The main reason I opted for Globe Tattoo before was because they charge every 15 minutes compared to Smart Bro which charges every 30 minutes. But now, Smart offers an ideal per-minute charging which means I can disconnect and reconnect anytime without being concerned of paying for unused minutes. Be aware though – you need to periodically register online to avail of the per-minute packages. Also, Smart Bro can be loaded using call and text cards with a simple text from any Smart phone unlike Globe Tattoo where I  have to insert the SIM in a phone just to use load cards. Also, I sell Smart load myself (hehe..) so I get to save on my profit margins if I load my Smart Bro myself. One more thing. The Smart Bro USB stick looks way better than the Globe Tattoo USB I got with the cheap stickers.

However, I do have serious complaints about this Smart Bro Plugit. First, it always takes about 1 minute and 30 seconds before I can connect from the moment I insert the plugit. That is very annoying. The Globe Tattoo on the other hand can connect almost immediately. The software of the Smart Bro Plugit is also inferior to that of Globe Tattoo. In fact, it is littered with bugs. Sometimes when I get disconnected for no reason,  the software would get stuck and the numbers in the speed indicator go berserk. Also, when I click the “Connect” button, the software tells me the USB modem cannot be detected even if it is and is already detected by the computer. Smart Bro also does not have the real time statistics graph present in Globe Tattoo. I like watching that graph very much. The interface of the Globe Tattoo software also looks better and is more functional in  my opinion.

As for speed and connectivity, Smart Bro and Globe Tattoo are about as fast as each other in my location. I do however get disconnected without warning from Smart Bro more often. I don’t  know if it is just a temporary problem with their system though. At certain periods, I also get the error message below every time I click the connect button which is very, very annoying. (UPDATE: disconnecting and reconnecting the USB might help)

A connection to the remote computer could not be established, so the port used for this connection was closed. For further assistance, click More Info or search Help and Support Center for this error number.

So between the two, will I choose Smart Bro or Globe Tattoo? I will go for Smart Bro! Why? Basically because I sell Smart load myself so minus my profit margin, an hour of internet will cost me only about P17.7! Haha! Also, the real winner is their per-minute packages. Thus, I disconnected to type this post offline and I will reconnect again for only a few minutes to post it. I only pay for the minutes I actually use!

For now, I can afford to bear the very very annoying cons of the Smart Bro Broadband while waiting for Sun Cellular to offer their unlimited mobile internet outside Metro Manila.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1/TZ6

I’ve had my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (aka TZ6) for over 40 days  now. I will be giving my impressions here for the benefit of those who are considering to buy this product. As early as now, I want to let you know that this digital camera is very much excellent! Read on for the rest of my review.Before I bought it, I thoroughly researched online reviews for the best compact super-zoom camera. I needed something that can take photos with superb quality, offer both wide angle and telephoto capability, and still fit in my pocket. Obviously, this model turned out to be the best for my purposes.

I wasn’t familiar with the Panasonic Lumix camera’s then so I first searched among the popular Canon and Sony cameras. Of course I found some models that met my needs but they were quite expensive. Also, reviews kept pointing to a better model in the Panasonic line: the Lumix DMC-TZ7 and TZ6 (aka ZS3 and ZS1 in the US). Reviews consistently praised these Lumix cameras for their image quality, lens versatiliy, features, build, etc. After some days of reading reviews, I was convinced.

ZS3/TZ7 vs ZS1/TZ6

There was about a $100 difference between these two models. The ZS1/TZ6 offered the same features as the ZS3/TZ7 except for a slighty smaller lower-resolution LCD screen, a smaller sensor, and the absence of HD recording capability. I figured I didn’t need the ZS3’s HD movies. It would just gobble up my hard disk space eventually. I also didn’t need the ZS3’s larger 12-megapixel sensor since it only takes 10-megapixel images. The extra 2 megapixels are used only when you shoot in 16:9 and 3:2  aspect-ratio but the images are still 10 megapixels. I also didn’t find the need for the 3-inch high-res LCD screen of the ZS3. The ZS1’s 2.7-inch LCD screen is enough and it will save some battery life too.

Therefore, I decided to save the $100 and opt for the ZS1. I finally ordered one from Hong Kong through eBay since it wasn’t available in the Philippines yet. I got the package after 4 days.

What's in the box?

Inside the box, the camera came with a DMW-BCG10E battery pack, battery case, a battery charger, AC cable (needed an adapter for this one), hand strap, USB connection cable, AV cable, operating manual, and CDs for the detailed manual and some photo software I didn’t bother to try. The online store I bought the camera from also sent with the box an ultra-light tripod, lens cleaning set, and an LCD protector.

What do I love about this camera? Here they are. I will discuss some of them in detail below.

• Excellent image quality
• 25 mm “Ultra”-wide angle lens
• 12x optical zoom (up to 21.2x extra optical zoom)
• Zooming while taking videos
• Solid build
• Still quite compact

Excellent image quality

The DMC-ZS1 can take excellent night shots

Usually, there's no need to enhance them

25 mm “Ultra”-wide angle lens

Below are two shots I took using my old Pentax s5z and the new Lumix ZS1/Tz6 which shows the difference between the 35 mm and 25-mm  wide angle lens. I placed the cameras on top of each other to make sure they are at the same distance from the subject.

35 mm Pentax Optio s5z

25 mm Lumix ZS1

I do not notice any barrel distortion in the ZS1’s photo despite the “ultra”-wide angle view. Because of this, I would never want to buy another digicam in the future with less angle of view. The wide-angle lens gives so much more freedom and convenience in taking both landscape shots and indoor group photos.

12x Optical, 21.2x Extra Optical Zoom

Below are two shots from the same spot, taken with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1/TZ6. The first photo is the full ultra-wide angle view and the second uses the  12x optical plus some “extra” optical zoom to achieve a full 21.2x optical zoom. See the enormous amount of versatility the lens offers?

25 mm wide angle view

21.2x Extra Optical Zoom

Note that the “extra” optical zoom is not digital zoom. The extra zoom is achieved when you take photos that are less than 10 megapixels. The camera takes the image data from the central part of the sensor, just enough to capture the megapixels you set. It is like the camera cropping a full 10MP photo. To achieve the highest 21.2x extra zoom above, the image has to be taken at 3 megapixels. Unlike digital zoom which digitally stretches the image resulting in pixelated photos, the ZS1’s extra optical zoom still results in crisp images. This is very useful for people like me who rarely ever use the maximum megapixel setting.

Zoom while taking videos

Up to this time, very few digital cameras allow you to use optical zoom while taking a video. They would usually only offer digital zoom or none at all. The Panasonic Lumix ZS1/TZ6 is different. It allows you use its powerful range of 12x optical zoom while taking movies. With a large SD card, this camera  could actually substitute your video camera! The zooming function is a little sluggish when taking videos but I have no problems with that.  The image also stays in focus quite well. When taking videos in quiet environments, the sound of the internal motor moving the lens also becomes quite noticeable. No big deal for me. Below is a movie I took to demonstrate the full range of the zoom while taking videos.

Solid build

Unlike its close counterpart in the compact super-zoom digicams, the Canon Powershot SX200IS, the Lumix ZS1’s build is very solid. One of the main reasons I didn’t go for the SX200IS are reviews describing how flimsy the pop-up flash is. As for the Panasonic, it even feels like I could drop it without worrying.

Still quite compact

With all its features and its enormous lens, it’s amazing how Panasonic made this camera even smaller  than its earlier models. I always place it in the pocket of my jeans. Of course it makes an obvious bulge but I still prefer that convenience over having to carry it in a separate bag. Even the powerful lens doesn’t extend too much at full zoom. People would never know the handy camera you’re holding is actually a monster.

Conclusion

After over 40 days of use, I would still buy this camera over and over again if I had to. It may not be SLR quality, but for it’s size and price, I don’t know if it can get any better. I’m glad I did a lot of research before buying it.