Customer Reviews

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 14.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 4.6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue)

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

At the price point of this camera you really should need the ruggedness and waterproof features to justify the expense. I'll have to update this over time because at this point it hasn't been on the slopes or under water, but it has been in the rain. I'm not going to try the six foot drop test. The camera is compact, lighter than I expected and seems to be made like an precision aircraft. Great looking body. The display is crisp and bright. The few pictures I've taken so far, both inside and out, look great, including macros. I'm informally comparing this to a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 (point and shoot, 10X zoom) I've had for a couple of years (best non-SLR I've ever owned).

It comes with an optional protective silicone sleeve.

This camera has "O" ring sealed (and locked) doors for the battery and memory card, and for the data access ports. These will leak under water if their seals aren't scrupulously clean as described in the factory literature. So while I'm sure this can be used under water if you're careful, a user will want to be very sure they've carefully examined and cleaned the sealing surfaces before submerging.

I've taken photos inside with the flash in a 40' darkened room to compare the flash depth of the older camera with this one, they seem to be the same, so the built in flash is acceptable and typical of this kind of camera; point is no compromise with the flash.

This is the camera you can stick in your back pocket and go. It fits in a SPI belt and fits in a small Amphipod case if you use either of these for running or other exercise.

Downside: So far just two things. First, there's no viewfinder, not a big issue usually but if you try to wear sunglasses on a bright day using the screen can be problematic. Second, and potentially more important, there's no protection over the lens, though it's recessed. It's small and it's one of those things a user will have to watch to be sure it's clean. Viewing screens seem to mask dust, fingerprints and water spots on a lens, but they show up as an artifact or blur on a computer screen or print. If you're used to a self covering lens you can get into the habit of ignoring this. A pop off cover would be nice.

Even though this is rugged and waterproof, I'll keep it in a case. Based on descriptions, it's tough to figure out what fits, especially if you want to use the included silicone sleeve which is not included in product dimensions. The Kroo semi-hard case is a snug fit without the silcone sleeve, too small if you use the sleeve. The VanGoody neoprene case works even with the sleeve as does the small, but unpadded Amphipod case (which I like for it's water resistance, ballistic nylon construction and belt loop).

We bought this camera for a trip to the Galapagos because we wanted something light & small for underwater pictures. I had considered a Canon G10 or G11 with the underwater housing and then saw a review of this camera. It is a very fair trade-off for something that is less than half the price and very compact. We got some excellent still photos; the video underwater is OK, but not good enough if you're really interested in getting a lot of sharp u/w video.
We used the camera throughout a nearly one-month trip for other stills and videos and are very pleased with the results in daylight or moderate light conditions. The flash is like most small P&S cameras - useful in limited settings only.
We kept the silicone cover on all the time; it protects the edges and access points and provides a non-slip surface making it easier to hold in the hand. When underwater, the silicone cover protects against accidental opening of an access point and is an additional protection against even a drop of water getting in. We tried it out in the kitchen sink before taking it on a trip just to make sure we knew how to use it. We used it to deep-water snorkel many times without any problems. I intend to buy a floating strap for the camera - inexpensive insurance against losing it in the water.
I took off one star for the underwater video quality and the flash; otherwise, it's a great little camera and at 14 megapixels, the images (only jpg) have enough resolution so you can do some color tweaking and cropping and still have something that will make a nice 8x10 or bigger.

I was convinced by several of my outdoorsey friends that I needed a weatherproof camera so I bought this on the basis of reviews for a backpacking trip to the canyons of Utah. I also brought along my old smaller lighter much cheaper Canon 850IS. I left the Pana hanging around my neck and snapped away- 600 pics in 4 days. I was pleased with its very fast response and it kept on ticking even in dirty and wet conditions. When I got home I found the screen had been scratched by the sand and dust. (So it is only sort of weatherproof) When I downloaded the pictures, there were some really good ones but none were the GREAT ones I had planned on. Most had poor color saturation, strange color balance and were not sharp. Almost 35% were completely ruined by camera shake (yes I had the IS on). I had taken a few pictures with the Canon and they were magnificent. So I sat down at home and did a head to head comparison. The Canon blew away the Panasonic - no contest whatever. In less than full light the Panasonic consistently takes noisy, undersaturated, fuzzy images. In bright light it still lags in sharpness and saturation. I think would rather keep my camera in a bag and pull it out for a great picture now and then rather than fill up endless disks with 14MB crummy ones. This baby is going back.

In brief: if Batman had a camera, this would be it!

I was looking for a camera I could take with me to the beach or rafting without ever worrying about it. I wanted something I could drop in a backpack, leave it on the sand and take it in the sea without giving it a second thought. By now I am a satisfied PANASONIC/LUMIX customer, ever since my favorite FZ28K (the most convenient creativity camera) and my trusted TZ8 (the perfect city-tourist camera).
So, when, after all the research it came between this camera and the Olympus Stylus Tough-8000, I showed some brand-name loyalty and went with the LUMIX. And the important thing is that I never regretted it.

This camera comes with a very bright wide-angle 28mm Leica lens which is optically stabilized, capturing on a 14.1MP sensor and an adequate 4.6x zoom (128mm). Typical for a LUMIX, it has a working intelligent Auto (iA) setting that gives you a piece of mind: perfect photos every time, without having to fidget with the settings.
Departing from the auto settings, the camera offers almost 20 shooting modes, 5 color modes, 6 focus modes and decent aperture range (f/3.3 to f/10) and shutter speeds (8 to 1/1300).

The camera is Waterproof up to 10m/33ft (which means you can safely take it splashing and snorkeling but not diving without an extra casing). So far, neither condensation nor sand have slipped through the seals.
It is also advertised to be Shockproof to drops up to 2m/6.6ft and Freeze-proof -10C (claims I have yet to test - no, I am not putting it in the freezer, it will have to wait 6 months for the slopes to open!).

For such a small lens (and such a dense sensor - will the MegaPixel-war ever cease?) there is surprisingly little noise. Given enough light the pictures are flawless. When indoors or with limited light the ISO will increase and so will the noise. I can understand such things to be important to photography enthusiasts but for the purposes I bought it, this is an excellent camera.

I don't usually use my photo camera for videos but it is nice to know the option is there. The video (up to 1280x720) can be captured either in AVCHD Lite format or AVI (make sure to have a large enough memory card if saving in AVI). As an added bonus, you can zoom while shooting a video and (almost) no whirring noise registers.

My only gripes are that the position of the lens is something I had to get used to (unless I wanted to both include my left hand in the shot and leave smudges on the lens) and that there is no viewfinder. Understandable for a compact camera but having the sun behind you will test the anti-glare capability of the 2.7' LCD.

The camera comes in 4 colors: inox-gray, royal-blue, metallic-yellow and safety-orange. I opted for the later out of vanity (it... matches the orange details of my summer watch) - but as an added bonus it is really easy to find even if it has slipped to the bottom of your backpack.

An excellent (made in Japan) action camera.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I bought this camera in anticipation of a Caribbean cruise. I wanted something to capture snorkeling pics, as well as a rugged camera that I didn't have to worry about on the beach or while climbing through a jungle. This thing was perfect.

I should mention that reading reviews of this camera gave me an extreme paranoia about using this thing in water. Each day before heading out, I would meticulously brush any tiny dust particles and hairs off of the bright orange rubber seals. Worth mentioning is that the color of the seals provides a good contrast to see if they really are clear of any materials. That said, I never had a single problem with water intruding into the watertight compartments. Never did the camera fail on me, and I abused the hell out of it. I didn't ever go below 10ft of water, so I can't say I tested it to the extremes of its capability, but as far as I'm concerned, this thing is as waterproof as it claims to be. Now if you're not willing to be meticulous about cleaning those seals, I would not suggest taking this camera in the water.

As far as shockproofing, this thing took a beating in stride. I dropped it on the floor from 4 feet several times while it was on, and it never had an issue. I had it on the wrist strap while climbing ladders out of the pool and cringed every time it smacked against those metal poles. Never did I notice any problem with its operation. I even recorded a video of me holding the camera while diving six feet into the ocean (which I'm sure was a pretty nice shock), which came out very nicely.

Now on to my last point, and my only real issue with the camera, picture quality. The quality on the pictures is passable at best, but what would you expect with such a small aperture? Pictures looked good on my monitor at 20" diagonal. Any zooming past that and it started to look like an oil painting. I did a lot of messing around with the settings (do not use anything higher than ISO 200, it looks like crap), and found that the issues were simply a limitation of the hardware. You will not be taking award winning photos with this thing, but it does a good enough job to capture memories in situations you'd normally be afraid to take a camera.

A few minor points. The warning that shows up on the screen every time you start the camera is annoying. The image stabilization feature is worthless. The strap feels really flimsy (like the old wiimote straps, though it didn't ever break for me.) The door latches are really easy to open, so you need to be careful. And the interface is not the friendliest (though also far from the worst I've seen.)

In a few months I'll be doing a snowboarding test with this camera. I'll try and remember to update the review with those results.

I bought this camera 3 weeks ago. I live in the Bahamas on a remote cay, so I really wanted a camera that didn't involve taking housing on and off throughout my excursions. I bought the Panasonic Lumix TS2 after reading great reviews. It is a nice camera, takes some good shots...as far as any kind of macro underwater it is no good, and action shots underwater are also a lost cause.
The reason I am giving this camera such a low rating though, is that after taking EXTREMELY good care of it for the past few weeks...I went to turn my camera on this morning and the screen is all fogged up and the camera is now not working. I was so careful as far as cleaning the "leak-proof" seals and rinsing the camera after every use...apparently it didn't matter.

I bought this camera knowing that other customers had problems with the seals. I was hopefully that if I was extra, extra careful I wouldn't have any problems. NOT! I used the camera underwater 4 times on our trip to Kauai. We went snorkeling - not deep diving. The camera did fine. Easy to use. Took great pics. I checked the seals after every trip. Soaked the camera in freshwater after every trip. Followed all the required steps, after every trip. We got home and there was water in the battery chamber. Fortunately, the SD card was not ruined and I was able to download pics. But, the camera no longer functions.

Thanks to AMAZON and their awesome customer service team, I will be getting a full refund. I contacted Panasonic customer service. They offered refurb replacement after I paid return shipping. [...] Hello[...] You make a bad product. Why should I be inconvenienced and get a USED camera. Thanks Amazon. This is why I shop with you.
So doesn't the camera take decent pics? Yes. Is it easy to use? Yes. Is it waterproof? NO! And why buy a waterproof camera if it is not waterproof. There are plenty of other great cameras that take better pics but don't sell themselves as waterproof. Now, if you are going to occasionally splash some water on the camera or take it in the rain - it might work fine. Let's be honest though - that is a splash proof camera. If you are going underwater, don't buy this camera. IT IS NOT WATERPROOF.

And in hindsight, even if the camera had been waterproof, is it reasonable to expect the consumer to baby the camera with all the required special care? I know people who take less care of their kids while on vacation. A fresh water bath for 10+ minutes after every excursion[...] [...]. I've seen some pretty funky kids running around while on vacation. Clean all the sand and salt out of every crack and crevice after every trip to the beach[...] [...]. I have been home for a week and I'm still finding sand on my body.

So in recap - THIS IS NOT A WATERPROOF CAMERA. It is a cool looking, high maintenance camera that MIGHT be splash proof.

I love the color size shape and FUNCTION of this camera. I went snorkeling and took great photos underwater, that is, when the fish stayed still enough. Be very careful however to make sure the doors are sealed. I was concerned where the springs on the battery compartment mesh. a couple of drops got in which fogged a great shot of a stingray. And I had been conscientious and doublechecked. not sure if that will ultimately make the camera fail. But for now, I love the photos it takes, even the videos I shot of songs at concerts are youtubable. Its better than the olympus and others in its class.

It is a great sport camer for picure taking. However, fine print in user manual says image stablization does not work for moving sujects --- translation: you have to SIT/STAND STILL and DO NOT PAN for the image stablization to work when you take video! Otherwise the video footage shakes so much it is not worth watching! I bought this mainly for taking video on kayaking outtings, guess what, none of the video footage taken with any kind of boat movement except in extreme flat water has so much hand induced (not boat induced) shaking and it makes the viewer sea sick. It is such a shame that a device made for water sport can not handle day to day real water sport environment... I sincerely hope a firmeare upgrade fixes this problem!

Updated 6/1/10:
The problem is that small hand shakes are not being removed when the camera is moving along with the boat. I have no problem having the video panning with the boat movement, which gives the viewer the real life feeling of being on a boat. It is the handshakes that are not being removed because the image stablization fails to work when the camera is moving with the boat. My Sony point and shoot camera does not have this problem, even though the video shows the rocking effect from the boat, it is not shaking due to hand shakes.

If you are in the market for a water proof camera then please make sure you do your research and know the risks you take buying this product!
This is my second waterproof camera, and after my first one failed on a vacaction, I became super cautious with this one.
I took this camera on a snow trip to Switzerland recently and had no problems with it. Was impressed by its video quality, though it did lack in the auto focus department, constantly changing focus.
Came back from my holiday and went to the beach with this camera for the second time.
Was splashing around in the shallows, taking the camera no more than half a meter underwater. After getting some fun photos. I put the camera back in my bag and when I took it out again to check out my snaps an hour later. After turning it on, noticed that the screen was doing weird electronic "i'm dying" kinda things like flickering, and flashing weird electronic lines. So i quickly turned it off, fearing the worst. Opened the battery door and peared inside. And yes, there it was, a couple of very small drops of water on the battery and SD card, and the lipmus paper had changed to purple showing that water had entered.

Sure enough after removing the battery and letting the camera dry out for a week or 2. I tested the camera to see if it could be ressurected. NOT a chance in hell! Wouldnt even turn on.

So I decided to put my faith in a waterproof camera again. I did so much research this time, and in regards to waterproof cameras this one was supposed to be the best. I'm very annoyed that this camera has failed on its second water exposure. I got to use this camera for all of 3 months and then it was goodbye.

For those reading this review looking for sound advice about their decision to purchase. Forget the photographic qualities this camera might exceed in when compared to other waterproof cameras i.e take a moment and disregard all the functions and qualities this camera might exceed in, in regards to the quality of the pictures and the quality of the video etc. If you are purchasing a waterproof camera, for the reason of it being waterproof, make sure your prepared to sacrifice many photographic qualities and find the most rugged designed waterproof camera of the bunch, not the overall winner of all the qualities of a camera.

This camera can take some ok to fairly nice pictures out of the water and some nice pictures in the water, but its not a winner in its durability to keep the water out. And lets be honest, thats what this camera is supposed to be about! So i'm a very disappointed customer who has had to waste another hard earned $250 bucks.

I have another panasonic camera, and it takes beautiful pictures, so panasonic knows how to do the picture part well. I just dont believe they have built this camera to withstand normal everyday use thats to be expected if this camera is taken in the water. The rubber seals on the casing doors and extremely thin, the hinge and seal mech used to hold the doors closed are small and not strong and its this small area that downfalls what would of been a nice camera otherwise.

Be sure to check the range of waterproof cameras and take a good look at their door seals, and their door closing mechs.

So can I recommend this product to others?
If you telling yourself that you will hardly use this camera in the water, so you still think it'll be a good purchase. Well then.... dont bother buying a waterproof camera, you sacrifice much photographic quality to attain the waterproof status. For the same price on a standard camera, you will get a camera that takes a much sharper, cleaner and well colored picture.
If you decide you do indeed want a waterproof camera cause your like me, and are outdoors alot hiking and such, and you want something rugged that you can throw in the pack and such and most importantly use in the water without concern. Well then this review is for you. The camera is rugged, but not in the water. So be wise and learn from someone else who has been there before you, TWICE.

Panasonic does not hold their warranty when the water gets in. Do I want this review to be damaging to Panasonic's sales on this camera. Honestly? Yes I do hope this helps to lessen sales for them. But its not for that reason I write it. I too like most intelligent online buyers, use reviews from both everyday users and from the technology reviewers to make decisions when purchasing equipment. So I hope this review will help others to be aware of the main flaw on this camera, which happens to be the most important area, its seals and closing mechanism.