Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 review – Build and handling
Like its TZ30 predecessor, the TZ40 is small and lightweight, despite the extensive range of features it offers. The cameras are almost the same size and easily fit into a pocket.
The TZ40 is a fraction lighter (198g with battery and card compared to the TZ30’s 206g), making it convenient enough to carry around at all times.
There have been slight revisions to the TZ40’s body, but on the whole it is very similar to its predecessor. The introduction of Wi-Fi means there is a new button used to access it.
The handgrip remains similar, however, with a rubber finish that provides a comfortable and firm hold whether wet or dry.
This is more important than one might think on a small camera like this, because using the touchscreen can make for added pressure on your hand during operation, and the grip offers a good support. The overall form of the camera has also been tweaked, with its edges now more ‘squared off’.
The camera’s controls can be accessed using the buttons and rear control pad, or via the responsive rear 3in LCD touchscreen. I am a fan of Panasonic’s touchscreens because they enhance the handling of the cameras.
The screen is not used just to navigate menus as it is in some other systems, but it can also fire the shutter, select the AF and metering point, and even operate the optical zoom.
It is actually easier to use the screen than it is the lever next to the camera’s shutter button to zoom in and out, and selecting the AF point by a single touch beats slowly navigating to the correct point via the control pad.
The TZ40’s new battery has an improved 1,250mAh capacity, which increases the battery life from 260 shots in the TZ30 to 300 in the TZ40.
Any improvements in this area are very welcome, because batteries can go flat very quickly, especially with functions such as GPS activated. Having taken the camera out on a number of occasions, I found it was able to last a day of general use, but with GPS activated it was limited to half a day.
At the time of testing, a firmware upgrade was needed for Wi-Fi to work, so we are unable to comment on its handling.
