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Panasonic ZS50

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 front
 
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 243g - 111 x 65 x 34mm
  • Announced January 2015
  • Additionally Known as Lumix DMC-TZ70
  • Older Model is Panasonic ZS45
  • Renewed by Panasonic ZS60
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
90
Imaging
37
Features
57
Overall
45

Panasonic ZS50 overview

Panasonic ZS50 is Panasonic's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera initially revealed on January of 2015. It houses a 12 MegaPixel, CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000. The camera is referred to as "Lumix DMC-TZ70" in certain countries.

Panasonic introduced this model in order to improve the earlier Panasonic ZS45 (Read Full Comparison) and subsequently brought out the fresher Panasonic ZS60 (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to improve this camera.

The ZS50 is rated #51 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and all round #514 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. Remember to test our Advanced camera finder to see camera ratings based on your personalized factors.

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Here is a chart of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

Panasonic ZS50 history

The Panasonic ZS50 comes with a history of related cameras. Below, you can view all older and latest models alongside main specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Panasonic-Lumix-DC-ZS80 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS80
ZS50 vs ZS80
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2018
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS70 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS70
ZS50 vs ZS70
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2017
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS60 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS60
ZS50 vs ZS60
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2016
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS45 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS45
ZS50 vs ZS45
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
16MP1/2.3"2015
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS50 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS5024-720mm
F3.3-6.4
12MP1/2.3"2015
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS40 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS40
ZS50 vs ZS40
24-720mm
F3.3-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2014
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS35 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS35
ZS50 vs ZS35
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
16MP1/2.3"2014
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS30 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS30
ZS50 vs ZS30
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS25 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS25
ZS50 vs ZS25
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
16MP1/2.3"2013
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS15 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS15
ZS50 vs ZS15
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2012
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS20 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS20
ZS50 vs ZS20
24-480mm
F3.3-6.4
14MP1/2.3"2012
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Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS8 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS8
ZS50 vs ZS8
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS7 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS7
ZS50 vs ZS7
25-300mm
F3.3-4.9
12MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS10 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS10
ZS50 vs ZS10
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2011
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS5 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS5
ZS50 vs ZS5
25-300mm
F3.3-4.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZR3 front thumbnailPanasonic ZR3
ZS50 vs ZR3
25-200mm
F3.3-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2010
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZR1 front thumbnailPanasonic ZR1
ZS50 vs ZR1
25-200mm
F3.3-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2009
Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-ZS3 front thumbnailPanasonic ZS3
ZS50 vs ZS3
25-300mm
F3.3-4.9
10MP1/2.3"2009

Panasonic ZS50 Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of positives and negatives of the Panasonic ZS50 based on aspects that are oftentimes viewed as essential in a digital camera.

built in image stabilization (Optical)
comes with HDMI out
great min ISO (80)
great reach (720mm)
has built in flash
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competitors (243 grams)
long zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
manual focus
NFC connectivity
nice clear screen (1,040 k dots)
provides face detect autofocus
provides tracking focus
really wide (24mm)
saves RAW formats
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
external flash not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
lacks phase detect autofocus
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
missing headphone support
missing microphone support
no moving screen
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
slow at full zoom (f6.4)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
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Panasonic ZS50 Sensor details

The sensor size in the Panasonic ZS50 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4000 x 3000 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter can easily produce cropping.

Photography Glossary

The CMOS sensor boasts 12 megapixels and delivers a standard ISO range of 80 - 6400. RAW format is saved therefore the user has wider room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below illustrates the ZS50's sensor dimensions compared to other popular sizes. The ZS50 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 sensor size Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

To get an idea of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Panasonic ZS50 dimensions

Panasonic ZS50 has a weight of 0.54 lb (243 grams or 8.57 ounces) and features outer size of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 grams so the Panasonic ZS50 is lighter compared with other rivals.

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Listed below is a pic of the Panasonic ZS50 besides a soft drink to help you have a sense of its scale.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 dimensions scale

The top view here will highlight the button arrangement on the ZS50.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 topview buttons dials

Panasonic ZS50 Lens specs

The ZS50 is equipped with a fixed lens and a focal range of 24-720mm giving it a 30.0 x zoom which is outstanding and would enable you to zoom right in.

At the widest 24mm, the lens will have an aperture of f3.3 which is rather slow and not ideal in low light circumstances and you will find it hard to capture good bokeh. You will probably also have to raise the ISO setting resulting in noisy images. At the tele end, 720mm is superb zoom and comes at f6.4 which is fairly slow and you may need to use slower shutter speeds.

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Panasonic ZS50 Connectivity

The ZS50 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that feature NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly through smartphones. You can copy files and usually change settings with no need to connect straight to the camera.

A few applications even allow a Liveview and click the shutter whenever you aren't near the camera. If the camera features a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external monitor. Nearly all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery through the USB port.

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Panasonic ZS50 Video specs

The maximum video resolution in the Panasonic ZS50 is 1920 x 1080 and it can capture in MPEG-4 and AVCHD file format. 1080p resolution offers a decent balance for video quality and file sizes but FULL HD is not going to give you much room to downsample. The camera doesn't feature a mic and headphone jack which means that you get no control over your sound. It is perhaps a better idea to look into an alternative camera should you need good sound in your videos.

Photography Glossary

Panasonic ZS50 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing for the Panasonic ZS50 so you need to be cautious in rainy or dusty situations.

Panasonic ZS50 Screen and Viewfinder

The Panasonic ZS50 is equipped with a 3" fixed display boasting a resolution of 1,040k dots.

Sadly the display isn't a touch screen.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 screen and viewfinder Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

The View Finder specs regarding Panasonic ZS50 are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • ViewFinder Resolution 1,166k dots
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100 percent
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.46x

Viewfinders can be rather helpful for bright outdoor situations which will make the camera screen washed out and difficult to view.

Panasonic ZS50 Shutter specs

Panasonic ZS50 has the ability to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames/s. The max shutter speed is 1/2000s.

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Panasonic ZS50 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Panasonic ZS50 boasts only built-in flash lacking external flash ability.

Panasonic ZS50 Autofocus specs

Panasonic ZS50 boasts just Contrast Based Auto Focus and lacks Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is more snappier and precise compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera supports Face detection making it valuable for people photography.

The AF system supports 23 focus points to select from. It also comes with Tracking Auto Focus for things that move. Panasonic ZS50 supports manual focusing in case it is needed for low light occasions or you want to have more precise focusing control.

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Panasonic ZS50 Battery life

The battery for the Panasonic ZS50 is built to last for 300 clicks as per the CIPA measurements which is about the same as its competition. The general Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR has got the highest possible (600) battery life for this category of cameras.

Below is a number of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras having the best battery life:

Panasonic ZS50 for specific styles of photography

The following bar chart indicates a summation of the Panasonic ZS50 for specific styles of photography. To read more, have a look at the specific section below.

Panasonic ZS50 Portrait photography details

The Panasonic ZS50 gets a score of 42 which is dreadful, meaning that it is not really good to use for portrait photos. Shooting portraits leans heavily to sensor resolution, RAW support together with the option to work with off-camera lighting.

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manual focus
features face detect focusing
saves RAW files
no external flash support
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")

Panasonic ZS50 Street photography advice

Coming in at a above average rating of 68, the Panasonic ZS50 is a respectable fit to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera offers a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW formats
lighter than average in class (243 grams)
screen is fixed
sensor size is small (1/2.3")

Sports photography with Panasonic ZS50

A dreadful sports photography rating of 43 suggests the Panasonic ZS50 is not really good for shooting sports. A camera should have excellent autofocus plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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great zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
includes tracking focus
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus

Panasonic ZS50 Travel photography information

Size is extremely critical when selecting a travel camera. All round, the Panasonic ZS50 gets a nice 66 as a travel camera which is a fine option for your travels.

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lighter than average in class (243 grams)
flash built-in
relatively wide (24mm)
great reach (720mm)
low resolution (12MP)
does not contain selfie friendly display
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)

Panasonic ZS50 Landscape photography advice

If you are looking to purchase a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most important factor will no doubt be image quality. The Panasonic ZS50 with it's decent score of 51 as a landscape camera is reasonably appropriate in the current marketplace.

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has manual focus
pretty wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW formats
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")

Vlogging with Panasonic ZS50

A camera for vlogging ought to come with a moving display screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Considering all things, the Panasonic ZS50 is not really good for vlogging as it comes to a dreadful rating of 34.

Photography Glossary
pretty wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
offers face detect autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than competition (243g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
does not contain selfie friendly screen
no mic jack

Panasonic ZS50 Alternatives

If you are interested in alternatives to the ZS50, here is a range of the top rated cameras which fall under the class of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The line chart followed below will give you a bird's eye view of the ZS50 vs it's highest ranking rivals mentioned previously.

Here are a handful of other cameras you might take into account as alternatives. To check out a detailed comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Panasonic
Model type
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Also Known as
Lumix DMC-TZ70
Type
Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced
2015-01-06
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution
4000 x 3000
RAW data
Max native ISO
6400
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Total focus points
23
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
24-720mm (30.0x)
Max aperture
f/3.3-6.4
Macro focusing distance
3cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen size
3 inches
Resolution of screen
1,040k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
1,166k dots
Viewfinder coverage
100 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.46x
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
44
DXO Color Depth rating
20.0
DXO Dynamic range rating
11.2
DXO Low light rating
138
Features
Slowest shutter speed
4s
Maximum shutter speed
1/2000s
Continuous shooting rate
10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
6.40 m
Flash modes
Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60p/60i/30p), 1280 x 720 (60p/30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
243 gr (0.54 lbs)
Physical dimensions
111 x 65 x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3")
Other
Battery life
300 pictures
Form of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots
One
Price at launch
$350