This little camera packs some impressive
features into its slim metal body. The star of the show is its 10x optical
zoom, which lets you frame shots more creatively than most of the 5x or smaller
zooms on other compact cameras. A big zoom isn’t that unusual but it’s rare to
find one in a camera that’s just 21mm thick.
The Lumix DMC-SZ9 also incorporates
wireless networking, so it can perform lots of clever tricks. Using the
accompanying Panasonic Image App for Android (but not iOS), you can remotely
control it from a smartphone, and see a live preview on the phone’s screen –
perfect for including yourself in group portraits.
Panasonic
Lumix DMC-SZ9
It’s not for people who are fussy
about image quality
It also transfers photos from camera to
phone, so you don’t need to wait until you get home to share a photo online.
It’s even able to use the phone’s GPS function to tag photos with location data
– in theory at least. Sadly, we weren’t able to get this to work. Direct
uploads to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube over our home broadband connection
didn’t work for us either, but we could transfer photos wirelessly to our PC.
It’s slower than using a USB cable but more convenient.
A
big zoom isn’t that unusual but it’s rare to find one in a camera that’s just
21mm thick
The SZ9 records 1080p HD videos, and while
that’s not unusual these days, the video mode is one of the best around.
Autofocus and zoom are smooth and virtually silent so they don’t spoil the
soundtrack. Having a 10x zoom is also particularly useful for videos as it lets
you step back and record people from afar so they don’t feel self-conscious.
With crisp details, rich colors, stabilization to counteract camera shake and
clips up to 30 minutes long, this could be your main video camera.
Its photographic prowess is more mixed. The
16-megrapixel sensor captures plenty of detail and of bold colors, but the
camera’s attempts to suppress image noise meant subtle details looked smudged.
It’s not a huge problem unless you want to print at large sizes or crop photos
after capture, but it’s frustrating because a lower megapixel rating would have
given better results. Smudged details were much worse in low light – you may
need to use the flash when photographing people indoors.
The
SZ9 records 1080p HD videos, and while that’s not unusual these days, the video
mode is one of the best around
This camera has little shutter lag,
rattling off shots with gaps of less than a second. This is great for taking
three or four shots and choosing eth best later – something that’s much harder
when you have to wait for two or three seconds between shots.
With a better sensor we wouldn’t hesitate
to recommend this camera. There are still lots to like about the Lumix MDC-SZ9,
but it’s not for people whose main priority is image quality.
Our verdict: 3/5
A big zoom in a little camera but some
features don’t work and image quality could be better
Key points: ultra-compact metal body –
10xzoom lens – Sophisticated wireless features – Photos suffer from smudged
details
Best price online: $270
Alternative: Canon Power Shot SX260 HS:
$285. This camera is chunkier than the SZ9 and doesn’t have Wi-Fi, but with its
superior sensor and 10x zoom it wins hands down for image quality.
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Specifications
·
CCD effective megapixels: 16.0 megapixels
·
CCD size: 1/2.33in
·
LCD screen size: 3.0in
·
LCD screen resolution: 460,000 pixels
·
Optical zoom: 10.0x
·
Maximum image resolution: 4,608 x 3,456
·
File format: JPEG; AVCHD, MP4 (AVC)
·
Drive modes: single, continuous, self-timer,
AE bracket, HDR, panorama
·
Memory slot: SDXC
·
Memory supplied: 60MB internal
·
Battery type: Li-on
·
Connectivity: USB, AV, micro, HDMI, Wi-Fi
·
Accessories: USB cable
·
Weight: 134g
·
Size: 58x97x21 mm
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