Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80

So, I picked up a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 camera today, for a bargainous £100. It’s still going for £249 on Wex Photo! I like a bargain.

It’s a nice little compact camera that offers a range of features suitable for casual photographers and enthusiasts like me. It’s got a reasonably small and lightweight body, and is clearly designed for portability over performance. It’s one of those little all in ones that’s ideal for those who want to ‘capture moments on the go’.

Anyway, I bought it so I thought I may as well review it, so let’s take a closer look at its key features and performance.

Design and Build Quality

Originally released in 2016, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 features a sleek and modern design that could be described by the more loquacious amongst us as stylish and functional. As mentioned above it’s both compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry around in a (large) pocket or (small) bag.

The build quality is solid, with what appears to be metal body but is actually mainly plastic, it feels well-constructed though.

There’s a generous 3-inch LCD touchscreen that is responsive and easy to navigate. That touchscreen can be used to adjust settings, focus on subjects, and review photos and videos.

Additionally, there is a small electronic viewfinder on the top of the camera that can be used for more precise composition and focusing. That’s not something you usually find on a camera of this class.

Key Features

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 offers a range of features that make it a versatile camera for a variety of shooting scenarios. According to the bumf, it’s got:

• Lеіса lеnѕ – 30х орtісаl zооm
• Wіdе 24-720mm, F3.3-6.4
• 18-mеgаріхеlѕ
• 1/2.3″ hіgh ѕеnѕіtіvіtу ѕеnѕоr МОЅ ѕеnѕоr
• Vеnuѕ Еngіnе 9 (what?!)
• 4К Рhоtо & 4К Vіdео, Роѕt Fосuѕ
• 3.0″ tоuсh LСD (1,040k dоt)
• ЕVF: 0.2″ 1,166k dоt, еуе ѕеnѕоr
• Сrеаtіvе funсtіоnѕ/mаnuаl ореrаtіоn: соntrоl rіng, mаnuаl fосuѕ, реаkіng
• Роwеr ОІЅ (Рhоtо) / 5-ахіѕ Нуbrіd О.І.Ѕ. (Vіdео)
• Wі-Fі соnnесtіvіtу

I’d say the DMC-TZ80’s standout feature is its 30x optical zoom lens. Providing a focal range equivalent to 24-720mm, this allows you to capture wide-angle landscapes, close-up portraits and everything in between. That’s neat.

The camera also features a 4K-ish photo mode that allows you to capture still images at 30 frames per second, which is great for capturing fast-moving action. It’s also got a true 4K video mode that records at 3840 x 2160 resolution at 25 frames per second.

Other key features include built-in Wi-Fi, which allegedly allows you to easily transfer photos and videos to your smartphone. I’ve yet to get this work and it appears that Panasonic have ended the service that lets you transfer directly to web services which is a real downside of buying older cameras like this.

The camera also has a range of creative filters and effects that Panasonic seems to believe can be used to enhance your images. Enhance? The jury’s out on that one.

Performance

As compact cameras go the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 delivers good performance. The autofocus system is fast and accurate and the camera’s optical image stabilization system helps reduce blur and shake when shooting handheld. Again this isn’t always a feature you see on cameras at this price point (especially when you get it at a bargain price).

If you’re considering this as a party camera, then don’t. It performs appallingly in low light conditions, with loss of detail and quite a considerable amount of noise at the higher ISO settings. This is a consequence of its small sensor and means image quality does suffer in low light conditions.

4K photo and video modes deliver impressive results though, with sharp detail and vibrant colors. If you’ve got the light. The burst mode allows you to capture up to 10 frames per second at full resolution, which is great for capturing fast-moving action, again, if you’ve got the light.

So What?

So there you have it, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 a camera that manages to cram in a bunch of features while still fitting in your pocket. Who needs a bulky DSLR when you can have a camera that can zoom all the way to 720mm and shoot 4K video? (Hint: because they take better photographs.)

The small sensor size makes low-light shooting a bit of a challenge, but hey, who needs good image quality when you can have fun with creative filters and effects, right? Snark aside, if you’re in the market for a compact camera that can do a lot of things, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 is definitely worth considering.

If you’re able to find it at a discounted price, it could be an even better deal. With a feature-packed design, the camera offers a lot of value for its original retail price, but getting it for less than a third of that would make it an even more appealing option.

While it may not be the best camera for professional-level photography, it offers plenty of versatility and convenience for everyday use. So if you’re looking for a compact camera that can capture high-quality images and videos without breaking the bank, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 could be a great choice.