- The Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 updates the ZS80 / TZ80 with USB-C charging
- It features a massive 30x optical zoom, and shoots 20MP photos and 4K video
- Panasonic also announced the Lumix G97 mirrorless camera, designed to replace the cheap Lumix G95
One thing I didn’t have on my 2024 bingo card was a new Lumix point-and-shoot camera, even though it’s a trending market. But Panasonic just surprised us by announcing the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 (it’s called the former in the US and the latter elsewhere), which will be available from February 2025.
The Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 packs a Leica lens with a whopping 30x optical zoom – a 24-720mm range that’s way more versatile than your smartphone, and which can be doubled digitally to 60x using Panasonic’s iZoom feature.
It’s a pocketable snapper that weighs just 11.35oz / 322g and features a 1.84m-dot tilt touchscreen, plus a new quick-send image button for smartphone uploads via Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth v5.0.
You can shoot 20.3MP photos, 4K video up to 30fps, and HD video 120fps, plus there’s a new vertical video mode, all supported by Panasonic’s 5-axis Hybrid Optical image stabilization, which should ensure crisp detail even when you’re zoomed right in.
However, we’ve seen virtually all of this tech before in the Panasonic Lumix ZS80 / TZ80, the 2016 model that the new ZS99 / TZ99 essentially replaces. So why are we getting a new Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 all these years later? Well, crucially the new camera supports USB-C charging, thus adhering to the EU’s Common Charger Directive that comes into force in 2025. We saw a similar move by Panasonic earlier in the year when it revived one of its bridge cameras.
Panasonic keeps point-and-shoot alive, just
The USB-C charging port is the only significant update in the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 that I can see over the Lumix ZS80 / TZ80 model it replaces. That predecessor is now almost 10 years old, although, as is the case with other Lumix point-and-shoots, you’ll struggle to find one new to buy, especially since they will all eventually be pulled from the shelves.
Panasonic has even downgraded the newer model by removing the predecessor’s electronic viewfinder, presumably in order to squeeze in the new USB-C port and buttons. That’s a real shame, and it hardly fills me with excitement for the new model.
While I would have preferred meaningful updates and certainly no downgrade, it’s good to see Panasonic keeping the Lumix point-and-shoot line alive. The Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 on-sale date is set for mid-February 2025, and it’ll cost $499 / £469 (Australia pricing TBC).
Might we see a properly upgraded point-and-shoot in the future? I hope so. For now, though, I can recommend the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 for those looking for a decent cheap compact camera.
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