10x Optical Zoom

A unique integration of a retractive lens with folded optics technology allows zooming to occur horizontally within the camera. This makes it possible to pack a powerful 10x optical zoom (equivalent to a big 35 to 350mm lens on a 35mm camera) into a compact camera. The Extended Optical Zoom function, which magnifies the image with minimal deterioration by using the center part of the high-resolution CCD, boosts the zoom power to a maximum of 12.5x.

Crisp, Clear Shots of Moving Subjects

The Venus Engine III in the DMCTZ1S provides a high sensitivity ISO 800 setting that captures images with minimal noise at full resolution. The higher ISO setting lets you use higher shutter speeds to minimize the motion blur that can occur when you're shooting a moving subject, particularly in dim lighting. Even indoors, you can get crisp, clear, beautiful shots of children, pets and other subjects that won't hold still.

Taking Hand Movement Out Of The Picture

All of us have taken a shot that we thought was focused perfectly, only to have it turn out blurry. The most common cause of this is hand movement. Digital cameras are wonderfully light and compact -- but for the same reason they can be hard to hold still. Even pressing the shutter button can cause the camera to move. Basically, hand movement is a real concern anytime you're taking a handheld telephoto shot, macro shot or self-portrait, or when shooting at night or in dim lighting. The answer to the hand movement problem is MEGA Optical Image Stabilization. This system uses built-in gyrosensors to detect even tiny camera movement and then shifts a lens in the opposite direction to compensate. The system is completely optical -- it does not affect the CCD or image processing -- so you get sharp, clear images with minimal degradation. It lets you reduce the shutter speed more than 3 steps below the conventionally accepted hand movement limit, which is calculated as 1/focal length (1 divided by the focal length). It greatly expands what you can do with a handheld digital camera.

High Sensitivity Mode

When there's not a lot of light or you're using a slow shutter speed, hand movement isn't the only potential problem. There's also "motion blur" -- the blurring that can result if your subject like children or pets move even a little in low lighting. That's why Panasonic added a High Sensitivity mode that allows you to shoot at up to ISO 1600 by using the pixel-mixed readout method, effectively raising the shutter speed. It not only minimizes motion blur, it also lets you take clearer, sharper shots in dim lighting without using a flash. The picture quality is good enough for printing at the ordinary 4" x 6" size.

Rapid Focusing with Linear AF

The DMCTZ1S lets you choose from several auto focus modes -- spot, 1-point (normal or high speed), 3-point high speed, and 9-point -- to suit the scene you're shooting. The DMCTZ1 also introduces a new Linear AF system, which has resulted in the achievement of an industry-leading fast auto focusing time. Not only the speed but also the noise of the motor is reduced and even zooming while recording a motion image is possible. Combined with a startup time of merely 0.95 seconds, this fast focusing lets you catch every shooting opportunity. Plus, the AF Assist Lamp helps when focusing in dimly lit places.

2.5-Inch High-Resolution LCD with High Angle Mode

With its 2.5" diagonal size and 207,000 pixels, the DMCTZ1S's high-resolution LCD monitor makes it easy to see text and small thumbnail images. The pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD increases the brightness level of the live image on the LCD, which greatly facilitates shooting in low lighting. If it's difficult to see the display on a sunny day, simply press the Power LCD button and the display becomes about 40 percent brighter. A High Angle shooting function also provides easier viewing when you're holding the camera high to shoot over the heads of people in front of you.

MEGA BURST Consecutive Shooting

Thanks to the Venus Engine III, the DMCTZ1S has a release time lag as low as 0.006 seconds. The DMCTZ1 can also fire off consecutive shots at a swift 3 frames per second, and offers Unlimited Consecutive Shooting, so you can keep shooting until your optional SD Memory Card or the built-in memory is full.

Included With Purchase

Battery charger, battery pack, battery carrying case, USB and AV cables, lens cap, strap, software (ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft Panorama Maker, ArcSoft PhotoBase, USB Driver, Lumix Simple Viewer, Photo Fun Studio).

Comparison Specifications

• 5.0 Megapixels (Effective)
• 13.4 MB Built-In Memory, or Records to Optional SD Memory Card and Multimedia Card
• 10x Optical Zoom, Extended Optical Zoom Feature, 4x Digital Zoom
• Dial Modes: Simple, Normal Picture, Economy, Macro, 16 Scene Modes, Moving Image, Playback
• Flash Modes; Auto, Auto/Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Sync./Red-Eye Reduction, Forced On/Off
• Movie Mode: QuickTime Motion JPEG, 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 640x480, 320x240, 16:9: 848x480
• 2.5" Diagonal Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (207k Pixels)
• USB Connection, DC Input, Video Output (NTSC/PAL)

Additional Specifications

• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens, 12 Elements in 10 Groups
• Aperture: Wide: F2.8 - F5.0 (2 Steps), Tele: F4.2 - F7.1 (2 Steps)
• MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer (2 Modes)
• AF Metering: 1 Point, 1 Point High Speed, 3 Points High Speed, 9 Points, Spot
• Focus: Auto Focus System, Normal/Macro (Dial), Continuous AF On/Off
• AF Assist Lamp
• ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 (High Sensitivity Mode: 800 - 1600)
• White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen, Flash, White Set White Balance Adjustment
• Program AE Exposure, Exposure Compensation: 1/3 EV Step, +/- 2 EV
• Auto Bracketing (AE): +/-1/3 EV - 1 EV Step, 3 Frames

Manufacturer Specifications

• Light Metering: Intelligent Multiple, Center-Weighted, Spot
• Shutter Speed: 8 - 1/2000 Second, Starry Sky Mode: 15, 30, 60 Seconds
• 16:9 and 4:3 Aspect Ratio Modes, Image Sizes Ranging from 2560x1920 to 640x480 Pixels
• Burst Shooting Mode: Standard Mode: Up to 5 Images at 3 or 2 fps, Fine Mode: Up to 3 Images
• Unlimited Consecutive Shooting, Still Image Recording with Audio (5 Seconds)
• Real-Time Histograms, Composition Guide Lines, Scene Mode Help Screen
• Playback Modes: 25 or 9 Thumbnail, Calendar, Zoom, Rotation, Slide Show, Favorites, Resizing, Trimming, Protection, DPOF Print Setting
• OSD Language: English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional), German, Italian, French
• Power Supply: Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 1000mAh) Included (Up to 250 Pictures)
• Picture Adjustment: Natural, Standard, Vivid, Color Effect Modes: Cool, Warm, B&W, Sepia

Dimensional Specifications

• Dimensions: 4.41" W x 2.29" H x 1.58" D
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.

Panasonic DMC-TZ1S Warranty Details

One-Year Parts, 90 Days Labor

Another winner from Panasonic!

Reviewed By: Dean Paganelis - San Jose, CA

I was looking for a small point and shoot camera that would not only be fun to use but also wouldnt be a pain to lug around.

The Panasonic DMC-TZ1S fit the bill quite nicely. Its pretty much the only small size camera that I could find that comes with a 10x optical zoom. Most other small cameras top out at 3 or 4x.

It also comes with an outstanding 2.5 LCD screen that makes checking your pictures very fun and easy.

Ive taken quite a few photos in both daytime and nightime, outdoor and indoor, and Ive got to say that this camera takes outstanding pictures in all environments. Many digital cameras suffer when it comes to indoor or low light shots, but this one handled them easily.

Its got many setting in the menu that are easy to access and easy to adjust.

And finally, I just love the fact that Panasonic made this camera with a Lithium-ion battery, instead of the usual AA size rechargeable nickle metal hydride batteries that most companies use on their low to medium priced models. I never have to worry about the battery running out of juice. Ive taken over 200 photos in the last week and the battery has still over two-thirds of its charge left. The battery charger that comes with it is rather nice as well. It just plugs right into the wall and when your done, the wall plug folds down for easy storage.

As for Vanns service, I ordered it on Sunday night and received it on Thursday the week of Mothers Day. Absolutely painless and like always, Vanns kept me informed every step of the way from their email confirmations to a Fed Ex tracking #.

Overall, another great experience with Vanns.

Lumix DMC-TZ1

Reviewed By: Robert Peed - Greer, SC

This is an awesome camera for this price! The 10X optical zoom and image stabilization are fantastic features. The 5.0 MPs are less than some other cameras in this price range have, but you will not miss the extra pixels. The only thing you would need them for is blowing up the pictures to a ridiculous size, anyway. The pictures are sharp, the color is great, and the scene modes work well. I had a Sony DSC-P52 that just died, and the Panasonic blows the Sony away, even when the Sony did work. I hope it holds up longer than the Sony products Ive had lately. The bonus pack was a super buy that clinched my decision to buy from Vanns.

DMC-TZ1S

Reviewed By: Rudy Fallang - Miles City, MT

I am impressed with Vanns.com, not only did I get the best price I could find, I had it in 3 days.
The DMC-TZ1S was everything I had anticipated from the reviews I had read. Crisp pictures even at 10x on a very windy day. Night shots using the night setting produced excellent results. Indoor shots with flash were great. I have not used movie mode yet. This is a christmas gift for my son, I may have to order another one.
It is really fster and much better than my old Olympus UZ-C725, which I really liked maybe not any more.

A very good Product and Pleasant sales personnal

Reviewed By: Dale Goodling - Richfield, PA

This is our second camera we purchased from Vanns and all of the sales people I spoke to were very helpful. They were very knowledgeable about digital cameras and assisted me in ordering the accessories I needed for the camera. The camera a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1S is very easy to use. The LCD screen is a good size and it has a Power LCD mode for more brightness outdoors. I was especially impressed by the small size of the camera with a 10X optical zoom. One of the reason for purchasing this camera besides the size was the anti-shake, it is very helpful and I have had no trouble with blurry pictures even using the full 10X Zoom.

The Best Camera for me...

Reviewed By: Kevin J Ravi - Irving, Texas - 75038

This is the best camera one can get for this price. The pictures are crisp although the speed between photos is less compared to most other costlier cameras. This one is easy to hold and shoot even with a single hand.

Well I found a couple of issues in the short span Ive used this.
1.On full 10X zoom the pictures tend to get shaky as this requires a very steady hand. But a Tripod should get rid of this problem.
2. The Night Scenary mode is very slow to capture pictures.

Over all this a real good Value for money camera.

I particularly liked the shopping experience with VANNS. I should say it was awesome, compared to the other so called big Online sites. The sales team was fantastic and the support was excellent and i got the package delivered on time.. Well Done!! Vanns.