f = 4.3 - 129mm/(24 - 720mm in 35mm equiv. in 4:3)/(25 - 750mm in 35mm equiv. in 3:2)/(26 - 780mm in 35mm equiv. in 16:9)/(28 - 840mm in 35mm equiv. in 1:1)/(33 - 990mm in 35mm equiv. in 4K Photo recording)/(26 - 780mm in 35mm equiv. in 16:9 video recording / O.I.S. Off / Level Shot function Off)/(28 - 840mm in 35mm equiv. in 16:9 video recording / O.I.S. On / Level Shot function Off)/(30 - 900mm in 35mm equiv. in 16:9 video recording / O.I.S. On / Level Shot function On)/(33 - 990mm in 35mm equiv. in 4K video recording) The TZ80 / ZS60’s combined battery and card compartment is accessed via a door in the base – note it’s not possible to change the card or battery when the camera is mounted on a tripod. The BLG10E battery provides enough power on a full charge for 320 shots using the screen exclusively or 280 shots with the EVF so, in practice, probably somewhere between the two. That’s a little better than the 250 shots you’ll get with the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS, but the SX720 HS’s Eco energy saving mode extends that to a more generous 355 shots. ZS50 for low lighting/ action shots?" HERE. Images posted are from RAW processed files, but also posted a couple out-of-camera JPG's to see the IQ differences between the RAW processed and JPG images. AFS] SH: 40 frames/sec*, H: 10 frames/sec, M: 5 frames/sec (with Live View), L: 2 frames/sec (with Live View) [AFC] H: 5 frames/sec, M: 5 frames/sec (with Live View), L: 2 frames/sec (with Live View) * Electronic shutter only. There's also a new mode called “Post Focus”. Basically, this shoots a number of photos all with different focus points - you can then choose the focus point you need post-capture. While this is quite a fun and nifty feature, I'm not entirely sure how often you'd use it. Both you and the subject need to be still, so it's uses are a little limited for now. By default the Fn2 button is set to switch Post Focus on and off.

AFS] SH: 40 frames/sec*, H: 10 frames/sec, M: 5 frames/sec (with Live View), L: 2 frames/sec (with Live View)Fitted with a UHS Class 3 card and set to AFS, I fired-off 35 Large Fine JPEGs in High mode in 3.46 seconds before it began to stutter – a tad faster than 10fps. Set to RAW, I captured 12 frames in 1.18 seconds – again, just a bit faster than 10fps before the camera stopped shooting. Both essentially confirm the top speed, but if you want to shoot a burst of longer than around a second you’ll need to make do with JPEGs. It’s also worth noting that with the higher resolution 20 Megapixel sensor, the TZ90 /ZS70’s JPEG burst is 10 frames shorter than the 45 frames managed by the 18 Megapixel TZ80 / ZS60. Most times I will just lower in camera settings for NR, sharpness and contrast, then edit the jpeg..and all is well . Expressive, Retro, Old Days, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Monochrome, Dynamic Monochrome, Rough Monochrome, Silky Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Toy Pop, Bleach Bypass, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Fantasy, Star Filter, One Point Color, Sunshine (22 filters)

I shoot both RAW+ jpeg these days (thanks Jon) ...always have the RAW if needed...and SD cards are so cheap these days. The Lumix TZ90 / ZS70’s front grip is a good size and combined with the rear thumb rest, which is made of a soft rubber-like material, provide a secure grip which you can feel confident about even when using the cameraone-handed. The PowerShot SX730 HS’s grips aren’t so substantial, but the moulded contours and lighter weight mean they don’t need to be.The Lumix TZ90 / ZS70’s inherits the same four continuous shooting modes as the earlier TZ80 / ZS60. Low (2fps with Live View), Medium (5fps with Live View), and High (10fps without Live View). The TZ80 / ZS60’s Super High (40fps for a burst of 60 frames and at a reduced resolution of 4.5 Megapixels using the electronic shutter) is no longer available. With Continuous autofocus, the top speed reduces slightly to 5fps regardless of whether you’re set to Medium or High, so you may as well go for the former and enjoy Live View. The Lumix TZ90 / ZS70 charges its battery in the camera via the standard USB port. An a/c adaptor and a USB cable are included in the box, though you can use any USB Micro B cable and any suitable power source, you can’t externally power the camera while shooting. If you switch the Lumix TZ90 / ZS70 on while it’s charging an alert that tells you ‘To begin charging turn the camera off’ is displayed. You can still shoot, but the battery won’t start charging until you turn the camera off. The PowerShot SX730 HS battery can be charged in-camera over a USB connection, or externally using the supplied AC unit. But unlike Panasonic, Canon doesn’t put a USB cable in the box, so unless you have a Micro B to A type cable lying around, you’ll have to buy one if you want to charge the PowerShot SX730 HS’s battery in the camera from a laptop or other USB power source.

Announced at this year's CES, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 (also known as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60) features a 30x optical zoom (24-720mm equivalent) and is a replacement for last year's TZ70. It sits below the new TZ100 - last year's TZ57 has been discontinued and will not be replaced. Yes you can with PSE (Photoshop Elements) but you'll need version 14 to process the TZ60 RAW files. If you're familiar with PSE the learning curve should not be too bad. Plus due to PSE's popularity there are plenty of on-line help/ tutorials available. You can shoot with the JPG+RAW settings to have JPG images until you're comfortable with processing RAW images.

Your Comments

i went with the ZS50 based soley on price. the cameras have the same zoom length, very similar in the hand, and both have good controls and shoot raw. i really like the EVF, too - it's small but clear. neither they nor the sony are great for low light, nor is any other small sensor camera. you can mitigate some of the graininess in low light by learning to use your camera always shooting raw+jpg - then if you have a pic you really want to improve, you can.