Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2 camera review. Review of compact cameras Panasonic Lumix DMC

Although the main requirement for cameras of this type is their compactness, this does not mean that all cameras will be similar to one another. It is clear that it is impossible to create an absolutely universal camera in principle, even if it is very, very large. Well, the smaller the size of the camera, the more difficult it is to make it universal, but even the smallest camera can be specialized and configured for some very specific task, for the solution of which it will be best suited.

Recall that the size of the camera is determined by the block that combines the matrix and the lens, and some kind of trim, which creates convenience in the process of shooting. This kit includes the body itself, which should be comfortable to hold and on which it is necessary to fit the controls; a screen or viewfinder with which the user must be able to aim at an object; and, finally, some related devices that are not directly related to photography, but which we managed to cram into the body, providing the camera with additional functionality.

If the task was simply to get photographs, then it would be possible to limit ourselves only to a matrix with a lens, connect it to a computer and take the desired picture. Moreover, the use of a small matrix and a short-focus small lens does not mean at all that the resulting device will be worse than a large one. As it has been written many times, for example in the article "About landscape photography, depth of field, real resolution and cameras of different sizes", a small sensor allows you to get a depth of field that is not available for a camera with a large sensor. At the same time, it is obvious that fewer photons can hit a sensitive element with a small area than a large one, and therefore, such a matrix will always have a low sensitivity.

Today we are reviewing a camera designed specifically for travelers. Of course, travelers are different - there are those who travel just for the sake of photography. This camera is not for them, but for those who simply want to be able to get relatively high-quality images at any time without burdening themselves with unnecessary burden. In addition, it is assumed that you are a civilized traveler, since the design of the camera does not provide additional protection from aggressive external environment. With some exaggeration, we can say that if you, armed with this camera, are brought into the forest, then there should be relatively frequent electrical outlets. Thus, we can formulate a conclusion: the camera device is designed for the fact that you travel overland and spend the night not in a tent, but in a hotel. With this in mind, the camera's capabilities should be recognized as very rich.

Appearance and specifications

Front view

Visible is a Leica lens with a focal length ranging from 4.3 to 68.8 mm. Relative aperture varies from 1: 3.3 (at minimum focal length) to 1: 5.9 (at maximum focal length). The lens has a built-in optical stabilizer of the proprietary Power O.I.S.
Focus range - 50cm (wide) / 2m (tele) - to infinity. For macro photography - from 3 cm. It is assumed that behind the lens there is a CMOS sensor, type 1 / 2.33 ″, size 6.12 × 4.51 mm, primary color filter, 14.1 megapixels. The aspect ratio of the matrix is ​​4: 3. Additional formats are obtained by trimming the edges. Accordingly, the maximum frame size in pixels is 4320 × 3240. With a side ratio of 1: 1, we get 3232 × 3232, and with 16: 9 - 4320 × 2432.

F = 4 mm; ISO-100; F: 4; 1/250 s

F = 4 mm; ISO-100; F: 4; 1/400 s

The camera is capable of recording video images at an aspect ratio of 16: 9 with frame sizes of 1920 × 1080 and 1280 × 720. Recording format - AVCHD and MJPEG. Menu selectable modes: GFS - 1920 × 1080 resolution with added GPS information, FHS - recording with 1920 × 1080 resolution, GS - recording with 1280 × 720 resolution with GPS information added, SH - recording with 1280 × 720 resolution. Those interested can download an example of a 25 MB video recorded in the AVCHD format (according to the VLC video player, the video was recorded with the H264-MPEG-4 AVC codec (part 10), a resolution of 1920 × 1080 and a frequency of 50 frames / s; A32 audio codec, stereo, sampling rate 48000 Hz).

The sensitivity of the matrix is ​​100-1600 ISO. How this affects the resolution of the frame, you can understand from the below images of the world and the gray scale at different sensitivities.

Color rendering is typical.

Automatic white balance. Test charts shot from the side to avoid glare

A flash with a guide number of 5 m is located on the side of the lens; below is its spectrum recorded by the Colormunki spectrophotometer.

Back view

Viewfinder - 3.0 ″, resistive, touchscreen LCD, approximately 460,800 dots. If these points are translated into terms that measure the resolution of the monitor, then we get approximately 450 × 340. The kit comes with a pretty pen unusual shape.

Feather

It should be noted that only the entrance to the menu can be tapped on the screen; in the menu itself, navigation is carried out by buttons and is not available for control either with a finger or a stylus.

The choice of shutter speed and aperture is carried out after pressing the Exposure button. The shutter is combined: electronic + mechanical. Shutter speed - 60 to 1/4000, Starry sky mode - 15 s, 30 s, 60 s. In burst shooting, the camera is very fast for its class. Mechanical shutter speed is approximately 10 frames / s (15 frames per burst / 14 megapixel frame). With electronic - 40 frames / s (50 frames / 5 Mp) - 60 frames / s (60 frames / 3.5 Mp).

To illustrate the high-speed capabilities of the camera, we present reduced fragments of images from a series taken at a speed of 40 frames / s and a resolution of 5 megapixels, every third frame of the series is shown.

Bottom view

The tripod socket is offset from the center of the lens. The cover has a rubber plug for the wire when connecting an external power source. Very interesting things are written about this food in the description. US. 28 paper version The "Basic Operating Instructions" states that the power source is 5.1 V AC. I really wanted to supply AC voltage to the camera and check if there was a diode in the electrical circuit, but, unfortunately, there was simply no suitable wire at hand. There is a battery and a memory card behind the cover, the camera allows you to use SD / SDHC / SDXC memory cards.

Lithium-ion battery (Li-ion) - Panasonic DMW-BCG10E: voltage - 3.6 V, capacity - 895 mAh, 3.3 Wh, a charger for it.

Charger - Panasonic DE-A66B: input - 110 V to 240 V, 50/60 Hz, 0.2 A; output - 4.2 V, 0.65 A.

Side view

Connectors: HDMI - MiniHDMI type C, monaural audio and video output / USB 2.0. A specialized proprietary 8-pin connector is used to connect the video output and USB. Video outputs (both digital and analog) work only in picture playback mode.

So far, nothing extraordinary is noticeable. Everything is like most cameras in the same size class. Camera dimensions: approx. 104.9 x 57.6 x 33.4 mm (excluding protrusions), weight approx. 219 g (with memory card and battery) and approx. 197 g (without memory card and battery). When folded, the camera is absolutely flat, so if, for example, while skiing, you fall with this camera in your pocket, then the lens will most likely not break your ribs. The camera body is metal, most likely, rather thin, we did not specifically test it for mechanical strength.

View from above

The top panel of the camera houses a monaural speaker, a GPS antenna, a GPS status indicator, a stereo microphone, a shooting mode dial, a shutter button with a zoom lever, a separate video button, and a switch.

The first major difference from other cameras is the GPS receiver with an LED that serves as an indicator of its operation. When traveling, the ability to snap pictures to geographic coordinates is a very useful feature. I have been using it for a long time, using a separate GPS navigator, and then synchronizing its records with pictures in time. How this is done is described in the article "Linking geographic information to photographs". Built-in GPS is, of course, more convenient if it's fast enough. And you can use the results by viewing the images together with a map, for example, in the XnView MP program.

If the GPS receiver was turned on simultaneously with the camera, it would have to wait, on average, about a minute until it finds satellites and determines the coordinates. Therefore, the camera provides the ability to keep the GPS receiver constantly on, to notify about what the LED on the top cover of the camera is intended. However, the camera's battery is far from bottomless, so if you are not going to shoot in the near future, then it is better to turn off the GPS navigator. The GPS receiver works quite accurately, however, when moving to a new location, if the system was unable to determine the coordinates, even if a lot of time has passed, then the first frame at the new location will most likely be recorded with the old coordinates. That is, in the absence of an accurate determination, the camera captures not the absence of coordinates, but the old coordinates. There is an item in the menu that allows you to control the time of recording coordinates, and if it is important for you to write down the exact coordinates, then you must remember to use it.

The next thing that certainly attracts attention is the shooting mode dial.

Two automatic modes should be noted here: iA (Intelligence AF) and P (Program AE), three scene modes: SCN (scene mode), MS1 (my scene 1), MS2 (my scene 2), CUST custom mode (recording images with pre-registered settings) and, finally, manual modes, which recently are not so common in compact cameras... This is purely manual mode M (manual exposure), in which we set shutter speed and aperture. If the sensitivity is also set in this mode, then it will be a really manual mode, but if you set the sensitivity to auto mode by setting the shutter speed and aperture, then the shooting conditions will not yet be unambiguously determined: the camera will try to automatically change the sensitivity so that the picture does not turn out the way you want, but the way she thinks is right. Manual mode A (aperture priority) is a more or less standard mode, except that at the maximum focal length you can choose from only two values: F: 5.9 and F: 6.3, that is, due to the aperture the illumination of the matrix can change by only about 15%. At a wide angle, we can already change the aperture from F: 3.3 to F: 6.3, that is, the illumination of the matrix changes 3.6 times. Minimum aperture size F: 6.3 is obviously diffracted. If we take the program for calculating the depth of field, then we get that already at aperture F: 5.6, the resolution will fall due to refraction, that is, the aperture, of course, can be closed further, but the payment for this will be a drop in the image resolution. Interestingly, in S mode (shutter priority), this is the case, because with a fixed shutter speed and sensitivity, the range of aperture change is so small that the camera, if necessary, is able to reduce the aperture to F: 8. In fact, the shutter priority mode in terms of functionality is not much different from the manual mode M. If the illumination during the shooting changes at least twice, then this mode can be used only by setting the automatic sensitivity selection.

And finally, for dessert, 3D mode. Stereo shooting is hidden under this name: the camera takes a series of 20 shots when you move the camera 10 cm - the mode is similar to shooting stereo panoramas at Sony cameras, - and then from the received images forms a stereo pair and records it in MPO format. For static objects far enough away, the result is perhaps even better than a G-series camera with a dedicated stereo lens.

F = 69 mm; ISO-100; F: 5.9; 1/250

P. S.

Of course, there was not enough time to travel with this camera during its testing, but the first impression is that the camera is very attractive and is able to cope with any task that arises during the trip. The wide-angle lens, which matches the 24mm film camera lens in angle of view, will cope with both landscape and architecture. A 16x change in focal length can turn the camera, if not into a telescope, then into 8x field binoculars. The speed of the camera will give you a sense of confidence in sports and the opportunity not to miss a chance to score. In most cases, a GPS receiver will not allow you to confuse what city was shot, and if you do not forget to control it, then most of the images will be linked with an accuracy of several tens of meters. Stereo mode will make it possible to see three-dimensional images on a stereo TV connected to the camera without additional work. Of course, the pursuit of excellence is endless. One should not expect a significant increase in sensitivity from compact cameras, but we would like to have a higher power-to-weight ratio. In the meantime, for the real traveler, we would recommend having a spare battery. It would not hurt to add dust and splash resistance to this camera. With such a large screen, a GPS receiver could act as a full-fledged GPS navigator; in fact, this requires only software solutions. And finally, the company could be more careful about the preparation of operating instructions.

Contents of delivery:

• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ1EE
• CGA-S007E Battery
• Charger
• Power cable
• USB cable
• AV cable
• Strap
• Software
• Lens cap
• Instructions

Back in April of this year at PHOTOFORUM 2006, having seen the Panasonic TZ1 for the first time, I noted for myself that the camera in reality is much larger in size than it might seem in the pictures.

And since we mentioned them, we will designate them in numbers: 112x58.1x40.2 mm (LxWxH). Weight - 262 g. Together, these values ​​mean that we have before us, though compact, but by no means a pocket device.

I would like to immediately thank the manufacturer for the high-quality plastic, which is used for the manufacture of bodies for many camera models, including the Lumix TZ1. The user receives not only a pleasant visual image, but also a comfortable tactile sensation.

Demanding to appearance amateur photographers can choose one of three body colors (dark blue, silver or dark gray). As you can see in the images, we tested the device in dark blue.

When looking at the front of the camera, the main focus is the silver lens barrel (with the Leica logo). The whole arrangement of elements, as it were, echoes the outlines of this "donut". Everything is done to make this, frankly, rather bulky design, look as light as possible. To some extent, the designers managed to achieve this. Rounded handle lines, rounded lettering. In this light, small elements, be it a flash or an AF-assist lamp, generally look decorative.

The observant reader has already noticed that the lens is covered by a cover. It has a cable mount (included), so it will be difficult to lose. By the way, despite its multiplicity, even in teleposition, the front edge of the zoom does not protrude much beyond the dimensions of the device. It won't even occur to those around you that you have a camera with 10x optical zoom in your hands.

On the side of the handle there is a special insert with a wrist strap attachment.

The top of the camera is full of controls. Here is the mode selector, and the power switch, and the MEGA O.I.S. image stabilizer control button, and, of course, the shutter release. It is framed by a circular zoom lever. Personally, such a solution for controlling a zoom lens is not very close to me, but since reputable developers persistently use it in their products, it means that it is not so important for most consumers.

There is a small wish for the future for the stabilization control button. In this implementation, it simply initiates a call to the submenu, in which you need to select the desired item with the arrows. I am sure that there will be a significant number of people for whom it is more convenient to make a choice without using the joystick, i.e. by pressing the button itself again, by analogy with selecting the desired flash mode or timer delay value. After all, there are only three points in it. If desired, you can even leave both control methods.

As for the control wheel, not everything is smooth with it. It is a little harsh and not all of the space is used for operating modes. It was more logical to either arrange the sectors more evenly, or add additional values ​​for operational control of modes, as, for example, in the Samsung S700 / S1000 models discussed earlier.

Considering that the camera is rather big in size, to put it mildly, the developers did not have any problems with the placement of elements on the rear panel. Even the 2.5-inch display is not visually large.

A convenient joystick is located in the lower right corner. Next to it are two service keys. There are no complaints about them.

Above this control group there is a small ledge for better "grip" of the camera. My personal subjective opinion is that it turned out to be a little scanty. And the finger would be more comfortable with a more streamlined flow. But in general, the design fulfills the function assigned to it: it does not allow the camera to slip out of the hands. With a mass like that of LumixTZ1 it is very likely. In addition, the design features are such that the weight balance is shifted to the side opposite to the handle. Given the lever (since the camera is quite long), this puts additional stress on the wrist, so it is important that the support elements help the photographer to hold the device with the least amount of effort. This is a kind of payment for a revolutionary design.

The power connector and the interface connector are located on the opposite edge from the handle. Close tightly with a lid. It is convenient to use them. No complaints.

The developers took into account that the weight balance was shifted to the side and placed the tripod mounting thread in the heavier part of the camera. It is a little embarrassing that it is plastic. It's not the lightest camera. But, on the other hand, the overwhelming majority of potential buyers of such cameras do not use tripods, and this nuance is of secondary importance for them.

On the edge opposite to the thread there is a battery compartment cover. Easy to open / close, provided with a latch. Next to the battery is a memory card slot.

As always, at the end of the section, a few words about Russification. Almost everything is in order in both the junior and senior models. High-quality translation of system messages and menus, however, there were several points that the translation for some reason did not touch. One of the best manuals in the industry. Those who come across photography for the first time will find it especially useful to read.

In the "Scene" mode, each plot program is supplied with a detailed Russian-language description, so it will be quite easy to choose the one you need.

Menu

First of all, I would like to note the competent structure of the menu. It consists of only two sections: shooting and general camera settings.

It was nice to note high quality design of the menu, icons and system messages of the camera. Some points would be useful for some less advanced manufacturers in this regard.

Large print, well-drawn icons, animation, and easy-to-read presentation of information are comfortable in the settings menu. For example, changing the brightness of the monitor or the volume of the sound. In our case, the user sees the entire range scale, where he can set the desired level. Other manufacturers instead suggest flipping through some abstract numbers. This seems to be not bad, but clarity lies in the little things, and not everyone pays such close attention to them.

The second prime example is the choice of the time zone. The consumer is offered not just a list of cities, but a whole world map, where the current time zone is highlighted. It can be easily changed if desired. It is in this visual vein that, in my opinion, the interfaces of digital devices should develop.

A small drawback should be noted. Some of the dropdown submenus are not circular. For example, the Image Stabilizer has items "OFF", "MODE1", "MODE2". You cannot go from the third point directly to the first.

A few words about the display of information in the shooting mode. The data is displayed on transparent gray underlays for readability. This is a plus. The downside is that it would be good to move them closer to the edges, thereby freeing up space in the center.

If necessary, you can generally leave a blank screen without data permanently present on it. Such a mode is provided in the camera, it is easy to turn it on with the corresponding key.

Electronics and components

Sensor. The camera is equipped with a CCD sensor of our own (Matsushita Electric) production with a total resolution of 6.3 megapixels. Of these, 4.9 million are involved in the formation of the image, although 5 million are indicated in advertising brochures and on the official website (panasonic.ru), which is a little untrue. This gap of almost 1.3 megapixels is due to the design features of the image stabilization system.

Physical size - 1 / 2.5 - popular among amateur photography equipment. The maximum image resolution is 2560x1920 pixels.

The sensitivity range ranges from ISO 80 to 1600.

CPU. It is simply criminal to ignore this element. The camera in question is equipped with a new Venus Engine III. According to the manufacturer, it reduces the shutter lag to 0.006 s, and also allows you to get better quality images in terms of noise at high ISO values.

The speed of the autofocus system also depends on its performance.

Optical system. Consists of 12 elements in 10 groups (3 aspherical lenses). Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 10x zoom lens, focal length - 5.2-52 mm (35-350 mm equivalent to 35 mm). The aperture in the wide-angle position is F2.8-5.0 (2 steps), in the body - F4.2-7.1 (2 steps). It turns out that only two positions are possible: the diaphragm is open and closed.

We talked about the uniqueness of the design of the lens installed in the Lumix TZ1 in the material from the Photoforum 2006. Let me remind you briefly. The peculiarity lies in the fact that it is constructed from two modules. One is retractable, which we are accustomed to, and the other is internal. They are located perpendicular to each other. Light passes through the first, from a specially designed element is reflected in the second, and then it hits the sensitive sensor. Due to this original solution, the possibility of 10x optical zoom is achieved.

But besides this, the camera implements the EZ (Extra Zoom) system, which increases the focal length range to 35-437.5 mm when choosing a picture resolution of 3 megapixels and below. And this is no less than 12.5 times optical increase.

In addition to this, the camera is equipped with a proprietary stabilization system MEGA O.I.S.

The minimum focusing distance in macro mode is 5-100 cm. Depending on the selected focal length.

In normal mode, the distance looks like this: 40 cm in the wide-angle position and 200 cm in the body.

Focusing. TTL autofocus, the correctness and speed of which depends directly on the agility of the processor and the efficiency of image analysis algorithms. The already mentioned Venus Engine III is designed to speed up the work of this system.

You can choose one of five modes at your discretion: priority of the central zone, priority of the central zone of high-speed, three-point high-speed, 9-point, of the central point.

To our joy, the clarification "high-speed" is not an empty phrase. Indeed, in this mode the camera focuses 50% faster than in the usual one.

Judging by the fact that at this moment the image on the screen freezes, this is achieved by redistributing the processing power of the processor in favor of the focusing algorithms.

Display. Polycrystalline TFT-screen with a resolution of 207000 pixels and a size of 2.5 ”. It has a Power LCD active backlight mode (for backlit shooting) and a High Angle mode. The latter allows you to clearly see the picture during foreshortening. Namely, at the moment when the camera is overhead.

If we look from top to bottom, this mode cannot help us in any way.

Memory. The built-in memory is only 13.4 MB. Enough is that trying out the camera. For more comfortable shooting, of course, it makes sense to purchase an SD / MMC card up to 2 GB. It is this volume that the device supports. Often in forums, the question arises whether it is possible to remove this restriction; the answer is no. Everything rests on the design features of the device. Rumor has it that future versions of cameras will allow more memory space to be addressed.

The average size file - about 2.2 MB. Simple mathematical calculations show that about 930 images at maximum resolution will fit on a card of maximum capacity.

Data transfer. The data transfer speed was disappointing - an average of 750 KB / sec. Poor result by today's standards. Developers need to be more attentive to the consumer and save their time. In addition, while the camera is connected to the computer, the LCD screen is constantly on. This, in turn, will affect the battery charge, because the screen is one of the main consumers of energy in the camera.

Nutrition. So we come to the now fashionable topic of energy security. What we have. The main consumers are a new processor with lower power consumption and a bright large screen. They are powered by a 3.7 V lithium battery with a capacity of 1000 mAh. According to the manufacturer's measurements, one charge is enough for 250 shots (CIPA test). During our tests with a new battery (it was not yet working at full capacity), we managed to take about 160 frames, plus active viewing.

Time delays

Functionality

Assessing the functionality of a camera is not an easy task. After all, we have an "ultrazoom" (10-12.5x) with optical image stabilization and a wide range of sensitivity. However, manufacturers deliberately cut functionality in other areas. Although the original functions were added, but first things first.

In fact, the Panasonic Lumix TZ1 belongs to the “point and shoot” camera class. This means that the intervention of the photographer in the filming process is minimal. To understand this, just look at the mode dial. Behind the heart is a full automatic machine - for those who only know the "shutter" button.

For a little more advanced there is a "Scene" mode. It is noteworthy that he is not one, but two of them. Quite an original move. The manufacturer allows the photographer to choose the most relevant set of presets at the moment and turn it on by simply turning the dial. For example, during the day you can choose "portrait" and "landscape", and in the evening - "night portrait" and "starry sky".

Each of the modes is supplied with detailed reference information. Just press the left arrow and the camera will display a description of the mode you are interested in.

We will not describe all 18 in detail, we will just name them: portrait, delicate skin, landscape, sports, night portrait, night landscape, self-portrait, food, party, candles, fireworks, starry sky, beach, flight, snow, child 1, child 2 (we talked about them in the Panasonic Lumix FX01 review), high sensitivity, underwater photography (you need a waterproof box to dive under water).

High sensitivity mode allows you to take pictures at ISO 800 to 1600. The camera sets the value automatically. We will evaluate the results a little below. But the opportunity itself is already pleasant.

The White Balance (WB) menu item appears first in the list. It cannot boast of many parameters. Behind it are three color temperature presets for sunlight, cloudiness and incandescent lamps, in addition to them there is an automatic and, which is important in this case, a manual mode.

Everyone must independently decide for themselves whether the frankly small number of BB modes is a disadvantage. In my opinion, more importantly, it is possible to configure it manually.

Somehow, imperceptibly, we moved on to more advanced functions that are available in the "autoexposure" mode. Here the user can manually set the operating mode of many systems.

For example, it is possible to choose continuous autofocus when shooting moving subjects or slow shutter. The lower barrier of the longest exposure is peculiar - from 1/8 to 1 sec. You cannot manually set the exposure parameters. However, you can influence them indirectly: make exposure compensation +/- 2 Ev in 1/3 Ev steps or use one of three possible ways exposure metering (intelligent, matrix, spot).

For a more accurate assessment of the brightness of the future image, the developers have implemented the ability to view a live histogram. Of course, it is not as informative as in Olympus cameras, but it helps to make the right decision. In case of special doubts, the brace mode (+/- 1 Ev) will come to the rescue.

Along with the histogram, the camera can recognize overexposure areas. If this mode is enabled, then when viewed, they will be displayed in a special way.

For those who require images other than 4: 3 aspect ratio, the menu has the ability to select 3: 2 or 16: 9. True, they are obtained by trite cropping of a large shot, so it is more expedient to shoot with a value of 4: 3, and then transform the result as you please.

In the process of shooting, you can choose one of four image effects: cold, warm, black and white, sepia.

The cunning developers deliberately did not implement the ability to manually change the sharpness and saturation settings. Instead, they created a "Image Adjustment" item, behind which there are only three presets (Natural - natural, Standard - standard, Vivid - rich), which they forgot to translate into Russian. But most importantly, there is a simple combination behind them. Natural = soft sharpness + reduced saturation, Vivid = increased sharpness + increased saturation, Standard represents some intermediate neutral values. This mode is set by default in the camera.

For those who intend to get a camera and a graphics editor in one body, the Lumix TZ1 is not suitable. He knows how to carry out the simplest operations with photographs: viewing, rotating, resizing and cropping. In the viewing mode, it is possible to display detailed shooting information on the screen. For those who like to store all pictures on a USB flash drive, the "digital album" function is implemented, sorted by date.

There is such a rare feature as animation in the camera. Quite ingenuous, but useful effect. We shoot in a certain mode a series (up to 99) frames with a resolution of 320x240 pixels, after which the camera can stitch them into a single movie (5/10 fps). It turns out a miniature animation.

Knows how to record a camera and clips with sound. Their length is limited only by the size of the memory card. The compression format is MJPEG, the resolution is 640x480 and, what is remarkable, 848x480 pixels. The frame rate is 30 per second. In video mode, a stabilizer and even a zoom (less than 10x) work.

This is approximately the same set of functions that Panasonic offers to buyers of the Lumiz TZ1.

Shooting

Sensor. The resolution of the photomatrix is ​​not high (2560x1920), we found it out in the previous section, and there was a hope to see a picture perfectly clear of noise at least at low sensitivity values. After all, the dimensions of the light-collecting cell are not the smallest, the processor is new and, as we are assured, fast. But, alas, noises can be traced even at the minimum ISO 80. We are talking about color noise (brightness is rather weak), to which the blue and red channels make the main contribution. Their influence is most significant.

We can note the positive fact that approximately the same picture can be traced up to ISO 400. It has one interesting feature. Visually, it is noticeable that ISO 200 is more noisy than ISO 400.

During tests, it was noted that the camera takes more time to process a picture taken at high sensitivity. In this regard, the speed of continuous shooting decreases. The change occurs just at the 400-unit turn. This indicates that noise reduction algorithms are more actively involved in the work. In this regard, the detailing decreases.

An inquisitive eye will notice that along with the noise, chromatic aberration artifacts are also miraculously cleaned up. As the saying goes, "every cloud has a silver lining"

It turns out that quality the picture can be obtained only in the sensitivity range of 80-100 units. This could be explained if we were dealing with a 10 megapixel sensor, but we have only 6.3 megapixels, and the working resolution is even less. Although, in my opinion, in most everyday cases even ISO 800 is suitable for shooting. Printing formatted photos (ISO 200-800) will be quite problematic.

But the increased sensitivity (1600) gives us such a "watercolor" that hardly anyone will find it useful for themselves. It is enough to look at the picture to feel the difference between the minimum and maximum sensitivity.

Considering the low level of brightness noise, pictures in b / w tones look quite clean (ISO 80-200), without any grain.

Optics. The special structure of the lens requires increased attention to image quality. And, as tests have shown, the developers coped with the task with dignity. A small “cushion” is noticeable in the wide-angle position. As the focal length increases, the picture is straightened.

The minimal presence of chromatic aberrations was a pleasant surprise. But the design features with a high probability could lead to their appearance. They are there, but a small level allows us to speak of a good quality of optics. Especially when you consider that we have a 10x zoom.

The effectiveness of the Image Stabilizer in Panasonic cameras has been repeatedly evaluated in various reviews and tests. The current implementation is in no way inferior to the previous options. The test shots show that it cannot replace a tripod in very poor lighting conditions, but it can significantly improve the picture quality. (/ antishake)

Macro. The Lumix TZ1 activates this mode with the control wheel, while most manufacturers assign this function to one of the joystick arrows. It differs from the autoexposure mode only in the changed focusing distance, everything else works the same.

The test shots show that in macro mode, the central part is sharper than the edges. By the way, small chromatic aberrations are noticeable in the peripheral areas. There are also significant geometric distortions. The minimum shooting distance of 5 cm allows the use of the built-in flash. But here you need to be careful and make the exposure compensation in the minus, since in such cases significant overexposures are possible.

Color rendering. Color accuracy can be assessed by a test shot: the right field is the color that the camera produces at ISO 80 (exposure compensation +1/3), the left is the sample reference. Beforehand, the white balance was set manually on a white sheet. In some cases, there are dips in the blue color channel, red and especially green behave more predictably.

But there are no gross errors, skin tones are transmitted correctly, the automatic WB works stably. In addition, there are a number of built-in color effects.

Exposition. Camera automation is prone to slight underexposure. Estimated -0.4 Ev. The dynamic range of the matrix is ​​not wide, but it could pretend to be, given the low resolution. Apparently, not everything is perfect with the matrix-processor bundle, as we would like. In this regard, the exposure metering system does not always manage to correctly fit a complex subject into a fairly narrow range of brightness.

Video filming. Along with the video itself, its first frame is saved - for ease of orientation. In general, the video quality is good, and considering that there is a possibility of zooming during shooting, this mode is also quite interesting functionally. If we remember that there is also the possibility of optical stabilization, then the system becomes quite attractive. In addition, for those who keep up with the times, widescreen mode will be the topic.

conclusions

• The smallest size in its class.
• Optical Image Stabilizer.
• Good build quality.
• Convenient menu.
• Great screen with exclusive viewing function.
• Sufficiently high speed of work.
• A decent lens in terms of picture quality.
• Good video mode with zoom capability.
• The presence of a live histogram and the ability to view overexposed areas.
• The ability to arbitrarily select any program mode for the two sectors of the steering wheel.
• Excellent instruction manual.

AGAINST:

• Quite noisy for a small-resolution matrix images, starting from ISO 200, with all the ensuing problems.
• Lack of manual settings for exposure parameters.
• Offset center of gravity.

Outcome

As you can see, there are much more arguments “For” than “Against”, but among the negative ones, there is one, but quite weighty.

If we regard the release of this camera as a premiere, then, most likely, it deserves a good assessment. First of all, it captivates with its speed and logical control. For the entire time of our short acquaintance with her, we did without a single negative emotion.

The camera occupies a somewhat privileged niche between traditional ultrazoom and compact cameras for everyday use. It is impossible to give an unambiguous assessment. On the one hand, the experienced photographer will feel the lack of manual adjustments. On the other hand, those who shoot primarily in automatic modes will find the Lumix TZ1 very attractive.

All the advantages of cameras of this class are revealed in field conditions, when it is rather problematic to get close to the subject. Given its good focusing speed, the TZ1 is suitable for journalists and publications whose budget is still limited.

Undoubtedly, Panasonic has put in this system good potential for the future, which can be used for a long time to come. I think in the near future we will see the TZ2 with improved capabilities.

As of this writing, the retail price of the camera was around $ 390.

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Suddenly, unexpectedly, I got a camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, with two lenses: 1: 3.5-5.6 / 14-42 and 1: 4-5.6 / 45-200. I must say that by nature I am a convinced canonist, all last years I shoot exclusively with Canon (albeit not a pro, but also with compacts and an old amateur DSLR Canon EOS 350D). And, perhaps, many have noticed that I like to shoot close-ups and other distant natural objects. Therefore, the question arose about buying a telephoto lens, I already looked after a model for myself, and just then Lumix was formed.

First, some general information. Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 belongs to the type of "mirrorless" cameras, but according to the reviews of manufacturers and a number of consumers, it may well compete with DSLRs. Of course, it's hard for me to judge here - I'm an ordinary amateur, nothing more.

Below are some specifications:

What I liked:

1. Weight of the camera. Even with a telephoto lens, it is considerably lighter than my old DSLR.

2. Display of the histogram at the moment of focusing and overexposures on the captured frame. Other cameras do this as well, but here it is convenient that everything is in the electronic viewfinder.

3. Shooting in RAW and AdobeRGB format.

4. Fast burst shooting.

5. A large number of settings. If you don't want to mess with them, there is a good automatic mode.

6. Absence of chromatic aberrations.

7. The presence of a rotatable LCD monitor, which allows you to shoot from the ground, from outstretched hands, etc.

What did not like:

1. A set of lenses: 14-42 and 45-200 mm. Regular - 14-42. It turns out that there is no universal zoom lens, you need to take both with you and change as needed. I looked at the site foto.ru, but, alas, I could not find a universal car 🙁

2. The battery runs out very quickly - one is enough for 240-260 frames. You need to buy in addition.

3. The telephoto lens sometimes misses the autofocus, especially when you need to focus on some small object close up.

Overall, the camera is very decent. And now I'm thinking: what kind of camera should I take on a trip? Canon EOS 350D with Canon EFS 17-85 1: 4-5.6 lens or new Panasonic ...

And now - photographs. I mainly shot with a telephoto lens. different flowers and insects.

White acacia flowers came out very well - a tall tree grows near our house, and flowers are at the very top. And here - as if next:

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"Well, why are you so scary?"
Philosophical question for the Panasonic DMC-S2 camera.

Talking about the compact camera Panasonic DMC-S2, I will not use the creepy phrases about "lens focal length" or "relative aperture". Simply because 99.99% of potential users of this camera have never heard such nonsense. And they don't want to hear. They are doing it right. There are many other bad words in great and mighty to reveal all the virtues of the DMC-S2. Well, let's get started.

Is this design?

Compact, small, weightless - that's all about her, the Panasonic DMC-S2. The model is definitely female. And even a little girlish. In theory. Almost everyone is a little more severe and dorkier. From the front, the camera looks very even. The dark body is nicely brightened up by a blue sticker indicating the presence of an optical image stabilizer.

On the sides and top there is a shining metal plate that gives the slim design a noble look and strength.

However, the sirloin is a full arctic fox. If I had seen this camera for the first time, lying on the table with the lens down, I would have thought that my wife had bought another Chinese toy for the child. Matte black plastic that gives off (though not smelling well) of cheapness, bright silver buttons, on which you cannot see the markings. How did it happen, Japanese comrades? Yes, for devices with such a design in our bazaar they usually ask for a couple of dozen hryvnias. Well, a few hundred at most. For a bucket.

The matte plastic of the case is not easily soiled and does not collect prints. Well, nothing, but the glossy screen "fulfills" for everyone. Taking the camera out of a case or pocket, you involuntarily gently touch the glossy display with your fingers. In response, it instantly becomes covered with bright, juicy prints. And when you try to wipe the screen, very funny patterns appear on it. The beauty! Then for some reason I immediately remember the winged words: “Do you want me to knock him? It will turn purple, speckled! "

In general, a female, family camera presupposes a bit of image. Well, at least a little. To have something to sparkle in front of blonde friends and girlfriends. And here there is no "kakbe" image. Not an ounce. And that's the problem. The fact that this model is available in silver, purple and pink in no way makes an attractive thing out of a cheap toy.

Now for the good. About the sizes. The camera is a little taller than a standard AA AA battery in height and is practically equal to it in thickness. The camera fits easily into clothes: I dragged it in the pocket of my trousers and shorts, additionally hiding it in a thin cloth case. The lightweight DMC-S2 does not bulge out the pocket at all, being noticeably inferior in thickness to the wallet. Of course, the dimensions of the camera are what you need, in terms of carrying it is very convenient, to be sure.

The camera has a non-standard interface connector that concentrates USB and analog video output with mono sound.

There is a USB cable for synchronization with a PC. But the video cable is not provided. Well, that's okay, very few people need it. But why cut off the power cord for the battery charger ?! I admit the charger is now kosher. But the short wire does not allow the charger to reach the table top, as a result, somewhere in the hotel, the connected charger will be forced to lie on the floor. Have you had any incidents with stepping on electrical appliances? No? So there will be!
And the camera comes with a small hand strap. This strap wants to spank all the Japanese priests who created the Panasonic DMC-S2 design.

The battery is not surprising with its capacity, it is enough for just over 200 shots.

On your marks

The camera turns on quickly, literally in two seconds. It takes another second or two to focus, and the DMC-S2 is ready to capture the moment for history. For a compact camera, tiny Panasonic is nimble enough. And its screen is pleasant: non-grainy, clear and contrasting. You can display a grid on the display, which is convenient for shooting. You can only blame the fact that the screen has the worst viewing angle from the bottom. Therefore, it is inconvenient to shoot by raising the camera above the people in front. Not only does the image fade, but the glossy screen also tends to glare.

Good menu ...

In the menu, you can select not only standard 4: 3 frames with different resolutions, but also 3: 2 frames, convenient for printing 10x15 photos without cropping the edges of the picture. And also to make widescreen 16: 9 frames for easy viewing on a modern TV or use as wallpaper on a monitor. Even a square 1: 1 aspect ratio is available to the user.

There is no mode selection wheel on the compact camera body; it is replaced by a button that gives out such a selection menu.

Scene modes are widely represented, and access to them is quick, for an amateur camera it is.

... With a bad game

What does an ordinary user want from a camera? "Press the button and you will get the result." On the machine, the camera shoots not so hot: it tries to raise the ISO sensitivity level in order to get a bright picture. And it does it where it is not needed, in a room well lit by the sun. Having been with Panasonic DMC-S2 on children's matinee I brought home a lot of disappointment. Very grainy photos. Excuse me, I photographed children, not caviar! Why do I need such increased graininess ?!

At low ISO sensitivities, the camera is visibly dark. With manual settings, on the machine - no difference. Areas in the shadows turn black, as if someone had smeared everything with ink. Increase exposure manually? No way! In the frame, the light elements are already merging into a solid white mass. Having raised the exposure, even blacks can easily be made pale! Perhaps the creators of the camera decided to implement an innovative super-narrow dynamic range?

An example of shooting at ISO 100: dark shadows and a bright dog.

In addition, the faces and hands of people in the frame lose detail and seem to be retouched. As for the retouching of frames, then, apparently, the camera has a very impressive digital noise suppression system. These very noises are not noticeable even in frames with ISO 400, which is rare for compact cameras. In general, ISO 400 turned out to be the only normal sensor sensitivity value at which it would be worth taking most of the frames. Above it makes noise, below it darkens. All other ISO values ​​in the menu are added according to the old Japanese principle of "shob bulo".

ISO 400 sensitivity. Getting ready for the matinee. Tired.

The flash of the Panasonic DMC-S2 is frankly narrow-eyed and low-powered. She takes out at most a meter and a half. The result is sad: even in a small illuminated room, we get fucking shots, with a bright foreground and a "backside" drowning in semi-dark intimacy.

Dark backdrop

Therefore, the camera is absolutely not suitable for filming evening feasts and taverns. And God forbid you to use a zoom of more than 1x with a flash on objects that are more than one and a half meters away! You will get horrible, dark shots. Gloomy shots at large zooms are a problem with all compact cameras. But due to a particularly weak flash Panasonic DMC-S2 stands out especially brightly dark even here.

In bright sunlight and the absence of too-contrasting objects, the Panasonic DMC-S2 finally ceases to demonstrate its craving for the destruction of low-contrast shades and normally shoots both at a wide angle with a minimum and maximum zoom.

Minimum zoom. Wide angle lens position.

Maximum zoom. Tele-position of the lens.

Shooting panoramas is a separate wonderful tale. With a sad end. When the panorama mode is selected, the camera draws a narrow strip on the captured frame, from which the future panorama will be glued. By guiding the camera along this strip, it is quite easy to create a neatly stitched panorama. But - with a depressingly low resolution! Even on an HD monitor it is not very pleasant to look at it, and to print such an outrage is out of the question.

Panorama example

Was there a boy?

The DMC-S2 camera has a wonderful ability to shoot HD video 1280x720p. The video, by the way, is quite decent in quality. I admit, I even blinded some HD video out of it for 5 minutes. Alas and ah, it is absolutely impossible to use Panasonic DMC-S2 as a camcorder when going on vacation! Judge for yourself. Panasonic DMC-S2 records video in Motion JPEG format. 4 minutes of this video takes about 1 GB of memory. For comparison: a digital camcorder can store an hour of compressed video in 720p quality on 1GB of memory. But this is not about that. And that on the 8GB SDHC memory card inserted into the Panasonic DMC-S2, the camera without blushing suggested to record as much as 8 and a half minutes of video. How short a vacation should it be to take pictures of so much?

Conclusion

The Panasonic DMC-S2 camera has clearly demonstrated why Japan is rapidly diving in the ranking of the largest economies in the world. And Japanese companies are diligently calculating losses. Releasing devices in which a lot of functions are simply impossible to use for their intended purpose, it is difficult to count on a different result. And this is Japanese technology of the XXI century ?! Sta-do-ba !!! We put out the light.

Night shot example, handheld

Total: If you take it, it is not clear why.

Why yes:

• Small size and weight
• Fast start
• Intuitive menu

Why not:

• Rogue design
• Weak flash
• Unimportant job automatic settings
• Mediocre photos
• Low resolution panoramas
• Motion JPEG video recording

Specifications:

If you have filmed or studied Sony NEX, you are probably already on your guard. The organization of the operation of this camera through only two buttons and the scrolling disc made the camera very inconvenient at the initial stage and rather slow in operation in the long run. But in the case of the Lumix GF3, things are a little different.

As soon as you take the camera in your hands and touch the display a couple of times, all doubts disappear. The camera is fast to navigate. You can set the focus area, various shooting settings, and switch between shooting modes in a matter of fractions of a second. Many settings are set even faster than in SLR camera- for example, switching autofocus methods, flipping through menus and photos. Compared to the GF2 and G3, the interface has changed even more towards comfortable finger control - the virtual buttons have become larger.

Screen / viewfinder

The display can be used as a large shutter button; this is convenient for overhead and waist-level photography, or if you want to take pictures without attracting attention. The touch menu can be customized by dragging and dropping the necessary icons to the right places. Tapping sets the AF area, indicates the point at which the tracking autofocus is to be carried out. All this is convenient and will require minimal time to get used to if your previous camera did not have a touch screen.

By the way, the main menu strongly resembles the Sony NEX interface - six rectangles leading to various settings. Manufacturers are happy to borrow solutions from competitors, and this applies not only to Samsung and Apple.

The screen is a three-inch TFT matrix with a resolution of 460,000 pixels, familiar to us from previous Lumix models. The display coating has become even more solid, it is easy to confuse it with a capacitive display, although in fact it is a very high quality resistive screen. You can control both your nails and your fingertips. A stylus is not needed at all for comfortable work with the interface.

On the other hand, Panasonic has been reluctant to increase the screen resolution for several years now, while the resolution is higher on competing cameras. Samsung NX11 has an energy efficient OLED-matrix with a resolution of 614,000 pixels, while Sony NEX gets 3-inch screens with a resolution of 920,000 pixels.

Camera functionality

The camera has impressive post-processing capabilities and a good set of creative effects, among which there are both color schemes and favorite programs for film simulation, miniature effect, HDR, and so on. There are so many fine settings in the camera that even the owners of semi-professional DSLRs will envy - about 20 pages with five parameters on each page.

The Lumix GF3 is compatible with all Micro Four Thirds lenses. And it is sold in two kit sets: with a pancake lens 14 / 2.5 or with a zoom of 14-42 / 3.5-5.6.

Let us remind you that in the summer, along with this camera, the Leica DG SUMMILUX 25 mm / F1.4 ASPH lens, which is very important for Micro Four Thirds cameras, was announced. This is a high-aperture "fifty kopeck piece" for mirrorless cameras. With a 2.0 crop factor, it gives the same angle of view as a 50mm lens on a full-frame DSLR camera. The outer lens has a special nanocrystalline coating that dampens unwanted reflections. In addition, the lens features excellent bokeh, sharpness and easy manual focusing. It also allows us to consider the new models as a full-fledged replacement for a DSLR with an inexpensive portrait lens. It's also easy to shoot in the dark with a shallow depth of field.

In spite of the fact that the camera sensor has remained practically unchanged, i.e. uses the same 12-megapixel LiveMOS sensor as in its predecessors, the GF3 features the new Venus Engine VII HD processor. He increased the frequency of the sensor call up to 120 times per second, which made the picture on the display very smooth and accurate, and also increased the autofocus speed. Thanks to the new processor, the burst speed has also increased. Now it is 3.8 frames per second. The predecessor model, the Lumix GF2, could only shoot at 2.8 fps with the Lumix GF2. The sensitivity scale starts at ISO 160, this was done during the process of recalibration of the sensor by the company's engineers. There is also an Intelligent Auto + shooting mode with additional shooting control functions, manual focusing "picture in picture". Intelligent Auto mode automatically controls shutter speed, aperture, ISO, recognizes people's faces in the frame, keeps tracking focusing for moving objects. After working with the iA + mode for a while, many photographers will find it very appealing. For those who are not enough, there is a full set of Creative Zone modes - P, A, S and M with all the necessary settings.