Following the footsteps of its older sibling, the Lumix TS1, the newly-introduced Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 Digital Camera is another rugged camera. It is designed both for adventurers who might want to take photos underwater or in freezing conditions, and for children who might clumsily drop them.
The TS2, unveiled on the last week of January 2010, builds on the features of its predecessor. By improving on its rubber padding and further strengthening the reinforced glass and carbon within the camera body, it can go swimming up to a depth of 33 feet. To protect the LCD monitor from increased water pressure, its cover panel is thickened by 1.3x compared to the TS1.
Shock-resistant material reinforces the camera body. This, combined with the camera’s folded optics and a supplementary damper acting as a shock absorber for the lens unit, enables the TS2 to withstand drops from heights of two meters.
The same features that keep water out of the camera also prevent the entry of airborne dust that could damage it. Also, it has been designed to operate even in temperatures as low as 14°F. Thus, you can have all the photos you want while scuba diving, snorkeling, getting buried in sand at the beach, or skiing and bobsledding on snow.
And you can be sure of clear and crisp still photos with its 14.1-megapixel sensor coupled with a Leica DC Vario Elmar 28-mm lens. This lens has a 4.6x optical zoom, which is the equivalent of 28 to 128 mm on a 35 mm-format camera, allowing you to shoot both wide angle and close up pictures.
The TS2 can also shoot HD videos in Motion JPEG and AVCHD Lite. Recording with the latter format doubles recording time compared to using Motion JPEG. A Dolby Digital Stereo Creator recording high quality audio complements the high definition videos.
The LCD monitor is 2.7-inches with 230,000 dots. It has an automatic brightness control that allows recording and viewing even in low-light conditions. In fact, it has a built-in LED light which is especially useful when shooting in deep waters.