Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3

Model Design / Appearance (7.25)
The Panasonic TZ3 isn’t the thinnest camera around, but then again, who said you have to be thin to be beautiful? The TZ3 has some curves to it and still retains an attractive look. The stainless steel body maintains a clean design that should make any owner of this compact camera proud. All the buttons, despite placement, are engrained well into the body with tight seals, supplying a reassuring click upon depression. The camera has an overall luxurious appeal, more in the vein of a four-door sedan, than a sporty two-seater.

The Lumix TZ3 is offered in silver, black, or blue camera bodies to suit the style and personality of the consumer.

Size / Portability (6.0)
Measuring 4.20 x 1.47 x 2.37 inches, the Panasonic TZ3 isn’t the smallest or largest compact camera around. The camera bridges the gap between a pocket-friendly point-and-shoot and a higher zoom compact camera. The TZ3 isn’t made to go clubbing with and won’t fit comfortably in a pants pocket. It is, however, portable enough to fit comfortably into a jacket pocket. The camera’s tight seals and covered port system will allow it to be securely transported.

At 8.16 ounces (about half a pound), the TZ3 is heavier than many point-and-shoots because of its metal exterior, but it is still light enough for any traveling backpacker. Its size and weight lends itself to active vacationers rather than socialites who like their cameras as tiny as their cell phones.

Handling Ability (7.75)
The Panasonic Lumix TZ3 handles well, especially compared to other point-and-shoots. The slopping right hand grip on the front of the camera and a small bump on the back provide sufficient support, especially for one-handed shooting and self-portraits. Handling would have received higher marks if Panasonic had included extra rubber gripping, but hey, we can’t always have it all. As usual with point-and-shoots, left-handed photographers will be out of luck. The lens is flush to the edge of the camera, making it difficult for users to place their left fingers there without obstructing the field of view.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (6.25)
The Panasonic TZ3’s control buttons are a mixed bag. Panasonic gets brownie points for including an effective mode dial for easier access to scene modes and a secure Off/On switch. The placement of those buttons, however, is all wrong. The shutter which is typically located on the far right side of the top for easy control by the index finger is located further left. In its place is the tiny optical image stabilization button. While an important feature, the optical image stabilizer does not deserve the most valuable plot of real estate on the camera - particularly since most users will never adjust it. The mode dial is also awkwardly placed at the center, another deviation from typical point-and-shoots, which have the mode dial on the back or at the corner of the LCD screen.

The top buttons are well portioned, while the back button controls could stand to gain some size, especially the small four-way multi-controller. While some compromises are expected from the large 3-inch screen, the unusual button layout could hinder usability.

Menu (7.5)
The Panasonic TZ3’s menu system is easy on the eyes. With an effective color scheme (red for record, green for play) and easy-to-read font, the menu interface makes navigating the camera’s functions simple.

When the mode dial is set to the record mode, the camera displays two tabbed menus: (1) Rec (for Record for exposure and focus controls), and (2) Setup (for camera settings). The menu uses a combination of text and icons. There are one-too-many text abbreviations that might have users scratching their heads. For instance, a user might have to stop for a second to realize that "Col. Mode" really means "Color." The menus also display icons that require the user to flip through the manual to decipher. For example, users are supposed to know that an icon of six squares with an arrow on top represents the Fine Quality setting.

Below is the record menu.

White Balance	Auto, Sunlight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen, White Set, White Balance (icons)
ISO Limit	400, 800, 1250
Aspect Ratio	4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Pict. Size	7M, 5M, 3M, 2M, 1M, 0.3M
Quality	Fine, Standard (icons)
Audio Rec.	Off, On
Metering Mode	Multiple, Center-weighted, Spot
AF Mode	9-area, High speed 3, High speed 1, 1-area, Spot (icons)
Burst	Off, High speed, Low speed, Free (icons)
Cont. AF	Off, On
AF Assist Lamp	Off, On
Slow Shutter	1/8, ¼, ½, 1
D. Zoom	Off, On
Col. Mode	Standard, Natural, Vivid, Cool, Warm, B/W, Sepia
Clock	Select, Set, Cancel, Exit

The Setup menu is self-explanatory with clearly labeled functions. Users can easily navigate through the menu via the four-way controller.

Clock Set	Select, Set, Cancel, Exit
World Time
Monitor	+, 0, - (scale)
Guide Line	Rec. Info., Histogram, Pattern
Travel Date	Off, Set
Auto Review	Off, 1 sec., 3 sec., Zoom
Power Save	Off, 1 min., 2 min., 5 min., 10 min.
Zoom Resume	Off, On
Economy	Off, Level 1, Level 2
Beep	Beep Level, Beep Tone
Shutter	Shutter Vol., Shutter Tone
Volume	+, 0, - (scale)
No. Reset	Yes, No
Reset	Yes, No
Video Out	NTSC, PAL
TV Aspect	16:9, 4:3
Scene Menu	Off, Auto
Dial Display	Off, On
Language	English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese

Refer to Playback Mode section for the full listing of playback options.

Ease of Use (7.75)
The Panasonic TZ3 is a fairly easy to use camera right out of the box. With a target audience of advanced point-and-shooters, the camera fairs well for its handling and easy-to-read menu system. Improvements to the button placement and menu abbreviations would make a future edition of the camera a superior compact ultra-zoom.