Panasonic’s ‘most advanced travel zoom camera’ gets a surprise successor 8 years later — here are two major differences

• The Lumix ZS300 / TZ300 updates 2018's Lumix ZS200 / TZ200
• Both feature a 15x optical zoom, 1-inch sensor and 20MP stills
• USB-C charging is added, but a key feature is removed

Following on from last year's Lumix ZS99 (known as the Lumix TZ99 outside of the US), Panasonic has brought back another of its classic travel zoom compact cameras — the premium Lumix ZS300 / TZ300.

It updates the Lumix ZS200 / TZ200 from 2018, which we gave a 4.5-star rating and labelled "the most advanced travel zoom camera you can buy right now". That was eight years ago, mind you — so what's new in the 2026 update?

Not much, is the simple answer. The Lumix ZS300 / TZ300 has the same core specs as its predecessor, headlined by a stabilized lens with a 15x optical zoom for an effective 24-360mm range, and a 1-inch sensor for 20MP stills and 4K video recording.

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To be fair, those specs still rival other, much newer compact cameras. And USB-C charging has been added, which is a super-handy feature for traveling, and which brings Panasonic's premium line of compact travel zooms into compliance with today's common charger rules in Europe.

But, as with the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99, where one feature is gained, another is lost — Panasonic has done away with the electronic viewfinder.

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The classic is back, but it's missing something

To be fair, in our review of the ZS200 / TZ200 we described the feature as "cramped". Nevertheless, keen photographers tend to like the option of a viewfinder, especially in bright light when screens can otherwise be hard to see clearly.

As mentioned, Panasonic made the same move with the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 (which updated the Lumix ZS80 / TZ95). It's likely a cost-cutting exercise, and / or a reflection of how most people now tend to rely on screens to compose images.

What's striking though, is that with very little added to differentiate it from an eight-year-old model, the new Lumix ZS300 / TZ300 still looks like a compelling choice today.

In addition to the aforementioned core specs, it shoots 120fps slow-motion video in FHD, has a macro setting with close focusing down to just 3cm, 22 creative filters for on-the-go in-camera effects, plus wireless connection to a smartphone via the Panasonic Image App.

The Lumix ZS300 / TZ300 is available in black or gray colorways (see below) from the beginning of May 2026, and will cost £869 / AU$1,599 — I'll update this page with US pricing and availability when I get that information.

Would I have liked to see some of Panasonic's latest features included here, such as its improved autofocus and Real Time LUTs? Sure — Canon is one brand making truly new products in this space with modern features, such as the PowerShot V1. That said, I'm glad this Lumix line is back and available to buy once more — I think the design and feature set of the ZS300 / TZ300 will appeal to plenty of people.

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