Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 | AVCHD Lite HD Video and 10 Megapixels

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 is the world’s first digital camera that records motion image in AVCHD Lite. The Panasonic TZ7 is easy to use, it also features 12x optical zoom, a 3 inch hi-resolution LCD, Optical Image Stabilizer and Advanced Face Recognition.

In addition to Motion JPEG images, the Panasonic TZ7 can record high-definition motion picture in AVCHD Lite. It features almost doubling the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 also features Dolby Digital Stereo Creator to record high quality audio, so you can match the beautiful motion images with outstanding stereo sound.

Now on the Panasonic DMC-TZ7, the popular iA (Intelligent Auto) is also available in motion image recording. Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) helps prevent handshake when using high-powered zoom. Face Detection automatically detects a face in the frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast, and skin complexion on it so it always turns out beautifully. Intelligent Exposure continually checks the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure setting as conditions change to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. And Intelligent Scene Selector automatically switches between Normal, Portrait, Macro, Scenery, and Low Light modes according to the situation to optimize visual quality.

Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode - a hallmark of Lumix cameras - now includes Face Recognition, a function that "remembers" faces from previous shots. When a familiar face appears in the frame, the camera will prioritize focus and exposure to capture it beautifully. This clever function makes it easy to get sharp and clear photos of loved ones in a group of people. iA mode is also available in Movie Mode. The Panasonic TZ7 automatically selects the most suitable Scene mode and helps to correct handshake, focus and brightness problems - making iA mode your one-stop solution to capture beautiful still and motion images.

Motion image recording can be started by pressing a dedicated button on the camera's back panel - an extremely quick, convenient way to start motion image recording. Most of the camera’s settings will be carried over when switched to motion picture recording. The powerful 12x optical zoom is available in movie recording, too. A Wind Cut function is also available to block out most of the noise from background wind. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7  also provides a Color mode and carries over 17 different scene modes from photo scene modes in movie recording. In AVCHD Lite recording, you can select from three levels of motion image quality: SH (17 Mbps), H (13 Mbps) and L (9 Mbps).

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 has a 12-megapixel CCD and shoots with up to 10-megapixel resolution. This is because the CCD on the Panasonic TZ7 is multi-aspect that can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 25mm to 300mm in any of three aspect ratios - 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9 - so you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective. The Multi Aspect mode lets you to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously then choose the one that best suits your scene after shooting.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7  also features a 3-inch, high resolution 460,000-dot Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle, improving visibility during recording and playback. Despite its superior lens specifications and functionality, the Panasonic TZ7 is smaller and lighter than its predecessors, making it easier to bring with you on your travels. Enjoy stunning photos and HD videos from 25mm wide-angle to 12x telephoto - the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 is your ideal travel partner delivering ultimate performance in a pocket-sized body.

The Panasonic Lumix TZ7 digital camera features a high-quality Leica DC Vario Elmar 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens with a 12x optical zoom. A lens like this, with a range from 25mm to 300mm in 35mm film equivalence, is almost inconceivable in such a small, lightweight camera. Comprising 10 elements in 8 groups, including 2 ED lenses and 2 aspherical lenses with 3 aspherical surfaces, and utilizing new lens material in its design, this advanced lens unit realizes the outstandingly slim and compact body while passing Leica's stringent standards to deliver exceptional optical performance. The Extra Optical Zoom function that extends zoom power to 21.4x (at 3-megapixel resolution) by using the center part of the large CCD to bring subjects even closer without deteriorating the image quality.

Still or motion images recorded in AVCHD Lite on SD Memory Cards are easy to view on a Panasonic VIERA TV. Simply insert the card into the VIERA Image Viewer (SDHC/SD Memory Card slot) on VIERA TV or DIGA Blu-ray Disc Player to playback your contents. Alternatively, you can use an optional Mini HDMI cable to output the still and motion images you took from the Panasonic TZ7 directly to the TV for VIERA Link. You can take maximum advantage of Lumix camera’s playback functions including the slideshow in which both still and motion images integrated in the timeline, category playback according to the scene mode you used or calendar display and so on. All control is possible using only the TV's remote control. In addition, with the included software PHOTOfunSTUDIO HD Edition, it is easy to view and edit your recorded contents. You may also choose to upload your videos to YouTube or burn them to a DVD disc for archiving.

With the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7, taking great photos is that easy. Panasonic incorporated the Intelligent Auto mode in pursuit of the ultimate ease of operation and the reduction of misshots. This mode is now further advanced with the inclusion of Face Recognition and AF Tracking features for Panasonic DMC-TZ7. In iA mode the Panasonic digital camera does all the work, leaving you free to compose shots and capture moments. Just press aim, and shoot. The Panasonic TZ7 features Face Recognition, a function that "remembers" faces. When a familiar face is recorded several times, the camera will prompt you to register the face. Once complete, if the familiar face appears into your frame again, the Lumix camera will display the name you specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so that the registered face is bright and in sharp focus. During registration, you can change the icon that indicates when the registered subject is in focus. You can also specify the age of the registered subject and have both the name and the age of the subject stamped onto your photos. When babies under 3 years-old are registered, the camera will automatically switch to Baby mode if the baby appears into the frame. In playback, you can choose to display only photos that contain a specific registered face using Category Playback. You can also view image slideshows of only a selected person. Face recognition makes sorting archiving incredibly easy. This advanced face detection system also digitally corrects unwanted red-eye during recording.

The Quick AF system helps keep focus on the subject while the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 camera is in recording mode even before pressing the shutter button halfway. This improves the result out of a shutter chance because the focus is always near the subject and AF time is minimized. The number of metering points has also been increased from the previous 9 points to a more detailed 11 points. The user can activate all of these useful, convenient shooting-assist functions by simply selecting iA mode.

The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine HD has been re-engineered to support the recording of beautiful, high-definition motion images in AVCHD Lite. With its twin CPUs, Venus Engine HD boasts approx. 2.4x processing capability, greatly improving the speed of camera operations. This high performance LSI elevates the artificial intelligence of the Panasonic DMC-TZ7 camera by introducing new circuitry making it possible to “recognize” human faces individually. It also supports high definition output through HDMI. In image processing, luminance noise and chromatic noise are reduced separately before and after signal processing. This is further refined by separating noise two-dimensionally into high-frequency and low-frequency noise. The circuits then effectively reduce only the low-frequency noise to minimize the unwanted noise and help produce beautiful, sharp still and motion images.

This multi-task image-processing engine has a super-fast response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 seconds, making it easy to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. In burst shooting mode, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 can snap approx. 2.3 shots per second at 10.1-megapixel full resolution. In High-Speed Burst shooting mode, it fires off an incredible approx. 10 shots per second. Unlimited consecutive shooting is also available to let you shoot until the memory card is full. Newly added Flash Burst mode makes it possible to take consecutive shots with continuous emissions of the flash. Despite its outstanding performance, the high performance engine is also more energy efficient compared with the conventional Venus Engine IV, extending the battery life up to 300 shots (CIPA) per a single charge.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 offers a Mode Playback feature which allows you to choose playing back ‘only still images’, ‘only motion images’, or ‘both’. When choosing to playback ‘only motion images’, you can even select to playback AVCHD Lite and Motion JPEG videos separately. Images and videos can be played back together with an attractive seamless effect and background music in the new Slideshow Mode. Using an optional mini HDMI cable, you share your slideshows in astounding HD video and audio quality on your HDTV with your family and friends.

Panasonic Lumix functions continue to evolve. Scene modes, which are optimized for a variety of still-image shooting situations, are now available for motion images as well. Thanks to a rich variety of 27 scene modes for still image and 17 for motion image (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self portrait, Scenery, Low light, Food, Party, Candle light, Sunset, Beach, Snow, Aerial, High Sensitivity, Pin hole, Film grain and Underwater), capturing beautiful videos is effortless with the Panasonic TZ7. The new scene mode for shooting still images includes the Panorama Assist mode, which allows you to create powerful panoramic images - both vertically and horizontally. Simply align your shots according to a guide which overlaps the frame when you shoot, then use the included PanoramaMaker software to create your panorama images. The minimum shooting distance has been shortened to 3 cm on the Panasonic DMC-TZ7. With the new Macro Zoom function, the user can pull subjects even closer than the closest point possible with the wide-angle setting by using 3x digital zoom, and capture dramatic close-ups.

The latest version of the exciting bundled software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition allows you to view, edit and archive your captured contents with greater ease and fun. Still and motion images can be transferred to the PC via a USB cable for viewing and archiving on the PC with the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition installed. Using PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition, you can edit and remove unwanted portions of your video clips recorded in AVCHD Lite. Contents recorded in AVCHD Lite can be burned directly onto a DVD disc for viewing on a DIGA Blu-ray Disc player. Alternatively, you can use the software to convert your contents to MPEG2 format to burn onto a DVD disc.

The portrait images taken with the camera’s Face Recognition function are organized neatly in the folder of the name registered with the camera. Not only that, the software also features an independent Face Recognition function that recognizes the faces in the picture stored in your PC to sort the photos by the face. You do not have to pick out each photo one by one out of thousand of photos when you only want pictures of a specific person. With PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition, the software automatically sorts your images into virtual folders based on the faces you registered. You can also enjoy slideshows with a variety of effects and use your iTunes music library as background music. Motion pictures can be uploaded directly to YouTube using the built-in YouTube uploader.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 details:

Sensor:   

• 1/2.33" Type CCD
• 12.7 million pixels total
• 10.1 million effective pixels

Image sizes:   

• 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 3648 x 2736, 3072 x 2304, 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480
• 3:2 Aspect Ratio: 3776 x 2520, 3168 x 2112, 2656 x 1768, 2112 x 1408, 2048 x 1360
• 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 3968 x 2232, 3328 x 1872, 2784 x 1568, 2208 x 1248, 1920 x 1080

Movie clips:   

• 4:3: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels @ 30 fps
• 16:9: 848 x 480 pixels @ 30 fps
• Quick Time Motion JPEG

HD Movies:

• 1280x720 pixels, 60p - AVCHD Lite (SH: 17Mbps, H: 13Mbps, L: 9Mbps)
• 1280x720 pixels, 30fps - Motion JPEG

File formats:   

• JPEG (DCF / Exif2.21
• AVCHD Lite (Motion picture)
• QuickTime (Motion JPEG)

Lens:   

• 12x optical zoom
• 25 - 300mm (35mm equiv.)
• 4.1 - 49.2mm
• F3.3 - 6.3
• LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR
• 10 elements in 8 groups (2 Aspherical Lenses / 3 Aspherical surfaces / 2 ED lens)

Image stabilization: MEGA O.I.S lens-shift stabilization

Digital zoom: Yes, up to 4x

Focus:   

• Normal
• Macro
• Continuous AF
• Pre-AF
• AF Tracking

AF area modes:    

• Face / AF tracking
• 11-point
• 1-point high speed
• 1-point
• Spot

AF assist lamp: Yes

Focus distance:   

• Normal: Wide 50cm/ Tele 200cm - infinity
• Macro / Intelligent AUTO / Clipboard : Wide 3cm / Max 200cm / Tele 100cm - infinity

Metering   

• Intelligent Multiple
• Center-Weighted
• Spot

ISO sensitivity:    

• Auto
• 100
• 200
• 400
• 800
• 1600
• High Sensitivity Mode : Auto (1600 - 6400)

Exposure compensation: ± 2EV, 1/3EV steps

Exposure bracketing: ± 1/3 EV ~ 1EV step, 3 frames

Shutter speed:

• 8-1/2000 sec
• Starry Sky Mode : 15, 30, 60sec

Aperture: F3.3 - 4.9 / Iris Diaphragm (F3.3 - 6.3 (W) / F4.9 - 6.3 (T))
 
Modes:   

• Intelligent AUTO
• Normal Picture
• Motion Picture
• Clipboard
• My Scene 1
• MyScene 2
• Scene

Still Piture Scene modes:    

• Portrait
• Soft Skin
• Transform
• Self-Portrait
• Scenery
• Panorama Assist
• Sports
• Night Portrait
• Night Scenery
• Low Light
• Food
• Party
• Candle Light
• Sunset
• Baby1
• Baby2
• Pet
• Hi-Speed Burst (Image Priority / Speed Priority)
• Flash Burst
• Starry Sky
• Fireworks
• Beach
• Snow
• Aerial
• Pinhole
• Film Grain
• Underwater
• High Sensitivity

Movie Scene modes:    

• Portrait
• Soft Skin
• Transform
• Self-Portrait
• Scenery
• Low Light
• Food
• Party
• Candle Light
• Sunset
• Beach
• Snow
• Aerial
• Pinhole
• Film Grain
• Underwater
• High Sensitivity

White balance:   

• Auto
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Shade
• Halogen
• White Set

White balance fine tune: ± 10steps, except for auto set

Self timer: 2, 10 sec

Continuous shooting:   

• Full-Resolution Image
2.3 fps Max. 5 images (Standard mode), Max 3 images (Fine Mode)
• High-speed Burst Mode:
Approx. 6 fps (recorded in 3M for 4:3, 2.5M for 3:2, 2M for 16:9)

Image parameters: Standard, Natural, Vivid, Black & White, Sepia, Cool, Warm

Flash:   

• Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
• Range: 0.6 - 5.3m (Wide/ISO Auto), 1.0 - 3.6m (Tele/ISO Auto)

LCD monitor:   

• 3.0 " TFT LCD Display
• 460K dots
• Field of View : approx. 100%
• AUTO Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode, High angle mode

Connectivity:   

• USB2.0 High speed
• AV Output (NTSC/PAL)
• miniHDMI
• DC Input

Print compliance:    

• PictBridge
• DPOF

Storage:   

• SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard (Still image only)
• 40MB internal memory

Power:   

• Li-ion battery
• Charger included
• AC adaptor (optional)

Weight (no batt): 206 g

Dimensions: 103 x 60 x 33 mm (5 x 2.3 x 1.5in)


See the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 and a full a range of Panasonic Digital Cameras here