Panasonic LUMIX DC-TZ90EB-K 30x Travel Zoom Camera - Black

Product Information

As before, Panasonic’s 4k Photo modes provide a fun way of exploiting the fact 4k video captures an 8 Megapixel image up to 30 times a second. Panasonic equips its 4k Photo cameras with menus that let you easily capture bursts of video before scrolling through the footage and extracting the perfect frame as a JPEG image, all in-camera. You could of course frame grab from video externally, but Panasonic has made it easy to perform the whole process in-camera. The Lumix TZ90 / ZS70 is the third generation to include a built-in 1166k dot electronic viewfinder, the same one featured on the higher-end Lumix TZ100 / ZS100. An eye-sensor and a button for toggling between the viewfinder and the screen which doubles up as Fn4 works in the same way as other recent Lumix models with three options – viewfinder, screen or eye sensor, the latter activating the viewfinder when you put your eye to it and the screen at all other times. Approx. 322 g with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.71 lb)/Approx. 280 g without Battery and SD Memory Card (0.62 lb)

The TZ90 / ZS70’s combined battery and card compartment is accessed via a door in the base – note it’s not possible to change the card or battery when the camera is mounted on a tripod. The BLG10E battery (the same one used in the TZ80 / ZS60) provides enough power on a full charge for 380 shots using the screen exclusively or 250 shots with the EVF so, in practice, probably somewhere between the two. That’s a little better than the 250 shots you’ll get with the Canon PowerShot SX730 HS, but the SX730 HS’s Eco energy saving mode extends that to a more generous 355 shots. The electronic viewfinder is on the small side, but it’s usable – particularly in very sunny situations, where bright light might preclude the use of the screen. Of course, there are also folk who just prefer to compose that way.The Lumix TZ90 / ZS70’s front grip is a good size and combined with the rear thumb rest, which is made of a soft rubber-like material, provide a secure grip which you can feel confident about even when using the cameraone-handed. The PowerShot SX730 HS’s grips aren’t so substantial, but the moulded contours and lighter weight mean they don’t need to be. The 4K Photo mode is great for capturing the perfect moment when faced with fast action, but it’s also surprisingly useful for portraits, especially of kids, where an expression can change between frames. LVF (Live View Finder) (1,166k dots equiv.), Field of View: Approx. 100%, Lens 19.6x/Magnification: Approx. 2.59x / 0.46x (35 mm camera equivalent) However, if you’re operating the camera in a darkened environment, like a concert hall or theatre, the proximity of the main power and video buttons means that it is easy to mistake one for the other and turn the camera off when you actually meant to start recording. Again, familiarity with the camera over time helps such mistakes to be avoided. Commendably this Panasonic is swift to power up in any event, being ready for action in around two seconds, its lens extending from its position flush to the body to arrive at its extreme wide-angle 24mm equivalent setting.

TFT Screen LCD Display (1040k dots), Tiltable monitor/Static Touch Control/Field of View: Approx. 100%, AF Coating It’s appealing to both entry-level users and those with a little more experience. The full-range of automatic modes, along with scene and creative modes are likely to appeal to beginners, while shooting in raw format and taking full manual control is something enthusiasts are likely to be drawn to. Above: Panasonic Lumix TZ90 / ZS70 4k Photo Shutter priority 1/500, f6.4, 200 ISO, 129mm (720mm equivalent) On the top is a mode dial for moving between the different exposure modes the camera offers. Enthusiasts will be pleased to note the manual and semi-automatic options here (it also shoots in Raw format), while point-and-shooters are catered for by automatic and scene modes. FHD/50p: Approx. 100 min (rear monitor), 90 min (LVF)/FHD/50i: Approx. 100 min (rear monitor), 100 min (LVF)

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SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card/(Compatible with UHS-I UHS Speed Class 3 standard SDHC / SDXC Memory Cards) Up until recently, standalone compact cameras like the TZ95 have been increasingly thin on the ground. But now some manufacturers have decided that cameras with built-in lenses could be somewhat re-purposed as tools for the new wave of content creators – see alternatives including the Sony ZV-1, ZV-1 II, and ZV-1F - and Canon’s quirky PowerShot V10–

The LUMIX TZ95 is equipped with several advanced features, all intended to help you get the best shot. While the camera will delivery reasonably detailed shots with plenty of color, we enjoyed dipping into the on-board creative filter effects Panasonic provides with this camera, readily accessed via a twist of the penny sized top plate shooting mode dial. These include our favorite of the color saturation boosting ‘Expressive’ mode, alongside an artistic new addition of a monochrome filter. We also get the usual options of aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual control, for the more enthusiast class of user. Before or after you've taken your shot, this camera keeps you in the driver's seat. The innovative Post-Focus mode lets you decide what's in focus after you've taken the photo. This way, you can optimise any part of a picture when you're reviewing a day's haul. The 0.2” Live View Finder is ideal for giving you a perfect view of the frame even in the brightest sunlight. It automatically turns on when you hold it up to your eyes, and with manual control rings and vivid 3” LCD Touch Screen you have complete control as you line up your shots. Wifi allows you to wirelessly browse the TZ90 / ZS70’s images on the larger and more detailed screen of a smartphone or tablet, copy them onto these devices, upload them to online storage or social media services (either directly or via a smartphone), or become remote-controlled using the free Lumix Image app for iOS or Android devices. Burst: 30 frames/sec, max. 15 min/4K Burst (S/S): 30 frames/sec, max. 15 min/4K Pre-Burst: 30 frames/sec, approx. 2 sec/Exif Information: Yes/Marking Function: Yes (in 4K Burst (S/S) mode)has four times the pixel density of Full HD and this camera lets you capture your memories in this ultra-crisp resolution. Shoot 4K video at 30fps to capture the action in smooth hyper-detail. The 4K Photo function lets you select the perfect split-second moment from your Ultra HD footage to save as an 8MP equivalent still. The screen is touch sensitive, to a degree, though as there are also plentiful physical controls ranged alongside it that provide much the same functions, we didn’t find ourselves utilising its touch sensitivity that much. We did however enjoy the fact that the EVF (or, as Panasonic prefers, LVF) has an eye sensor alongside it, which deactivates the larger LCD and switches on the EVF as you bring an eye up to it. There is also a dedicated ‘LVF’ (live view finder) button that lets you disable this feature if required, or switch between screens manually. Other video features include snap movie, which records a short clip of between two and eight seconds in length. With snap movies you can set up a focus pull in advance tapping the screen to define the start and end focus positions, which is pretty neat. You can also add a monochrome to colour fade in our out effect, as well as a simple exposure fade. There’s are also Time Lapse and Stop Motion modes, accessed through the main menus rather than the movie options. Panasonic recommends using a UHS-I Speed Class 3 (U3) SD card for the 100Mbit 4K UHD and High Speed Video modes and a Speed Class 4 card for everything else. Note the TZ90 / ZS70 does not offer CineLike profiles for later grading, but then I can’t imagine many people wanting this capability on this type of camera. As expected we get the warm, well-saturated colours Panasonic is known for, as well as plenty of detail captured right into the corners of the frame – at least when there’s plenty of light around. If detail softens at maximum zoom that is only to be expected, especially when shooting handheld, but again results are better than we’ve seen elsewhere from similar products and will certainly satisfy those wanting a record of sunny summer holidays. On the Lumix TZ90 / ZS70 you can record in PASM exposure modes, selected either from the video menu or by tapping the exposure mode icon in the top left of the screen when the mode dial is in the movie position. During recording you can change the exposure setting including, depending on the mode, aperture, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation. While you can use the camera’s physical controls to alter the settings the touch screen provides a slide out panel allowing you to do so silently. You can also tap the screen to pull focus during recording, or of course use the lens control ring. There’s also focus peaking and zebra patterns to help with focus and exposure.

setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 3cms away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle.The Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90's 30x zoom lens provides a very versatile focal length of 24-720mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below.