- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200
- Fujifilm FinePix F770 EXR
- Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
- Canon PowerShot G15
- Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
- 14 MP
- 20x f/3.3
- 1/2.5" CMOS
- 3" LCD
Released January, 2012
Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)In addition to the improved optical zoom, the reach of the TZ30’s i.Zoom (intelligent Zoom) has also been increased to 40x (from 21x), while the digital zoom offers a staggering 80x magnification.
Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)Movie recording options are solid enough with a top setting of 1080/24p Full HD, ably supported by 720p HD and 640 x 480 VGA standard definition options.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Panasonic Lumix TZ30 compared to the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
MP14
1/2.5"
Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)With Panasonic’s Power O.I.S (optical image stabilisation) switched on, the TZ30’s 20x zoom is capable of producing pleasingly sharp results, even when shooting handheld at higher telephoto settings.
12 MP
1/2.5"
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)Other key features of the Canon SX260 include built-in GPS, a 3 inch LCD screen, full 1080p HD movies with stereo sound, fast 10.3fps burst shooting, and a full range of manual and automated exposure modes.
megapixels
| 0 MP | 14 MP   | 20 MP |
Lumix TZ30 by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)At it’s heart the TZ30 uses a 1/2.3in MOS sensor with an effective resolution of 14.1MP.
PowerShot SX260 HS by L.-Benedict (Jul, 2012)The picture quality is excellent and although 12.1 megapixels isn't a whole lot, it is good because the really good sensors can get to each pixel more.
sensor size
PowerShot SX260 HS by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)The shooting mode dial is also where you'll find the camera's scene modes, some of which again mirror the kind of selections you'll find on the latest consumer DSLRs and Micro Four Thirds hybrids.
wide angle lens
Lumix TZ30 by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Small and light enough to carry all day, most of the current crop also pack a 16-20x optical zoom, allowing you to capture wide-angle landscapes and also bring faraway subjects much closer without the need for a bag of lenses or a bulky superzoom.
aperture size
Lumix TZ30 by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)While it’s good to have the options, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Leica lens only offers an aperture range of f/3.3–f/8, which does limit your possibilities somewhat.
PowerShot SX260 HS by N-V (Mar, 2012)Aperture value could be set anywhere between f/3.5 & f/8.0, but it also depends on the zoom position (with maximum zoom, aperture value could be set either at f/6.8 or at).
zoom range
| 0x | 20x | 20x |
Lumix TZ30 by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Those looking for finer control will find approximately 45 individual stops between the wideangle and telephoto extremes when the zoom rocker is lightly feathered.
body size
105 x 59 x 28 mm
106 x 61 x 33 mm
PowerShot SX260 HS by K.-S.-Bowen--KS-Bowen (May, 2012)I have concluded that for me, a camera that takes 'very good' pictures, that is small and lightweight, is a NECESSITY.
Performance Real world tests of Panasonic Lumix TZ30 vs Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
battery life
260 photos
210 photos
Lumix TZ30 by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Those who want to make good use of the GPS features are therefore advised to invest in a spare battery.
PowerShot SX260 HS by SAW (Sep, 2012)After a two week vacation with it overseas as my first real use of it I have to say that I am impressed with the size/weight of the package, the quality of the pictures, the acceptable speed of operation, the battery life, the image stabilization, and the zoom.
max continuous shooting
PowerShot SX260 HS by L.-Benedict (Jul, 2012)It is also good for motion, and my dad was surprised it had a burst mode, because my mama got her DSLR camera mainly because of it.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
| Has a touch screen | Yes | vs | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somewhat common; Fewer buttons, interact directly with menus | |||
| Faster lens | f/3.3 | vs | f/3.5 |
| Around 10% faster aperture; Better in low light | |||
| Significantly faster rapid fire | 10 fps | vs | 3.2 fps |
| More than 3x faster continuous shooting; Take photos in rapid succession to capture motion | |||
| Wider lens | 24 mm | vs | 25 mm |
| Almost the same | |||
| Create realistic 3D images | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Create 3D photos to view on a 3D TV | |||
| Significantly more contrast-detection focus points | 23 | vs | 9 |
| 14 more contrast detection focus points; Better autofocus in low light settings | |||
| Higher light sensitivity | 6,400 ISO | vs | 3,200 ISO |
| 2x higher light sensitivity; Avoid blur in low light situations | |||
| Higher resolution | 14 MP | vs | 12 MP |
| Around 20% higher resolution; Capture more detail, good for large prints | |||
| Better macro lens | 30 mm | vs | 50 mm |
| 40% closer macro focus; Take great close-up photos | |||
| Supports HDR | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Combines multiple photos together to capture both bright and dark areas | |||
| More photos per charge | 260 | vs | 210 |
| 50 more shots; Longer battery life | |||
Advantages compared to the Panasonic Lumix TZ30
| Shoots video in 24p | Yes | vs | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somewhat common; For that film look | |||
| More highly reviewed by consumers | 82.43% | vs | 81.04% |
| Almost the same | |||
| Faster max shutter speed | 1/3200 s | vs | 1/2000 s |
| Around 40% faster max shutter speed; capture fast action | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | ||
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|---|---|---|---|
 | Rated by 241 users at amazon.com | Rated by 267 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by RhondaH (Sep, 2012) Rated 100% by by Private (Sep, 2012) Rated 100% by by CMB (May, 2012) | |
photography
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The Panasonic Lumix TZ30 succeeds the (still available) TZ20 as the company’s flagship travel compact, providing a number of useful upgrades over its predecessor.
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)In all other aspects though, the SX260 HS is a fantastic little travel compact that's well worth a closer look if you're in the market for such a camera.
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)While this does make it a little heavier than some rival travel compacts such as the Panasonic Lumix TZ30 and Sony HX20V, the payoff is a camera that feels especially solid and well built in the hand.
travel
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 100% by by hrowfran (May, 2012)I purchased the Powe Shot SX260 HS 12.1 MP camera which we will be taking on our next vacation, the camera produces very sharp and clear pictures which I alwais wanted to buy.
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 100% by by K.-S.-Bowen--KS-Bowen (May, 2012)I've had the Powershot SX260 HS for about a week now and I think I may have found the camera that will adequately meet my travel needs.
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)The SX260 replaces the SX230 that we reviewed last year as the top model in Canon's travel compact range and brings with a number of upgrades.
autofocus
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The TZ30 also benefits from Panasonic’s ‘Light Speed’ autofocus module, which offers a claimed AF speed of 0.1sec in good light.
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)When shooting a high-contrast scene the TZ30 will tend to give preferential metering for whatever is inside the AF boxes (especially when the camera is used in single AF mode).
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)Regardless of which mode you use AF speed is a bit of a mixed bag – outdoors in good light it's almost instant as you might expect, although the Lumix TZ30's 'Light Speed' AF module still has the edge for speed.
focus
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)In poor light, or indoors under dim artificial lighting the SX260’s autofocus is noticeably slower, although still generally quite reliable.
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 76% by by DPReview (Jun, 2012)Autofocus performance is really where the SX260 (and most Canon cameras these days) lag behind the competition.
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (May, 2012)Autofocus options are a bit limited; in all of the SX260’s more automated point-and-shoot exposure modes the camera will automatically select its own AF points.
iso
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Using ISO 100 as the benchmark, the TZ30 has produced a pleasing twilight picture of Trebarwith Strand.
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)At ISO 800, the TZ30 can still capture a reasonable image, although it is pretty soft.
Panasonic Lumix TZ30 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)At the lowest settings of ISO 100 and 200 the TZ30 captures noise-free images, however by as low as ISO 400 some visible noise does begin to creep into images.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Most detailed video recording mode |
 | 2 | Fujifilm FinePix F770 EXR 3-way tie: Autofocus supports continuous |
 | 5 | Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Rated the best by consumers |
Unanswered Questions
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January 18, 2013
What is the best overall compact zoom camera?
I have a Nikon D3 and many Nikkor lenses. Of course the image quality is superb compared to compact point shoot digital cameras but I need a backup camera for times when I don't want to or D3...
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Answers December 20, 2012
Low light picture taking
I'm a mom of four replacing an older model lumix that broke. I have a canon slr that is seeming obsolete compared to the newer hand helds. I need a camera that takes good photos indoors with a I...
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Answers December 20, 2012
Image quality, screen display in sunlight conditions, zoom
Main interest in these cameras is the zoom capability. Either one with a decided advantage over the other? What about display in sunlight. Seems very few cameras I've seen are really easy to a...
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Answers 