has an affection towards it), I wonder if I should just treat myself to an upgrade? Hence the reason I’m here. Have there been refinements to an already superior product? I’ll have to read the news.
You can’t go wrong with this camera. I have loved mine.
ML-
You should upgrade!
There have been two subsequent Panasonic TZ models, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. They were both introduced this spring. They still have the Leica 10x optical zoom with 28mm wide-angle and optical image stabilization. They also have Panasonic’s latest processing – Venus Engine IV. So they should be faster and have better image quality. Some of the other feature upgrades are Intelligent Exposure, Intelligent ISO, Intelligent Scene Selector, and Face Detection. I reviewed the Panasonic Lumix FX35 this spring and got to try out those new features. I’m not easily impressed and I really liked some of those new options.
Also, please post a review for your TZ3. The foundation of this site is user reviews from people just like you. Here’s a link to the Panasonic TZ3 yser review page: http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/cameras/digital-cameras/6-to-7-megapixel/panasonic/PRD_385907_5648crx.aspx
Thanks for reading our review and posting your comment!
ML, I’d treat yourself!
I recently bought the TZ5 and am really enjoying it!
Oops, I mean TZ4.
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I’ve misplaced the user book for the TZ3. While recording video, is there a way to pause? Thanks
kittnluver-
We try to include a link a downloadable version of the camera manual in every pro review. Those are always at the end of the review under “Other Resources.” Looks like the link for the manual in this review isn’t working, though. So I dug up the page on the Panasonic site for you. If you go to this page there’s a link to download the manual:
Panasonic Lumix TZ3 Support >>
Just bought the TZ3 at a clearance sale last week. Today bought a 16gb Sandisk Ultra II card and it works well. A compatible battery, I found one for a very good price, will be getting a few soon just for standby. Check it out (http://www.sabahoceanic.com/epages/sabahoceanic.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/sabahoceanic/Categories/DigiC/Panasonic)
Need transfer cord from camera to computer.Thomasparmenter@msn.com
I’ve had my TZ3 for a long time now, and still love it. I rarely carry my Nikon D70 DSLR now.
I love the video mode despite the much-maligned inability to zoom during video shooting. Great for anything from a short clip to a 2GB file. Spent at least 4x$5 for extra Chinese batteries on eBay, and 2x$15 for 8GB SDHC Class 6 cards.
The sound is OK for most non-musical purposes but I wish it were better. Here is a continuous 75+ minute TZ3 video clip I took driving on a remote road/trail in Nevada, in the snow at night: ****** http://vimeo.com/6939153 ******
To post it under 500MB, I degraded the beautiful 848×480 10fps original to 320×240 at 5fps, and Vimeo then compressed it to a stupid 400×300 size. The video artifacts are not on the original MOV or the AVI.
10fps (vs its normal 30fps) conserves file size and increases the light gathering. The MOV file was 1.06GB vs the 2GB limit, so you might even get a 2h20m clip if you hacked external power.
I’m not sure if newer point/shoots with their smaller HD video pixels can duplicate the low-light, long duration performance of the TZ3 at 848×480 WVGA.
RAD Video Tools (free, uncrippled, from a company selling videogame development tools) is great for doing the MOV to AVI conversion. I hate MOV files too, but a converter like RAD eliminates that problem.
Regards,
John aka NikonF7 here aka JB737 on Vimeo