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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ15

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By Leonard Goh
Mar 31, 2008

Successor to the DMC-TZ3, Panasonic ramps up the specifications for its new flagship model, the TZ15. The sensor resolution has been increased from 7 to 9 megapixels, but still keeps the large 3-inch LCD display. A 10x optical zoom with a 28mm wide-angle lens sets this point-and-shoot to be one of the favorites among travelers. The TZ15 is also capable of capturing 720p HD-quality video. But if you are looking for a downscaled unit, you might want to consider the TZ11 (8-megapixel with no HD video recording) which was announced alongside the TZ15 at the PMA imaging show.

Design

At first glance, our eyes were immediately attracted to the large lens barrel on the shooter. It's no wonder considering that it houses a 10x optical zoom. Unlike the FX-36 (the current flagship model for the FX-series), the lens shield for the TZ15 is made of plastic. We are not very confident of the protection it can offer, but if you are going to bring this point-and-shoot around in a hardy pouch, it should be fine.

The left side of the camera is slightly thicker due to the handgrip, whose function is further enhanced by a vertical strip of textured rubber. This is an improvement over the TZ3 (with a horizontally positioned rubber strip) because there is now more rubberized surface area for our fingers to grip.

A playback switch is located beside the thumbgrip on the rear, and this is convenient for switching between shooting and playback mode.

The top dial rotates between iA (Intelligent Auto), normal, scene, video recording and clipboard mode. However, do keep in mind that the dial rotates 360 degrees, and when it is in an inappropriate position, the shooting function won't be able to operate.

While its predecessor, the TZ3, weigh 257g (with battery and memory media), the TZ15 manages to shed a few grams and tips the scale at 240g with the battery and flash card. So ladies, you may want to take note if you don't want to weigh down your handbag.

 
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