At first glance you'd be hard-pushed to tell the Panasonic Lumix TZ30 from the TZ20 that it replaces, but there are a few key changes.
The compact camera's zoom range, for example, is now 20x instead of 16x, and its effective focal length range is 24-480mm.
This is a focal length range that many 35mm photographers would willingly give their first born for, but when the camera is powered down, it's all neatly stored inside the slim body.
Sensor
Of course, part of the reason that the Panasonic TZ30 can have such an extensive focal length range is because the sensor is only small. Nevertheless, Panasonic has given the TZ30 a 14.2 million effective pixel CMOS device (the TZ20 has 14.1MP).
The company also claims that its new sensor design has enabled a significant reduction in image noise. In fact, according to Panasonic's Mr Uematsu, images taken on the Panasonic TZ30 at ISO 1600 have half the level of noise that images from the TZ20 suffer from at the same setting.
Cutting image noise at higher sensitivities and extending the focal length range means that the Panasonic TZ30 should be even more versatile than the popular TZ20.
Speaking exclusively to TechRadar prior to the official announcement of the Panasonic TZ30, Mr Uematsu explained that the new camera's image stabilisation is also better than the TZ20's, because its angle of correction has been extended at the telephoto end of the focal range. With such a long telephoto lens, this could prove essential.
Toushscreen
Like the Panasonic TZ20, the Panasonic TZ30 has a touchscreen that can be used to set the AF point. However, the improvements that Panasonic has made to its compact system cameras' autofocus systems have also been transferred to the new camera.
Because the Panasonic TZ30 has a read speed of 120fps rather than the 60fps of the TZ20, the new camera has a claimed AF speed of 0.1 sec.
Naturally we were unable to measure the AF speed of the pre-production Panasonic TZ30 that we were given access to, but it certainly seemed quick. We're looking forward to testing it more fully in a range of lighting conditions when we get a full production sample in for review.
Panasonic's TZ range of compact cameras is designed for use when travelling, and its built-in GPS is a real bonus for keeping track of where images were taken. The Panasonic TZ30 has the added bonus of an on-screen map view to help with navigation and so on.
Location information is supplied with the camera on a DVD, and the areas of interest are copied onto an SD card for use in the camera. We're told that the data for the whole of Europe can be squeezed onto a card, and we're itching to see how it performs.
Verdict
In addition to giving the Panasonic TZ30 a bit more reach with its lens in comparison with the TZ20, Panasonic has concentrated on improving its performance.
Better image stabilisation and less noise make the new compact camera more versatile and capable of producing better images than the camera it replaces. The new GPS features also look interesting and easy to use.
Source : Google Reader
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