Advantages: Fantastic little camera with 12 x zoom & 10.1MP (better than TZ5), but cheaper than TZ7 Disadvantages: No HD movie mode, not very cheap
The Panasonic Lumix TZ6 is a great little camera that I have used to compliment my large DSLR (a Nikon D90 I have also reviewed), which is too big and expensive to be taken everywhere.
Specification
The TZ6 is compact camera with 10.1 MP, which is plenty of pixels for all but the larger prints and harshest crops. This means that in normal conditions there will never be pixelation, in fact too many megapixels squashed onto a sensor can actually reduce the image quality. The most important feature of this camera is the 12x zoom, 25mm wide angle, Leica lens. Leica is a quality brand, and this lens is no exception, it produces quality images and the lens slides out of the camera quickly and smoothly. There is no lens cap, but slide across covers, as in most other digital compacts.
Design
For such a versatile camera, it is ...
Advantages: Sturdiness, Ease of use, Autofocus Tracking Disadvantages: Overshadowed by the TZ7, Tries to do everything for you
I always find it a little strange when a company releases two similar models at the same time, especially when the price difference is only around £40. The Panasonic Lumix TZ6 and TZ7 are similar stable-mates, with the TZ7 being the superior of the two.
Having said that, the extra features of the TZ7 are things I can quite comfortably live without, such as the superior video capability with stereo sound, an HDMI output, and the ability of the camera to recognise up to 15 of your friends when they appear in a picture. Why would I want that? I don't have 15 friends - and even if I did, I'm sure I could remember them myself!
The TZ6 is aimed at people who want to take nice pictures but don't really want to know how those pictures are achieved. Almost everything is designed to be automatic and intuitive, and there is some pretty ...
