Panasonic TZ90From real comments

Verdict distilled from 35 mentions across 14 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment31%
PROS 31%
CONS 69%

Rank based on 35 mentions across 14 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You want a pocketable, lightweight 30x zoom camera for travel photography
  • You mainly shoot in good daylight and value a flip-up screen for vlogging
  • You're comfortable using manual/touch-focus controls instead of relying on full auto mode

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need reliable low-light autofocus and clean high-ISO video
  • You require a microphone input jack for external audio
  • You want smooth, judder-free zoom while recording 4K video

What users complain about

Compare in seconds

Based on user comments

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4Premium
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Excellent image quality for sizePocketable and discreetBright versatile lensHigh price for its ageAutofocus inconsistencyDust and mechanical wear
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Bright versatile lens
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6Mid
Canon PowerShot G12
CCD sensor color qualityFlip-out LCD screenSharp, high-quality imagesLimited video recording capabilitiesPlastic body feels less premiumFeels outdated next to smartphones
Canon PowerShot G12
CCD sensor color quality
Flip-out LCD screen
Sharp, high-quality images
Limited video recording capabilities
Plastic body feels less premium
Feels outdated next to smartphones
7Budget
Canon PowerShot G15
Compact, pocketable designGreat value used/secondhandGood image quality for screen/social useBlown highlights and overexposureSmall sensor limits print qualityAuto lens cover scratching issues
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Great value used/secondhand
Good image quality for screen/social use
Blown highlights and overexposure
Small sensor limits print quality
Auto lens cover scratching issues
8Premium
Fujifilm X100V
Excellent image quality and film simulationsCompact, pocketable design for street and travelHybrid optical/electronic viewfinderFixed lens limits flexibilityInconsistent autofocusNo in-body image stabilization
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Sony RX100
Highly pocketable and portableSharp, detailed image qualityGreat for travel and everyday carryCramped controls and small gripHigh and rising priceSmall viewfinder
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Highly pocketable and portable
Sharp, detailed image quality
Great for travel and everyday carry
Cramped controls and small grip
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Small viewfinder
10Mid
Fujifilm X100F
Compact, discreet everyday carryExcellent film simulations & JPEGsReignites creative passionRising used pricesSlower/dated autofocusSoft lens wide open / at edges
Fujifilm X100F
Compact, discreet everyday carry
Excellent film simulations & JPEGs
Reignites creative passion
Rising used prices
Slower/dated autofocus
Soft lens wide open / at edges
You are here
31Mid
Panasonic TZ90
Compact and lightweightFlip-up screen for vloggingLong 30x optical zoomPoor autofocus in low lightGrainy low-light performanceCommon zoom-switch and focus mechanical fault
Panasonic TZ90
Compact and lightweight
Flip-up screen for vlogging
Long 30x optical zoom
Poor autofocus in low light
Grainy low-light performance
Common zoom-switch and focus mechanical fault

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

A genuinely pocketable long-zoom camera that travelers love for its size and reach. Commenters repeatedly highlight how small and light the TZ90 is compared to a DSLR, making it ideal for trekking, travel, and street photography, paired with a 30x optical zoom that lets users get close shots easily. Several praise the Leica lens sharpness, sound quality, and flip-up screen for selfies, with one long-term owner reporting it still worked well years after purchase, needing only a single sensor repair.

Video shooters run into shaky zoom, autofocus hunting, and exposure problems. Multiple users report juddery, non-smooth zooming specifically in 4K mode, along with autofocus that hunts or loses focus in low light and during vlogging. Others complain of frequent overexposure and blown-out skies outdoors, foggy or soft-looking footage, and grainy, poor low-light performance both in stills and on the LCD screen, with some feeling the camera underperforms compared to competing compacts like the Sony HX60.

A widely reported mechanical zoom-switch and focus fault undermines long-term reliability. Several commenters describe the same zoom-switch and rear dial fault needing DIY contact-cleaner fixes, while another notes that by 2024 the focusing fault had become so common that repair services specifically advertise fixing it. The lens mechanism is also described as easy to dent or jam if bumped, and the missing microphone jack limits serious vloggers wanting better external audio.

Outdated / Not-accurate data?