Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 (Lumix DMC-TZ20 / Lumix DMC-TZ22)

The Panasonic ZS10 (TZ20 in Europe) follows on the ZS7 as the flagship-camera in Panasonic’s highly popular Travel Zoom series. The new model increases the zoom range to 16x (with a very useful 24mm wide angle), expands the sensor resolution to 14.1 and adds 1080i full HD video, 3D capture, 10fps continuous shooting and a touch screen to the feature mix. In terms of versatility, the ZS10 is one of the best cameras in its class, and enthusiast photographers will love the amount of manual exposure control the camera offers, as well as the power-efficient and versatile GPS system and the sensible implementation of its pressure-sensitive LCD screen. Optical quality from the ZS10's 24-384mm lens is excellent, and Panasonic's impressively effective Power O.I.S system helps keep images free from camera shake even at the longest extent of the zoom.

Our main complaint about the ZS10 regards its image quality. In bright, high-contrast scenes, detail reproduction is high, but the ZS10 has real problems when it comes to resolving low contrast detail. Even at its base ISO, images taken on overcast days look mushy and lifeless at 100% on screen, and image quality drops as the ISO sensitivity is increased. Ultimately, despite its mediocre image quality, the built-in GPS, a very flexible zoom range and the compact dimensions make the ZS10 an ideal travel companion.