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The Panasonic Lumix ZS100 made its debut in early January, offering a sizable 25-250mm equivalent zoom range to complement its 1″-type sensor. With a built-in viewfinder it certainly looks to be travel-ready, so we’ve taken it across land and sea to gather some initial sample images. While Adobe Camera Raw support isn’t available yet, we’ve made a few in-camera Raw conversions and will update this gallery when support arrives.
See our Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 / TZ100 real-world sample gallery
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Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC TZ100 / ZS100, the first compact superzoom camera to include a 1″-type sensor. Despite having a sensor four times larger than most travel zoom cameras, the ZS100 manages to incorporate a 25-250mm equivalent zoom into a very small body. It also finds room for a built-in viewfinder and two full control dials. It shoots 4K video and incorporates a host of features based on that capability, many of which utilize its touchscreen rear LCD. The camera will be available from March 2016 at a cost of around $ 699.
Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 / TZ100 overview
Press Release:
Panasonic’s latest compact camera includes a 1-inch sensor and 4K functions for outstanding performance and usability on the go
Las Vegas, NV (January 5, 2016) – Panasonic has today launched the new LUMIX DMC-ZS100, a premium compact travel camera that boasts performance typically associated with expensive interchangeable lens models. Despite the camera’s small size, the latest addition to the LUMIX ZS range combines a host of features and a powerful 10x zoom to make it the perfect travel companion for even the most demanding photographers and videographers.
A large 1-inch MOS sensor, one of the biggest of any camera in its class, combines with Panasonic’s Venus engine to capture consistently bright and beautiful images wherever your travels take you. And with innovative features such as 4K Photo and Post-Focus, it’s never been easier to capture the exact frame that you visualized when looking through the lens. What’s more, with simple control and connectivity, you can share your adventure with friends and family at the press of a button.
Capture you travels in outstanding quality
The 1-inch sensor’s large pixels are capable of capturing more light, resulting in shots that look crisp, clear and natural, even when photographing at high ISO, such as at dusk and dawn. The Venus engine also provides unrivalled color accuracy for a travel camera – the unique hues, saturation and luminosity of a multi-colored sunset, for example, are individually processed and carefully adjusted to reproduce breathtakingly authentic results.
The LUMIX DMC-ZS100 is the first in its series to incorporate a F2.8-5.9 LEICA DC lens, which allows you to achieve true-to-life images with stunning depth of field. The lens also features a versatile 10x zoom range of 25mm-250mm (35mm camera equivalent), making it ideal for photographing birds and other elusive wildlife.
In addition to stunning photo quality, the camera also provides 4K video recording capability that fits easily into your pocket. The LUMIX DMC-ZS100 offers smooth, high quality video recording in 4K 3840×2160 at 24 and 30 fps in MP4; as well as high-resolution Full HD 1920×1080 60p videos in MP4. With four times the resolution of Full HD, the resulting 4K video brings the sights and sounds of your travels to life, just as you remember capturing it.
Achieve professional quality results, every time
As well as recording high resolution videos, the camera’s 4K capability also enables you to capture accurate photos like never before. For the first time in a travel camera, Panasonic’s 4K Photo function allows you to extract an 8-megapixel still from 4K video (30fps) with total control and precision, so even fleeting moments of action, such as the exact moment you hit the water diving into the sea, can be captured and enjoyed for a lifetime.
Another new addition to the LUMIX ZS range is the Post-Focus feature, which allows you to choose the focal point of any picture, even after it’s taken. The LUMIX DMC-ZS100’s 0.1s Light Speed Auto Focus and Depth from Defocus (DFD) capability combine to calculate the distance between the camera and the subject, capturing optimal focus for 49 individual areas within each frame. Once the photo is taken, you can then manually select the exact area you want to focus on – from the minutiae of your subject’s eye, to an individual bird as a flock takes flight. What’s more, from a single photo you can export multiple shots with different focal points.
In complete control of your creativity
With such a wide array of advanced functions and controls, the LUMIX DMC-ZS100 has been designed for fast and practical usability. The Live View Finder (LVF) features 1,166K-dot resolution, as well as LVF AF that detects when you’re about to take a shot. The camera also provides extensive manual controls so you can put your photography skills to the test, including dedicated physical rings and dials for settings such as zoom, aperture, shutter speed, manual focus and ISO level.
Share your memories
Once you’ve captured an array of beautiful photos and video, the LUMIX DMC-ZS100 makes it fast and simple to share them with friends and family. Combining Wi-Fi and QR code connectivity, it is easy to connect the camera to a smartphone or tablet, allowing you to post to social media almost as soon as they’ve been recorded.
Additional features
• 3.0inch 1,040k dot touch screen
• 5 AXIS HYBRID O.I.S and Level Shot functions
• 10fps burst photo mode (full resolution – 5fps with AF)
• Face / eye tracking AF
• In-camera RAW data development
• Wide Panorama function
• Full wireless control and photography via the Panasonic Image App
The DMC-ZS100 will be available at www.shop.panasonic.com and valued channel partners at the end of March in both silver and black for $ 699.99.
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $ 699 / £549 |
| Body type | |
| Body type | Compact |
| Body material | Metal, composite |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 5472 x 3648 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 20 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 21 megapixels |
| Sensor size | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Venus Engine |
| Color space | sRGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 125-12800 (expands to 80-25600) |
| White balance presets | 5 |
| Custom white balance | Yes (4 slots) |
| Image stabilization | Optical |
| Image stabilization notes | Hybrid 5-axis available in movie mode |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, standard |
| File format |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Focal length (equiv.) | 25–250 mm |
| Optical zoom | 10× |
| Maximum aperture | F2.8 – F5.9 |
| Autofocus |
|
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Yes (4X) |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Normal focus range | 50 cm (19.69″) |
| Macro focus range | 5 cm (1.97″) |
| Number of focus points | 49 |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.46× |
| Viewfinder resolution | 1,166,000 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 60 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/16000 sec |
| Exposure modes |
|
| Scene modes |
|
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 8.00 m (at Auto ISO) |
| Flash modes | Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off |
| Continuous drive | 50.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 secs, 3 shots @ 10 sec) |
| Metering modes |
|
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps) |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 4K/UHD (3840 x 2160 @ 30p/24p), 1920 x 1080 @ 60p/60i/30p/24p, 640 x 480 (30p) |
| Format | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC card |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (microHDMI) |
| Microphone port | No |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | Lithium-ion battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 300 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 312 g (0.69 lb / 11.01 oz) |
| Dimensions | 111 x 65 x 44 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.73″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| GPS | None |
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Panasonic is using CES 2016 to announce the latest two models in its series of travel zoom cameras (known as the TZ series in most of the world or ZS in North America). While one of them is a logical replacement for the existing models, the TZ100/ZS100 is a genuinely more advanced thing altogether, squeezing a 1″-type sensor into a body only slightly larger than we’ve become used to from cameras in this category.
Traditionally travel zooms have used small sensors (~29mm2) to allow the inclusion of long lenses in a small overall package. Impressively, the ZS100 fits a much larger sensor (~116mm2) while still offering a useful zoom range and sensibly-sized form factor. The larger sensor offers better image quality, which has prompted Panasonic to offer a maximum ISO of 12800 on the ZS100, with an extended setting of 25600.
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The ZS100 has a 10X zoom, offering a 25-250mm equivalent reach – just enough range to classify it as a proper superzoom. And, in all honesty, probably enough for most applications for many people: we suspect the push beyond 80x zooms has as much to do with being able to boast a bigger number on the store shelves than because contemporary consumers find themselves needing so much more zoom than they used to.
The ZS100’s lens starts out as a very respectable F2.8 maximum aperture but very quickly slides towards the F5.9 that you’re limited to at full zoom. By 50mm equivalent it’s already dropped to F4 (F11 equiv., given the crop factor), and it’s at F5.1 (F13.9 equiv.) by the time you get to 100mm equivalent – this isn’t about to offer you shallow depth-of-field portraits. The camera does use Panasonic’s Depth-from-Defocus system that interprets subject distances based on an understanding of its lens characteristics – we’ve found this system to support surprisingly effective at subject tracking on previous cameras.
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The ZS100 has a 1.166M-dot equivalent viewfinder. That word ‘equivalent’ makes clear that the finder features a field-sequential design, updating red, green and blue information one after the other, rather than including separate color elements at each ‘pixel’ position. The 0.2″ finder is pretty small which the optics don’t do much to rescue. On the plus side it does include an eye sensor to allow automatic switching when you come to use it.
Using the viewfinder pulls the battery life down to 240 shots per charge from the otherwise pretty typical 300 shots per charge.
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It’s not just the sensor that suggests the ZS100 is the most serious travel zoom in the series so far. It features two full control dials, a full-sized dial on the top plate of the camera as well as a ring around the outside of the lens. It also gets a touchscreen (something even the flagship LX100 doesn’t have) that can be used either just to point-and-shoot or to reposition the the AF point while shooting through the viewfinder.
In addition, the ZS100 has four customizable buttons, along with five touchscreen slots that can be customized for more fast access.
One thing that detracts from its higher-end ambitions is the camera’s construction: the camera feels rather lightweight an insubstantial. This is only an impression, of course: we have no way of knowing how durable the build quality is at this point. What’s certain, though, is that it doesn’t have the reassuring heft that we usually encounter in cameras costing this much.
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As you’d expect from Panasonic, the ZS100 offers 4K video recording and a host of features based around it. As well as the video recording itself: UHD capture at up to 30p (25p for the TZ version), the camera offers a range of photo features derived from the video feed.
There’s the now-familiar 4K Photo mode of course, which records short clips of video so that you can grab individual frames from it, including an option that captures the 30 frames before and after you hit the shutter. Then there’s post-shot focus, which shoots video while racking focus from the nearest to the further object it can find in the scene, so that you can choose the perfectly focused shot. The ZS100 is the first Panasonic camera to have a dedicated button for the mode.
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New to the ZS100 are two as-you-shoot video options that benefit from the camera’s 4K capabilities. The first is the option to crop a 1920 x 1080 region from 4K video then produce a stabilized pan across the rest of the 4K frame. The other gets the camera to zoom in on a 1920 x 1080 region of the frame, as the video runs (akin to the ‘Ken Burns effect’). These effects are easily achieved in most high-end editing software but their inclusion in the ZS100 means they can be generated in-camera and incorporated into video clips cut together using less expensive or free software.
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Just to top it all off, the the ZS100 includes Wi-Fi and in-camera Raw conversion, allowing images to be fine-tuned before passing them off to your smart device. Panasonic’s ‘Image App’ allows remote control of the device and all the other things you’d expect of a contemporary connected camera.
The only thing that’s missing is an NFC antenna – between the cost of the hardware and the fact that Apple won’t let iOS owners utilize NFC for anything so frivolous as camera connection, Panasonic chose to use on-screen QR codes to communicate the necessary connection credentials to other devices.
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Alongside the ZS100/TZ100, Panasonic has also announced the ZS60, which will be known as the TZ80 outside North America. This model is much more in keeping with the travel zoom models Panasonic has built before (a subset of the market it pioneered).
The ZS60 uses a small 18MP CMOS sensor, allowing it to pack a 24-720mm equivalent zoom into a small package. The downsides are that it’s never a terribly fast lens (F3.3-6.4, or F18-35 in equivalent terms) and it loses the ZS100’s large thumb dial on the top plate, making do with a smaller combined dial/four-way controller. Beyond this, the features it offers are broadly similar to the ZS100 (including 4K video capture), just with a lower maximum ISO setting and no electronic shutter mode. It will sell for around $ 450.
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It’s been two-and-a-half years since Sony introduced the first compact with a 1″-type sensor and redefined what is possible from a compact camera. Since then, as you might expect, the number of 1″-type compacts have continued to expand. Up until now it’s been possible to choose from pocketable cameras with short zooms or much larger cameras with more reach, what there hasn’t been is something offering a little of both. The ZS100 finally fills this gap: a small camera with a big sensor and a long zoom. The cost is that rapidly dropping aperture as you zoom, of course.
The small, field sequential viewfinder is the other other compromise that stands out on the ZS100 but that seems more likely to hit the $ 699 price point, rather than just a size concern. To put this price in perspective, it’s the same as the launch price of Canon’s G7 X, $ 100 less than the viewfinder-touting Canon PowerShot G5 X and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Mark III, all of which have considerably shorter (but brighter) lenses.