Labs

What Panasonic lacks in naming skills it makes up for in lens specifications. The Lumix DMCLZ2BB (or LZ2 for short) has a 6x zoom range, which is likely to be far more use in practice than an 8-megapixel CCD for capturing detail. It also has optical image stabilisation, which dramatically improves sharpness at extreme telephoto settings or in low light.

In other respects

ADVERTISEMENT

the LZ2's specifications are ordinary, with a 5-megapixel CCD, 2" LCD screen, fairly basic manual control options and power provided by two AA batteries. The case is made from plastic rather than metal, but seems pretty sturdy. However, the camera is rather lethargic, taking four seconds to power up and shoot, and up to eight seconds between shots.

Image quality is extremely high in most conditions, and the LZ2 produced the best flash photos in the group. Outdoor shots were usually spot on, but a few were a little over-saturated. Indoor shots without the flash were variable; in one test it gave the best exposure of any camera here, but in another we were unable to eliminate a yellow cast despite changing the white balance mode.

When we first reviewed this camera six months ago, we liked it a lot. That hasn't changed, but though its price has fallen the competition has improved. However, for wildlife photography its zoom will make all the difference.