Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Sony RX100 VII vs Panasonic LUMIX ZS99
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Compact Cameras: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The RX100 VII is the balanced choice: a 1.0-type sensor, a zoom that starts at F2.8 and a viewfinder in a body Sony lists at 302 g. The ZS99 costs clearly less and reaches 720 mm equivalent, as long as you accept a 1/2.3 inch sensor and no viewfinder.
Sony RX100 VII
Buy itA 1.0-type sensor, a 24-200 mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 ZEISS zoom and an electronic viewfinder in a body Sony lists at 302 g with battery and card.
- Sony states a 13.2 x 8.8 mm (1.0 type) CMOS sensor with approximately 20.1 million effective pixels, a far larger light-gathering area than the 1/2.3 inch class.
- The lens covers 24-200 mm in 35 mm equivalent terms at F2.8 to F4.5 with optical SteadyShot, which handles most travel subjects without a second lens.
- A built-in 0.39 type electronic viewfinder with 2,359,296 dots and 100% frame coverage makes framing possible in bright sun.
- It sits in the premium tier, close to cameras with much larger sensors.
- Sony's specification lists a Multi/Micro USB terminal (USB 2.0), not USB Type-C.
- The maximum aperture narrows to F4.5 at the long end, so low light at 200 mm equivalent is harder work.
Panasonic LUMIX ZS99
Buy itA 30x optical zoom reaching 720 mm equivalent in a 322 g body with USB Type-C charging, built around a small 1/2.3 inch sensor.
- Panasonic states an optical 30x zoom of 24 mm to 720 mm in 35 mm equivalent terms, reach that the other three cameras here do not approach.
- Stills can be saved as RAW as well as JPEG, the camera records 4K video, and the stabiliser is listed as an optical method.
- Charging is over USB Type-C and the 3.0 inch touch screen is listed at approximately 1,843,200 dots.
- The sensor is a 1/2.3 inch MOS type, the smallest class in this comparison, so expect more noise indoors and at dusk than from the Sony or Fujifilm.
- Maximum aperture is F3.3 at the wide end and F6.4 at full zoom, which limits low-light use at long focal lengths.
- Panasonic's specification for the DC-ZS99 lists a monitor but no viewfinder.
Side by side
| Sony RX100 VII | Panasonic LUMIX ZS99 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Travellers who want one pocketable camera with a useful zoom, a viewfinder and a sensor clearly larger than the small-sensor class. | Daylight travel, safaris, stadium seats and anyone who wants far-away subjects from a jacket pocket more than they want low-light quality. |
| Price tier | $$ · premium | $ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Sony RX100 VII - A 1.0-type sensor, a 24-200 mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 ZEISS zoom and an electronic viewfinder in a body Sony lists at 302 g with battery and card. Choose the Panasonic LUMIX ZS99 instead if daylight travel, safaris, stadium seats and anyone who wants far-away subjects from a jacket pocket more than they want low-light quality.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Compact Cameras: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).