| | |  | | Home » Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 14.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 4.6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue) | | | | | | | Description: | | Shockproof, Waterproof, Freezeproof and Dustproof Protections The DMC-TS2 is shockproof, waterproof, dustproof and newly added freezeproof in design with the capability to record high-definition movie in AVCHD Lite. Featuring a 28mm wide-angle lens, 4.6x optical zoom and iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode, this versatile camera lets you capture your moments no matter what the intended shooting terrain is. Swim along with tropical fish and capture shots of beautiful coral reefs, or take recordings of your friends around a camp fire. The DMC-TS2 is an extremely versatile camera that you can take with you wherever the action calls. Shockproof The DMC-TS2 is dropproof from a height up to 6.6ft in accordance with the MIL-STD 810F Method 516.5-Shock test standard. It lets you shoot actively while moving around with the camera in one hand. Waterproof With waterproof performance to a depth of 33ft equivalent to the IEC60529 IPX8 standard, the DMC-TZ2 supports active shooting on a beach, underwater or in a pool. If the camera gets dirty, soil and dust can be washed off by using water. Freezeproof With freezeproof to -10 degrees C/14 degrees F, the DMC-TS2 supports shooting while skiing, snowboarding or skating. Dustproof The DMC-TS2 is dustproof equivalent to the IEC60529 IP6X standard. While hiking or playing sports, fine dust particles can enter through gaps in the camera body and cause malfunction. The DMC-TS2 can be used in these activities without problems. HD Movie in AVCHD Lite and LED Light In addition to Motion JPEG images, the DMC-TS2 can record high-definition motions images in AVCHD Lite. It features almost double the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. Intelligent Resolution Technology The image quality is greatly enhanced thanks to the new image processing technology Intelligent Resolution*1, incorporated in the Venus Engine HD II for the DMC-TS2. By detecting the signals whether they are at edges of th... | | | Features: | |
• Advanced Tough Design
• AVCHD Lite HD Movie Recording
• It lets you shoot actively while moving around with the camera in one hand.
• It features almost double the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format.
• A convenient auto function also automatically turns on the LED when the ambient light becomes dim.
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Weight:
| 2.0 pounds | | Package Length:
| 6.3 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.8 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.9 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.25 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 82 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 82 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 80 found the following review helpful:
 Great Execution in a Pocket CameraApr 16, 2010
By Tom D
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).
Update 18 Feb 2012: I should have updated this sooner. The camera is outstanding. Now it has been everywhere from skiing in sub-zero, snorkeling, white water rafting, to documenting sludge. Tough camera, still great pictures. As expected you have to be sure to keep the lens clean. White water rafting was the worst because it was impossible to avoid drops of water; a firm shake solved the problem when I remembered to do so.
37 of 38 found the following review helpful:
Great waterproof camera for the price & sizeJun 08, 2010
By Dianne E. Arnold
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.
85 of 105 found the following review helpful:
 Second Rate PicturesApr 28, 2010
By James Fundeburgh
"JimF"
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.
13 of 14 found the following review helpful:
THE PERFECT ACTION CAMERAJun 15, 2010
By NeuroSplicer
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!
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
If you're careful, it kicks butt.Oct 07, 2010
By Jordan Haff
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.
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