Panasonic Lumix TZ60 Hands-On Preview

The new Panasonic Lumix TZ60 (ZS40 in USA) features a new 30x optical zoom lens, a built in electronic viewfinder, full manual controls, as well as raw shooting. The TZ60 has an RRP of £399, updates the Panasonic Lumix TZ40, and will be available from March 2014.

Panasonic Lumix TZ60 Features

Designed to be the ultimate pocketable travel zoom, the camera not only offers the same 30x optical zoom as the Sony Cyber-shot HX50, it also offers a built-in electronic viewfinder, manual controls and raw shooting. The camera also features a newly developed optical image stabilisation system, designed to give 3stops compensation, an improvement over the TZ40, with a new ball system for lower power consumption.

Key Features

• 18.1 megapixel sensor
• 30x optical zoom lens (Leica), equivalent to 24-720mm, f/3.3-f/6.4
• Built in EVF, 0.46x magnification in 35mm terms
• Optical image stabilisation 
• 3inch screen, 460k dots
• Manual controls, PASM, RAW shooting
• Focus peaking, manual focus
• FullHD video, 50p, stereo sound, 5-axis IS
• Dual-axis electronic level
• ISO100-ISO3200, Extends to ISO6400
• 10fps continuous shooting (6 shots)
• 300 shot battery life, USB charging
• 15 filter effects, available in record and playback
• Panoramic shooting (with effects)
• Built in Wi-Fi / NFC
• GPS / GLONASS
• Control ring on lens
• Available in black or black/silver
• Weighs 240g with battery and memory card
• 110.6x64.3x34.4mm

Panasonic Lumix TZ60 Handling

There is a rubber grip at front and rear to aid holding the camera steady when using it in low light or with a lot of optical zoom. The 3inch screen on the back is not a touchscreen, but features a 460k dot resolution, and easy to use Panasonic menus that are logically and clearly laid out with built in help in case you get stuck. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) gives a 100% view, and is the same 0.2inch, 200k-dot unit as found in the Panasonic Lumix LF1, but with improved optics over the LF1.



Panasonic say they have designed the TZ60 to give better image quality than the previous model, the TZ40, and say that although it uses the same sensor as the TZ40, they have been able to get better image quality due to improved image processing. In tests they say that the image quality at 30x optical zoom is as good as, if not better than the image quality of the TZ40 at 20x optical zoom, despite having to deliver additional zoom. We will be putting the camera through a full review as soon as it is available. 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60 (ZS40) Hands-On Photos of Equipment

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60 (ZS40) Specifications

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