Conclusion

The Lumix DMC-TZ25 is another appealing travel-zoom camera from Panasonic, significantly improving on last year's TZ18 model thanks largely to the 12 megapixel MOS sensor, faster burst shooting and better video recording. You should also consider the more expensive TZ30 model, which offers a 14.1-megapixel high sensitivity MOS Sensor, 20x zoom lens, GPS tracking, touch-screen LCD and a High Speed Video mode.

The TZ25 addresses some of the weaker areas of its predecessor, now featuring a 3 inch size with a more acceptable 460k resolution,a 1080i HD video mode with support for both AVCHD and MP4 formats and a dedicated Movie button, and much faster burst shooting at full 12 megapixel resolution. It also offers the same creative A, S and M shooting modes, hand-holding Intelligent Auto mode, effective anti-shake system and proven handling of its more expensive sibling.

There is one key area where the Panasonic DMC-TZ25 sadly doesn't improve on its rivals or its predecessor, namely the poorer image quality once you venture above ISO 400. Noise is apparent at ISO 400 but becomes much more obvious at ISO 800 along with excessive smearing of finer details, with the fastest speeds of ISO 1600 and 3200 being something of a last resort.

In summary the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ25 is significantly cheaper than the more TZ30 model without conceding too much ground in terms of features, and it's a marked improvement on last year's TZ18 model. The range-topping TZ30 may get all the love and attention, but the more wallet friendly DMC-TZ25 is definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a pocket camera that has all the bases covered.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	4.5
Ease-of-use	4.5
Image quality	4
Value for money	4.5

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