Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ2 5MP Digital Camera with 6x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Silver)

Brand: Panasonic

Color: Silver

Features:

• 5 MP CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints
• 6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.0-inch LCD display
• 14MB built-in memory
• Stores images on SD memory cards; powered by 2 AA-size batteries

PartNumber: DMC-LZ2PP-S

Details: Amazon.com Amazon.com Review As Panasonic will tell you, and we have to agree, that the most awesome thing about this camera is its Mega Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) system. With a 6x optical zoom and the ability to make QuickTime films (with sound) that can be as long as your memory card is big, Mega O.I.S. really expands the image-taking capabilities of this camera. Soldiers guarding Stockholm's royal palace, without zoom (top) and at 6x zoom (bottom). (Click images for larger views.) In the still photos at right, for example, we snapped pictures from a park bench across from the palace, first with no zoom, then with the maximum 6x zoom. With no viewfinder, photographing like this--without a tripod--means that your arms are extended and introducing camera shake into the picture. Mega O.I.S. compensates for this admirably. We were also stunned when we took the camera to a concert and shot some video; in a jostling crowd, holding the camera over the heads of people in front of us, our image was still remarkably steady. A night shot taken with the LZ2 with Mega O.I.S. turned on. (See larger image.) The Mega O.I.S. system performs reasonably well in low-light situations, though the LZ2 experiences some other challenges in dimmer or brighter light. In low light, for example, sometimes the camera's exposure compensation is better when you use the flash, even if the flash can't possible illuminate the scene. This doesn't mean that nice low-light images aren't possible--see the image at left--but it wasn't unusual for us to take four or five images in variety of modes and settings before we landed on one we liked. In very bright situations, on the other hand, the display becomes difficult to read. We took the camera with us on a snow outing, and again, we had to take several pictures of each thing we wanted to capture because we couldn't judge our aim from the LCD. We also couldn't show off our images in sunny situations. The last difficulty we encountered is that the menu system is not as intuitive as those found in most other cameras. Scene modes are split between two settings on a top-of-the-camera dial, so we had to flip between main menus there before making a final selection using toggle buttons on the back of the camera. This set-up also meant that when we accidentally rotated the dial while taking out the camera or putting it away, we found ourselves having to re-select a scene mode next time we used the camera. We ended up taking a lot of pictures in the Auto and Easy modes, which have their own slots on the dial. Some of our favorite photos taken with the LZ2. (Click images for larger views.) We really liked the LZ2 anyway, because it takes gorgeous pictures. At right is a sampling of some of our favorites, demonstrating that the camera can perform in a variety of shooting situations. The color palette it records is beautiful, and its fast start-up time gives you a lot of help in capturing fleeting moments--in our cases at right, fast-changing good weather and camera-avoiding friends. Also, the facts that it's powered by two AA batteries and it squeezes a lot of life out of them means that the camera really travels well. We ran out of battery juice in Sweden and on a mountain top, and getting back to shooting was as easy as popping in two fresh, readily available batteries. If you're looking for increased optical zoom and/or a high-performance image stabilization system, the Panasonic LZ2 is a great value--packed with advanced features and lots of megapixels, but at a price that hardly hits the pocketbook.--Sarah Sternau Pros 6x optical zoom with Mega Optical Image Stabilization Beautiful colors and great lighting in images Fast performance and long battery life with convenient AA batteries Cons No viewfinder and display is difficult to read in bright light Complicated menu system From the Manufacturer Jitter from shaky hands is one of the main reasons why cameras produce blurry images. Panasonic doesn't expec

UPC: 037988985074

EAN: 0037988985074

Model: DMC-LZ2PP-S

Binding: Electronics

Item Condition: UsedGood