Product Summary
Very good
The good: Compact size; 25mm optics with 8x zoom; effective image stabilizer; decent image quality; solid build. 7.4
out of 10View score
The bad: Mode dial easily turned to wrong position; uninspiring camera design.
The bottom line: The ZR1 is a good camera if you want a point-and-shoot with a long-zoom range, while the HD video-recording feature and 25mm lens greatly sweeten the deal.
Read full review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 »
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CNET Asia Review
The compact long-zoom category, which was once dominated by Panasonic, has seen its fair share of contenders this year. Brands such as Canon and Fujifilm are stepping up to compete in this field and we guess that's what drove Panasonic to expand its current TZ lineup. Enter the new ZR series, Panasonic's latest family of compact cameras with a long zoom lens, though it would not compete with the TZ family. Instead, the ZR lineup fills the gap between the FX and TZ series.
Besides the optics, what's also interesting about the ZR1 is the new image stabilizing system which we found to be very effective for taking handheld shots at night. The overall picture quality was impressive, too. So what aspect of the camera did we not like?
The design of the ZR1 is tried-and-tested, having been used on the TZ series. There is a small handgrip on the left which provides adequate traction for holding the shooter. At the immediate top is the mode dial which allows easy access by the index finger. A gripe we have with the mode dial is that it can turn 360 degrees. When we ferried it in our bag, there were occasions in which it turned to other modes or the empty space, and that didn't allow us to shoot pictures until we adjusted it to the proper setting.
The button configuration on the rear is the same as on most other Lumix cameras. There is a playback switch flanks the thumb rest and a four-way navigation pad nestles beside the 2.7-inch screen.
Overall, the build of the ZR1 is solid, but its uninspiring design doesn't make it stand out from its siblings and rivals.
Compared with the Coolpix S630 and Mju 7020, it is clear what the advantages of the ZR1 are--wider angle lens, slightly more zoom and HD video recording.
The ZR1 incorporates Panasonic latest optical image stabilizing system, Power O.I.S. According to the firm, the new implementation allows users to shoot handheld shots at even lower shutter speeds than the previous Mega O.I.S. In our tests, we managed to eke out sharp snaps at shutter speed of 1/4 second, which is pretty impressive for a point-and-shoot.
As with most other Lumix cameras on the market now, the ZR1 records video in AVCHD compression. It has the company's intelligent Auto mode which analyzes the scene and adjusts the exposure for the best shot. The Face Recognition feature allows you to register up to six profiles in the camera. When the camera sees them in the frame for other shots, focus and exposure priority would be given to them. We tried this function and found it to work well in most situations, though not surprisingly, the shooter failed to recognize registered faces in dimly lit areas.
Tags: Optical Zoom, ZR1, Face Recognition Feature, xD-Picture Card, Camera
Besides the optics, what's also interesting about the ZR1 is the new image stabilizing system which we found to be very effective for taking handheld shots at night. The overall picture quality was impressive, too. So what aspect of the camera did we not like?
Design
The ZR1 looks like its bigger sibling, the Lumix DMC-TZ7, except that it is much smaller. According to Panasonic, the petite size can be attributed to the 0.3mm-thin aspherical lens, which allowed the company to shrink the footprint of the camera considerably.)
The design of the ZR1 is tried-and-tested, having been used on the TZ series. There is a small handgrip on the left which provides adequate traction for holding the shooter. At the immediate top is the mode dial which allows easy access by the index finger. A gripe we have with the mode dial is that it can turn 360 degrees. When we ferried it in our bag, there were occasions in which it turned to other modes or the empty space, and that didn't allow us to shoot pictures until we adjusted it to the proper setting.
The button configuration on the rear is the same as on most other Lumix cameras. There is a playback switch flanks the thumb rest and a four-way navigation pad nestles beside the 2.7-inch screen.
Overall, the build of the ZR1 is solid, but its uninspiring design doesn't make it stand out from its siblings and rivals.
Features
In the compact long-zoom category, the ZR1 is at the lower end of the spectrum, having only 8x optical zoom as oppose to 12x on the TZ7. However, the 25mm ultra-wide-angle optics is a feature which shutterbugs will appreciate.| Specifications/model | Nikon Coolpix S630 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 | Olympus Mju-7020 |
| Sensor resolution | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Dimension/weight | 96.5 x 57.5 x 25.5mm/140g | 97.8 x 54.6 x 26mm/138g | 97.5 x 56.7 x 26.2mm/133g |
| LCD size | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch | 3-inch |
| Zoom/focal length | 7x/ 37-259mm | 8x/25-200mm | 7x/28-196mm |
| Max. video resolution | 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps | 1,280 x 720 pixels at 30fps | 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps |
| Image stabilizer | Optical (via lens) | Optical (via lens) | Sensor-shift |
| Memory media | Internal and SD/SDHC card | Internal and SD/SDHC card | Internal and xD-Picture Card (microSD compatible only with adapter) |
| Related links | Review | Overview |
Compared with the Coolpix S630 and Mju 7020, it is clear what the advantages of the ZR1 are--wider angle lens, slightly more zoom and HD video recording.
The ZR1 incorporates Panasonic latest optical image stabilizing system, Power O.I.S. According to the firm, the new implementation allows users to shoot handheld shots at even lower shutter speeds than the previous Mega O.I.S. In our tests, we managed to eke out sharp snaps at shutter speed of 1/4 second, which is pretty impressive for a point-and-shoot.
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As with most other Lumix cameras on the market now, the ZR1 records video in AVCHD compression. It has the company's intelligent Auto mode which analyzes the scene and adjusts the exposure for the best shot. The Face Recognition feature allows you to register up to six profiles in the camera. When the camera sees them in the frame for other shots, focus and exposure priority would be given to them. We tried this function and found it to work well in most situations, though not surprisingly, the shooter failed to recognize registered faces in dimly lit areas.
Tags: Optical Zoom, ZR1, Face Recognition Feature, xD-Picture Card, Camera
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