Additional information
| Product Dimensions | 1.7 x 4.4 x 2.5 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 11 ounces |
| ASIN | B01A86MXVE |
| Item model number | DMC-ZS100S |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews | /** Fix for UDP-1061. Average customer reviews has a small extra line on hover* https://omni-grok.amazon.com/xref/src/appgroup/websiteTemplates/retail/SoftlinesDetailPageAssets/udp-intl-lock/src/legacy.css?indexName=WebsiteTemplates#40*/.noUnderline a:hover {text-decoration: none;}4.4 out of 5 stars532 ratingsP.when('A', 'ready').execute(function(A) {A.declarative('acrLink-click-metrics', 'click', { "allowLinkDefault" : true }, function(event){if(window.ue) {ue.count("acrLinkClickCount", (ue.count("acrLinkClickCount"), 0) + 1);}});});P.when('A', 'cf').execute(function(A) {A.declarative('acrStarsLink-click-metrics', 'click', { "allowLinkDefault" : true }, function(event){if(window.ue) {ue.count("acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount", (ue.count("acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount"), 0) + 1);}});});4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #71,979 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)#463 in Digital Point & Shoot Cameras |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | January 5, 2016 |
| Manufacturer | Panasonic |
A. J. Mardinly –
Having back problems, I decided to leave my heavier DSLR that I love so much to try a smaller, lighter camera on a trip. The Sony RX-100-6 was back-ordered everywhere when I left, so I got this just before they raised the price, probably because they figured they could get away with it with Sony charging $1200 for the RX-100-6. Right after I got it, they extended the warranty to 3 years, which is nice. The Panasonic is larger, but only slightly so. I have taken ~1500 photos so far, and the results are excellent. In Europe, just point and shoot inside a dimly lit cathedral, and the results are spectacular. Outdoors, the viewfinder is excellent, and I can see everything in the field of view, even with glasses on. Focussing at 10X zoom is instantaneous, much faster than one I tried in a store, so maybe they are not all the same. There are 2 annoying glitches in the design: one, the ring around the lens that controls brightness over-ride is difficult to not touch, and the camera locks up until the shutter release is pressed halfway. Also, the diopter compensation wheel sticks out enough that when I am walking with a strap around my neck and the camera bounces around against my chest, the diopter compensation wheel gets turned and nearly every time I bring the viewfinder to my eye to compose a shot, I need to re-focus the diopter compensation. The user manual I downloaded from the Panasonic web site. 400 pages of gibberish. Fortunately, the menus are self-explanatory. To connect the camera to my phone, I could not figure it out from the user manual, but found help on-line that there is a Panasonic APP that made it straightforward. For anyone considering getting a ZS-200 for the extra zoom, beware that it is difficult to hold the camera still, even at 10X zoom. I find it necessary to lean against a wall or put my elbows on a table or bench. This is supposed to be a lightweight photo solution, so I don’t want to be carrying around a tripod. Overall, nothing has malfunctioned. I really like this camera.
WeekendWarrior –
I previously had Canon, Casio and Sony compact digital cameras until I switched to the Panasonic LUMIX travel zoom cameras which I liked for their image quality, ease of use and great zoom range. This is my third Panasonic travel zoom camera with this one replacing a ZS50. The ZS50 was good but it had a small image sensor and I was looking for better image quality along with low light performance. The ZS200 is slightly thicker and heavier than the ZS50 but it feels more solidly built. With the introduction of the ZS200, this is the first compact camera which I thought combined a large sensor with a zoom range that would be large enough for travel photography, so I purchased it for an upcoming vacation. The previous ZS100 had a more limited zoom range and produced unacceptable “softer” images based on reviews. A co-worker of mine has a ZS100 and complains about the camera producing soft images with a lot a purple fringing occurring around foliage. The lens and image processor are different between these two cameras.I just came back from a 23 day trip to Greece visiting Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Delos, Meteora, Delphi and used the ZS200. I used SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB Class 3 95MB/sec SD cards and took 5,200 photos (24GB) with the ZS200 using 16:9 format for widescreen displays, 8MP jpg, high-quality setting since am not planning to make any large prints or do any post production modifications. I set the camera to full intelligent auto+ mode for ease of use while traveling and found the camera easy to use in terms of start up, shut down, focusing, image stabilization and framing the view using the screen. Regarding Image quality, I feel that this camera takes excellent images in terms of sharpness, color rendition and low lighting when placed in full auto mode. Compared to all the other digital cameras that I have had, the battery life of this camera is truly remarkable. After a full day of taking over 300 photos, constantly zooming, cycling on and off the camera, the battery still had two bars left. If you just take photos with no videos, then I don’t ever see a need for having a second backup battery if you charge at night like I didI am not a fan of the touchscreen because it is too easy to mistakenly bring up the side menus and make unwanted adjustments to the camera. The on-off switch could also use more resistance since I mistakenly turned it on in my camera bag several times. It would be nice to have some water and dust resistance incorporated but maybe Panny is saving these features for future versions. I also installed a Peak Design Leash Camera Strap Black (L-BL-3) which works better than just a hand strap in being able to walk with the camera hands-free on my neck or over my shoulder and take images on the fly. There are some major features like manual modes, RAW format and 4K video which I am not interested in and did not use. I am a casual travel photographer and this camera on full intelligent auto+ mode works for me. Having owned three Panasonic LUMINX cameras, I have not had any problems which required me to contact Panasonic for servicing so I cannot comment on their quality (or lack thereof) of customer care. I may just have been lucky in getting perfectly functioning cameras but I am not complaining:)
Amazon Customer –
This is the best out there for me, the big factor was that it is still portable but has A LOT of features, some rivaling the DSLRs out there.I knew that if I get the usual DSLR sized camera it will be sitting on the shelf most of the time, but with this I can strap it or put it on my belt and away I go. But you should do you own research and get the camera for your needs/requirements. For me it was unmatched by many zoom (X10 and then some) and ability to shoot 4K video for a while (15 min segments for this one). The closest competitor Sony RX100 III or IV failed in both of these requirements (only X3.2 zoom and overheats while shooting 4K) also they do not have the touchscreen which helps tremendously with a lot of settings and features that my ZS100 has. Of course Sony’s cameras do have their own advantages, again do your research. I am happy with my camera.
FW –
I was a Nikon shooter and have owned several DSLR bodies and lenses. But ever since the iPhones came out, I just wasn’t using all of my “good” photography equipment as often as I should. The iPhone cameras had become “good-enough” for what I photograph (school events, concerts, vacations, family, etc…). Currently, I carry an iPhone 6 and feel that its picture quality has exceeded most 2/3″ sensor point-and-shoot cameras. Still – I often miss the detail of the DSLR sensor, clarity of true optical zoom, and the DSLR’s superior low-light capability.That’s where this Panasonic fits in. I’ve been looking for a pocketable travel camera that can bridge the gap between an iPhone 6 and my Nikon DSLRs. My requirements were as follows: small camera body, attached lens (so it can be used at concerts), 1″ sensor, and a generous zoom range.What’s so important about the sensor size? A camera with a larger 1″ sensor is able to capture more photo detail with less noise than the usual 2/3″ size. This is most noticeable when taking photos in low light. The Sony RX 100 III and Canon G7x are the benchmarks for the 1″ sensor cameras, but I needed a longer zoom in order to shoot concerts, and sports. As far as I can tell, the Panasonic is unique in this price range for the combination of the 1″ sensor and longer-than-the-competition zoom.Likes:* Solid Feel* standard micro-USB cable* Larger 1″ sensor (larger than the majority of point-and-shoot models)* Longest zoom in this price range amongst its peers* RAW+JPG option* 4K Video* Touchscreen* Electronic Viewfinder* physical lens-ring control* thumb-wheel control* Smartphone integration (I can only test the iPhone app) – Live real-time camera controls, transfer photos and videos, GPS tagging* Fast menus* Fast focus* Custom White Balance* Full manual controls* Customizable Dials* Create features such as Post Focus and 4K PhotoDislikes: (these are really first-world problems)* no flash hot shoe (but its competitors may not have one either)* no external microphone option (but its competitors may not have one either)* It barely fits in my front-jeans pocket. I have to be careful not to scratch it with the metal rivet on the jeansPanasonic has this very interesting feature called Post Focus. The camera will rapid fire a series of shots using different focal points and let the user choose what to focus on AFTER the picture has been taken. Another unique feature is 4K Photo, the camera will basically take 4K video and let you extract high-quality 4K stills from the stream. I can see this being extremely useful with fast moving kids and pets.I plan to add more to this review in the future…but for now, I’ve attached some photos samples. I’ve also included a size comparison between the iPhone 6 and Panasonic. As well as low-light comparison shots between the iPhone 6 and Panasonic in a poorly lit room. All shots including the low-light shots were hand-held without a tripod.So far, every camera feature appears to work as advertised. There were comments on another website about wifi problems, I had none. The wireless bridge between the camera and iPhone worked every time. Note: I do have a dual-band router and although the 2.4Ghz channel was found, the 5Ghz was not. That may be why it didn’t matter in my place.
W.L. Emery –
Briefly, this is an excellent camera and will produce pictures that are clear with all colors rendered properly. The only drawbacks are:1. Bulk. This isn’t a camera you can slip into a shirt pocket.2. Complexity. The camera has an automatic mode, which translates into point and shoot. However, if you want outstanding photos, especially in low light, you’ll have to spend a good deal of time with the manual and the camera, as the controls are a long way from being intuitive.3. Price. At the normal retail price, this isn’t a terrifically good buy. I bought mine at a heavily discounted price, which made it a good value for the money spent.
Sam –
I was searching for a travel camera with a big zoom and sensor larger than a 1/2.3 or 1/1.7 inch —one I would actually take on trips and not leave at home because it was just to big or heavy for packing light. (Phones work well for selfies and panoramas, but the photo quality is pretty limited.) The ZS200 is the small, light camera with a 15x zoom, 1” sensor, and WiFi for remote control and transfer of images to phones or tablets for posting or emails. Through blue tooth/WiFi, remote control of the camera w a phone works really well and allows you to get photos that your physical presence would preclude (see birds below). The burst shot and 4K options help in getting great single frames of action shots and in-camera editing options allow production of fabulous final products. I did buy an extra battery and separate charger, as otherwise the battery is charged by plugging in the camera. Rather than take the chance that a second market battery might not charge appropriately or safely in the camera, I bought the Panasonic brand ($$).Drawbacks—the ZS200 is not weatherproofed and the aperture does get small at the high zoom positions, limiting light capture. No camera met all my criteria! This was the best compromise.Note: It seems that when you pair your phone or ipad w the camera, you should put the camera in playback mode. Otherwise for me the pairing failed.
adwhiz –
After reading many online reviews, we selected this camera as a replacement for our aging (and heavy) Nikon D90. When we were setting up the camera, we encountered a few problems that had nothing at all to do with the camera itself. I’m a senior citizen, and even with eyeglasses, I was unable to read the instruction manual or the tiny print on the camera screens itself. In the end, we couldn’t set it up nor take a single image. We were so disappointed and had to return the camera. So, folks, if you have any issues at all with reading small type, this camera might not be the best for you.
Dr. Roger L. McCarthy –
This camera takes really excellent pictures. I reviewed this camera 9 months ago (June 2018) and it is still (April 2019) way ahead of everything else out there in terms of capability. But since then I have become so amazed at its macro capabilities I must update this review. I would give it six stars if I could. It breaks my heart to admit but, but this little camera does better macro work than my 50MP Canon 5DsR mounting the 100mm “L” series macro lens (total: about $6K all in). The Sony RX100 VI only has half the zoom for a lot more money, albeit with a few other nice features. And the zoom is just about the ONLY reason you carry a camera in addition to your phone now. Let’s face it, most of us are NOT going to lug a full-featured SLR on every business trip, but this Lumix is small enough to carry in your briefcase but capable enough to justify bringing along in addition to your phone. Also, the battery life has proven to be excellent
Dave –
I’m really impressed by the quality of photos. Macro photos of butterflies particularly impressed after a recent day out. It’s got a full complement of the settings you expect from an advanced compact, very decent zoom range and good low level sensitivity. My biggest like is that it’s a small and powerful alternative for days trips that doesn’t leave me yearning for a DSLR.Pros: Picture quality, zoom range, sensitivity, features, battery life.Cons: why don’t Panasonic include a carry pouch? I found focus to be missing the subject a few times – likely operator and mis-setting so there’s a learning curve. Price. It’s a great compact but at almost twice the price of other variants it’s a big step.Very pleased overall.
Alex –
After extensive research on DPReview and other sites, I decided to get this camera, as a balance between the highest quality compact cameras that are limited to a 3x zoom range, and the superzoom cameras that sacrifice a lot of quality for their zoom capabilities. This camera is superb, and while it is barely pocketable, it provides most of the performance of a DSLR in a much smaller package that is convenient for traveling. The JPEG files it spits out are huge and very detailed, and it’s low light performance is nothing short of astonishing. It amazes me when I’m taking a picture and the camera, with a larger sensor that’s more like the sensor of a DSLR than the sensor of a point and shoot, is able to see more than my naked eyes can. I have traveled a bit with this camera, and I look forward to many more travels. I did buy extra batteries, and a Micro USB charger, which I am glad that I did, as the battery life is OK, but the battery meter is pretty lousy, like many other cameras, so it is a good idea to have a spare with you for when the thing dies.