Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3

Want a small camera and a 10x zoom lens? Now Panasonic says you can have both

Everyone reasons that bigger is better. Except when it comes to digital cameras. And possibly pants. But how to shoehorn a large zoom into a small chassis without compromising on either style or performance?

That's the task Panasonic has set itself with the new Lumix, the TZ3. It has quietly been producing some increasingly acclaimed digital compacts over the last couple of years and its new 7.2 megapixel Lumix model looks set to continue that run.

For a start, that headline feature of a 10x zoom lens with glass courtesy of Leica starts wider than competitors at 28mm, while the telephoto (maximum zoom) setting is equivalent to 280mm in 35mm terms.

This makes it a versatile tool, as suitable for capturing wide vistas and landscapes as it is for group portraits and naturalistic candids.

The camera also features what Panasonic is calling ‘intelligent ISO’. This means that the TZ3 selects a suitable shutter speed and ISO setting all by itself, dependent on the conditions at the time. All you have to do is point and shoot.

It seems to have most bases covered too - with light sensitivity settings incrementally ranging from ISO100 up to a whopping ISO3200 in High Sensitivity mode.

The latter is one of 20 manually selectable scene modes, accessed via a familiar mode dial. The other scene modes are pre-optimised for a wide variety of common shooting conditions and subjects from the gimmicky to the more unusually practical - such as taking a photograph from an aeroplane window, or while at the beach (though the camera isn't sand or splash proof). For those with holidays in mind, there’s even a clipboard mode allowing you to make visual momentos of maps or train timetables.

The other literally stand-out feature on the Panasonic TZ3 is its 3-inch LCD monitor that dominates the back plate. Flick a fingernail across the on/off switch atop the camera and it powers up in a couple of seconds, the lens extending to maximum wide-angle.

The Pansonic TZ3 is also a pretty nippy customer when it comes to navigating its settings and functions. Using the zoom lever that encircles the shutter button, you can zoom to maximum telephoto in around three seconds. The screen reveals how far along the range you are – and you get an impressively steady picture at maximum telephoto.

That said, although the TZ3's captured images are vividly coloured and razor sharp at the wide setting, they do appear slightly soft at the telephoto end.

Despite the impressive zoom range – supported by an optical image stabiliser – and a lens barrel that stands just a tad proud of the body when not in use, the silver-finish metal and plastic build TZ3 is still relatively compact, if weightier than more fashion-conscious rivals without rechargeable battery and SD media inserted. Also, like most digital cameras in this price range, you'll have to budget extra for the card itself.