Home > Consumer Reviews > Panasonic DMW-MCTZ5 Marine Case for Panasonic TZ5, TZ4, TZ50

Because of the diffuser feature on this case, my TZ5 actually takes better flash pics on land with the marine cover on than with it off. The quality and workmanship are great. the buttons all operate flawlessly. the manufacturer even included many little packets of silica gel pouches you can put inside case on each use to maintain total dryness inside. Apparently, if you went from a cold environment to a hot or humid one, condensation could buld up. (or vice versus). They even have weights for bouyancy control, plus an extra 'O' ring, lanyard and grease tube. The buttons are all marked well enough to see (which you can't tell from the picture of the product) I haven't dived more than 20 ft. but the manual says that because of the design it gets MORE watertight as you go deeper. The focus functions work just as if the case were off...no delays in AF.
A shoe type of mount is available for flash. I Don't know how that works since the camera doesn't have a shoe. (just a slave flash I guess). I assume it would take good pictures of falling snow in a darkness type setting with diffuser on since I took good pictures of when it was raining the other day and the flash didn't accentuate the drops of rain a normal flash usually does...the diffuser IS removable for more light casting, if you need it. All in all, it is an expensive add on feature, but I intend to use it mostly on beaches, in pools, snorkeling and sking. I looked at my 200 plus dollars as an insurance/investment on a great camera. (a investment that has improved "on land" picture quality with this diffused flash feature). By the way, my underwater pictures and videos look great AND with natural colors. I set camera to underwater scene mode. Best to use in wide angle and then blowup picture.

My six year old loves it. He can't hurt it either with it's rugged design. Lots of fun underwater video pictures so far.(great resolution too on my HDTV due to the TZ5 high qualty 16:9 720p 30fps setting for video. only slight negative is that it's not so good though in low light settings for video). If your are going on deep dives you MAY need the add on flash or light lamp I suppose. (but that's natural for most point and shoots). I am really glad I got the marine case...the wife... not so much when I told her how much it cost. However, the excitement of my six year old loving the abilty to take his own underwater pictures has softened her angst greatly. Also I can pass camera to others to take family pictures of us and don't have to worry about their clumliness or carelessness. I recommend a cloth bag, like a Crown Royal bag, to cover the unit if camera is inside case and you leave it in direct sunlight for awhile. I imagine the inside could get rather hot. I hope this helps from a happy purchaser. By the way, you can get it for around $145 on line elsewhere if you search. I should of done this first but didn't. oh well.

This case makes it easy to take great underwater photos. I was able to review photos, and hand off the camera to others who had never used the camera before. With the underwater setting, the Panasonic camera adjusts for the deep blue tint, and provides better color than I have had with other cameras, in natural light.

I highly recommend this case, along with the camera, if you like snorkelling or diving.

My wife and I bought a Panasonic DMZ-TZ5 for our Mexican Riviera cruise. We picked this case up since we planned to do some snorkeling. With almost no exceptions, the images and video we took were crystal clear and true to color. Every control is available and easy to use via the case. I didn't use the flash for anything, so I can't really speak to that. The case is a bit bulky, so it wasn't very easy to clean in the small sink in our cabin. If you're looking for an underwater digital camera, look at this setup first. It will cost you about the same as an "ok" underwater camera, but have the huge benefit of the 10x optical zoom and HD video...which looks quite excellent once transferred to a DVD!

I love my Lumix TZ5 camera and now I can truly take it anywhere. I used the case for both diving and snorkeling on a recent vacation. I am very pleased with the results. I concur that it is easy to use all of the camera controls and the viewfinder displays well.

The Panasonic TZ5 is the fifth compact camera I have used to take underwater pictures and it is by far superior to the previous ones (Canon A540, Fuji F31, Fuji F50, Canon SD900).
First, the Panasonic underwater case is extremely well built, all the functions are easily accessible and it comes with weights to adjust the buoyancy.
Second, the TZ5 was a very pleasant surprise: not only does it focus quite quickly even in relatively low light, but it also has a very good optical image stabilization system that more than makes up for a not so bright lens (f/3.3-4.9).
It is also the first digital camera I have used that has a very decent underwater mode, which is crucial since it does not shoot RAW. The color balance in natural light is just right for snorkeling shots and there is very little highlights burning (in this respect, both my Fujis were a disaster, it was impossible to shoot against a white sandy bottom).
The underwater mode has two more advantages: like all scene modes, it defaults to auto-ISO but I never caught it going above 200 ISO, which is good to keep noise in check.
Also, when in underwater mode the focusing range is extended towards the macro end, meaning you do not waste precious seconds having to switch between macro and normal focusing.
The TZ5's flash is not extremely powerful and it is better to leave it off when shooting underwater, except on some close-ups in poor light.
The TZ5 can take high-def videos (alas, in Quicktime format) and it is really nice to be able to film your favorite tropical fish swimming around you, just pack a huge SD card (4GB or more) because the files can get huge very quickly.
Because the TZ5 has a relatively wide zoom (28mm equivalent), the lens port on the underwater case is very big and rectangular in shape to reduce vignetting. I find it easier to clean than smaller round ports, but be careful not to scratch it because it is very exposed.
Another added benefit of the big lens port is that I found it less prone to fogging: in warm tropical waters it is not even necessary to use a dessicant pack (a few are included). You can also try the following technique to further reduce fogging: store your camera and case (open) in an air-conditioned room; then, seal your camera in the case in that same room: the air trapped inside the case will be dryer than it would be if you sealed it outdoors because it is dried by the AC, and therefore will cause less condensation.
The only two things I would have added to this underwater case are a port cover for when it is not in use, and a hood to shield the large LCD from surface glare.
Coupled with this underwater case, your TZ5 will provide many unforgettable souvenirs of your exotic holidays, just remember to properly rinse it after every use (the case, not the camera!) and to inspect, clean and grease the joint before every dive (a small tube of silicone gel is provided).