Lumix TZ7

The Lumix TZ7 DMC-TZ7 from Panasonic.

The Lumix TZ7 DMC-TZ7.and its sister-model the TZ6 are the replacements for the highly successful TZ5 and TZ4, launched at about this time last year, but it's more than just a cosmetic upgrade of the previous model. The TZ7 is a completely new camera, with a new body, a new lens and some new features.

The list is impressive: it has a new compact 12x zoom image-stabilised Leica lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.3-f/4.9 and a focal length range equivalent to 25-300mm, an impressively sharp 3.0-inch 460,000 dot wide-view LCD monitor, a dual-processor Venus Engine HD, and most significantly is has 1280 x 720 pixel HD video recording with stereo sound and full optical zoom capability. It uses the advanced AVCHD Lite recording system, a video encoding format designed for solid-state camcorders. The TZ6 is very similar, but lacks the HD video mode of the Lumix TZ7 DMC-TZ7 and has a smaller 2.7-inch 230k monitor.

Panasonic DMC-TZ7

"My partner owns the TZ5, which is a great little camera and I would have purchased one for myself, except Panasonic decided to superseded it with the TZ6, which for some extraordinary reason, Panasonic saw fit to reduce the size of the LCD display...why! I would have bought the TZ6. It makes no sense, the cameras bodies are identical. I can't help thinking this oversight was cunning ploy to get us to fork out the extra dosh for the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ7, if so, it worked on me, because I bought one and have not looked back.

Apart from the stunning AVCHD video mode (you can switch to JPEG if you wish) there is another 1 million pixels at the top end to relish, bringing the camera up to 10 mega pixels. The zoom has grown from 10x on the TZ5 to a whopping 12x on the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ7. There are some additions to the `Scene Mode', all the TZ5's features are still there plus: `panorama maker`, still trying to figure that one out, `grain`, which gives you black and white pictures with a grainy texture, `pin hole`, which puts a halo around your pictures, kind of spooky, especially in B&W, `transform`, where you can have fun making your subjects appear tall or fat or slim etc, and finally `flash burst`.

Pictures are of an excellent quality, especially on Macro and Marco Zoom. The only criticism I have, is the battery, I am going to have to buy a spare...the camera eats the things, why Panasonic? My partners TZ5 battery lasts three times as long. Apart from the daft battery this little beauty, in my opinion, is the best compact on the market bar none."