Panasonic TZ5 leaked at Amazon!

The Panasonic TZ5 is listed at Amazon for $350 pre-orders.

9 megapixels available to the user but the camera is using a 10mp 1/2.33" sensor. This is consistent with previous TZ models.

3" LCD (460k dots)

28mm-280mm Leica lens, f3.3

MegaOIS

Venus Engine IV

Continuous AF

2.5fps burst mode at full resolution (3 or 5 images depending on quality level)

6fps at lower resolutions (2mp to 2.5mp depending on crop (4:3 or 16:9))

face detection

intelligent scene selector (does that mean no PSAM?)

This is of note: "When in Advanced Intelligent Auto mode, the following technologies all operate automatically; no settings need to be manually changed". An "advanced auto" mode :)

PRICE: $350, available for pre-order at Amazon, with your choice of blue, black or silver. Amazon has a pre-order and post-order price guarantee so you can get the lowest price up to 30 days after the camera ships.

The official Panasonic press release at the Imaging Insider and CNet's Underexposed blog.

Various discussions on the new TZ5 and TZ4 are under way in the Panasonic dpreview forum.

More on the TZ5 itself, including details specs, at dpreview.


Opinion
We are glad to see two more TZ-series models from Panasonic, however, we are disappointed that one of them was not a more "grown up" version. By that we mean give the user the traditional photographic control (PSAM) - manual exposure control, along with shutter and aperture priority. Scenes and program mode and intelligent scenes are wonderful. We do not ask that they be removed. But give the photographer photographic control please! Since these cameras have appeal to photographers of all experience levels.

Another thing we would have liked to have seen is RAW mode. If the 1/2.5" Panasonic FZ8 had RAW, then why not offer RAW on the 10mp 1/2.33" TZ5? With more pixels on a very slightly larger sensor, RAW becomes even more important for those who want to use RAW.


Panasonic TZ5 sample pictures
dpnow.com has posted sample pictures from the Panasonic TZ5. Squirrel included :)