New compact cameras that bring nothing new
26-3-2026
Translation: machine translated
The range of compact cameras has long left a lot to be desired. The Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ300 is now a new product - but its innovation factor is zero. This is symptomatic of the entire industry.
The Panasonic DC-TZ300 offers a 15x optical zoom lens in a compact housing. Converted to 35 mm format, the focal length is 24 to 360 millimetres and the lens speed ranges from f/3.3 to f/6.4. An optical image stabiliser is also integrated into the lens. The back-illuminated 1-inch sensor promises good quality for compact cameras in terms of dynamic range and noise behaviour. The camera is also capable of 4K video and slow-motion recording in full HD.
That sounds okay so far. But it already existed eight years ago. At the beginning of 2018, Panasonic launched the TZ200 - with largely identical specifications. Two things are different about the new camera:
- It no longer has a viewfinder
- It is charged via USB-C.
Point 1 is a disadvantage. And point 2 is mandatory, as charging via USB-C is required by law in the EU and Switzerland. Without this improvement, the camera would not be allowed on the market in Europe.
Panasonic has already omitted the viewfinder from the TZ99 and supplied USB-C later. Otherwise, the TZ99 is a new edition of the TZ91 from 2017.
Source: Panasonic
Source: Panasonic
Are innovations in compacts still worthwhile?
Old wine in new bottles - but Panasonic is not alone with this strategy. Camera manufacturers are hardly investing in innovations for compact cameras anymore. Between 2012 and 2019, Sony brought out seven generations of the RX100 compact camera, some with significant advances. Since then, nothing has happened in the RX100 series, apart from the cheaper predecessor models gradually disappearing from the shelves.
At first glance, this is understandable: the market has collapsed due to the triumph of smartphones. Now that smartphones can also take telephoto shots, hardly anyone needs a compact camera anymore.
However, this does not mean that there is no longer any demand. For some time now, a new trend has been emerging in photography: cameras are turning from commodities into collector's items. Luxury and retro cameras are enjoying a popularity that cannot be explained purely in terms of utility - it must be love. A love of photography, a love of mechanical wheels, a love of self-shot images that mean something to you - and perhaps a love of the camera itself. The AI revolution is likely to reinforce this trend: The longing for honest, genuine craftsmanship is growing.
Even a normal compact camera can give pleasure and is therefore more than just a functional object. Accordingly, the few remaining models are selling surprisingly well. The RX100 VII is one of the best-selling cameras in our shop despite its age and proud price. With the Fujifilm X100VI, a crazy hype two years ago meant that the camera was hardly available. The Ricoh GR IV also has its fans.
Therefore, I believe that there would be a small but significant market for a new compact camera with real innovation.
Vlogging camera - a euphemism?
Many of the new products in recent years have been labelled as vlogging cameras. Of course, video is a huge trend that manufacturers want to capitalise on. However, vlogging camera often means little more than that the viewfinder is missing on a compact camera - as is the case with the TZ300. The components in the camera are usually aged. This allows them to be sold as new for a little longer.
My request to the manufacturers: Canon, please make a V1 with a viewfinder. And Sony, please a new RX100. That should be possible without blowing the development budget.
Header image: Panasonic
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
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