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Panasonic ZS10

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 front
 
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-384mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 219g - 105 x 58 x 33mm
  • Launched January 2011
  • Alternative Name is Lumix DMC-TZ20 / Lumix DMC-TZ22
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
37
Features
46
Overall
40

Panasonic ZS10 overview

Panasonic ZS10 is Panasonic's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera initially revealed on January of 2011. The camera features a 14MP, CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 4320 x 3240. It is known as "Lumix DMC-TZ20 / Lumix DMC-TZ22" in some regions.

The ZS10 stands at #137 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all-around #705 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. Remember to look at our Advanced camera search to see camera results based on your custom factors.

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Here is a graph of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Panasonic ZS10 history

The Panasonic ZS10 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can read the complete range underneath.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Panasonic-Lumix-DC-ZS80 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS80
ZS10 vs ZS80
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2018
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS70 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS70
ZS10 vs ZS70
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2017
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS60 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS60
ZS10 vs ZS60
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2016
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS50 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS50
ZS10 vs ZS50
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
12MP1/2.3"2015
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS45 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS45
ZS10 vs ZS45
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
16MP1/2.3"2015
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS35 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS35
ZS10 vs ZS35
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
16MP1/2.3"2014
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS40 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS40
ZS10 vs ZS40
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2014
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS30 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS30
ZS10 vs ZS30
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS25 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS25
ZS10 vs ZS25
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
16MP1/2.3"2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS15 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS15
ZS10 vs ZS15
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2012
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS20 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS20
ZS10 vs ZS20
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
14MP1/2.3"2012
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS8 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS8
ZS10 vs ZS8
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS7 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS7
ZS10 vs ZS7
25-300mm
F3.3-4.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS10 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS1024-384mm
F3.3-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS5 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS5
ZS10 vs ZS5
25-300mm
F3.3-4.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZR3 front thumbnailPanasonic ZR3
ZS10 vs ZR3
25-200mm
F3.3-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZR1 front thumbnailPanasonic ZR1
ZS10 vs ZR1
25-200mm
F3.3-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS3 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS3
ZS10 vs ZS3
25-300mm
F3.3-4.9
10MP1/2.3"2009

Panasonic ZS10 Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of advantages and drawbacks of the Panasonic ZS10 based on factors which are generally viewed as necessary in a digital camera.

above average min ISO (80)
built-in flash
comes with HDMI socket
comes with tracking focus
decent sized screen (3")
features touch focus
has image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
incredible zoom range (24-384mm 16.0 x zoom)
lighter than others (219 grams)
rather wide (24mm)
sensor resolution is decent (14 megapixels)
touchscreen enabled
very long zoom (384mm)
can't use external flash
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
has no phase detect AF
has no RAW files
lack of manual focus
no headphone socket
no mic socket
no Time Lapse mode
screen has low resolution (460 k dots)
screen is fixed
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
slow at full zoom (f5.9)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
terrible battery (260 per charge)
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Panasonic ZS10 Sensor specifications

The Panasonic ZS10 is powered by the Venus Engine FHD chip. The size of the sensor on the Panasonic ZS10 is 6.08mm x 4.56mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 4320 x 3240 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter can easily lead to cropping.

Photography Glossary

The CMOS sensor boasts 14 megapixels and includes a standard ISO range of 80 to 6400. Unfortunately, RAW format is not saved which means that the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic underneath illustrates the ZS10's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The ZS10 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.9 and is showcased in green.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 sensor size Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Panasonic ZS10 dimensions

Panasonic ZS10 weighs in at 0.48 lbs (219 gr or 7.73 ounces) and the volume of the camera is 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr and the Panasonic ZS10 is lighter in comparison with other rivals.

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Here is a picture of the Panasonic ZS10 next to a softdrink so you're able to have a sense of its scale.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 dimensions scale

The top view just below will show you the button design on the ZS10.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 topview buttons dials

Panasonic ZS10 Lens specifications

The ZS10 provides a built in lens and it has a focal range of 24-384mm giving it a 16.0 x zoom which is very good and would make it easier to zoom all the way in.

At the widest 24mm, it offers an aperture of f3.3 which will be really slow and not very good in low light situations and you might find it hard to capture a shallow depth of field. You could also have to boost the ISO setting giving you noisy shots. With the tele end, 384mm is terrific zoom and comes to f5.9 which is very slow and you may need to use slower shutter speeds.

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Panasonic ZS10 Connectivity

The ZS10 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes
  • GPS Yes

Cameras that feature NFC and Bluetooth support can easily be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You will be able to copy images and usually change settings without the hassle of connecting physically to the camera.

Certain applications even provide a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't near the camera. If the camera provides a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external display. Most cameras enable you to recharge the battery using the USB port.

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Panasonic ZS10 Video specifications

The maximum video quality on the Panasonic ZS10 is 1920 x 1080 and it can shoot in MPEG-4 and AVCHD file format. 1080p quality is an excellent balance for video quality versus file sizes but FULL HD isn't going to leave you with much room to crop. The camera doesn't feature a mic and headphone socket which means you have got little control over your audio. It is perhaps best to have a look at a different model in case you need decent audio in your videos.

Photography Glossary

Panasonic ZS10 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing for the Panasonic ZS10 so you need to be cautious in wet and dusty conditions.

Panasonic ZS10 Screen and Viewfinder

The Panasonic ZS10 features a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 460k dots.

Additionally the display is touch friendly which means that you can easily change focus points as well as change settings by using your fingers.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 screen and viewfinder Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The ViewFinder specifications regarding Panasonic ZS10 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

In those sunny outdoor conditions which make the camera screens washed out and tough to view, viewfinders can be very helpful.

Panasonic ZS10 Shutter specifications

Panasonic ZS10 continuous shooting rate is 10.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Panasonic ZS10 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Panasonic ZS10 includes only built in flash lacking external flash ability.

Panasonic ZS10 Autofocus specifications

Panasonic ZS10 includes just Contrast Detect Autofocus and does not have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot faster and precise in comparison with Contrast Detect focusing.

The Sensor features 23 focus points to pick from. Panasonic ZS10 has touch to focus. You can easily use your fingers to change focus. It also boasts Tracking Autofocus for objects that move. Panasonic ZS10 doesn't have manual focus. Manual focus ability can be useful for low light situations or you need more accurate control on focus.

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Panasonic ZS10 Battery life

The battery for the Panasonic ZS10 is made to last for 260 shutters according to the CIPA benchmarks which is lower compared with its competitors. The general Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the highest possible (600) battery life for this range of cameras.

Listed below is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras which have the strongest battery life:

Panasonic ZS10 for different categories of photography

The following illustration gives a overview of the Panasonic ZS10 for different categories of photography. To look at more, check out the specific section underneath.

Panasonic ZS10 Portrait photography highlights

The Panasonic ZS10 gets a points tally of 30 which is awful, and means the camera is not really good for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor resolution, support for RAW files in addition to the flexibility to utilize off-camera flash.

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decent megapixels (14MP)
lack of manual focus
no external flash support
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format

Panasonic ZS10 Street photography features

Getting a above average points total of 65, the Panasonic ZS10 is a good fit to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
has touch to focus
lighter than competition (219g)
no moving screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
no RAW format

Panasonic ZS10 Sports photography advice

A average sports photography rating of 47 suggests the Panasonic ZS10 is relatively appropriate for taking photos of sports. A camera needs to have very good autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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long zoom range (24-384mm 16.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (14 megapixels)
offers tracking focus
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
not so great battery power (260 shots)
lack of phase detect auto focus

Panasonic ZS10 Travel photography features

Portability is pretty important when getting a camera for travel. All things considered, the Panasonic ZS10 gets a nice 67 as a travelling camera which is a respectable pick to buy for your journeys.

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lighter than competition in class (219 grams)
offers focus via touch
decent MP (14MP)
built-in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
long reach (384mm)
does not have Timelapse mode
bad battery (260 per charge)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)

Panasonic ZS10 Landscape photography details

If you are looking to pick a camera for landscape photographs, the most significant aspect will be image quality. The Panasonic ZS10 at it's awful rating of 42 as a landscape camera is not really good amongst its competition.

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decently wide (24mm)
nice screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (14 megapixels)
lack of manual focus
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
not so great battery pack (260 shots)
no Time Lapse function

Panasonic ZS10 as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera should really come with a articulating display, microphone port and ideally image stabilization. Considering all things, the Panasonic ZS10 is not really good for vlogging as it comes to a awful score of 34.

Photography Glossary
relatively wide (24mm)
touch screen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition (219 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
does not contain selfie friendly display
lack of external mic jack

Panasonic ZS10 Alternatives

If you are trying to find alternatives to the ZS10, here is a range of the top placed cameras that fall under the class of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The chart just below will give you a bird's eye view of the ZS10 compared to it's top rated rivals suggested previously.

Here are a handful of other cameras you may look at as alternative options. To check out a full comparison, visit the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Panasonic
Model
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10
Alternative name
Lumix DMC-TZ20 / Lumix DMC-TZ22
Class
Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched
2011-01-25
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor
Venus Engine FHD
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area
27.7mm²
Sensor resolution
14 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution
4320 x 3240
RAW pictures
Maximum native ISO
6400
Lowest native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points
23
Lens
Lens mount
fixed lens
Lens focal range
24-384mm (16.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.3-5.9
Macro focus distance
3cm
Crop factor
5.9
Screen
Type of screen
Fixed Type
Screen size
3"
Resolution of screen
460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
60 seconds
Maximum shutter speed
1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate
10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
5.00 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
BuiltIn
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
219 grams (0.48 pounds)
Dimensions
105 x 58 x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3")
Other
Battery life
260 pictures
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots
One
Price at launch
$350