Anyone Have The Panasonic Lumix Rugged Cam?

[kja]

my little Oly is such a piece of crapola but I persevere with it. But since I'm off to Bali for a much needed relaxing holiday, I really want a new waterproof/rugged camera.

I'm about 99% certain the Panasonic TS2 or maybe even the less expensive Panasonic TS10 is the one I want but I'd love to hear from people I kinda know ...

pros, cons?

What do you really think of the images out of the camera?

Does it take forever to shoot a frame (like my Oy)?

Does it actually get stuff in focus (unlike my Oly that misses far more often than it hits)?

helen - found a thread that says you have the FT10 (which is the same as the TS10, different country). What are your thoughts?

Edited February 6, 2011 by kja

[Ripley]

I bought the Panasonic TS2 (your first choice above) from B&H just before Christmas. I received it within 3-4 days.

I used it for the first time the other week as I bought it for snorkelling It's waterproof to 10 metres, but I would only take it snorkelling, I didn't take it on scuba. I mostly used it for videos. It takes videos in HD and they look pretty clear straight out of camera when played on the tv or the laptop. So I mostly used it for videos, but did take a few photos with it when I couldn't be bothered lugging my DSLR around, it was always on me. The longest video I took with it was just over 2 mins and undewater. Battery life is ok and I bought an 8G card for it.

I don't have practise swimming on snorkel while holding a camera out in front of me and sometimes I couldn't see where I was aiming due to the sunlight, but here are a few photos from the Panasonic TS2. I didn't read the manual (I should have) and later found there is an AF tracking mode I should have used for shooting moving objects - I had large moving object all around me here.

Next time I will not use Auto ISO either. You can set ISO but I didn't play with the settings much as who wants to do that on holiday.

Here are a few pics from it (these have only had minor edits (crop, levels, sharpen for web) because I had the camera on 'underwater' mode (and I'm trying to save my time for editing all the pics I took with my DLSR instead).

Underwater mode, Auto ISO for all of these

(this one I lay down on the jetty and held the camera under the water)

Re the focusing, it has a wide angle lens but this is what happens when you don't have all AF points selected!

This was taken on 'sunset' scene mode which saturates colours (this photo is straight out of camera)

Landscape mode saturates blues/greens

I think you will really like this camera, I've read the manual now

Edited February 6, 2011 by Ripley

[kja]

Pretty sharks!

I thought I'd remembered you had this one but then it didn't come in my search.

Thanks for the photos. This will be used almost always on land, I don't expect to even snorkel with it very often. It will be my beach & doggie cam

I'm pretty sold on it. Another friend suggested I check out the Sony TX5 but although sexy, it's still a Sony LOL

I checked BH and they wanted $60 for shipping so I'll have it shipped to Dad's and then forwarded to me coz the last small camera he sent only cost $15 to here!

Edited February 6, 2011 by kja

[kja]

Oh yeah - how fast is does it feel from pressing the button to taking the shot? My Oly stinks at this AND misses focus so anything will be a step up but I'm curious how long it feels.

My baby Canon SD1200 is press and then a little pause and photo. The little pause is less than a heartbeat, but I can feel it. I don't consider it too slow - unlike the Olympus tough series that are press, go make a cup of coffee and come back then photo

[Ripley]

Sorry, didn't answer your questions

pros, cons?

What do you really think of the images out of the camera?

Does it take forever to shoot a frame (like my Oy)?

Does it actually get stuff in focus (unlike my Oly that misses far more often than it hits)?

Pros: HD video which looks pretty good, wide angle Leica lens which is good. Drop proof (from 2m it says). No underwater casing needed

Cons: Not as user friendly as I would have liked when you don't read the manual first

It doesn't take ages to shoot a frame at all. You can put it on high burst mode, but I never did. Sharks weren't swimming that fast, just checking us out.

Getting stuff in focus while snorkelling is something I need to practise.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Ripley

[kja]

I'm more interested in focus on land stuff - day to day doggies, scenes, people - you know, all those things you happy snap away at. I won't be using it underwater really so that doesn't really come into the equation.

And I'm not a video shooter anymore - now and again I do a little one, but video doesn't really do much for me.

I just want to take happy snaps that are actually in focus and not so soft it looks like you shot them through vaseline!

[Ripley]

I'm more interested in focus on land stuff - day to day doggies, scenes, people - you know, all those things you happy snap away at. I won't be using it underwater really so that doesn't really come into the equation.

And I'm not a video shooter anymore - now and again I do a little one, but video doesn't really do much for me.

I just want to take happy snaps that are actually in focus and not so soft it looks like you shot them through vaseline!

Then you will be very happy with it I think. Let me find one, I think I took a couple with it on land. I bought mine for snorkelling.

Taken from a speeding boat

Edited February 6, 2011 by Ripley

[Ripley]

100% crop of above photo

eta: not bad for @ 100% little point and shoot I think (not sharpened in PS, just cropped)

Edited February 6, 2011 by Ripley

[kja]

You rock Thanks!