Casio EX-Z90 vs Panasonic ZS60

Casio EX-Z90 vs Panasonic Lumix ZS60: A Practical, In-Depth Look at Two Compact Cameras from Different Eras

When it comes to compact cameras, especially small-sensor models, the choices often feel like walking a tightrope - balancing size, zoom reach, image quality, and features without breaking the bank or your hiking back. Today, I’m diving headfirst into a head-to-head comparison between two curious contenders: the Casio EX-Z90, a budget-friendly classic from 2009, and Panasonic’s more recent (2016) Lumix ZS60, a superzoom compact packed with touted tech. Is it worth stepping up from the Casio’s humble competence to Panasonic’s feature-richness? Or is the EX-Z90 still a charming underdog that holds its own for casual shooters?

I’ve spent weeks with both cameras - shooting portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and even some night sky sessions to truly understand what each brings to the table in practical terms. Let’s roll up our sleeves and examine these two from the inside out.

First Impressions and Handling: Small but Significant Differences

When I first picked up the Casio EX-Z90, it felt like holding an old friend - tiny, light, almost pocketable, and delightfully unpretentious. The Panasonic ZS60, by comparison, is a little heftier, noticeably chunkier, but that extra bulk comes with a versatile zoom range and more control.

This image spells it out: the Casio measures a svelte 90x52x19 mm and weighs a featherweight 121 grams. The Panasonic, though pocket-friendly for a superzoom, is about 112x64x38 mm and weighs in at 282 grams - more than double the Casio's heft.

In practical use, the EX-Z90’s slim profile means you can slip it into any coat pocket without a second thought - perfect for spontaneous street shots or casual travel. However, its small size does limit grip comfort and control access. Panasonic’s ZS60 is chunkier, providing a better handgrip and more dedicated buttons, which tend to appeal to enthusiasts craving manual input and quick adjustments on the fly.

Design and Control Layout: Minimalist vs. Feature-Rich

The devil’s in the details when it comes to camera ergonomics and UI. Checking them out side by side from their tops offers insight into which command center you'd prefer in the heat of the moment.

The Casio’s top deck takes a minimalist approach with standard zoom rocker and shutter button - simple and intuitive for beginners but lacking in dedicated dials or mode switches. No aperture priority or shutter priority modes here.

The Panasonic shows its pedigree with a more layered control scheme: you get physical dials, access to full manual exposure modes, and a broader array of flash settings. This camera clearly invites - and rewards - a more hands-on shooting style.

I value this difference strongly: the Casio targets effortless point-and-shoot usage - something beginners and casual shooters will appreciate. The ZS60, with its multiple customization options, suits enthusiasts wanting to tinker and push their creative boundaries.

Sensor Specs and Image Quality: Crunching the Numbers and Pixels

Now for the meat of the matter: image quality. Both cameras house 1/2.3" sensors (approx. 6.17x4.55 mm, or about 28 mm² sensor area), meaning they face similar physical constraints for noise performance and dynamic range. But there’s a notch difference in resolution and sensor technology that makes an impact.

• Casio EX-Z90 uses a CCD sensor capturing 12 megapixels (4000 x 3000 max resolution) with a native ISO range of 64 to 1600.
• Panasonic ZS60 steps up to an 18MP CMOS sensor delivering larger images at 4896 x 3672 pixels. The native ISO range starts at 80 and doubles in max to 3200, with boosted ISO up to 6400.

The CCD sensor in the Casio historically yields slightly better color saturation and lower noise at base ISOs, but falls behind in total dynamic range and high ISO handling. In contrast, the modern CMOS sensor on the ZS60, combined with the Venus Engine processor, offers improved noise control, better dynamic range, and faster readouts.

In field testing, the ZS60’s images retain more detail in shadows while clipping highlights less aggressively - crucial for landscapes and high-contrast scenes. The Casio can produce punchy colors and decent sharpness in well-lit conditions but loses ground in low light or scenes demanding wide dynamic range.

User Interface and Screen Quality: Looking at Your Work in Real Time

A camera’s LCD screen often makes or breaks the shooting experience when working without a viewfinder - which both of these rely on (though, spoiler: Panasonic has a small electronic viewfinder too).

The Casio’s 2.7-inch fixed LCD offers just 230K pixels, making it rather coarse and hard to judge fine focus or exposure. No touchscreen capability either, so navigation feels clunky by today’s standards.

Panasonic’s ZS60 steps up here with a vibrant 3-inch fixed touchscreen boasting 1040K pixels, making menu navigation, touch focusing, and image review an absolute breeze. The addition of an electronic viewfinder with 1166K resolution and 100% coverage adds another serious advantage for bright conditions where LCD glare hampers framing.

Zoom and Lens Performance: Punching Above the Sensor Weight Class

Here’s where the two diverge dramatically: their zoom specs. The Casio is a modest 35-105 mm (35mm equivalent) zoom - a basic 3x range, aperture F3.1-5.9. Not groundbreaking but reasonable for portraits and casual snaps.

The Panasonic packs a staggering 24-720 mm equivalent focal length - a 30x zoom - with maximum aperture ranging from F3.3 at wide angle to a narrower F6.4 at telephoto.

This massive reach makes the ZS60 incredibly versatile, covering everything from landscapes to wildlife and distant street subjects without changing lenses. Plus, Panasonic’s optics benefit from intelligent image stabilization to help offset handshake, essential at long focal lengths.

But with such long zooms, expect some compromises: lens softness and chromatic aberrations creep in at the telephoto end, although Panasonic does a good job correcting these in-camera.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Face Detection

For any serious shooter, autofocus (AF) performance is non-negotiable.

Casio’s EX-Z90 offers contrast-detection AF with single-af mode only - no continuous tracking or face detection. The demure 12MP CCD sensor coupled with older Digic 4 processor (more commonly Canon tech, oddly cross-branded here) means focusing is slow by modern standards and struggles in low light.

Meanwhile, Panasonic’s ZS60 brings a suite of autofocus features: 49 AF points, contrast detection with face detection, touch AF, continuous AF, tracking, and selective area modes. Plus, it sports Panasonic’s post focus mode - a neat gimmick allowing you to refocus after taking the shot via software.

In real-world trials, the Panasonic dramatically outpaces the Casio in lock speed and AF accuracy - especially when tracking moving subjects in challenging lighting.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Speed: Catching the Action

Neither camera is an action beast, but the numbers matter.

The Casio EX-Z90 does not specify continuous shooting but is generally sluggish, limiting it to slow point-and-shoot moments.

The Panasonic ZS60, however, can fire up to 10 frames per second in burst mode - quite respectable for a compact - letting you chase fleeting moments in wildlife, sports, or street scenes.

Both cameras offer base shutter speeds down to 4 seconds and up to 1/2000s max shutter. But the ZS60’s silent electronic shutter option extends up to 1/16000s - great for super-bright situations or avoiding shutter shake.

Image Stabilization: The Unsung Hero of Superzooms

Casio EX-Z90 offers zero image stabilization - a significant handicap given its telephoto range ends at just 105mm equivalent but can still suffer from camera shake.

The Panasonic ZS60 has Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.), which is simply indispensable especially at its maximum 720mm focal length equivalent. This system allows handheld shots in lower light and reduces telephoto blur–huge win in the field.

Video Capabilities: Casual Clips vs Quality 4K

Video performance highlights clear generational leaps.

The Casio outputs HD (1280x720) video at 24 fps, but recorded in the dated Motion JPEG format - a rather inefficient and bulky option that results in short shooting durations and larger file sizes.

Panasonic leaps ahead with 4K UHD video at 30p and full HD up to 60p, along with 4K photo functionality (allowing you to extract 8MP stills from 4K video). It also supports AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats and timelapse recording, giving creators ample creative freedom.

Neither camera includes microphone or headphone jacks, so audio gear is off the table unless you upgrade to a dedicated video rig.

Battery Life and Storage

While the Casio’s battery life specs aren’t published clearly, its small NP-60 lithium-ion battery tends to deliver modest runtime - good for a few hundred shots but no marathon days out.

The Panasonic packs a more enduring Battery Pack rated for roughly 320 shots per charge (CIPA standard), suited for a full day of shooting with moderate use of the electronic viewfinder and screen.

Both cameras rely on single SD card slots, with Panasonic supporting SDXC for larger cards - a no-brainer for video shooters.

Wireless Features and Connectivity

Here’s a quick poke at connectivity: The Casio supports wireless Eye-Fi card connectivity, a bit old-school and limited to uploading images via Wi-Fi cards only.

Meanwhile, Panasonic incorporates built-in Wi-Fi allowing direct image transfer and remote control via smartphone apps - vastly more functional for modern users wishing to share or control remotely.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

Neither camera is weather sealed or ruggedized - no waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, or freezeproof certifications - placing both firmly in the casual/studio or protected travel-use cases rather than extreme environments.

Sample Images and Genre-Specific Performance: What the Cameras Are Really For

Looking at actual images from both cameras reveals their soul - both strengths and trade-offs in various photography types.

Casio EX Z90 front Casio EX Z90 screen back Panasonic ZS60 front Panasonic ZS60 screen back

Portraits:
The EX-Z90 delivers natural, warm skin tones in daylight, but limited by fixed lens and no face detection autofocus, getting tack-sharp eyes is a challenge unless you’re careful. The Panasonic shines here with face/eye detection AF, producing crisp portraits with pleasing bokeh (especially toward telephoto range), making it a more reliable companion for portraits on the go.

Landscapes:
Both cameras’ sensor size limits ultimate image quality, but the ZS60’s higher resolution and dynamic range mean landscapes are more detailed and vibrant. Also, the longer zoom on the Panasonic lets you isolate distant landscape features. The Casio’s lack of stabilization and limited focal length hinders versatility.

Wildlife:
You can see where the fun begins - the Panasonic’s 30x zoom and faster AF practically make it a go-to for casual wildlife shooters. The Casio struggles with autofocus speed and reach, making it impractical beyond close-range animal portraits.

Sports:
Neither camera suits serious sports photography, but the Panasonic’s 10 fps burst and tracking AF give a fighting chance for casual action shots. The Casio simply can’t keep pace.

Street:
The Casio’s low weight and slim design make it more discreet, a big plus for street photographers valuing stealth and speed. The Panasonic, while bigger, offers silent shutter modes and quick touch focus, tipping the scales for shooters wanting control over spontaneity.

Macro:
Panasonic’s closer macro range (3 cm vs 10 cm) and stabilized zoom make it better for detailed close-ups. The Casio can do macro, but it’s less adaptable.

Night/Astro:
Both cameras suffer from small sensor noise limits. Panasonic’s higher max ISO of 3200 (versus Casio’s 1600) and optical stabilization help, but neither is designed with astrophotography or serious low-light in mind.

Video:
Panasonic’s 4K capabilities and advanced formats steal the show. Casio’s video is strictly casual.

Travel:
Casio’s pocketability favors minimal carry weight, but Panasonic’s versatility makes it an excellent all-in-one travel tool if you don’t mind extra bulk.

Professional Work:
Neither is aimed at pro workflows: no RAW on Casio, limited RAW on Panasonic; both have limited file flexibility and no weather sealing means serious professional use is more exploratory than mainstay.

Performance Ratings Overview: Who Wins Overall?

Let’s ground subjective impressions with overall ratings, blending lab measurements and field reviews.

This indicates that while Panasonic is stronger in image quality and features, the Casio remains relevant in simplicity and portability.

How They Stack Up In Specific Genres

• Portrait: Panasonic > Casio
• Landscape: Panasonic > Casio
• Wildlife: Panasonic > Casio (by a mile)
• Sports: Panasonic only
• Street: Casio edges Panasonic for discreetness, Panasonic wins overall for features
• Macro: Panasonic > Casio
• Night/Astro: Panasonic > Casio
• Video: Panasonic only
• Travel: Depends on priorities: Casio for size, Panasonic for zoom versatility
• Professional Use: Neither recommended but Panasonic better for casual pro backup

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Here’s my bottom line, drawing from my personal shooting experience with both cameras:

• Choose the Casio EX-Z90 if you:

  • Want an ultra-compact, lightweight pocket camera for simple snapshots
  • Prioritize convenience over features
  • Shoot mostly in good light and casual settings (vacations, street quick snaps)
  • Have a tight budget and want a tried-and-true camera from the late 2000s era
  • Can live without manual modes, RAW, high-res video, or advanced AF

• Choose the Panasonic Lumix ZS60 if you:

  • Desire a powerful all-in-one travel companion with a huge zoom range
  • Want more creative control, including manual modes and RAW capture
  • Plan to shoot portraits, wildlife, landscapes, and video seriously
  • Value touchscreen operation, electronic viewfinder, and stabilization
  • Are willing to carry the extra weight and invest a bit more cash

If you must pick just one today - and your budget allows - I’d strongly advise the Panasonic ZS60 for its flexibility and significantly better imaging and focusing capabilities. Small-sensor superzoom compacts have come a long way since 2009, and that extra investment is rewarded with more satisfying photos across most scenarios.

Conversely, the Casio EX-Z90 still holds nostalgic and practical value for those who prize ultra-portability and simple operation over all else. It’s no smartphone, but its character lies in its subtle reliability and ease.

Hope this detailed comparison saves you time and helps you find the compact camera that truly fits your style - whether that’s a lightweight pocket pal or a versatile zoom powerhouse.

Happy shooting!

• Your camera-tested pal with a passion for honest, thorough reviews