Panasonic Full Review of Panasonic ZS50/TZ70

Love Gordon's reviews, off to READ, now. LOL for some reason I thought it was going to be a youtube thing. anyway, it makes for interesting reading. I've decided to NOT get this TZ70, I think I'll just make do with what I have. The only aspects of the new one which appeal are: 12Mp sensor, much nicer grip (I detest the TZ60 one), and the increased EVF resolution. The rest? Meh.
 
The ZS40/TZ60 is the best all-purpose camera I've ever had, where the 720 mm effective zoom is a large factor in its competition with other cameras. But unlike a few (most) other long-zoom cameras I've had, the ZS40 has a higher quality build and much better image quality at the long end of the zoom. When my budget permits, I'll get the upgraded 12 mp version (ZS60/TZ70) which should make things even better.
 
Yes, sell-and-replace seems like a good idea. Two days ago I did an outdoor product shot (below) with the ZS40, since I had just that camera with me and it seemed like a worthy experiment. But in spite of the large image size and some judicious reduction and other PP, it just didn't have the smooth crisp look of similar images I was getting with the Leica D-Lux (Pana LX100) - a 12 mp 4/3 camera. So I'm thinking this may be just the right time when Panasonic is in high gear, to get that new 12 mp ZS60/TZ70, hoping that those 12 mp will look better than the ZS40's pixels.

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Another image from the ZS40/TZ60 - a local fishing instructor. I overdid the local contrast effect here, but even though I reduced the original 18 mp image to 5 mp, the smearing is still obvious in places. Another reason I need to get the new 12 mp model. f3.7, 1/500, ISO 100.

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Well, as is my wont, I was browsing through the U.S. Panasonic EPP website today and found the brand-new ZS50/TZ70 available for $299 with free shipping. It's backordered but who cares? At that price there's very little risk and it's worth the wait. So I pulled the trigger. I ordered my LX100 with a $200-plus discount the same way. It was backordered as well but I received the camera in about two weeks.
 
Well, as is my wont, I was browsing through the U.S. Panasonic EPP website today and found the brand-new ZS50/TZ70 available for $299 with free shipping. It's backordered but who cares? At that price there's very little risk and it's worth the wait. So I pulled the trigger. I ordered my LX100 with a $200-plus discount the same way. It was backordered as well but I received the camera in about two weeks.

I can't find that $299 deal.
 
Well, as is my wont, I was browsing through the U.S. Panasonic EPP website today and found the brand-new ZS50/TZ70 available for $299 with free shipping. It's backordered but who cares? At that price there's very little risk and it's worth the wait. So I pulled the trigger. I ordered my LX100 with a $200-plus discount the same way. It was backordered as well but I received the camera in about two weeks.

Good for you! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I'm still hell bent on getting the FZ1000 first, but other things always seem to use my cash. Like utility bills and signing up for two separate tv/movie streaming services which I swore I'd never do. Still working on it though!
 
Good for you! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I'm still hell bent on getting the FZ1000 first, but other things always seem to use my cash. Like utility bills and signing up for two separate tv/movie streaming services which I swore I'd never do. Still working on it though!

One needs to have one's priorities. You need entertainment... and you need utilities to run the entertainment. :2thumbs:
 
I got the ZS50, and I wondered at the $400 price versus the $450 for the ZS40. Despite the better ergonomics and improved view screens etc., it appears that they took the $50 out of the build quality - it doesn't have the feel of the ZS40, but it does seem adequate.
 
post: 215100 said:
Hows that grip working? Its been redesigned and looks like it might be better than the previous model which I hate (the grip, not the camera)

The grip on the front is really great, but the weird thing is, although I like the thumbrest on the back, it would have been much better if that thumbrest were slightly lower like the front grip. It's probably OK anyway since I can hold it just fine with the 3-finger-and-thumb grip, but it's a little awkward.
 
I got the ZS50, and I wondered at the $400 price versus the $450 for the ZS40. Despite the better ergonomics and improved view screens etc., it appears that they took the $50 out of the build quality - it doesn't have the feel of the ZS40, but it does seem adequate.

So, does the ZS50 seem more plasticky? Or is it just lighter than the ZS40? I'm curious.
 
So, does the ZS50 seem more plasticky? Or is it just lighter than the ZS40? I'm curious.

It's metal but feels thinner and lighter. Still, it's much better than some or most of the previous TZ series, which had a really cheap feel. BTW, I've dropped a couple of TZ's with the lens extended, even making a pretty good dent in the lens barrels a couple of times, but the cameras continued to work and the lenses were fine. I dropped a Nikon 9500 off of a chair in a dining room with lens extended, and that killed it. So Panasonic wins on durability.

Edit: BTW, my D-Lux (Pana LX100) feels like a solid brick of metal in comparison.
 
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