Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ200
Panasonic originally invented the ‘travel zoom' camera class by combining a long zoom lens with a pocketable body. Two years ago it revolutionised the category with its Lumix TZ100, which used a relatively large 201MP 1 in sensor for vastly improved image quality, teamed up with a 10x zoom lens and a small electronic viewfinder. It's been my favourite pocket camera ever since.
Now the firm has taken the concept up another notch, by squeezing in two major upgrades without noticeably increasing the size. First is the lens, which is now a 15x, 24-360mm-equivalent zoom in place of the TZ100's 25-250mm. Second is a vastly improved electronic viewfinder, which, in contrast to the TZ100's, is good enough to use routinely.
With these updates, the price takes a considerable hike, up to £729 compared to around £510 for the TZ100 (which will remain on sale). While the TZ200 is far from being the most expensive compact camera on the market, with the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V costing £849 and the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III priced £1,089, this still feels like a lot of money for this kind of camera. Let's see whether it's worth it.
Features
The TZ200's headline feature is its 24-360mm lens, which is easily the longest on any pocket camera with a 1in sensor. Its extended reach has been made possible by the adoption of a completely new 13-element, 11-group optical design, and brings the TZ200 somewhat closer to the zoom ranges offered by cheaper long-zoom compacts with smaller sensorshas dropped, but only by about half a stop, to f/3.3-6.4 (from f/2.8-5.9). The minimum aperture at all focal lengths is f/8, which is perfectly sensible to avoid excessive diffraction softening with a 1in sensor, but means you have precious little adjustment range at the long end of the zoom.
