A Classic is Back - Panasonic Lumix TZ99

[@dymanh]

This is the best news of the day for me.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Until recently, I never really cared about every day carry cameras, or these really big zoom ranges, but overtime I’ve really began to appreciate the smallest most versatile possible cameras, whether they’re interchangeable or not. I got a ZS 200 with its bigger sensor and have really enjoyed that camera and really appreciate a huge zoom range and this camera despite the smaller sensor has an even bigger zoom to compensate. I definitely be at least somewhat interested in trying one of these out for sure!

[@petercavendish6935]

agree, pocketable super zoom is handy

[@vacuumandgaspressurecoexisting]

Smart move. The predecessors are climbing up in value in the used market and almost everything with a similar form factor from the competition is out of stock everywhere. Camera snobs might scoff at it, but these things sell, people want them and that is what matters.

[@thatsreallyamoon]

Can Panasonic spend their meager camera business budget making things people want? A successor to the GX9? Rather than whatever these two tiny updates are. This is why they get so much flak imo. They seem to make endless puzzling decisions, and then once in a while, a truly brilliant move like the GH7. Then we get weird things like a 26mm f8 $200, S5D for $1800, and now these. Please, GX9ii. Something of substance.

[@KwasnikPictures]

First! 📸 I actually just digged up my old point and shoot to take some shots with a flash, it’s pretty cool to chuck in the pocket but really want a point and shoot with Real Time LUT!! 😜

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Yeah a complete brand new point and shoot with all the latest Lumix tech would be awesome!

[@DavidMorenoH]

I would have LOVED a proper RX100VII alternative. aka a 1inch sensor with bright 24-200 zoom lens. Damn it Panasonic

[@michaelbell75]

Not gonna happen for $499, try $1,199 and then everyone would cry about the price lol

[@duckdog7277]

Not sure if it's still being sold but the lumix tz220 is a 1inch sensor p&s cam with a 24-360mm zoom, and it's amazing

[@freudentrauma]

@@duckdog7277 They have been discontinued as far as I know. But after this release I wouldn't be surprised that Lumix might give the TZ202 a similar upgrade in the future.

[@Secretweapondoze]

It’s the Dlux 8’s cousin I LOVE IT!!!

[@BHE_Crafts]

I get that there has been a resurgence in popularity for compact cameras, but I feel like it's a pretty major gamble for Panasonic to bring back a product line that has already dried up once and isn't going to have a lot of common parts with the rest of their products. I think that this needed to be released two months ago though, because this would probably be a great Christmas gift but they missed that window. I think this is going to have a rough launch, similar to the S9.

[@petesime]

Cameras always are devices of compromises. I have the ZS200, which has a one inch sensor, but no tilting screen. That said, Panasonic knows what they're doing and I think this fills a place in the market where so many other camera makers have abandoned compacts. That optical zoom is a big advantage over phones.

[@andrewsorrell2924]

thats some crazy reach zoom. would be fun to try it. was hoping with the small sensor could go to 4k 120p like action cams but guess they need to keep the cost down.

[@essiturbo]

Nice Test Richard. I hope we have in the future a new GX9II or GM5 II.

[@tomcruz3774]

While I'm glad Panasonic is still producing TZ/ZS line cameras I'm glad I still have my TZ95. The EVF is small but incredibly useful.

[@harryvlogs7833]

Ahh the tz99 sensor is smaller than my 1 inch phone sensor

[@burnedmozzarella]

just without phone insane post processing

[@richardgorski23]

I doubt your phone has a 1 inch sensor

[@BHE_Crafts]

@@richardgorski23 Panasonic had a phone with a 1" sensor as far back as 2014, technically. There are a handful of phones from 2021-now that have them, though none of them are Apple/Samsung/Google. Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Huawei all have 1" sensor phone offerings.

[@skepsys]

phones started migrating to 1" sensor like 3 yrs ago..

[@petercavendish6935]

still no 30x optical zoom.

[@randomthings5607]

No one inch sensor. No deal . Btw fellow NZer here

[@ROOOMC]

I want a TZ99-like look and size, half-frame compact camera lens, 12-28 equivalent to 18-40, large aperture, the aluminum alloy near the rubber is flat

[@davidh3049]

30x optical zoom is crazy. But DFD? 💀

[@devonzachariasmedia]

I think compact cameras are actually more popular now than ever, I'm not sure what you mean. Nice video overall though!

[@richardgorski23]

They removed the EVF? No way I will keep my ZS 80

[@ExpatEvolution]

crazy to remove the EVF??

[@nickthaskater]

Removing the viewfinder on cameras is such a stupid trend.

[@burnedmozzarella]

i really want panasonic to make a pocket prime camera reusing their 14mm or 20mm optic + their 20mp mft sensor like the Ricoh's GRIII and i don't care if it doesn't have EVF as long as it has the hotshoe and compatibility to their old external EVF

[@leventeszabo1451]

Looks like a downgrade to me. I can accept if there is no evf on a small zoom but good luck to use the 720mm end without an evf. Seems like there is a trend that camera makers doing these days that cameras starting to lose evf at least in case of models which are targeting non-professional photographers. Similar to the trend when phones lost the jack input for headphones. I surely keep my TZ200 instead. Very thorough video Richard.

[@sclogse1]

Just think of the drone identifications you can do with this. They still sell little barn doors for pocket cameras on ebay. Maybe you can find a folding set. Panasonic should have integrated a removable one for this model. First thing is get, and use the wrist strap at all times. I'm not impressed with the fastest aperture of this lens. Don't ever put one of these cameras in a pocket that has lint in it. It WILL get sucked back onto the the sensor. A proper upgrade of this camera would give you a way to clean the sensor. A 30x zoom will suck any dust on the barrel of the lens back into it. 30x is cute, but how's the optical stabilization? My Canon 310 Elph, of which somehow, I still have two of them in new condition...and another beat, but still working, has an 8x optical zoom, and running that zoom during handheld video, is remarkably smooth, and even at 8x zoomed in, the OIS does very well. I prefer the glass in my older Panasonic pocket cameras but the Canon is excellent. These Leica lenses tend to have better corner sharpness. So, make some kind of liner for your pocket, or find a model that has a case that attaches to your belt. Oh, one more thing, the focus tracking on that Canon is amazing. I shot a video of a fake fight scene at night with the camera in one hand and a hand held LED in the other, swooping all over in and out of the fight, and I never lost focus. I'm spoiled. If you'd like to see the film I made, it's on youtube as Bum Rap Andre Hunt. 50% shot with a Canon 5D Mark II and the other half with the pocket Elph. And no one has ever noticed a difference.

[@art4kuwait]

i wish they back lumix lx100 mft sensor the best ever cam ihave tryed even than om1 and my fujix100vi

[@dickywong112]

你同時UP兩條片??? G97 and TZ99 ?? 咁得意??

[@lltechview]

I am not getting it. Why do they create a Vlog monitor and ommit the extra viewfinder but then don't give any mic port? Makes no sense. Or does USB-C allow for external mics? Any software features that would take it above a smartphone? Like with the zoom they could add a tracking feature for people that zooms in and out automatically if you have the thing sitting on a tripod for example. Any computational photography tricks like on smartphones for night or low light photos? At least that should be an option nowadays. I don't understand why the stabilisation is so weak with that small sensor size it should be rock steady. 4k and no 60fps is a bummer as well. Again I am better of with en EVF and just a tiltable screen for pure photography. This is half baked and video performance is so much poop that I would rather use my phone for such shots. What I really like to see is a 1 inch sensor camera like this with a "longer zoom". Does not need to be 30x optical. 15x optical and 30x with in sensor crop would be enough. Make it either a pure photography oriented camera. Or if you offer a flipup screen and no EVF do proper stabilisation OIS with EIS as well as offering a mic port better even wireless mic support and maybe builtin storage (like 128G or something like that) with easy to transfer and edit video files on your tablet, phone or laptop. Smartphones with their 30x and computational photography might in most situations beat this one though those smartphones which are good at it are probably way more expensive.

[@Wsmith247]

I say it will be a dud no one will pay that much when they can just pull out their phone.

[@michaelbell75]

Youre not getting a 30x optical zoom on your phone. Not even close. I have a ZS19 and it destroys my iPhone 15 Pro Max in anything over like 70mm

[@JeffBourke]

It’s a cell phone camera in a compact body. No thabks!!!

[@xtacbrb9286]

I prefer display screen over EVF. There is no EVF that is good enough or bright enough especially if you wear glasses. Other than a DSLR viewfinder, EVF is just sub par. Rather use a good high resolution touch screen display

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@BuzzAdven]

Its a cool camera, but i'd honestly pick up a used Sony RX100 or ZV1 over this, because it doesn't do anything really better than either of those. If it did IBS, more than 20 megapixels; in 2024?! , and had the better AF system on the S5II system, than sure it would make sense.. But I feel like this was kind of a waste of time for Lumix to work on tbh; nothing about this is revolutionary, that separates it from camera's Sony released years ago. 😞

[@WhatThePheel]

2025 and not even a 1 inch sensor, EVF, image stabilization, 4k60? Panasonic trying to create a 1/23" vlogging camera? such a L

[@Stephen_567]

How is this affordable for $500 US, with tax $550?

[@skepsys]

one can get a used gh5 like any day for that money..

[@nickthaskater]

No viewfinder, no care. May as well just use a phone.

[@gunawangunz972]

Using 1/2.3" camera in 2024 is clown move

[@petercavendish6935]

Not when you want a pocketable camera with 30x zoom lens