DWI Deal Of The Day: Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ18 for $197, Inc Free Shipping

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PQuiexo on 01/12/2011 - 12:53 dwidigitalcameras.com.au (565 clicks)
Last edited 02/12/2011 - 09:05 by 1 other user

Hey guys, pretty good price for a camera with decent specs, would be a handy little compact for travelling. Basic specs include:

• 14.1 megapixels on a CCD sensor
• 16x optical zoom (24-384mm equivalent, f3.3-f5.9)
• 3.0 inch Intelligent LCD
• High def video (1,280x720 pixels at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format)

The camera also has fairly positive reviews:

http://www.photographyblog.com/panasonic_lumix_dmc_tz18_revi…

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-tz18-digit…

EDIT: There's a $10 additional cost if you want it in black, and 2% surcharge if you want to use Paypal. Also, Fed-Ex won't ship to your PO or GPO address.

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• 

  ben1680 on 01/12/2011 - 15:12

  If only those are Sony HX9V price…

  Good price for this camera though, although TZ18 is now beaten up by HX9V in almost every respect…

  • 

    IVI on 01/12/2011 - 15:56

    Be sure to hold each (Sony & Panasonic) camera in your hand before you yearn for a Sony.

    I think you'll find the Panasonic has a sturdier look & feel (I'd done this experiment.)

    Sony is - AFAIK - the only one of the 2 that includes software that lets you make 360 deg
    views, from lots of individual shots, taken at different compass-angles, from one point.

    Also: Does the Sony have a GPS, in that version? :-/

    • 

      nanoronline on 01/12/2011 - 16:02

      Yup HX9V has GPS. Better quality photos. The PhotographyBlog review said that TZ18 and TZ20 both lose their image quality when ISO hits 400. While HX9V does not have this issue.

      One gripe I have about the HX9V is that the software is quite sluggish. After taking a photo you have to wait about 2 seconds or more before you can enter the playback. And when switching the camera off it takes about 5 seconds. When switching modes it also lags by 1 second or so. Image quality wise is excellent. As well as the features included.

      • 

        IVI on 01/12/2011 - 16:05

        Could "sluggish software" be a sign that Sony uses a "slower CPU"?

        And… can't you just use flash to avoid the problem of over ISO 400 shooting?

        PS Does Sony have face-recognition?

      • 

        nanoronline on 01/12/2011 - 17:19

        Yup there is facial recognition. You can set it as priority over normal focus, or even set priority on either adults' or kids' faces.

        I have no idea on what CPU did Sony put on the HX9V. Using flash depends on your choice and the condition you're taking the photo. Sometimes taking photos without flash will make the photos look nice and not washed out by the flash (provided it does not become grainy due to higher ISO speed).

      • 

        Bigsta on 02/12/2011 - 00:44

        The Sony GPS is BS i still have not got it to work, on the forums they say if you stand still in the open for about 10 mins it will lock onto a signal i waited 1 and than got board…

        I like the Sony but am a little disappointed in a few things, i loved the TZ10 but the TZ18 felt a bit plasticy like it was gona break apart if i dropped it.

        If i had paid full price for the Sony i would be upset but i got it for $225 at the HN half price sale a little while back

• 

  IVI on 01/12/2011 - 15:52

  While it's a good compact camera… altho it lacks the GPS of the TZ20…
  (Of course, you'd better like touch-screen menu access if you get a TZ20)

  Since the Aussie Dollar is HIGHER again (1.027 this morning… may it last),
  I'd be sure to check eBay, etc. for lower prices from Hong Kong, as other
  vendors pass through the effects of a higher Au $ on the prices we should see.

  (They said it was up about 3 cents, over yesterday's value…)

  Say, it this for a TZ18 or the US-counterpart (SZn …but I can't recall the
  value for "n" at the moment… 6 or 7 or 8, maybe…?).

  One has PAL one may have only NTSC.. If that's important to you, check it out.

• 

  Bigsta on 01/12/2011 - 15:54

  Thats a awesome price if i did not just get a camera at the havery norman sale recently i would be onto this.

  In oz this one retails for $350 if you are lucky but most of them have it up around the $450-500 mark

  • 

    IVI on 01/12/2011 - 16:04

    Sadly, who still buys from local shops, ie, when HK vendors can cut almost 50% off the local price…?

    (In the WORST possible case - eg, it fails during the warranty period but the HK dealer goes out-of-business (highly unlikely, ie, if you pick your vendor wisely) - you could STILL buy another camera with what you've saved, especially, if you banked that savings, while the first camera was working.)

    On eBay, you can see prices from ~Au$ 195 to and even above (some never learn) the Au$500 mark.

    (Of course:

    • most low prices are from perfectly reliable HK-based vendors, &
    • most hi- prices are from local vendors, who also want to charge you for shipping…!!!

    But it's nice that we can each choose for ourselves… ;-)

• 

  IVI on 01/12/2011 - 16:08

  Order processing web app ASSUMES you want ALL the extras (!)

  ---

  HIDDEN COST: If you want it in Black, ADD $10 (!)

  Silver is better to reflect sun's heat away…

  ---

  HIDDEN COST (for PayPal users): Add 2% (!)

  ---

  HIDDEN SAVING OPPORTUNITY: Take the nearly equivalent SZ8 model for Au$ 189 (sliver)

  Or… take the SZ8 in Black for Au$ 199 :-)

  ---

  [Fex Ex] Won't ship to your PO or GPO address (!)

  ---

  I know most of you know this vendor better than I do…
  but - with all of the above "features" (not) -
  I've negged this deal, just to let 'em know I'm NOT impressed.

  • 

    nanoronline on 01/12/2011 - 17:20

    wow.. so many hidden costs!

  • 

    Quiexo on 01/12/2011 - 18:18

    Sheesh, didn't realize there's additional costs for wanting one in black, and for using Paypal, that's pretty sly of them…good spotting, IVI, will update post…

  • 

    Geewhizz on 02/12/2011 - 08:14

    HIDDEN COST: If you want it in Black, ADD $10 (!)

    Silver is better to reflect sun's heat away…

    HIDDEN SAVING OPPORTUNITY: Take the nearly equivalent SZ8 model for Au$ 189 (sliver)

    Or… take the SZ8 in Black for Au$ 199 :-)

    I think you might have doubled up on the same point there. lol

• 

  IVI on 01/12/2011 - 17:34

  For those with more time on their hands than spare $$$,
  there's an eBay auction for a TX18, that also includes
  a [slow, but adequate - for photos] 8 GB SDRAM card…

  At present, it's sitting at: $ 118.50 ( + $ 14.90 S+H),
  with ~ 3.5 hours left… from NOW. :-)

  (As it's apparently a Melbourne vendor, you can expect
  the price to rise, but… you never know your luck…)

• 

  moooooooo on 01/12/2011 - 20:49

  There were only 25 cameras available at $197. If you look closely, you will see they are now $226.