Manual PDF

Here is the PDF manual for the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ1. It's quite widely available online, but I thought I'd share the archive.org link, as there it is more or less permanently available for view / read or direct download in PDF form [124 pages]. It's crazy because I've been messing around with the camera itself for years, but still, from reading the manual I have found settings and functions that I was unaware of. Read it by clicking the image below, or you can go direct to the PDF format [read and download available] right here.


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Faded Pic Posterized

Messing about in GIMP. A picture took from a far zoom, that's faded bad with the TZ1 gets posterized. It ended up looking so high contrast. It reminds me of the results I've seen from some of the huawei smartphones shooting in very high contrast black and white. Overall, not bad for a terribly faded / washed out picture. This cats eyes are crazy. Like something out of the film They Live [1988]. "I've got one that can see" hehe. Pictures don't do the eyes justice. He's got a proper little Jamie Bailey face. Check out the transformation with gimp.


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Gimp is one of the best free softwares for image editing. It's one of my favourites anyway. If you've never used it or heard about it, make sure to give it a try. And take a look at some other posts on this blog.

PS4 Motherboard

Here is a picture I took of a PS4 motherboard completely removed from the casing. It's well known that Play Station 4's can suffer from overheating issues and start to sound really loud. The internal fans run at full speed as soon as a game is loaded. This problem is usually fixed by getting rid of all the dust inside the console and then applying a new coating of thermal paste to the top of the processor. So, clean out all the dust build up, take the old paste off the processor, and then apply the new thermal paste.


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The bare bones of the playstation 4 with new thermal paste added to the processor, ready to put back together.


This was done to the PS4 in the image and it did fix the problem. The console is now very quiet, even when running heavy, processor hungry games like Call of Duty [COD]. Anyway, the picture was just so you can see what the motherboard looks like. There are lots of guides online in video and writing form if you are a PS4 owner and want to do this yourself. It's not that hard to do. Just make sure to keep everything like all the screws and what goes where organised when taking it apart.

Is a 5 megapixel camera enough

In today's over saturated digital tech reliant society, the availability and variety of cameras have greatly increased, making it easier for individuals to capture and share all sorts images of everything and anything. However, when it comes to selecting the right camera, the question often arises: is a 5 megapixel camera enough for good pictures? I think it is. 

But it depends on what your goals are. Of course, a professional photographer will need something more capable. But for the average picture taker, as long as they, you, are happy with the images taken from a smaller mega pixel camera, isn't that what counts.


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A post needs a picture. It's Princess, and she's a beauty.


I've see it a lot online on various forums over the years. Pro photographers who have all the best gear at their disposal, and what do they reach for and prefer to use. Usually its a smaller, lower priced, lower megapixel camera from their collection that they are very familiar with. 

While a higher megapixel count does generally result in higher image resolution, it is important to consider other factors that contribute to the overall quality of a photograph, such as lens quality, aperture settings, and the photographer's skills. Therefore, while a 5 megapixel camera may not produce images of the same caliber as a professional-grade DSLR camera, it can still capture good quality pictures for the average user.

The skill and technique of the photographer are crucial elements in capturing good pictures. Understanding composition, lighting, and timing are all vital components in creating aesthetically pleasing photographs, regardless of the camera being used. 

A photographer with a good eye for capturing moments and an understanding of how to make the most out of their gear can consistently produce impressive images even with a 5 megapixel camera. For an amateur snapper, If you are happy with the results, that should be what counts the most really, not the mega pixel count of a camera.

BW Cat in a Bush Sample

Here is a quick sample vivid black & white image that I took of a cat in a bush using a decent amount of zoom with the DMC TZ1. She's not my cat but quite friendly. I feed her whenever she comes around. I call her Princess. She's always messing around, playing games. Here she is in an elderberry bush trying to get on to the roof of a house to catch a squirrel. She never succeeded.


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Camera

Successors to the Lumix TZ1


As good as the TZ1 is, it's now a fairly old and outdated digital camera. And while I still use it all the time, part of me thinks I should upgrade. There have been some great advancements in Panasonic camera technology within the last ten years, and I do have my eye on a few of the smaller, newer "street photography" style compact models.

Some of those include: The Panasonic ZS80D | GX85 4K | Lumix G100 | and the somewhat bigger and more expensive Panasonic S5

I'll still be keeping the old TZ1 though, don't worry about that!

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