PDA

View Full Version : which is better? tz3, tz4, or tz5?


SportsConcertFan
01-14-2009, 05:20 PM
I am deciding on which one to get. amazon.com and other rating websites have a lot of really good ratings on all 3. Some with less ratings, but mostly good ones. I can't decide. I have met fans at concerts with the 10x camera and I have seen pictures online that they have taken of the bands with it as well. This camera has been on my "wanted list" for a while now. The pictures come out great. I wish I can remember which model tz3, tz4, or tz5. I know it was like 2006 or 2007 when I met fans with this camera. This is the only camera I know of that takes good concert pictures and I know that is if the settings are set up correctly and such. I have one fan friend of some bands who uses the camera and loves it. She takes it at concerts all the time and without a flash, turns out great. I have not heard from her in a long while, so I don't remember which model she says she uses. She is also a graphic designer (I am a major in it right now), so she knows cameras pretty well and I do too.

My current camera hates wanting to take pictures indoors, especially in low light. I have a kodak camera 10x and it sucks because it cannot take night pictures very good at all (comes out dark..flash sucks), the non-flash takes blury pictures unless there is a lot of light and still does (has to be on something stable to come out good), the shutter speed is horrible (like 2-5 second delays for both picture and video..focus is bad..even if I use ASM settings), etc. Its also big and fat like a square (both widthe and height) and does not fit into my purse.

Oh and yes I do know about the video quality of the tz cameras. I don't care about that because I can use my kodak to take video anytime. I am thinking that my friend has the tz4 model. I know it was for sure before the tz5 came out. All I remember is that I did not have a job at the time and that everytime I went to a store that has cameras, I would always take pictures with it there of stuff to test it all the time. amazing, amazing pictures..just like the non-flash pictures my friend takes at concerts all the time and other fans I have met at shows who use the camera. good quality pictures at concerts in low light and with no flash on.

jdoria
01-14-2009, 05:30 PM
I have the TZ-5 for about 3 days now.

All I have realized thus far is that I do not need a 10x zoom in my pocket....

Beowulff
01-15-2009, 06:33 AM
Regardless of which particular camera you use at a concert, there's a couple of major points to bear in mind (and assuming you're a dedicated concert-goer and photographer):

Never use its flash. Ever.
It must have low-noise, high ISO 800+ capabilities.
It must have full manual settings.
It'd be nice to shoot in RAW format.
It'd also be nice to use at least a monopod.
It's not gonna be any cute, slimline, purse-size camera.
It'll probably be at least an entry-level dSLR.
A bolt-on dSLR zoom lens around 70-300mm would be nice.
An upper midrange budget would be advantageous.

If that's all too much of an ask, then you might like to check out Jeff's excellent review of the TZ5 HERE (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_tz5-review/).

Hope this helps. :)

genece
01-15-2009, 12:05 PM
The Tizzy line of cameras would not be my choice for what you want......but if you saw results from a TZ3 or 4 that were of the quality that will satisfy you, then the TZ5 should do even better......newer tech than the TZ3 and less pixel density (noise) than the TZ4.

SportsConcertFan
01-16-2009, 02:42 PM
I heard that circuit city is closing down all of its stores (going bankrupt), so I am going to find out when they have sales and then buy the camera. Either a tz5 or a sony h10. I am going to test both with flash off and see how they are in the stores if the battery is working. Sometimes people leave the camera on after they are done with it and then no one else can use it after the battery dies until recharging is done. I have tested both the h10 and tz5 with the flash on and its full zoom 10x (clear in the stores and not fuzzy picture I saw on the lcd screen after taking the picture), so my second test is the flash off. I forgot which one performed better with flash on, so I will try both again with flash on as well. I think it was the h10 because their flash can catch up to 20 feet I heard.

S_p_i_d_e_r
01-16-2009, 06:30 PM
I also have TZ5 for couple of days now and I must say, that all those positive reviews are true. It's a fantastic little camera - solid, fast, easy to use. A real photographic tool (if limited by a lack of PASM and/or RAW).

If you really want/need PASM and RAW consider Panny's own DMC-FZ28, which is also a great camera, well worth recommending.

SportsConcertFan
01-18-2009, 08:50 PM
I am really leaning towards the tz5 once I see a good price offer from circuitcity or online at amazon or yahoo shopping.

How is the camera without the flash? I know of people who used it at concerts without the flash and the picture turns out great and I have seen a lot of pictures online taken without the flash too. My mom dislikes me or anyone taking pictures of her with a flash on because it bugs her eyes (she wears glasses). My current camera really sucks without the flash (hand cannot move one bit or it will be blury) and the flash sucks as well if the subject is not real close and it really sucks indoors. Also it can make someone or something look real white if too close