Panasonic Lumix ZS100 / TZ100 Review

Panasonic entered the digital digicam market in 2001, and in 2006 produced the first of its fashionable ZS vary (TZ outdoor the united states), a sequence of cameras with a small body and a large zoom vary designed to enchantment to travelers.
It Is safe to say that In The 10 intervening years, a variety of advancements had been made, lots of which Panasonic itself has been first to introduce. ZS / TZ cameras have proved an immense hit through the years, and with the shift towards more excessive-end Features in compact cameras, Panasonic has now raised its sport with a new adaptation, the Lumix ZS100 / TZ100.
Essentially The Most noteworthy exchange that the ZS100 / TZ100 brings is the move from a half.Three-inch sensor like the unit discovered Within The ZS60 / TZ80, to a a lot larger 1-inch sort software with 20.1 million effective pixels. One inch sensors have turn into highly regarded in the past few years, first with Sony’s RX100 vary, and more today, with Canon’s latest G series compact cameras.

Features

  • 1.0-inch CMOS sensor, 20.1MP
  • 25-250mm f/2.Eight-5.9 zoom lens
  • 4K video seize
A 1.Zero-inch sensor straight away raises the ZS100 / TZ100 above the level of many different rival commute cameras. It Is the identical same sensor as is found in Panasonic’s top-end bridge digital camera, the very a success Lumix FZ1000. In The ZS100 / TZ100, it is combined with a new Venus Engine processor and a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 25-250mm f/2.Eight-5.9 zoom lens. There May Be Additionally Panasonic’s Power OIS stabilisation machine for stills images and 5-axis hybrid OIS stabilisation for video.
Regardless Of the increase in pixel depend over that of closing yr’s ZS50 / TZ70, the fact that the sensor is 4x higher In The ZS100 implies that the pixels are 2.4x greater, which should be excellent information for Picture high quality and noise keep an eye on specifically. This has given Panasonic the courage to provide the ZS100 a native sensitivity vary of ISO125-12,800, and there are Additionally enlargement settings of ISO80, 100 and 25,600.
The 10x optical zoom implies that Panasonic is describing the ZS100 as belonging to an entirely new sector of the shuttle compact market – top rate superzoom. All The different small form (pocketable) one-inch sensor cameras are restricted in their zoom range, so It’s relatively exciting to look the company developing with a camera which should appeal much more to traveling photographers.
Given Panasonic’s enthusiasm for all things 4K, It Can Be no surprise that the ZS100 has 4K recording capability (at 30 or 25 frames per second) and 4K Photograph modes are existing to make it easy to shoot 8MP nonetheless images at 30 frames per 2nd (fps). There Is Also Panasonic’s newest addition to the 4K fold, Publish Center Of Attention mode. On This mode the camera takes a sequence of pictures with completely different Center Of Attention distances and That You May select the shot in which your topic is sharp Put Up seize.
In Addition, the ZS100 has 4K cropping which allows the composition of 4K photos to be enhanced and down-sampled to Full HD in-digital camera.
Some Other cherry on the specification cake is the truth that the ZS100 can record raw recordsdata as well as JPEGs
Viewfinders are making a welcome comeback to compact cameras and the ZS100 / TZ100 has a Zero.2-inch, 1,160,000-dot electronic viewfinder constructed-in to make it easier to compose pictures in vibrant ambient gentle. Naturally this is accompanied By Using a larger screen on the again of the camera, and In This instance It’s a 3-inch 1,040,000-dot unit that’s touch-sensitive. Helpfully There’s a watch sensor to realize when the camera is held to the eye to change off the main monitor and activate the EVF.
Another cherry on the specification cake is the fact that the ZS100 can file raw information as well as JPEGs. This sits smartly with the aperture priority, shutter priority and guide exposure modes that accompany the automated taking pictures choices. Additionally, the shutter speed is also set to 60-1/2000 secs when the mechanical shutter is in use or 1-1/16000 secs with the electronic shutter. It should due to this fact be that you can imagine to freeze very quick movement and use the widest aperture in vibrant gentle.
Apparently, Even Though Wi-Fi connectivity is present, NFC expertise will not be – Panasonic says that this hasn’t proved as widely used as expected. In Relation To Competitors, the ZS100 goes up towards the most recent one-inch compact cameras from rivals Sony and Canon, together with the RX100 IV and the G7 X Mark II – but neither characteristic such extensive zooms. Arguably, therefore, the ZS100 doesn’t at the moment have any close opponents.
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Construct and managing

  • Stable metallic construction
  • Black and Silver and Black finishes
  • Weighs 310g
Probably The Most exciting components of the ZS100 / TZ100 is that It Can Be no longer a great deal larger than the ZS60 / TZ80 announced On The similar time. It Is about 6mm (0.236 inches) thicker than the ZS60, plus 2.2mm (0.0866 inches) longer and 0.5mm (Zero.0197 inches) wider. That makes it as regards to small enough to slide in a jeans pocket and it has a metal physique shell that feels Strong enough to indicate It Might continue to exist being carried in that approach over a long time frame.
The ZS100 appears fairly just like the LX100, Panasonic’s different current premium compact. It has moderately smooth lines, together with a step Within The prime-plate. The digicam will be available in black, or black and silver finishes, with the black and silver version having a crimson band across the small silver portion of the highest-plate. It Is A new styling for Panasonic, so it’ll be fascinating to see if this appears elsewhere someday.
On the entrance of the camera there isn’t any texture or grip, however There’s an indent which helps the digital camera to take a seat properly to your hand. Nevertheless, it makes sense to connect the wrist strap to present an extra stage of security.
Nearly The Entire ZS100’s buttons are grouped in opposition to the proper hand aspect of the digital camera, making it simple to use one-handed. On high of the digital camera are two huge dials. One is an publicity mode dial this means that You Can speedy switch between shooting modes (There’s a set of automated and scene modes, together with extra advanced software, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual options).
The 2d dial controls different capabilities relying on the shooting mode you’re in. If You’re working in aperture priority, You Should Use it to change aperture, or shutter pace if in shutter priority. It’s in a handy position on your thumb and has a delightful amount of stiffness when you turn it.
There’s Also a hoop around the camera’s lens which, again, has a unique default function relying on the taking pictures mode. Both this and the dial on high of the digicam can also be customised to vary something else In The Event You prefer. There are Also an extra 4 function buttons (marked Fn), which each and every have default functions, however may also be modified to swimsuit a special objective if you would like. There are five more “digital” perform buttons, which might be accessed by means of the touchscreen and are Also customisable.
The (bodily) Fn3 button accesses the ZS100 / TZ100’s fast menu By default. You Should Utilize this menu to maneuver quickly between well-liked settings, equivalent to ISO, metering and white steadiness. With The Aid Of default, two of the function buttons are used to get entry to the digital camera’s 4K Photo modes.
The ZS100’s digital viewfinder is prepared for action at any time that the digital camera is powered up and it doesn’t wish to be popped out for use
In Contrast To the electronic viewfinder in Sony’s in style RX100 III and RX100 IV compact cameras with 1-inch sort sensors, the ZS100’s digital viewfinder is ready for motion at any time that the camera is powered up and it does not wish to be popped out for use. Furthermore, There’s a sensor which automatically detects when the digicam has been lifted to your eye to switch on the viewfinder, and switch the reveal off. Even Supposing without a doubt useful and a bonus on a pocketable compact camera, the ZS100’s viewfinder is small, and Whereas the Image is apparent and sharp, as a result of its small measurement It Is unlikely you’ll need to use the viewfinder for each shot.
The ZS100 / TZ100’s monitor is contact-sensitive, which means You Should Utilize it to set the point of interest level, simply tapping a neighborhood on the reveal you want to use (you probably have 1-Area focusing selected). You Could Also use it to navigate through and around the principle menu and the perform menu. For Those Who don’t love The Use Of touch screens, the excellent news is that everything will also be managed Via a bodily button, or a mixture of buttons, When You desire.
With A View To use the super quick shutter speeds that the digital shutter enables, you’ll need to trade from mechanical shutter In The digicam’s major menu. As Soon As you’ve got done this, Which You Could move past the 1/2000 quickest shutter speed provided By the mechanical shutter and reach speeds up to 1/16000.

Autofocus

  • 49-point AF
  • Face/Eye detection
  • Submit-Center Of Attention operate
Lumix cameras have at all times delivered the products in the case of AF speed, and the ZS100 / TZ100 is not any totally different – in just right gentle That You May expect the camera to lock-on quick with Virtually no lengthen.
Even when the sunshine ranges drop, the ZS100 performs very neatly, though the contrast-become aware of AF will begin to fight when gentle ranges are in reality bad – however which is to be expected.
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Performance

  • 10fps burst capturing (6fps with steady AF)
  • Respectable optical quality
  • 300 shot battery life
The ZS100 / TZ100’s all-function metering device provides generally accurate exposures, only failing Moderately when photographing something with areas of high distinction – but it’s not more than we’d predict from any digicam. In A Similar Way, the automated white stability gadget copes neatly when faced with totally different lighting fixtures prerequisites. Fairly warmer tones are produced when photographing underneath artificial light, so When You Are involved in final accuracy, either switch to a preset worth or set a custom white steadiness.
Element is stored well during the ZS100’s optical zoom vary, with roughly the same quantity of Element On The a long way attain of the telephoto zoom as viewed On The broad perspective end.
The Flexibility to shoot at 10 frames per 2d (fps) is lovely impressive, While even with it shedding all the way down to 6fps when you want to make use of the ZS100’s steady AF is nothing to be sniffed at.
At 300 shots, battery life is affordable, but If You Are intending to make use of the viewfinder slightly a bit of, this does drop to 240 shots, so If You Are going to be away for an extended weekend or longer, then it might be price serious about investing in Some Other battery.

Image quality

  • ISO125-12,800, expandable to 80-25,600
  • Can report plenty of Detail
  • Beautiful photography straight from digital camera
Because The ZS100 / TZ100 makes use of the same sensor As The FZ1000, we had high hopes that Picture high quality can be good. Fortunately, those hopes have been borne out Both By Means Of results from our labs and actual-world images.
JPEG pictures show a great amount of vibrance and punch, without straying too far into unrealistic territory, Whereas the overall impact of Detail is implausible.
At commonplace printing (A4 or smaller) or on-reveal viewing sizes, the ZS100’s pictures, have Detail comparable with pictures taken on cameras with much better sensors, such As The GF7 (which has a Four Thirds sensor). And at A Hundred% on monitor, Regardless Of a bit smoothing, It’s onerous to inform the ZS100’s low sensitivity JPEG photography aside from the GF7’s.
Our lab checks point out that the ZS100 / TZ100 competes very strongly with the Sony RX100 IV and Canon G5 X, all of which have 1.Zero-inch sort sensors
Our lab tests point out that the ZS100 / TZ100 competes very strongly with the Sony RX100 IV and Canon G5 X, all of which have 1.Zero-inch type sensors. For signal to noise ratio, the ZS100 beats the opposite cameras on check during the ISO One Hundred-800 range, and most importantly at ISO200. From ISO 1600, the ZS100 is extremely carefully matched to the opposite cameras, While at ISO 3200, the ZS100 beats Each the Sony and the Canon.
It’s a Slightly more complicated picture for the uncooked structure recordsdata, the place On The lower end of the dimensions (ISO100-200) the ZS100 is beaten By Means Of the Sony and Canon cameras, however from ISO800 proper up to ISO12,800, it beats The Entire different cameras on check.
For dynamic range, the story can also be just a little extra patchy. For JPEG images taken At The lower finish of the size (ISO200-800), the ZS100 is overwhelmed By Way Of the Canon and Sony, however is still pretty just right. At 1600, the ZS100 is just about tied with the Sony and Canon, While at ISO3200, the Canon beats the ZS100 very Moderately, however the ZS100 beats the Sony. At 6400, All Of The cameras are closely matched, however at 12800, the ZS100 wins out extra significantly.
Taking A Look On The raw format information, Performance is especially spectacular. Even If at ISO200 it’s crushed ever so Quite Via the Canon, from ISO Four Hundred the ZS100 beats the other cameras on take a look at, from time to time By Means Of fairly a big margin.
When It Comes To decision, we can use a mixture of the labs check and the true world pictures to make a judgement on how neatly Detail is resolved. On The low-medium end of the ISO run (ISO200-1600), the ZS100 is in a position to matching Canon’s G5 X sensor, and is Slightly worse than Sony’s RX100 IV. Then Again, At The greater finish of the spectrum (ISO3200-6400), It Is better than Canon and matches the Sony’s functionality, While at 12,800, the ZS100 is the most effective performer.
Taking A Look at a corresponding raw file, It’s clear that the digicam is applying an even quantity of noise discount to JPEG photography. While that noise reduction normally leads to Pure-Taking A Look, low-noise images, If You Are photographing one thing specifically distinctive, you can also appreciate The Ability to convey that back By Means Of modifying the raw format recordsdata.
When all noise reduction is turned off, pictures taken at ISO3200 (see shot above) and 6400 have seen chroma noise at One Hundred%, however it’s relatively evenly spread throughout the Picture and therefore easily tackled By Way Of noise reduction tool. Even with out noise discount being applied the images nonetheless seem First Rate at customary printing and viewing sizes.
Using the electronic shutter allows you to shoot at huge apertures in brilliant daylight – this Image above has been inquisitive about a 1/16000 sec shutter velocity.
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Verdict

Panasonic takes intention squarely On The pocket-pleasant 1.Zero-inch sensor compact digicam market with the ZS100 / TZ100, upping the stakes with a 10x optical zoom, something which other producers haven’t but produced.
Although 1.0-inch sensors are not in particular new or thrilling any more, while you couple one with a 10x optical zoom, the ensuing digicam becomes a way more flexible possibility which is bound to attraction to visiting photographers looking for one thing high quality, however handy.
The ZS100 / TZ100 produces pretty JPEG photography, While the raw structure images provide you with excellent scope to deliver out additional Detail must you want it. The sensor Happily competes with Sony and Canon, who’ve so far been the big players In The 1.Zero-inch sensor market. The Massive sensor facilitates Decent low-mild taking pictures, making it a good all-rounder digicam.
It’s Also an relaxing camera to use, with a good choice of buttons and dials, a very responsive touch sensitive display and an (albeit small) digital viewfinder. There Is Additionally built in Wi-Fi and a spread of ingenious filters. It Could in all probability were nice to see a tilting or articulating reveal, but that will have brought additional bulk, and certainly further cost to the camera.
Panasonic claims that it has created a brand new section of the market with this camera, and It Can Be hard to disagree with that claim.

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