Who is this camera aimed at? Snappers wanting a versatile zoom range in a high quality, compact body.
Key features: The big appeal for most is going to be the zoom range, which runs from a nice, wide 25mm that’s great for landscapes, to 300mm that’s perfect for isolating your subject from a distance.
Is it built to last? Definitely – there’s a real high-end feel to the LUMIX TZ7, thanks to the mostly metal construction and excellent finish.
What’s it like to use? There's little to complain about here – the menu is easy to navigate, with an excellent Quick Menu to boot, while the Intelligent Auto mode automatically activates the required Scene mode, anti-shake, AF and Face Detection if necessary.
Image quality: Though there’s no RAW support, JPEG files display good levels of detail and strong colours, while high ISO images cope well with digital Noise.
Conclusion: It’s easy to see why the LUMIX TZ7 won the Best Compact category in the 2009 Gear of the Year awards - it’s an excellent all-round compact, with a brilliant zoom range, first-rate build quality and is packed with an array of features.
AT A GLANCEStreet Price: £249
Resolution: 10.1Mp
Lens: 12x optical (25-300mm, f/3.3-4.9)
Image stabilisation: Lens-shift
Metering: Intelligent Multiple, Centre-weighted and Spot
Shooting modes: Intelligent AUTO, Normal Picture & 27 Scene modes
Shutter range: 8secs-1/2000sec
ISO range: 80-1600, expandable to 6400 (at reduced resolution)
Monitor: 3in, 460k dots
File formats: JPEG
Storage media: SD/SDHC
Weight: 206g
Dimensions: 103x60x33mm
Visit: www.panasonic.co.uk