Sigma 150mm Macro Lens

Something happens when you use a macro lens on your digital SLR camera. You witness things you never suspected were in the photo when you were setting it up.

You have to really experience this to know the feeling, but when it happens, it’s very cool.

This article is about Canon EOS cameras using a Sigma macro lens, but if you are a Nikon or Pentax user, the same lenses are available to you.

Why would you use a Sigma macro lens? Wouldn’t it just be better to get a Canon macro lens? Another question, can’t you just use any lens for macro photography?

Good questions, indeed, and they have some very definitive answers.

Magnolia Flower - Sigma 150mm Macro with Canon EOS Camera

A macro lens gets these close up photos with much better quality than any “conventional” lens. Dedicated macro lenses have only one focal length, such as 105mm. Those lenses that actually include the word “macro” in their title, but they are zoom lenses, are not going to give you the high quality image you desire in your macro photography.

Next, consider using a Sigma macro lens versus a Canon macro lens. Some photo enthusiasts won’t even consider it. If you are one of these, you may as well move on. However, there may be a valid reason to think about it… dinero (money).

Usually Sigma Macro lenses for Canon digital SLRs are less money than Canon macro lenses. Photo quality is really good with either choice. Most likely, you can’t tell the difference in image quality between the two. It would take a forensic scientist to tell which is which.

Third party manufacturers like Sigma have made a commitment. They understand that if they don’t get the quality right in their macro lenses, they will not get any of the buyers. They put lots of time and research into getting it right. What they ended up with are great engineering and great lenses.

There are four dedicated macro lenses if you decide on Sigma. The focal lengths are 50mm, 70mm, 105mm, and 150mm. The 105mm macro lens is the lens of choice to start with.

Sigma 105mm - Portrait Lens

Sigma macro ratings are very high. You actually should check ratings before buying any piece of camera equipment. In this case, you will discover that many consider Sigma an equal to Canon in the macro category.

Close up photography is really rewarding. The beauty and intricacies of nature make you realize that there is a Creator, and He did not hold back, even in the most minute details.

More about these great macro lenses at www.canoneoslenses.org/sigma-macro-for-canon/.

Currently, Sigma offers a 70-200 f/2.8 without Optical Stabilization at about $800. This new lens promises to rival the Canon version with the same specs. Users will have to decide.

SIGMA APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM

This just in from Sigma:

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the new Sigma APO 70-200 F2.8 EX DG OS HSM.
This large aperture telephoto zoom lens incorporates Sigma’s original Optical Stabilizer function. The lens covers focal lengths from 70mm to 200mm and has a large maximum aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. Two FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements, which have the performance equal to fluorite glass, and three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction of color aberration. High image quality is assured throughout the entire zoom range and an optimum optical power layout provides superior optical quality in all shooting ranges from close-up to infinity. The OS (Optical Stabilizer) function offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower than would otherwise be possible. For Sony and Pentax mount, the built-in OS function of this lens can be used even if the camera body is equipped with an image sensor shift anti-shake system. As compensation for camera shake is visible in the view finder, the photographer can easily check for accurate focus and ensure there is no subject movement. Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghost. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), ensuring a quiet and high speed AF as well as full-time manual focus capability. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 140cm(55.1″) throughout the entire zoom range and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:8. The rounded 9 blade diaphragm creates an attractive blur to the out of focus images. This lens is equipped with a Petal-type hood. For digital cameras with an APS-C size image sensor, a dedicated hood adapter, which expands the length of the lens hood, is supplied.

Specifications:

* Lens Construction 22 Elements in 17 Groups
* Maximum Magnification 1:8
* Angle of View 34.3-12.3 degrees
* Filter Size Diameter 77mm
* Number of blades 9pcs (Rounded diaphragm)
* Lens Hood Petal-type hood (LH850-02) supplied
* Minimum Aperture F22
* Dimensions f86.4mm×197.6mm / 3.4in. × 7.8in.
* Minimum Focusing Distance 140cm / 55.1in.
* Weight 1430g / 50.4oz

Price

About $ 1699

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L for Canon EOS Digital Cameras

Canon is in the Digital SLR market in a huge way. Their commitment to quality has produced many fantastic photography products, including cameras and lenses. The Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens may possibly be one of their highest quality products to date. This rather bold statement is based on the reception of this lens by the photographic community, including expert reviews and reviews by professionals and enthusiastic amateurs. They are practically unanimous in their praise.

This remark is typical of the users’ comments about the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 lens for Canon EOS cameras: “…since I got the 85 prime, I haven’t looked back. The 85 1.2L simply smokes the zoom..” The “zoom” he was referring to is the 70-200 f/2.8, which may be the most popular (at least in the top 2 or 3) Canon lens on the market.

When you first see this lens, especially if you are comparing it to a similar one of the same focal length, your first impression would definitely be “Wow”, this is quite a piece of equipment. It is massive and impressive at the same time. You can tell that you hold quality in your hand.

Then, after attaching it to your digital SLR, you will know that your first impression was an accurate one. It truly handles like a professional lens. Your other lenses will feel like toys by comparison.

So, what is it good for – what type of shots are best taken with the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L?

Start with the most popular shots taken by all photographers – people. People in all settings. Family shots will turn out better than you could have imagined. Portraits will have the wow factor that you had always hoped for. Street photography or photojournalism will get better.

Weddings? A huge YES. Reports from wedding photographers have widely praised the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens for two reasons.

First, the sharp, high quality images are so much better than the ones from their other lenses. Second, the f/1.2 aperture allows shooting in low light settings better than nearly any other lens available on the market.

Video – Oh my, Yes. The video quality produced by this dynamic lens will give your video a new level of professional.

A Couple of Guys Opening Their New Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L Lens

But sports? Not so much. You will want to stick with a longer, quicker focusing lens for sports. Even though this lens has HSM, it is not quite fast enough to capture shots with the speed you need for sports.

This comment is really great: “I know it is crazy expensive. But go ahead and buy it, cry for 5 minutes, and don’t tell your wife the price. She will love the pictures at the end!!!”

Is it the best choice for every type of shot? Of course not. There is no one lens that can cover the entire gamut of picture taking scenarios.

And price may be an issue for you. But this is one lens that you might consider trading in your teenage son for. It’s that good.
Take a look at the ratings, specs, and a few sample pictures at www.canoneoslenses.org. I think you will agree with all the others who are so impressed with the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens.

One more thing. It is compatible with all current Canon EOS digital SLR cameras, including Full Frame and APS-C formats. Just one more plus for this amazing lens.

visit canoneoslenses.org

Which Canon EOS Lenses are the best choice?

This is an important question for Canon Digital SLR camera owners. Especially if you are fairly new in the digital SLR photography arena.

You can spend hours, no -days, looking for your next Canon EOS lens.

And one of the biggest questions about Canon EOS Lenses is still, “Is a third party lens as good as a Canon lens?”

The answer to that question is that sometimes they are and sometimes they are not. You need to know which Sigma, Tamron, or Tokina lenses are good and which ones are snoozers.

Don’t buy a lens based on price alone. The first qualification for ANY digital SLR purchase, whether it’s a camera or a lens should be the overall quality of that piece of equipment. Yes, there are some really good lenses that don’t cost much, but that is not usually the case. You can find out which ones are good and which ones are great at this new website -> http://canoneoslenses.org/ <-

That’s it.  I just wanted to pass along this little site that has a list of the highest rated Canon EOS Lenses available. You don’t have to wade through lists of specifications to find out which ones are good… If it is listed on this website, it is one of the best – as rated by photography geeks and photographers alike.

In order to get on this list, the lens must have attained excellent ratings from camera review websites AND online camera sales sites as submitted by buyers of the Canon EOS lenses in review.

Check it out HERE -> http://canoneoslenses.org <-

The Canon Powershot S90 does very well in low light settings.

While digital SLR cameras receive the Lion’s share of consideration on camera and consumer review web pages because of their recent lower prices and professional camera controls, there is nevertheless a demand from customers for high-end “point and shoot” cameras.

Say hello to the Canon Powershot S90, a fully compact camera with nearly all the control of a digital slr camera. It is an alternate to several high end compact models that have a tendency to look similar to professional models in line and design. This exceptional camera was designed to be the comprehensive pocket or purse model.

Two groups of photography enthusiasts will be interested in the Canon Powershot S90.

First, there is the photography enthusiast who is just about ready for the Digital SLR. She wants to experience camera features that are unavailable on lower end models to develop an understanding of what these controls can do and the way the work.

The second group is the DSLR owner, either an advanced amateur or a pro photographer, who is looking for a perfect pocket model. These are men and women who under no circumstances want to skip a photographic experience, even though their digital slr camera is not easily available.

Here it is - Canon Powershot S90!

The Canon Powershot S90 has the look and feel of a truly compact camera, the kind that most folks carry around in their pocket or purse. Nevertheless, it is anything but a typical digital compact.

Included in the main features of Canon Powershot S90:

*New 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System; DIGIC 4 Image Processor

*Improved low-light image performance, plus a Low Light scene mode for ISO settings up to 12,800

*Customizable control ring for easy access and operation of manual or other creative shooting settings

*Wide-angle 3.8x optical zoom with Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer; bright f/2.0 lens

But that’s not all! Here is the “goods” that really sets the Canon Powershot S90 so far above the pack of “regular” digital compacts.

1. Extensive photographic feature set – more professional than typical point and shoot cameras

2. New Function Ring for easy access of the advanced manual controls

3. Usable, fast RAW mode with excellent software supplied (RAW, an alternative to JPEG, is the choice of all advanced photographers)

4. Highly customizable – normal digital cameras have single creative selections, but the S90 is customizable in the same sense as high end DSLR cameras.

Need more to convince you? Here is a typical quote from one of the many satisfied Canon Powershot S90 owners: “You get what you pay for and if you want the best pocket size camera on the market, look no further than the S90.”

You can get a Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD from Amazon now.

Or… There is more about prosumer compact digital cameras HERE.

The letters are quite meaningful:

• SP = High performance specifications (I know, pretty vague)
• AF = auto focus
• F/2 = the widest aperture is F/2.0
• Di II = digital images only, not film images
• LD = Low Dispersion glass
• IF = Internal focusing

Those letters deal with a wide range of technical information. Are they important to this discussion? Oh, Yeah!

The features available in the Tamron 60mm Macro lens are what make it a fantastic lens.

If VC and USD were in the list, this lens would be even better. VC stands for Vibration Compensation, and USD stands for Ultrasonic Silent Drive. This would add something similar to Image Stabilization and Fast Focus. Even though they would add great value to this lens, they would also add a lot to the price. Unfortunately, they would push the price of the lens beyond a reasonable limit and make it unavailable for its intended users. Leaving them out made the Tamron 60mm Macro Lens more available to the average digital SLR consumer.

Who are the intended users? It is only good for use on APC-C cameras… I know, more letters. APS-C cameras are digital SLR cameras with a smaller than “full frame” image sensor. Cameras in the APS-C category are the Digital Rebels in the Canon line and the D5000 in the Nikon line.

The fabulous part about being for APS-C cameras is that those cameras now have a really GREAT macro lens available to them.

Here are two of the most outstanding features of the Tamron 60mm Macro Lens.

1. Image quality is superior. All reviewers agreed that the image quality was beyond their expectations. Just a short aside here – prime lenses, that is those lenses with only one focal length, tend to produce the very best image quality, typically much better than zoom lenses.
2. Depth of Field. Bokeh is a term bandied about by photographers referring to the blurring of the background of a photograph. It happens when the depth of the focal plane is not very deep. This is true of this macro lens. It has a very shallow focal plane allowing for a nice blurring effect that helps the main part of the photo stand out even more.

This declaration by the manufacturer is significant: “The Tamron 60mm Macro lens is the only lens in the World that can boast an F/2.0 aperture at that focal length (60mm).” The closest rival has as its largest aperture F/2.8.

Still another advantage is that this lens is not merely for close up photography, although it is very good in that category. Portraits are also produced with excellent results using the Tamron 60mm Macro lens. Many photographers use a 50mm lens for portraits, but this one performed admirably for taking sharp portraits.

What about the cons?

Most of the reviews have agreed that there is one negative factor that they discovered in their use of the lens. The lens has auto focus with a manual override. That means that you can use the camera to get the focus automatically, but if you feel that you can tweak the focus manually to get it sharper, you can do that. The complaint is that the reviewing photographers had trouble with this feature, because the lens tended to try to revert back to auto focus.

This is not an uncommon problem with macro photo lenses. The problem is due to the closeness of the camera lens to the actual subject of the photo and the very narrow depth of field. The lens tries to “search” for the right focus. With the Tamron 60mm Macro lens, the testers agreed that they were able to master this problem, but it was somewhat of a negative in their evaluation.

All in all this is a really great lens for entry level to mid level digital slr cameras. This lens offers photographers a affordable macro lens that provides great image quality.

The Tamron 60mm macro lens has gotten this comment from every reviewer, “This lens produces great images.”

Find out more at http://digital-photographic-resources.com.

Is it a Canon Rebel T2i? If not, wouldn’t you like to own one?

What exactly are you looking for in your next digital SLR camera? The Canon Rebel T2i will have whatever it is that you want in a digital SLR.

With each succeeding release in the Rebel line, Canon has set higher standards for entry level digital single lens reflex cameras. Now that the Canon Rebel T2i has been available for a few months, the other camera makers must be hunkered down in their “secret places” trying to discover how they can be competitive with this awesome camera. This is good news for photographers everyplace, because photography equipment will be rising to new levels.

Back to the question at hand. What are you looking for? Here are just a few questions that may be on your mind. Each one has the exact same answer, and that answer is the Canon Rebel T2i.

How about a top rated camera for less than $1000? Is that what is driving your camera buying decision?

Although personal opinions are just that, opinions, the technical reviews at online photography sites and photo magazines alike are pretty much unified in acclaiming the Canon T2i as the “Best Rebel Yet”. Sub $1000 price is a huge bargain for this awesome digital SLR camera. Even though it is considered an entry level Digital SLR, it has the features set of cameras that cost much, much more.

Is great image quality your top priority?

Former models have all had excellent image quality, but this one has raised the level to a higher notch, almost equal to cameras that are more than twice as much money. Even when bumping the ISO setting to the greatest levels, where image quality has been questionable in the past, this one delivers really high quality prints.

Is attaching the very best lenses available the thing that draws you to a digital SLR?

We’re talkin’ SLR here. Choosing your lens is one of the reasons a photographer chooses this type of camera. With this unit, almost all Canon lenses will be suitable to attach, and many manufacturers such as Tamron and Sigma make lenses for it as well.

What about HD video? Is that your top dog?

This is the feature that first drew all the attention. HD video at 1024p and 24 or 30 frames per second is tops in the field, no matter how much money you invest in a digital SLR camera.

What about Live View? Is that what you want in a digital SLR?

The version of Live View in the Canon Rebel T2i is new and improved. You can use it for superior composition and control functions on the fly.

Bottom line: The Canon Rebel T2i absolutely has each and every feature covered.

So again I ask, “What’s in your camera bag?” If you are still not convinced, check out the Canon Rebel T2i at http://www.digital-photographic-resources.com.

I mean, there are sooo many to choose from, and new ones keep coming out all the time.

Canon Rebel T2i vs Canon EOS 50D

Maybe you have looked at the Canon EOS Rebel T2i compared to the Canon EOS 50D ? Now there is an interesting comparison.

Let’s begin with price, because that is a great starting point.

Keeping the comparison simple, let’s consider the body only (no lens included), you will get Canon’s Rebel T2i ($875) for about $125 less than a Canon EOS 50D ($999). Really, since the development of the Canon EOS 7D, the price tag on the 50D has dropped significantly, however, there is more for you to consider.

Although the canon EOS Rebel T2i is touted as a “basic” dslr, the features rival and also exceed the 50D in several areas. It is sort of difficult to consider the T2i being a camera just for beginners within the SLR photography marketplace. There are lots of advanced photographers who definitely are acquiring one for a back-up to their more advanced model.

The primary benefits of the Canon Rebel T2i vs EOS 50D:

1. Video – this feature is totally missing on the 50D. And also the T2i has improved considerably over it’s elder sibling (T1i). The recording is pretty darn excellent, although it isn’t quite just like a dedicated video camera. But it truly is an advantage to have both still and movie in the exact same camera.

2. Resolution – The Canon EOS Rebel T2i is a full 3-megapixels over the EOS 50D. The image quality is improving as well, compared to older Rebel versions.

3. Exposure Compensation – The Canon Rebel T2i sports a +/- 5. full stops while the EOS 50D can only range +/- 2. stops.

4. Zone Metering – The Canon 50D has 35 point evaluative metering which is not bad, but the T2i comes with an all new 63 point evaluative metering system.

Now, as a new photographer, you might not get too excited about such things as exposure compensation and zone metering. Maybe you don’t have any idea what they are, and that is the precise point of the comment above that the Canon Rebel T2i really should not be regarded as a camera only for novices. With this camera, Canon has “raised the bar” for entry level digital SLRs.

Let’s have a fast look at the positive aspects of the EOS 50D vs the Canon Rebel T2i:

1. Build quality – It has the “feel” of a much more professional camera.

2. AF system – Quicker, more precise auto focus, using a micro-focus adjustment.

3. Quick Control Dial – This dial on the back of the camera enables owners to get rapidly to most camera controls.

4. Continuous Shooting – Considerably faster burst rate at 6.3 frames per second versus 3.7.

5. Shutter speed - 1/8000th of a second is twice as fast vs 1/4000th.

Main point here – The digital SLR playing field is getting more compact. What I mean by that is that the differences between some camera models are becoming harder to evaluate because there is not much in the way of technical capabilities separating them.

When choosing a digital slr camera, you really should look at the features to evaluate each camera model in terms of your personal needs. A lot of photography lovers have discovered that even the entry level cameras are totally perfect for giving them a good image similar to the higher end, considerably more costly cameras.

The Canon Rebel T2i is a remarkable digital SLR which can compete with the big boys in a few very significant areas. It is well worth considering getting a T2i rather than an EOS 50D. In fact, it is almost a given that the engineers at Canon are hard at work coming up with an EOS 60D to make camera buying even more interesting.

More about the Canon EOS 50D at http://digital-photographic-resources.com/cameras/mid-dslr.html.

I get these deals via email. Just thought I would pass them along to the Internet photography audience.

Happy Shooting!


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Panasonic continues to push the boundaries and provide consumers with additional features, such as GPS and manual control, users will be finding more reasons to go on vacation to enjoy this new model! The Panasonic ZS7 (TZ10) will be available from mid March in a choice of silver, black, red or blue.

Here is the press release -

January 26, 2010: Panasonic’s multiple award winning TZ series is pleased to welcome a new addition to the family. Sporting key features fundamental to the TZ success story – including AVCHD Lite HD movie recording capability, a 25mm ultra wide angle and powerful 12x optical zoom in a compact body – the TZ10 goes one step further to offer users built-in GPS and full manual control.

Panasonic ZS7 (TZ10)

The new model has a 14.5-megapixel CCD and shoots with up to 12.1-megapixel resolution. This enables multi-aspect shooting that can reproduce images taken 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 -perfect for when you want to take a picture for widescreen TV use but also to make conventional prints.

Intelligent Resolution Technology Enhances the Possibility of Digital Imaging – The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine HD has been re-engineered to compile new image processing technology – “Intelligent Resolution”. It enables the recording of beautiful photos and high-definition movies with higher quality signal processing.

With Intelligent Resolution technology, 3 areas – outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation areas are automatically detected. The outline parts are enhanced effectively to give edges more clarity while giving a moderate accentuation to the texture areas to make it look more finely detailed. To the soft gradation part, the superior noise reduction system of the Venus Engine HD II is applied to make it smoother. Apart from the uniform enhancement of sharpness, the innovative Intelligent Resolution technology precisely performs signal processing pixel by pixel in the most effective way. As a result, images are naturally clear and crisp in both photo and movie recording.

Intelligent Resolution technology also makes possible Intelligent Zoom, which virtually extends the optical zoom ratio to 1.3x equivalent maintaining the picture quality even whilst using the digital zoom. The details of an Image taken in high sensitivity recording tends to be lost in the noise reduction process, however the Intelligent Resolution works to keep the detail, improving the picture.

At the same time, the multi-task image-processing engine Venus Engine HD II supports a super-fast response time. The shutter release time lag is as short as approx. 0.006 seconds and the camera’s quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF (Auto Focus) that lets you lock on the subject minimum in approx. 0.35(wide-end) / 0.41(tele-end) second*2 and the short startup time of approx. 1.1 seconds. The high performance Venus Engine HD II is also energy efficient and extends the battery life up to 300 shots (CIPA) per a single charge.

Never Forget your Location with Built-in GPS Function – Panasonic’s TZ series has received world wide acclaim as an excellent travel companion because of a wide shooting range and hybrid recording capability of high quality photo and movie. The new TZ10 further enhances its value by adding a built-in GPS unit*3 into the camera.

The location data where the photo was taken is automatically embedded with its latitude and longitude in the EXIF data. These geo-tagged images can be pinpointed on the maps of social media internet maps to be shared with your friends and families. Plus, the TZ10 also shows the name of the town, area and landmarks using an internal database to give users real-time information of the place when taking photos to add fun of photo shooting during travel. The information of landmark exceeds 500,000, covering 73 countries – pretty impressive! The photos and movies with their location data are automatically sorted in the virtual folder alphabetically in the camera allowing quick access. You can also refer to the location names via the included software PHOTOfunSTUDIO HD Edition Ver.5.1. It is also easy to sort or search images by the location names. If this wasn’t enough, the internal clock of the camera is automatically adjusted to the local time of the place where the camera is, so you do not have to set the clock manually whether you go abroad or come back home.

Manual Exposure for More Control 
The TZ10’s iA mode is the perfect camera for every user to be able to take beautiful shots effortlessly. Going one step further, the TZ10 also features manual control for advanced expressive photo shooting. It has A(Aperture Priority) / S(Shutter Speed Priority) / M(Manual Exposure) modes for advanced users to enjoy the creative shots depending on the subject or the scene by controlling the shutter speed and aperture. Each of these modes and iA mode can be quickly set by the mode dial on the top of the camera unit.

HD Movie Recording - In addition to Motion JPEG images*4, the DMC-TZ10 can record high-definition motion picture in AVCHD Lite. It allows almost doubling of the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. The picture quality is greatly enhanced thanks to the newly added Intelligent Resolution technology. The TZ10 also features Dolby Digital Stereo Creator to record high quality audio, so you can match the beautiful motion images with outstanding stereo sound, and further offers a one-touch movie button for instant recording of videos.
The hugely popular and powerful iA (Intelligent Auto) is also now available in motion image recording mode. 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.

Users can fully utilize the powerful 12x optical zoom in movie recording. The GPS and corresponding location information can also be embedded in the video clips. With the newly added Video Divide function, users can divide the video into two sections to shorten or delete the unwanted part on the spot in the camera. You can cutout a still image from a movie in the camera and Intelligent Resolution Technology makes it possible to produce 1920×1080 still images from a 1280×720 HD movie even recorded in AVCHD Lite.　A Wind Cut function is also available to block out most of the noise from background wind.
Still or motion images recorded in AVCHD Lite*5 on SD Memory Cards are easy to view on a Panasonic VIERA TV. Simply insert the card into the VIERA Image Viewer (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 TZ10 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 5.1 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.

Introducing new POWER O.I.S – Panasonic has incorporated Intelligent Auto mode in pursuit of the ultimate ease of operation and the reduction of misshots. In iA mode the camera does all the work, leaving you free to compose shots and capture moments. Just press, aim and shoot. This mode is now further advanced with the inclusion of r advanced image stabilization system POWER O.I.S. and Intelligent Resolution technology for the DMC-TZ10.
Taking advantage of Panasonic’s accumulated optical technologies, MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) has been incorporated into LUMIX cameras from the earliest stages of development. MEGA O.I.S. has evolved into POWER O.I.S. on the DMC-TZ10, with a great performance improvement – twice the shake suppression capability of the predecessor TZ7.

The hand-shake component, which is physically generated when pressing the shutter button or when shooting at night with a slow shutter speed, is recognized as a low-frequency vibration, for which the new POWER O.I.S. is particularly effective. This greatly improves the quality of shots taken at night or indoors where a flash cannot be used, or where the photographer doesn’t want to use a flash because it would spoil the mood. It captures beautiful photos in situations that previously resulted in blurring. 
  
The DMC-TZ10 features Face Recognition – a function that found popularity in the previous TZ7, and now with several upgrades. Three face images can be registered for each person, to raise the detection accuracy. And when the angle of view is changed horizontally, the name display also rotates for easier reading. The Intelligent Scene Selector, which automatically selects whichever of 6 Scene Modes – Macro, Portrait, Scenery, Night Portrait, Night Scenery and newly added Sunset – that best suits the shooting situation.

In addition, newly incorporated Intelligent Resolution technology is always activated in iA mode which results in the clearer and higher picture quality in every photo and movie with extended zoom range with the Intelligent Zoom equivalent to 16x optical zoom.
Once you enter iA mode, these functions happen automatically together with other powerful shooting-assist functions – AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control and Intelligent Exposure – so you can shoot without the bother of adjusting settings every time conditions change. You can enjoy easy, trouble-free shooting in any situation and get the satisfaction that comes with capturing clear, beautiful images.
The new Happy Mode, a colour mode option in iA mode, optimizes colour, saturation and brightness to make both photo and movie more vivid and true to the colour of the scene you memorized.

A 3.0-inch, Super High Resolution 460,000-dot Intelligent LCD for Easy Viewing – The TZ10 is equipped with a 3.0-inch, super high resolution 460,000-dot Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle and AR (Anti-Reflection) coating. The screen brightness automatically adjusts in 11 steps as the surrounding brightness level changes, ensuring easy visibility at all times. The big screen reflects fine details, making it easy to check the focus before shooting. It also serves as a small photo and video viewer, allowing the user and friends to enjoy viewing the still and motion images together.
Other Versatile Functions Adding to the Photographic Enjoyment
Challenging convention, 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 28 scene modes for still image and 18 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, High Dynamic and Underwater), capturing beautiful videos is effortless with the TZ10.
The High Dynamic mode is newly added to the existing Scene modes. This mode helps to capture a scene with moderate exposure, even though the scene contains both bright and dark areas together. The user can select either of three options, Standard, Art, or B/W, depending on the desired effect and personal taste to make the photo look natural to artistic.

The optional marine case (DMW-MCTZ10) is available for underwater photography taking advantage of an outstanding shooting range from 25mm to 300mm for both photo and movie.
In addition to the conventional SD/SDHC Memory Card, the DMC-TZ10 accepts next-generation SD format SDXC (SD eXtended Capacity), that features high potential in both capacity and data transfer speed. The DMC-TZ10 is compatible with Windows 7.

Included Software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.1 HD Edition The latest version of exciting software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.1 HD Edition comes bundled with DMC-TZ10. With quick start-up and fast read-in of images, the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.1 HD Edition makes it possible to sort and organize photos not only of those newly taken but also of those stored in your PC. The Face Recognition function recognizes the faces in the picture and allows sorting of the photos by the registered faces without having to pick out each photo one by one when you only want pictures of a specific person. The geo-tagged photos and movies taken with the TZ10 can be sorted by place names automatically. You can also enjoy slideshows with a variety of effects and use your iTunes music library as background music and burn it onto a DVD disc in MPEG2. Motion pictures can be uploaded directly to YouTube using the built-in YouTube uploader even in HD (High Definition) quality. It also lets you create a 360-degree rotation panorama file in MOV, which is especially easy if Panorama Assist mode in the camera is used. The software is of course compatible with the Windows 7.

Originally posted on www.dpreview.com