Eight years after the ZS200, Panasonic's new LUMIX ZS300 travel compact arrives with USB-C and an updated sensor, but without its predecessor's electronic viewfinder.
Just as we were decrying the lack of new cameras in 2026 yesterday, Panasonic was taking the covers off the new LUMIX ZS300 (known as the TZ300 in Europe). It's not the major camera news we were hoping for. It's not the S1H Mark II, for instance. But, in an era when compact cameras are all the rage, we'll take its updating of the 2018 ZS200 and run with it.
The LUMIX ZS300 is a compact travel camera built around a 1.0-type 20.1 MP BSI CMOS sensor and a Leica-certified 15x optical zoom lens covering 24–360 mm (35 mm equivalent). The sensor handles low-light scenes with reduced noise, and AF Macro allows close-focus shooting down to 3 cm (1.2 in).
Video recording tops out at 4K30 (3840 × 2160), with high-speed FHD at 120 fps for slow-motion capture. POWER O.I.S. handles handheld shake at telephoto distances and in low light, while 5-axis HYBRID O.I.S.+ stabilizes footage during movement. Twenty-two creative filters are available in-camera, along with a built-in flash.
Much of the camera, and the imaging pipeline in particular, hasn't been upgraded since 2018 and will be familiar to users of the ZS200. The main addition is the new USB-C port, which thankfully replaces the old micro-USB connection. The main subtraction is the ditching of the ZS200's EVF and a new reliance on the 1.84m-dot rear touchscreen. This is fixed rather than tilting, which given the evolution of rival models such as the Sony RX100 VII in recent years probably should count as a further downgrade too.
It's a win-some, lose-some scenario, and definitely gives you the feeling that this is a camera in search of a new market, rather than a compelling upgrade for existing users.
The camera measures 111.2 × 66.4 × 45.2 mm (4.4 × 2.6 × 1.8 in), excluding protrusions. Connectivity includes Bluetooth and WiFi via the Panasonic Image App, plus USB-C charging from AC adapters, PCs, or power banks. Note that USB-C power supply (as opposed to charging) is not supported.
The ZS300 arrives in black and silver from early May, priced at $899. This is $100 more than the ZS200 was, but adjusted for inflation is actually considerably cheaper.