How to change Aspect Ratio?
I have a Panasionic Lumix DMC TZ30 and I would like to know how to change the Aspect ratio. I want to change it to 16:9. Any help appreciated
Not in the operating manual...?
Here's the User Manual for you:
http://panasonic.ae/en/manuals/DMC-TZ30.pdf
http://panasonic.ae/en/manuals/DMC-TZ30.pdf
Welcome to the World's friendliest photography forum! 
It's in the settings menu - you can find using the Q.Menu button or the Menu button. This is a really good video that shows where the settings can be found:
https://youtu.be/UmdJukutZxE?t=431
It's in the settings menu - you can find using the Q.Menu button or the Menu button. This is a really good video that shows where the settings can be found:
https://youtu.be/UmdJukutZxE?t=431
Hi Joshwa
Thank you very much for the link, which not only solved my problem but gave me a much better understanding of how to use the camera in general.
Thanks also to Saltireblue for the link to find the manual.
To KevinEllison and Slowsong I would repeat what my mother used to say. "If you can't find anything useful to say, don't say anything".
I was surprised, and not a little disappointed, to read the first two comments. Not only are they unhelpful, they are also untrue. The overall effect is simply to put people off using the forum.
I had already checked the manual, but could find no mention of Aspect Ratio. I had also searched online, all to no use. This forum was a desperate last resort.
I have little knowledge of cameras, other than to point and click. I suspect this would be the same for many people asking questions on this forum. No doubt to "the experts" these questions are simple and obvious, and to some "lazy". To those asking them they are not.
Thanks again to Joshwa who has restored my faith in the forum.
Thank you very much for the link, which not only solved my problem but gave me a much better understanding of how to use the camera in general.
Thanks also to Saltireblue for the link to find the manual.
To KevinEllison and Slowsong I would repeat what my mother used to say. "If you can't find anything useful to say, don't say anything".
I was surprised, and not a little disappointed, to read the first two comments. Not only are they unhelpful, they are also untrue. The overall effect is simply to put people off using the forum.
I had already checked the manual, but could find no mention of Aspect Ratio. I had also searched online, all to no use. This forum was a desperate last resort.
I have little knowledge of cameras, other than to point and click. I suspect this would be the same for many people asking questions on this forum. No doubt to "the experts" these questions are simple and obvious, and to some "lazy". To those asking them they are not.
Thanks again to Joshwa who has restored my faith in the forum.
Paul I have to agree with you, it wouldn't be much of a forum if most questions were answered with "look in the manual" or "Google for it" 
And there'd be no unsolicited advice like that I'm about to give
It's a useful aspect ratio and a good composition aid and photos will match your TV and many monitors. Great for producing slideshows for DVD or for YouTube.
When you change the aspect ratio to 16:9 you will lose some resolution, the sensor is simply cropped.
If you are editing photos later anyway that might be a better time to crop to 16:9 - you can take more time positioning the 16:9 rectangle over what the camera captured, you will retain the rest of the image which could come in handy if you want prints etc.
And there'd be no unsolicited advice like that I'm about to give
It's a useful aspect ratio and a good composition aid and photos will match your TV and many monitors. Great for producing slideshows for DVD or for YouTube.
When you change the aspect ratio to 16:9 you will lose some resolution, the sensor is simply cropped.
If you are editing photos later anyway that might be a better time to crop to 16:9 - you can take more time positioning the 16:9 rectangle over what the camera captured, you will retain the rest of the image which could come in handy if you want prints etc.
Hi Chris
My query was raised because I have recently started to make video/slide shows to put on YouTube.
I had always used the default aspect ratio, but I found that when watching the completed video on my desktop or TV there was a large black area either side of the actual photo. I eventually worked out that this was due to the aspect ratio, and that if I changed it to 16:9 the photo would fill the whole screen.
I usually edit my photos anyway, and I had not noticed that the resolution was reduced when I used 16:9.
I also put my photos on Blogger, and to do so I reduce the pixels to 1500, so I lose quite a lot of sharpness anyway.
Thanks for taking the trouble to comment, and for your very helpful "unsolicited advice"
regards
Paul
My query was raised because I have recently started to make video/slide shows to put on YouTube.
I had always used the default aspect ratio, but I found that when watching the completed video on my desktop or TV there was a large black area either side of the actual photo. I eventually worked out that this was due to the aspect ratio, and that if I changed it to 16:9 the photo would fill the whole screen.
I usually edit my photos anyway, and I had not noticed that the resolution was reduced when I used 16:9.
I also put my photos on Blogger, and to do so I reduce the pixels to 1500, so I lose quite a lot of sharpness anyway.
Thanks for taking the trouble to comment, and for your very helpful "unsolicited advice"
regards
Paul
