Features
Handling
Performance
Verdict
Specification
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 was announced in January 2013 and is a travel zoom camera with 20x optical zoom and built-in Wi-Fi. It is available in black, white, silver and red for £309.99.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 Features
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 has an 18.1 megapixel high sensitivity MOS sensor which can shoot at up to 10 fps. The lens has 20x optical zoom, a 35mm equivalent of 24-480mm which can be extended to 40x with Intelligent Zoom. To keep your images sharp there is Hybrid OIS and level shots detects the horizontal line and keeps your images straight even then the camera is tilted.
The TZ40 has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC (Near Field Communication) which allows the camera to connect to a smartphone / tablet by simply placing them near to each other. The Panasonic Image App allows you to share pictures from the camera to your mobile device and control the camera remotely via Wi-Fi. There is also GPS to geotag your images.
When shooting you can use iAuto mode, this automatically adjusts the camera settings for the detected the scene. There are also full manual controls as well as a range of scene modes, creative control modes and panoramas.
Videos are recorded in full 1080p HD. The optical zoom is available during recording as its the Hybrid OIS. You can record high-speed videos at 100 fps in HD quality.
Key Features
- 18.1 megapixel high sensitivity MOS Sensor
- 20x optical zoom lens (35mm equiv: 24-480mm)
- Hybrid OIS+ (Optical Image Stabiliser Plus) and Level Shot
- 3.0 inch 920k touch screen
- Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC (Near Field Communication)
- Built-in GPS
- Full 1080p HD video recording
- ISO 100 - 3200
- 3cm minimum focusing distance
- 10 fps continuous shooting
- HDR mode
- Panorama mode
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 Handling
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 has a compact metal body which is small enough to carry in your pocket. It has a substantial rubber grip on the front with a dotted area on the rear for your thumb. There is a mode dial on the top alongside the zoom rocker, shutter release, on / off switch and movie record button.
There are a number of buttons on the rear. There is a W-Fi button which takes you straight to the Wi-Fi options. The exposure / map button has two uses. When in S/A/M the exposure button lets you change the shutter and aperture settings, when in playback it allows you to access the maps feature. Also on the rear are the playback, display and q.menu buttons as well as a d-pad for cycling through the menus.
The rest of the rear is filled with the 3 inch touch screen, it has an excellent resolution at 910k dots and can be used to select the focus point, release the shutter and control the zoom. The TZ40 has a well laid out menu system which is easy to navigate. The q.menu button lets you change the settings for the particular mode you are in, such as ISO, white-balance etc.
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With the Panasonic Image app installed on your mobile device you can transfer your images from the camera and also use the device as a remote release. You can change the zoom, set the focus point, release the shutter and change the exposure via the app.
Battery life is rated at a respectable 300 shots according to CIPA test results. We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
| Shutter Response | 0.2 secs | |
| Wide - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.3 secs | |
| Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.55 secs | |
| Switch on Time to Taking a Photo | 1.55 secs | |
| Shot to Shot without Flash | 0.85 secs | |
| Shot to Shot with Flash | 1.15 secs | |
| Continuous Shooting - 2 fps AF-continuous | 1.94 fps | |
| Continuous Shooting - 5 fps AF-continuous | 4.30 fps | |
| Continuous Shooting - 10 fps AF-single | 8.88 fps | |
| Continuous Shooting - 40 fps AF-single | 40.08 fps | |
| Continuous Shooting - 60 fps AF-single | 57.45 fps | |
| Continuous Shooting - Flash burst | 1.94 fps |
The 2, 5 and 10 fps continuous shooting modes all record in full 18.1 resolution, with the 40 fps mode recording at 5 megapixels, 60 fps mode recording at 2.5 megapixels and flash burst limited to 3 megapixels, but does slow after 5 shots.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 Performance
Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 (ZS30) Sample Photos
Sample Photos - The TZ40 takes images which are colourful and well exposed. Portraits have good skin tones and are free of red-eye. The HDR mode automatically combines images and doesn't require a tripod, to help bring out the detail in the shadows and highlights.
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 (ZS30) Lens test images
Lens Performance - Detail is decent at both ends of the lens, although purple fringing and chromatic aberration can been seen in contrasting areas when you view the images a full size. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 3cm which allows for impressive macro shots to be taken.
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 (ZS30) ISO test images
ISO Noise Performance - Noise is low at ISO 100 and 200, with a very small amount appearing at ISO 400. There is a slight increase at ISO 800, which causes a very slight softening of the images. Noise increases at ISO 1600, reducing image quality slightly. Lots of detail is lost at ISO 3200, with soft images with a smudged appearance produced.
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 (ZS30) White-balance test images
White Balance Performance - The auto white balance (AWB) performs well under the incandescent lights, as does the incandescent preset. The AWB also takes a good picture under the fluorescent lighting, there isn't a fluorescent preset on the TZ40, but that's OK because you won't need one.
Panorama | 1/125 sec | f/6.3 | 4.3 mm | ISO 100
Panorama mode - Panorama images have a decent amount of detail and are well stitched together.
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 (ZS30) Digital filters
Digital Filters - To help you take unique and creative pictures, the TZ40 has a range of colour modes and creative control modes, with a number of examples above.
Video - Below is a video recorded in full 1080p HD. Quality is good, you can also use the optical zoom during recording, an example of which can be seen on the ePHOTOzine Youtube page.
Value For Money
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 is available for around at £309.99. Other pocketable cameras with 20x optical zoom to consider are the Canon Powershot SX240 / SX260 HS for £149.99 / £184.99, Sony Cybershot HX20V for £218.50, Nikon Coolpix S9500 at £252.66, Fujifilm FinePix F900 at £309.99 and Sony Cybershot DSC-WX300 is available for £280.00. There are many cameras now available with Wi-Fi, if this is the feature which attracts you the most there is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5 at £79.99 and Nikon Coolpix S800c at £222.70. There are also Wi-Fi memory cards from Transcend and Eye-Fi.
You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 Verdict
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 has all the features needed to justify its travel zoom tag. It offers ample optical zoom, great for landscapes and distance objects, as well as built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, all in a pocketable body. It's a little on the expensive side, so some of the cheaper options may be more appealing, but the features and image quality certainly make it worth the money.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 has all the features for a travel zoom and delivers good image quality.