TZ5 - thanks to Pixmania & UPS, and a few thoughts

Don't new batteries seem to take a long while to charge, just when you're desperate to play!??

I placed my order with Pixmania at lunchtime on the 19th, and UPS delivered to our home on this tiny island midafternoon today, the 22nd, despite much of France and at least two thirds of Italy being on holiday, and not withstanding a re-calculated arrival forecast of Monday next, once they'd realised the difficulties of getting here. Paris, Cologne, Rome, Naples and Ischia for 15 Euro - that's impressive!

So, the TZ5. My first Panasonic. A camera I'd decided I really didn't need until we spent a few days in Rome and I realised nearly all I was seeing were Nikon DSLRs and Panasonics of the TZ and FZ series. Are the other manufacturers still selling cameras? Anyway, after peering over so many shoulders and watching how much fun people seemed to be having with the TZ, that was it!

Even so, I hadn't realised it would be quite this small. That's not a problem in itself, but I'd assumed the wrong scale and didn't order any extra batteries - thought it would take the ones from my Ricoh GX100, whereas in fact it's a whole step smaller. Awfully clever aren't they?

Green light's still shining, so I've clearly time to ask if I need to know anything particular please? I've downloaded the FW update, but other than that .....?

One more thing, a big up to Sandisk for added value - the 4GB Extreme III card included not only a small zipped carrying case (which should be good for card+battery) but also a Micromate reader, recovery software disk - and a lifetime guarantee.

That's it, i've waited long enough - I'm going to cheat and take the battery out now, charged or not!

Peter

--
Peter - on the green island of Ischia
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde

The light's gone out all by itself!
--
Peter - on the green island of Ischia
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde

I have to admit that I have not waitied before and it did not create any problems.

You will really like the TZ5

--
Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida

Enjoy your TZ5 and please let us know how you think it compares to your GX100 -JPEG's and handling. A used GX is about the same price as a new TZ.

Nick

Greg Gebhardt said:

I have to admit that I have not waitied before and it did not create
any problems.

Click to expand...

I was very tempted but it was very low - flashing - when I set the Date/Time so I thought I'd give it a while.

Greg Gebhardt said:

You will really like the TZ5

Click to expand...

Greg, your prediction came true - I do! I've posted some samples in another thread, and they're amazing.

Really looking forward to being able to concentrate on picture taking - and letting the mechanics sort themselves for once - it's amazing how much more you 'see' when doing less button pushing and dial fiddling!

Peter

--
Peter - on the green island of Ischia
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde

I've ordered my TZ5 at Pixmania two days ago and hope to it get begin next week. I bought this camera as an extra to my Canon S3. Mainly because de Canon is too big to take with me on a daily basis and the TZ5 has a wider angel lens.
Hope we all have much fun with this camera.
Rudi

Isola Verde said:

Don't new batteries seem to take a long while to charge, just when
you're desperate to play!??

Click to expand...

That's probably the only real advantage to owning a TZ1 (outside pocket Video productions) - you get to use your TZ5 immedietly as the batteries are the same and when you've flattened both on a long trip, you get to charge both at once

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

NIK11 said:

Enjoy your TZ5 and please let us know how you think it compares to
your GX100 -JPEG's and handling. A used GX is about the same price as
a new TZ.

Click to expand...

Nick, thanks!

That's a tough comparison, and I guess only time will tell....

The Ricoh's got more outright technical features, RAW, a better lens but with much less range, and you may or may not prefer its grainy look to outright noise - although I'm less and less bothered about that.

I'm sure that, as an 'only' camera, the Ricoh's zoom would eventually feel restrictive, although its wideness makes it fabulous for city tourist photos.

Just to compare the coverage, i've shot a little series - all resized to 1024 pixels wide, with just a tiny bit of sharpening.

Here's the Panasonic at 28mm



And the Ricoh at 28mm



Then the Ricoh at 24mm - already a bit wider



Don't think the TZ5 can do this: the Ricoh, plus the 0.8x wideangle adaptor from my old Minolta A2, giving about 19mm:



If it's any help, there's a whole bunch of GX100 stuff, including those photos, here: http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/gx100

Price-wise, and that has to be an issue, I wonder if the Panasonic will get still cheaper, whereas the GX100 may be at its lowest now, while people are trading them in for GX200s and perhaps the LX3 ?

Both are great cameras, and - particularly now that I've got a stepping ring for that wide adapter - look to make a great pairing; 19mm - 280mm, try pricing that any other way!

Don't think I've been much help, have I? Sorry!

Peter

--
Peter - on the green island of Ischia
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde

does the TZ3 battery work in the TZ5?

Adam-T said:

Adam-T said:

Don't new batteries seem to take a long while to charge, just when
you're desperate to play!??

Click to expand...

That's probably the only real advantage to owning a TZ1 (outside
pocket Video productions) - you get to use your TZ5 immedietly as the
batteries are the same and when you've flattened both on a long trip,
you get to charge both at once

Click to expand...

Thanks for your thoughts. The TZ5 has to be the best all rounder in a small package. No one else can touch this 28-280 lens quality - we shall see if Canon's newest produce anything close.

My interest in the GX is just idle pondering on what best to upgrade my TZ3 - whether to go with the TZ5, or the smaller 25-140 FX37 that theoretically should produce the same quality results as the TZ, or GX and keep my TZ3, or wait for next spring's TZ7.

I am finding with my TZ that it sits at the 28mm wide setting for the majority of shots, and for the few that I use 280(often just because I 'can') I would happily trade for a bit wider, say 25-200 - pity Ricoh didn't widen the R10 zoom. That's why I tend to use the 16:9 format for that extra width.

Suddenly we have more WA choice.

Nick

If you're keeping the TZ3, and are fairly happy with the results it gives, then I'd say definitely get the Ricoh if you can find one. It may be a while before you next see a camera like that at around the £200 mark.

And if you do, look out for a used ACW-100 to get that 19mm - as I said before, between the cameras, that's a huge FL range!

Peter

--
Peter - on the green island of Ischia
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde

Undah said:

does the TZ3 battery work in the TZ5?

Click to expand...

I guess it must as the TZ1 one does - I posted 4 more samples from this morning in my thread

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

Hi Peter, i am sure u will find out what a pretty little cam you just bought.
enjoy it !
greetz rob