In recent months, we’ve seen a few “new” bridge and compact cameras announced, including the new Panasonic Lumix ZS99 (called the TZ99 in some markets) – a successor to the ZS/TZ95/ZS/TZ95D.

　　At a glance Price as reviewed: $497/£469 20.3MP 1/2.3-inch MOS sensor 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 (35mm) equivalent 30x zoom LEICA DC Vario-Elmar lens USB-C in-camera charging 3-inch, 1840k-dot, touch-sensitive TFT LCD Essentially, this new model has been very likely been launched to comply with new EU regulations which means that new electronics have to include USB-C charging, but many of the internals remain exactly the same.

　　The TZ99 “follows on” from the 2019 TZ95 and the 2022 TZ95D, but uses the exact same sensor and lens combination, and a very similar body design as the TZ95D – only now it has added USB-C charging, and removed the electronic viewfinder.

　　ZS95 / TZ95 vs ZS99/ TZ99: what are the differences? You’d be reasonable to ask what the difference between the TZ95/D and the TZ99 is – especially if you were thinking about upgrading.

　　Well, in a nutshell, the differences are on the whole minimal – and not necessarily good. There’s now USB-C charging, which is great for using the same charger as your phone, laptop etc.

　　However, Panasonic has also taken the decision to remove the small electronic viewfinder that was found in the TZ95/D. This might not be something you’d use for every shot, but sometimes – say in bright and sunny conditions – it was really useful.

　　Other than that, the sensor and lens combination is exactly the same, so image quality wise, there should be no improvement.

　　Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99: Features The TZ99 has a 20MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. These days, even several smartphones have bigger sensors. It might be easy to be disappointed by that, but it’s this small size that enables the big zoom in something which can still fit in your pocket. Still, it’s something to consider if you’re someone who might shoot in low light very regularly.

　　As for that lens, you get 30x optical zoom. That’s an equivalent of 24-720mm, with maximum apertures between f/3.3-f/6.4. For even further reach there’s digital zoom up to 60x (1440mm equivalent) also available. This optical zooming capability is significantly better than any current smartphone can currently deliver, making a camera like this appealing for a number of genres, such as travel and wildlife.

　　Video recording is available at 4K 30fps. There’s a front-facing screen which you can use for selfies and recording pieces to camera. One minor improvement here compared with the TZ95/D is that you can now record for up to 90 minutes at a time (in 4K), rather than 30. This goes up to 100 minutes if recording in Full HD.

　　4K Photo is also something which utilises video recording, allowing you to attract stills from short video clips. This can be useful when photographing moving or unpredictable subjects, such as pets or children.

　　Other specifications of note include USB-C charging, built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the ability to record in raw format.

　　Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99: Build and Handling If you’re looking for a pocket-friendly camera that still gives you the ability to zoom far, then the TZ99 is the one for you. It’s narrower and shorter than most smartphones, but it’s probably 3x as thick – if you’ve got very tight pockets you might not fit it super easily, but coat, jacket and even loose jeans pockets should be a winner.

　　Despite being relatively small in size, there’s a decent feeling of chunkiness to the camera, with the rubberised grip on the front helping it to sit nicely in your hand. There’s a smaller textured grip on the back for your thumb.

　　A mode dial sits on the top of the camera, where you can quickly switch between automatic and PASM modes (full manual control is something which might also appeal to those who feel a bit frustrated by their smartphones). There’s also space for some custom groups of settings, as well as scene and Art modes.

　　For zooming, a rocker switch is found around the shutter release on the top of the camera. Near to this is a video record button and the on/off switch.

　　On the back of the camera, all of the buttons here are grouped to the right hand side so you can operate them all when holding the camera one-handed. Buttons include a Menu button, one for switching on/off macro focusing, and a playback button.

　　There are three customisable function buttons. They can be set to a number of different settings options, but by default they access the 4K shooting modes, the quick menu and the “Zoom Frame Assist” functionality. The latter of which is really helpful when you’re trying to frame distant subjects that might wander out of frame when you’ve zoomed in. Bearing in mind that at very long focal lengths, even slight movements can drastically alter composition, it’s a button you might find you use quite a lot. Hold down the button and the lens will momentarily zoom out to allow you to find the subject. Release it and the zoom will return to the previous length and you can recompose as necessary.

　　Its useful to be able to customise the buttons to something else though if you find you’re not using the set functions. For example, I don’t very often make use of 4K Photo, so I’d happily lose that for something else.

　　Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99: Screen At 1840k dots, the TZ99’s screen is reasonably detailed and bright. It’s also touch-sensitive which is useful for moving through menus, but also quickly altering the focus point you want to use. You can also swipe through your images in playback, too.

　　Its also a bonus that you can face the screen forward, too. It’s helpful for selfies and recording to camera, but it can also be handy for shooting from the hip too. It’s a shame that it doesn’t tilt downwards, perhaps, for shooting from above – but I wouldn’t say it’s a deal breaker.

　　I’m disappointed by the removal of the viewfinder. It was a very small and not particularly bright viewfinder that was found on the TZ95/D. Nevertheless, I did find myself using it reasonably frequently – perhaps this is just personal preference.

　　You could argue that as Panasonic is aiming this at a typical smartphone-wielding audience, who don’t usually use viewfinders, it makes sense to remove it – but I still think it’s a shame.

　　Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99: Image Quality and Performance With a camera like this, you shouldn’t really expect super high-image quality. Instead, the flexibility it offers to get you closer to the action is why you’d buy it – especially if you want something that is also pocket-friendly.

　　As I found before with the TZ95, with patience, consideration (and perhaps lucky conditions), you can get some good shots with the TZ99.

　　In effect, that means when shooting in good light (that’s not *too* bright or contrasty), having the ability to hold the camera quite still, and photographing things that don’t move too rapidly, you’ll get the best results.

　　On the whole, I’m fairly pleased with colours and detail – the latter especially so if you don’t examine your images too closely, or zoom in. It’s even possible to get some nice shallow depth of field effects when shooting with the telephoto end of the lens. At the wide-angle end of the lens, images aren’t really any better than what even a budget / low-end smartphone can deliver these days – so if you don’t think you’ll make use of the zoom options, think carefully about whether you actually need or want a separate device (I’m making the assumption that most people these days have a smartphone).

　　A sample image at the 24mm end of the lens Image: Amy Davies

　　A sample image taken at 160mm equivalent Image: Amy Davies

　　A sample image taken at 500mm equivalent Image: Amy Davies

　　A sample image taken at 720mm equivalent (full zoom) Image: Amy Davies

　　A sample image taken at 1440mm equivalent (full zoom + digital zoom) Image: Amy Davies Images taken throughout the zoom range are pretty good, especially if you are able to shoot steadily. This is another reason why removing the viewfinder is a shame – essentially you can use your own face as a ballast to help you hold the camera still when using one. That’s just not possible here, of course. That said, there is inbuilt 5-axis Hybrid OIS which helps a lot, but once you get past 20x, then it helps if you can somehow steady yourself. What I tend to do is make sure I take several shots and hope that at least one will have the detail and sharpness that I require.

　　When it comes to low light, this is a camera I simply can’t recommend. Even in slightly dim conditions, you’ll see lots of smudging and loss of detail, thanks to the small sensor. Almost all modern smartphones can easily outperform the TZ99 in this area, thanks largely to multi-shot processing. If low-light is something you want to shoot often, then bear this in mind when considering the TZ99.

　　As for focusing, the TZ99 is reasonably quick to focus. You can also switch on focus tracking, which can help when photographing moving subjects – to an extent anyway. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to capture anything too erratic or swift – so birds in flight will be a challenge – but more placid animal behaviour, such as ducks, geese, and swans swimming on a lake and so on you can have better luck with. Switching on 4K Photo can be a good option for faster subjects, so long as you’re happy with an 8MP file at the end of it.

　　Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99: Value for Money The price of cameras like this has risen in recent years as they have become very popular thanks to TikTok influencers.

　　It became quite tricky to get hold of the TZ95/D last year, with prices going a bit crazy – I saw some for sale at £800.

　　So in a sense, although the TZ99 doesn’t bring anything new to the party, it does bring the prices back down to a more sensible level being as there’s more on the market now.

　　At time of writing, the TZ99 will cost you $499/£479. That’s still not “cheap”, of course, but it’s a fair bit less than we’ve seen before.

　　If you’re in the market for this kind of camera, your options at the moment are otherwise pretty limited – there’s no current competitors out there.

　　For those looking for something travel-friendly while also still having good zooming capability, it’s decently priced, but, you have to really want to zoom – if you’re going to mainly shoot at the 24mm end of the lens – or if you want to shoot low light – you’d probably be better off saving your cash and sticking with your smartphone.

　　Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99: Verdict Riding on the compact camera resurgence of late, the TZ99 is a good choice for those who want a pocketable 30x zoom camera.

　　Smartphones have well and truly taken over from the basic point and shoot, but the TZ99 offers you something that you simply won’t achieve with even the best performing smartphone – and that’s zoom and lots of it. If that’s what you need/want, then it’s a great option.

　　This is a camera that is well-suited to travel, giving you lots of versatility in your pocket. It can also be good for some kinds of wildlife, presuming the conditions are good.

　　In low light is where the TZ99 falls down. That’s not unexpected – the same was true of the TZ95/D – but it’s important to be aware of the fact.

　　On the whole this is not exactly an upgrade from the TZ95/D. The only “new” feature is the legally mandated addition of USB-C charging. Indeed, removing the viewfinder could see some say that it’s a downgrade – but I guess that depends on how often you think you might use one of those. For me it’s not quite a dealbreaker, but I do miss it.

　　Overall, for those that want exactly a long-zoom in a pocket device, this is a good buy, so long as you only expect good pictures, rather than superb ones.

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