Like earlier iterations of Panasonic's travel zoom range, the TZ30 boasts plenty of features that jet-setters will find invaluable.
Key talking points include the GPS unit, which lets photographers tag location information on shots, and a 20x optical zoom, which Panasonic claims is the world's slimmest camera with this amount of zoom. At 24mm wide angle it's definitely got the chops to capture plenty of landscapes. There's also HDR (high dynamic range) mode, which automatically stitches together several exposures in-camera, and an easy panorama mode.
More updates come in the form of the redesigned 14.1-megapixel high-sensitivity MOS sensor, which, combined with the new Venus Engine, means the TZ30 can shoot at up to 10 frames per second. Full HD video recording is now progressive, at 1080p in AVCHD format. The TZ30 can be charged via USB rather than having to remove the battery and charge it via a dedicated wall charger.
Last year's TZ20 impressed us with its quick shooting performance, but was a disappointing low-light performer. The 3-inch screen still has a relatively low resolution of 460,000 dots, which pales in comparison to many of its competitors from 2011 that possess bright, high-res panels. We'll have to wait and see how the 2012 crop stacks up against the TZ30 as Panasonic is usually the first to announce its zoomy compacts in the calendar year. Local pricing and availability hasn't been confirmed yet.
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