Adventure — and to a lesser degree, life — requires some ruggedness. Since you are here reading Man Makes Fire, I assume you have some type of adventure or adventurer in your life. Adventure usually has some form of water, crushing pressure, dirt, cost, and coldness — often all rolled into one experience. Enter our Panasonic TS25 review.
Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TS25
I put this Lumix through the paces by first giving it to my boys at the summer swimming hole on the Washugal River. They were able to use both the video and the photo features and produce some good videos and photos anywhere from three-to-five feet underwater. The camera was dropped multiple times on the rocks and in the sand. The LUMIX TS25 took it all in stride. No issues. Waterproof? Yes. Shockproof? Yes. Dustproof? Yes.
Next, I took it to elk camp. It snowed the first day. Freezeproof? Yes.
While the TS25 takes a respectable 720p video, video is not the camera’s specialty — there are other (more costly) rugged, waterproof cameras that take higher quality video, such as the newer generation TS6 that will shoot 1080p at 60fps. [Check out our guide to the Best Waterproof Cameras for more detail.]
No, what I was looking for was an inexpensive rugged camera that could take great photos — and do it’s job well. Taking good video and editing it takes time, effort, and some skill. All of which I don’t have. It is easy for me to put together photo books and send them to friends and family, though. So far, not many people want to watch my fairly pitiful short videos.
If your priority is having an inexpensive-but-rugged camera that will take great photos in places you would never use your smartphone or a bigger DSLR, the Panasonic LUMIX TS25 is hard to beat — especially for the sub-$150 price.
The Rugged Exterior of Panasonic TS25
- Waterproof to 23 feet
- Shockproof from 5 feet
- Freezeproof to 14 degrees F
- Dustproof
Inside the TS25
- 16.1 megapixel sensor — In my experience, the photos come out nice and clear
- 4x optical zoom — The zoom is good. Most of my shots are close to the target anyway, which are the ones that most people seem to enjoy looking at. If you take a lot of long distance photos, this may not be camera for you.
- 2.7-inch LCD screen — The LCD is large enough to be usable. More importantly, the TS25 fits into most pockets and can be banged around without worries about damage.
- Intelligent Auto Mode — The kids took some great pics and so have I . . . so this must work well.
- MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) — The optical image stabilization feature helps produce crisp images in low-light or night photos.
- 12 Effective Create Control Effects — Lets you set the camera to match your environment for optimal settings
- 720p MP4 Video — The video is clear even underwater and the sound is better than most smartphone audio
- Sonic Speed Auto Focus — Important for quick shots . . . and most shots are quick shots in my world.
- Creative Panorama Mode — Offers 12 filter effects to help you take better panoramic images.
- Built-in Flash and Torch Light — The does the job you would expect, and the torch light helps record video at night or in murky water.
No Frills Excellence
The Panasonic LUMIX TS25 is a great rugged camera for those who want to be able to take photos with some serviceable video in wet or dirty conditions without fear of breaking a fragile or far more expensive device. The TS25 does not have built-in GPS, WiFi connectivity, or remote control via a smartphone — the latest fancy features — but it takes surprisingly good photos in a variety of conditions that will please the kind of people who are wading into the water to get a great photo of their kids, an animal, or a perspective that most people miss because they don’t want to drop or break their smartphone. The value-to-cost ratio in the TS25 is just excellent.
