So I just bought the Panasonic Tough Camera - DMC-TS2 - Yellow

I got it for a DEAL on newegg.com along with an 8GB Kinston SD chip. I'll let you know just how tough it is when I get it in on Thursday or Friday.

W00T!

Newegg.com - Panasonic DMC-TS2Y Yellow 14.1 MP 2.7" TFT(230K) LCD 4.6X Optical Zoom Waterproof Shockproof 28mm Wide Angle Digital Camera

READ BELOW FOR THE REVIEW:

So in general words I can just say that I give this camera a 10/10! It works and feels GREAT!

It weighs a lot and takes GREAT pictures. It came with a battery, strap and rubber condom. I started using it with the condom and I quickly realized that if you are going to be taking the battery or memory card out quite a bit that this can be a pain. Also after I was done using it under water I had to take the condom off to dry it all out as water gets underneath it. I think I’ll probably use the rubber when I’m snorkeling in the Caribbean only because I find that it gets knocked around quite a bit and it would DEFINITELY help to ensure that the covers don't accidentally get opened. There is NO lens cover when you turn it off like Samantha’s Olympus has. I think that this has good AND bad points… good would obviously be that the lens is protected. The bad is that I’ve noticed with hers that sometimes when sand gets in it, it doesn’t operate and open and close correctly. All in all I like the fact that it doesn’t have the lens cover as it’s just one more thing that can get busted.

Both the battery/memory card door AND the mini HDMI/charger door have DOUBLE locks just like the CF-30 has for the HDD and battery. This is better than the Olympus because I’ve already broken Samantha’s once because somehow the door opened when I was underwater with it and water got inside and it got destroyed and had to send it back to Olympus to get repaired (for free thank God).

The pictures are 4,320 x 3,240 in HD 14MP mode.

The pictures are as follows below:

1) The first set of pictures I just took as soon as I got it… both up close shots of my hand, my CF-30 and of the shop (Be sure to ZOOM in all the way to see the quality of the pictures):

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000001.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000002.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000003.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000007.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000009.JPG

2) The next picture is when the camera is being shaken – I do this because Samantha’s Olympus has a setting where you can be vibrating or shaking or moving very fast and the pictures will still come out crystal clear. This camera clearly cannot do that however:

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000004.JPG

3) The next 3 pictures were taking outside in the ally way behind my shop. You can see that they come out SUPURB! I took one long shot looking out the ally way, one close up of a leaf from a tree and one SUPER close up of that same leaf (you can see that the 2nd leaf picture is a little blurry) – I did NOT use macro at all as I’m not an expert on that and don’t know how to use it to the best ability anyways.

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000010.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000011.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000012.JPG

4) The next 7 pictures I was inside my shop zoomed in ALL THE WAY (4.6x Optical) (digital zoom sucks and it should ALWAYS be disabled). You can see that the first picture I took is pretty damn good (although not perfect)… The next 4 are COMPLETELY blurry. What I did after I took this firust picture was I stayed zoomed in all the way and I wacked the camera against my hand pretty hard to try to simulate dropping it while it was zoomed in and turned on (I didn’t wanna drop my new camera lol)… as you can see it must have jarred something or messed something up because all the pics were blurry and it wasn’t focusing correctly:

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000013.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000014.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000016.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000016.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000017.JPG

5) Now I turned the camera off and turned it back on since it was all blurry (I was freaking out at this point lol)… once I turned the camera back on it was perfectly fine (like it had fixed its self) – PHEW!

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000018.JPG

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/Panasonic Tough Camera DMC-TS2 Sample Pix/P1000019.JPG


Okay, that is the end of the review… I’ve attached pictures of the camera that I took with my blackberry as well:

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00037-20100617-1504.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00038-20100617-1504.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00039-20100617-1505.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00040-20100617-1506.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00041-20100617-1507.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00042-20100617-1507.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00044-20100617-1507.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00045-20100617-1511.jpg

http://toughbooktalk.com/public_downloads/DMC-TS2 Pix/IMG00046-20100617-1511.jpg

That’s all folks! If I can think of anything more I’ll update this or if you have questions, just ask!

 

No doubt about it; Panasonic Tough<fill-in-the-blank> is most assuredly addictive!

 

Jesus... waterprooof to 10 meters and can be dropped from 2 meters... PLUS 14 megapixel?

Yeah... Test and post! Please!

Great price too!

 

The TS2 is supposedly a big improvement over the TS1, which had sealing problems(water). This should be a great and versatile camera!

 

I love pictures taken with Panasonic Lumix Cameras. We've had a Canon for a while now but can't wait to replace it with one of these. They produce brilliant pictures with vibrant colors and superb quality.

Too bad our local store only carries the low end models. I've only seen a G1 once in our local Fry's electronics store, and it was an open box return. No original box, just the camera and battery I think. :/

I didn't know they made something rugged like this though

 

Looks like a nice camera. Looking forward to your review.

 

Ill be very interested in the review, Im thinking about purchasing the same.

thanks in advanced

 

You guys have it SO well over there, They are RRP $600 here, thats about US$515!!!
So unfair!

Click Here

 

Okay, I got this today. I will update my first post with a detailed review tonight as I'm slammed busy at work.

Thanks

 

Okay, I've made the review! ENJOY!

 

I got the blue one. Yes its a great camera! Why didn't they call it Toughcam?..

 

Very nice. It would be awesome to see what the camera can do at night. Do you think you could take a few night pictures with it?

A good test is to go to that "scene" setting I see in one of your pictures, and select "night shot" or "Night view" or the one that has the moon in it ( I don't know what is called in the Lumix,) and take a few pictures flashless inside your shop with regular ambient light (with lights on.) Another nice test to appreciate its color levels is to take a few shots flashless with night view on at night on a street that has many lights.

Also, did you take that zoomed-in picture using the standard "macro" setting on? I know you mentioned you didn't use macro, but I find that the standard selectable macro setting on my camera is all I need most of the time. It works very good, so the default setting on your Lumix is probably very nice as well. To get good macro pictures I just select normal macro setting with default auto-focus on, keep the camera 6 to 10 inches away from the object and zoom in if you need it any closer. Then keeping a steady hand take the shot for a great macro picture. Nothing fancy does the trick.

Thanks for the review! ^^

Most humbly

 

Nice job on the review.
As lucyaz mentioned, I'd like to see a couple of night shots to see what the noise in the blacks look like.
Thanks again for the great details and sample photos so far.

 

Just checked today - it is $299. on Newegg.

 

That's what I paid...

 

The only problem I see from my standpoint is that it uses a proprietary battery pack. I have access to an endless supply of AA batteries, so that's one of the main things that I look for in a camera.

Otherwise, it's a kick- unit. Those pix are fantastic, and 14MP is great to blow up to half-poster size and still retain good quality.

 

AA's?!?!?! ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY!?!?!?!? EFF THAT! You can get about 150 pictures from a set of alkaline's or nimif batteries and about 300 on lithium ones... I got 500 pics from the rechargeable one!! I've NEVER heard of ANYONE purposefully wanting AA's in a camera!

Rob - throws all AA's away!

 

Mwah, I get around 150 pix, some filming and light viewing with a full charge. A spare battery is around 50 euros.... I do miss those cheap AA cells....

 

Just reporting in some things:

1) I went to Kalahari water park this past weekend and my camera was in the water about 99% of the time. It performed VERY well.
2) I also took many movies going down the water slide and bashed it against the side of the slide about 20 times... it again performed like a champ.

That is all

 

Then why did it text me yesterday begging for asylum?!?

mnem
*Friend to all abused electronics*

 

I found this from ruggedpcreview.com as well: Scuba Diver Info - Panasonic Lumix TS2

THIS is very interesting too... 130 of pure toughness!!! (Which I didn't even know about, but thanks to the article I do now)