Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ18 review
Builds on its excellent predecessor with more of everything, but the competition has caught up.
Specifications
1/2.33in 14.1-megapixel sensor, 16.0x zoom (24-384mm equivalent), 210g
Automatic exposures were extremely reliable, with the camera picking the best shutter and ISO speed combinations to make the most of the available light. However, there was no getting away from this sensor’s noisy output. Even at iso 100, noise reduction gave details a slightly plastic appearance, as you can see here (click image to enlarge).
In addition, high-contrast lines and darker block colours were a little grubby. At faster ISO speeds, noise reduction obliterated fine details, but most photos looked OK when resized to fit a computer monitor. 720p videos are saved in the capacity-hogging Motion JPEG format and clips are limited to eight minutes, but quality was excellent and the zoom and autofocus motors didn’t spoil the soundtrack.
With the TZ8 currently available for £174 from Amazon, and the aging but more upmarket Panasonic Lumix TZ10 at £206, it’s hard to currently recommend the TZ18 with its modest improvements over the TZ8. The competition is better than ever, too, such as the Canon Ixus 1000 HS. The TZ18 is a dependable camera, though, and its superb lens keeps it in the running.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | **** |
| CCD effective megapixels | 14.1 megapixels |
| CCD size | 1/2.33in |
| Viewfinder | none |
| Viewfinder magnification, coverage | N/A |
| LCD screen size | 3.0in |
| LCD screen resolution | 230,000 pixels |
| Articulated screen | No |
| Live view | Yes |
| Optical zoom | 16.0x |
| Zoom 35mm equivalent | 24-384mm |
| Image stabilisation | optical, lens based |
| Maximum image resolution | 4,320×3,240 |
| Maximum movie resolution | 1280×720 |
| Movie frame rate at max quality | 30fps |
| File formats | JPEG; QuickTime (M-JPEG) |
Physical | |
| Memory slot | SDXC |
| Mermory supplied | 70MB internal |
| Battery type | Li-ion |
| Battery Life (tested) | 340 shots |
| Connectivity | USB, AV |
| HDMI output resolution | N/A |
| Body material | plastic |
| Lens mount | N/A |
| Focal length multiplier | N/A |
| Kit lens model name | N/A |
| Accessories | USB and AV cables |
| Weight | 210g |
| Size | 58x105x33mm |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | one-year RTB |
| Price | £230 |
| Supplier | http://www.askdirect.co.uk |
| Details | www.panasonic.co.uk |
Camera Controls | |
| Exposure modes | program, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual |
| Shutter speed | 60 to 1/4,000 seconds |
| Aperture range | f/3.3-6/3 (wide), f/4.9-6.3 (tele) |
| ISO range (at full resolution) | 80 to 1600 |
| Exposure compensation | +/-2 EV |
| White balance | auto, 4 presets, manual |
| Additional image controls | i.Exposure, Intelligent Resolution, Color Mode |
| Manual focus | No |
| Closest macro focus | 3cm |
| Auto-focus modes | multi, centre, spot, face detect, tracking |
| Metering modes | multi, centre-weighted, centre, face detect |
| Flash | auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, red-eye reduction |
| Drive modes | single, continuous, self-timer |
