Movin' on up! Panasonic Lumix TZ-ZS Series Cameras. TZ3 to ZS5. Episode Number 300!

March 14, 2019

#300

Gentle reader,

Yes, it's been a couple of months since I last wrote to you. This is due mainly to having not bought anything of interest.

I have been a fan of Panasonic Lumix cameras for many years. I coveted them when they first came out and wanted a BLUE compact zoom model way back then. I mean, they had Leica lenses on them!

You see, Leica had plenty of expertise making film cameras and lenses, but little experience with digital cameras. So, they formed a partnership with Panasonic. Panasonic would build the cameras and Leica the lenses. BOTH sold them under their own brand names. Now get this, physically, they looked the same, they performed the same. YET, the ones with the little red LEICA dot on them sold for around 50% more! "You pay for the name" as the old saying goes.

Thanks to a lively used market and eBay, I've owned a number of them and loved them all.

For more information on Lumix cameras, Wikipedia has a wonderful informative and long page on them:

Lumix - Wikipedia Plus, they have links to individual model's pages within the articles and graphs. Don't you just love the Internet?

Here are the boxes for the two of them:

Some time ago, I came across the DMC-TZ3 still having the box and everything at a flea market. I wrote about it here:

Panasonic Lumix Cameras Leica Lenses Without the Leica Prices. New to me DMC-TZ3.  

Prior to that, I wrote a three-part series about using classic film lenses on Micro Four Third cameras. Below is the third chapter, both previous chapters are linked in that article.

Using Vintage Film Camera Lenses on Digital Camera Bodies PART THREE.

And way back, I first wrote about my love for them here:

And Then There Were Three. Panasonic Lumix Cameras, that is! 

My favorite as far as compact LUMIX cameras go, is my LX3, with it's superb and fast f2.0 Leica Vario-Summicron lens it creates awesome images. But it won't fit comfortably in a pocket. And, it's only a 2.5X optical zoom from 24mm to 60mm (35mm film equivalent).

You see, I do not have nor do I want a "smart" phone. Oh, yes, they are marvels of technology. Not interested, my flip phone works fine, and it's "camera" is crap. So, I always carry a Lumix camera with me.

If you read my previous articles, you know that I started carrying them with this ZS7. Yes, I know it is "better" than either of the cameras that I'm profiling here, but I do not make videos and thus it's HD video capabilities were useless to me.

That being said, let's get started talking about these two cameras.

The image below displays each camera's capabilities neatly printed in little boxes in two languages. Note that the older box does not show Panasonic's "intelligent automatic" logo but the older camera does have it. Just not as advanced.

TZ "Travel Zoom" cameras also come with the model name starting with ZS "Super Zoom". Mostly, the ZS-branded series are sold in North America. Aside from the names, they are the same. A ZS5 is identical to a TZ8. 

The TZ3 came out in 2005, the TZ8, TZ10, ZS5 and ZS7 all came out in 2010. The ZS7 and TZ10 are identical.

Five years in digital technology is a LONG time as far as capability is concerned.

At first glance, these two look identical. The older TZ3 is on the left. It starts at 28mm (35mm eq.) with a 10X optical zoom or 28 to 280mm (35mm eq.). 

The ZS5 (TZ8) starts at a wider 25mm (35mm eq.) with a 12X optical zoom which equals 25-300mm (35mm eq.). 

The views above and below show how much thicker the older body is. The newer model has the tripod socket closer to center.

Controls are similar and similarly placed.

Until you get to the back. On the older model, to view captured images, one rotates the knob on the top. The later model has a switch on the top right of the back. My LX3 is set up the same way, so I am used to it.

Note also, that the older model has the larger screen. The ZS7 and TZ10 have the larger screen because of their HD video capabilities which are superior to the less expensive ZS5 and TZ8 models. Both make PC HD video, however. But, as I stated, I don't make videos.

Side views demonstrate how much thicker the older models are.

Strap mount (left) is more traditional on the older model.

The older model has the option of using a "wall wart" AC transformer to power the camera. If I remember correctly, the ZS7 (and TZ10) also offer this. It makes sense if shooting video indoors and/or on a tripod to use the house's current to run the camera rather than have to keep changing batteries.

Placement of the LUMIX logo differs as does the zoom ratio labeling. The newer model also does not have the company name on the front. 

Physical length of the zoom is the same. The thickness of the body makes it look as though it is longer.

Not much difference in their looks above. The differences are inside, older model is 7.2 megapixels verses 12.1 for the newer. A significant difference. However, the only visible differences in the images can be seen on a PC monitor zoomed to 100%. Also, the larger sensor allows for larger prints to me made. 

Now we get to a weightier subject. 

That thickness also adds weight to the camera. 

The ONE thing I wish my point-and-shoot Lumix cameras had is an optical viewfinder. I'm a geezer at 62 years old and aside from a cheap green plastic camera which used roll film (seen below) I was given in the 1960's and a J.C.Penney 110 film camera when my kids were little in the 1980's, I did not have any camera whatsoever.

In April, 1995 I bought my first "real" camera, an Olympus OM-10 that I obtained for $100 at a pawn shop, (seen below).

Later, I started collecting cameras and had more than 200. Thus, I am used to having and using a viewfinder. I chose a Lumix G1 M43 body (because on the used market, they are cheap) mostly because it has an optical (albeit electronic) viewfinder, verses the equally capable and more compact M43 bodies that lack that feature. Like my FZ40 and G1 below.

Frank quitely*, I mean, quite frankly, I would have preferred a BLUE ZS5 or TZ8, but this one I bought was (used only once or twice) according to the seller. It appears to be brand new, and at $59.99 with free shipping, I jumped on it.

Aside from one test shot, I have yet to even play with the new ZS5. Since it is so similar to the now departed RED ZS7, I am certainly familiar with it.

So, there you have it. What I did not describe about each can be gleaned by clicking on any image and viewing it larger.

I salute Panasonic for creating and providing quality digital cameras with real Leica lenses for amazing prices.

Thank you once again for taking the time to read my humble blog and viewing my images (all made with my LX3). I truly appreciate all the encouraging words and comments.

Scott
March, 14, 2019
#300