ZOOM COMPACTS

Panasonic TZ200 $1,048, panasonic.com/au

Like the Sony, you get a big one-inch, 20MP sensor, but the 24-360mm equivalent lens provides a 15x zoom. You also get a touchscreen and EVF, and 4K recording. The two cameras are very evenly matched, despite the price difference. It’s bigger than the Sony, but the textured grip helps keep it steady. The controls are grouped for one-handed use, and are pretty clearly marked and easy to use. There’s an adjustment ring on the lens too, for tweaks while shooting. The Light Speed autofocus system lives up to its name in good light throughout the zoom range, though it isn’t great when taking fast-paced action shots. The battery is rated for 300 shots when using the EVF – again, good for a day out. The TZ200 handles itself well, but to keep noise low there’s a bit too much smoothing for us in JPEGs. Pics are well detailed and vibrant, but sharpness suffers at the end of the zoom range. Dynamic range is handled solidly. VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Great 15x zoom; good handling and controls; impressive images. WE’D IMPROVE Sharpness at longer zooms is weak; image smoothing can be frustrating.

Sony RX100 VI $1,448, sony.com.au

This 20MP camera has a big price and the features to match. The 24-200mm equivalent lens gets near a 10x zoom, and the image processor comes from Sony’s pro-level A9 camera. There’s a touchscreen, electronic viewfinder, and 4K video recording. This is unbelievably small given its features. So it’s great for portability, though not the easiest to handle. The controls are a little small too. The EVF pops out of the body when needed, ready to use right away. The tilting touchscreen is really useful. The power of Sony’s image processor means shooting feels really slick. Autofocus is always fast and you can tap to focus rapidly on the touchscreen. The battery is rated for 240 shots, so should last a day. The small size makes it easy to carry a spare. You get a shorter zoom range here than the TZ200, but the sharpness is much better, so it’s actually a more usable zoom in many ways. Colours are lovely, noise is low, and the metering balances exposure really well automatically. Top stuff. VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Outstanding picture quality; portable body with tilting screen; high-end features. WE’D IMPROVE Slightly awkward handling; limited zoom compared to TZ200; average battery life.