Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 review

The 3in touchscreen makes it easy to move the autofocus point around the frame – something that’s not possible at all on the Canon. However, we sometimes accidentally moved the autofocus point. The 3in screen fills up so much of the back of the camera that there’s precious little else to hold onto. The touchscreen doesn’t get a lot of use at other times, relying instead on the buttons, but that’s fine by us.

Video recordings are in AVCHD format at 50fps, either interlaced (50i) or progressive scan (50p). The latter gives the sharpest details and smoothest motion, although it’s not widely compatible with playback devices. Both formats are converted to 25p by YouTube’s servers. We’d have liked an option to shoot at 25p, but it’s only a minor quibble. The AVCHD format gets around the 4GB file limit by spanning clips across multiple files. There’s still the usual 30-minute maximum clip length (thanks to EU import duty rules) but it’s better than the Canon’s 16-minute limit. The Panasonic also delivered more responsive autofocus for videos. Its soundtrack didn’t pick up any whirrs and clicks from the focus and zoom motors, and there was less background hiss and a fuller tone than in the Canon’s video soundtracks. Manual exposure settings are ignored for videos, though – this is just a point-and-shoot video camera.

This is a seriously fast camera. Autofocus was responsive and we measured an average of 0.7 seconds between shots in normal use. Among its continuous modes are options to capture 10, 40 or 60 frames in a second (at 14, 5 or 2.5 megapixels respectively). It can also shoot with continuously updating autofocus at 5fps (slowing to 1.2fps after 12 shots) – perfect for capturing action at telephoto zoom settings. The Canon only manages 0.8fps in this mode, and most other compact cameras can’t do it at all.

The 260-shot battery life isn’t bad but we’re disappointed that Panasonic has moved to in-camera charging. The ability to charge over the USB cable may cut down on the number of chargers needed when travelling, but it also means you can’t charge one battery while using another.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 and Canon PowerShot SX260 HS are both excellent cameras, and choosing between them is a matter of priorities. The Canon has the better sensor, which makes a big difference in low-light and gives some benefit in bright conditions too. The Panasonic’s lens is sharper, though, and with its ability to move the focus point around the frame, it tends to produce better photos outdoors. Meanwhile, its quicker performance helps both indoors and out, making it easier to take half a dozen photos and choose the best later. It also comes top for video capture. It’s a close-run thing, but with its longer list of strengths, the TZ30 nabs our Best Buy award.