Panasonic ZS100
- 20MP - 1" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 125 - 12800 (Push to 25600)
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 3840 x 2160 video
- 25-250mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
- 312g - 111 x 65 x 44mm
- Introduced January 2016
- Alternative Name is Lumix DMC-TZ100
- Later Model is Panasonic ZS200
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
87 Imaging
52 Features
65 Overall
57
Panasonic ZS100 summary
Panasonic ZS100 is Panasonic's Large Sensor Compact camera first revealed on January of 2016. The camera has a 20MP, MOS 1" size sensor with a max resolution of 5472 x 3648. It is also known as "Lumix DMC-TZ100" in certain regions.
Panasonic released the newer Panasonic ZS200 (Read Full Comparison) as a way to update this camera.
The ZS100 is positioned #41 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras & over all #342 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. You should try our Smart camera filter to see camera rankings based on your customized requirements.
Below is a diagram of multiple factors used in the rating system.
Panasonic ZS100 family
The Panasonic ZS100 is part of a family of products. You can view the detailed list underneath.
F2.8-5.920MP1"2016
Panasonic ZS100 Gallery
You can look at the ZS100 from different angles in the gallery below.
Panasonic ZS100 Pros and Cons
Here is a checklist of benefits and drawbacks of the Panasonic ZS100 based on aspects which are typically considered crucial in a camera.
Panasonic ZS100 Sensor specs
The Panasonic ZS100 houses the Venus Engine chip. The sensor specification on the Panasonic ZS100 is 13.2mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 116 mm² sensor can capture 5472 x 3648 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera features Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is better than digital stabilization since the latter can cause cropping.
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhoneThe MOS sensor has 20MP and has a native ISO range of 125 to 12800. The ISO can be widened digitally to 80 to 25600. RAW format is saved so you have more margin for error.
The image underneath illustrates the ZS100's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The ZS100 sensor has a crop factor of 2.7 and is shown in green.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created ImagesTo get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.
Panasonic ZS100 dimensions
Panasonic ZS100 weighs around 0.69 lb (312 grams or 11.01 oz) & has exterior proportions of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7"). The weight of typical Large Sensor Compact camera is 396 grams and the Panasonic ZS100 is less heavy as compared to other competitors.
Photography GlossaryUnderneath is a image of the Panasonic ZS100 besides a soft drink to help you to get a feel for its size.
The top view underneath will illustrate the button layout on the ZS100.
Panasonic ZS100 Lens details
The ZS100 comes with an inbuilt lens offering a focal range of 25-250mm making it a 10.0 x zoom which is not at all significant nevertheless it would certainly be useful in certain scenarios.
At it's widest 25mm, it features an aperture of f2.8 which is fairly sluggish and not good for low light occasions and you will find it difficult to get a shallow depth of field. You would also need to increase your ISO leading to noisy photographs. At the long end, 250mm is amazing zoom and comes to f5.9 making it very sluggish and you might have to utilize slow shutter speeds.
Panasonic ZS100 Connectivity
The ZS100 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- HDMI Yes
Digital cameras that have NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can easily be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You can easily transfer photos and in some cases adjust settings without the hassle of connecting physically with the camera.
Some apps also stream a Liveview and hit the shutter when you are not close to the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it could be hooked up to an external display. Virtually all cameras enable you to charge the battery pack using the USB socket.
Panasonic ZS100 Video details
The max video quality on the Panasonic ZS100 is 3840 x 2160 and you can record in MPEG-4 and AVCHD format. 2160p can provide a superb quality for video recording. You can downsample to 1080p to get cleaner results. Be wary of the substantial file sizes and make sure you have good SD cards with good write speed. The body does not have a microphone and / or headphone socket so you get absolutely no control over the audio. It is probably a better idea to buy an alternative model in case you want decent audio for your video clips.
Panasonic ZS100 Weather Sealing
Panasonic ZS100 does not have environment proofing so damp conditions can damage the camera.
Panasonic ZS100 Display and Viewfinder
The Panasonic ZS100 has a 3" fixed display screen having a resolution of 1,040k dots.
Additionally the display screen is touch friendly so you can adjust focus points plus adjust settings by using your fingertips.
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music videoThe ViewFinder details for Panasonic ZS100 are as follows:
- ViewFinder Electronic
- Resolution 1,166k dots
- Coverage 100 percent
- Magnification 0.46x
For sunny outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and tough to see, viewfinders will be very valuable.
Panasonic ZS100 Shutter details
Panasonic ZS100 continuous shooting rate is 9.9 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds. The camera also provides silent electronic shutter of 1/16000 seconds. Keep in mind that the electronic shutter can cause "rolling shutter" in some lighting conditions.
Panasonic ZS100 Flash and Hot shoe details
Panasonic ZS100 features just integrated flash without external flash support.
Panasonic ZS100 Autofocus details
Panasonic ZS100 features only Contrast Detect Auto Focus & does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more faster and precise as compared to Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera has Face detect which makes it useful for people photography.
The AF system has 49 focus points to select from. Panasonic ZS100 has tap to focus. You can use your fingers to shift focus. It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for moving objects. Panasonic ZS100 boasts manual focus when required for low light or you want more precise control on focus.
Panasonic ZS100 Battery life
The battery pack in the Panasonic ZS100 is designed to last for 300 shots with respect to the CIPA standards which is similar to it's competitors. The usual Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U features the maximum (450) battery life for this class of cameras.
Below is a list of Large Sensor Compact cameras that have the best battery life:
Panasonic ZS100 for specific categories of photography
The following chart gives a rundown of the Panasonic ZS100 for specific categories of photography. To understand more, check out the specific section underneath.
Portrait photography with Panasonic ZS100
The Panasonic ZS100 receives a rating of 64 which is very good, meaning that it is a respectable fit for portrait photography. Shooting portraits leans heavily to sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos in addition to the flexibility to utilize off-camera flash.
Street photography with Panasonic ZS100
Having a terrific score of 78, the Panasonic ZS100 is a terrific pick to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera has a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.
Panasonic ZS100 Sports photography details
A above average sports photography points total of 67 suggests the Panasonic ZS100 is a respectable pick for photographing sports. A camera needs to have fantastic tracking and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.
Travel photography with Panasonic ZS100
Weight is super crucial in selecting a travel camera. On the whole, the Panasonic ZS100 gets a very good 75 for a travelling camera which makes it a good fit to buy for your trips.
Landscape photography with Panasonic ZS100
In case you're looking to buy a camera for landscape photographs, the most important aspect is going to be image quality. The Panasonic ZS100 and it's very good score of 68 for a landscape camera is a very decent option among its competition.
Panasonic ZS100 Vlogging factors
A vlogging camera really should come with a moving screen, mic port and preferably image stabilization. Taking all things into account, the Panasonic ZS100 is just not suitable as a vlog camera as it comes to a terrible rating of 35.
Panasonic ZS100 Alternatives
If you need replacements to the ZS100, here is a list of the top ranked cameras that fall under the class of Large Sensor Compact.
The line chart just below offers you a summary of the ZS100 versus it's highest ranking rivals listed earlier.
Here are a handful of other cameras you may check out as alternatives. To check out a detailed comparison, visit the "compare" link.