00:00This is the Panasonic Lumix TZ300. It's versatile and decent quality snapper with a big 15x optical
00:06zoom and a 1-inch sensor all packed into this tiny body which makes it ideal for travel and
00:11travelling is exactly what I'm doing. I'm here in the stunning Yunnan province of China to give
00:14it a spin. Let's go see what it's made of. The standout feature of the Lumix TZ300
00:18is that stabilised 15x optical zoom lens which spans 24-360mm focal length. That covers everything
00:26from expansive vistas like the madness landscapes I was exploring, to portraiture, wildlife and
00:32distant landmarks. You can find bigger zooms elsewhere but not in such a small camera with
00:37decent quality 1-inch sensor. Usually cameras with a bigger zoom have a smaller sensor with
00:41lower quality photos. For me the 1-inch sensor for 20 megapixel photos and 15x zoom were a
00:47perfectly struck quality to versatility ratio. Despite being new however, the TZ300 is entirely
00:53familiar. It's effectively a re-release of the popular TZ200 from 2018. The specs are identical
00:59but there are two major differences. The new model adds USB-C charging which is of course an
01:04excellent feature for travelling. However, the other difference is a major blow. The viewfinder
01:09has been removed. Yes the TZ300 shoots 4K video but I think most people will use it for photography
01:15and I missed having a viewfinder especially when I was shooting in bright light. To be clear, I tested
01:20the 2018 model and didn't think much of its small viewfinder back then but having to rely on a
01:25screen in the new model only put a spotlight on how much I used the originals. I used the Lumix
01:29TZ300
01:30alongside the Oppo Find X9 Ultra flagship smartphone which has the best zoom of any camera phone
01:35and the Panasonic camera still hits different. Yes there's not too much it can do that the Oppo
01:40smartphone can't but it's much more enjoyable to use for photography. The Lumix TZ300 costs $899,
01:47£869 or £1599 Australian so it's by no means cheap. However, there are no other compact cameras
01:54like it and I reckon it's a superb travel camera. Would you use a camera like the TZ300 for travel
01:59photography instead of a phone? Do you need a viewfinder in your camera? Let me know in the
02:03comments below and for my full review and other camera comparisons check out techradar.com
Comments