Panasonic DC-ZS70 / DC-TZ90 vs Panasonic Lumix ZS80 — Which Is Better?

The Panasonic DC-ZS70 / DC-TZ90 and the Panasonic Lumix ZS80 are compact cameras with fixed lenses, and the ZS80 is the newer model, released in 2019 against the ZS70's 2017. Their bodies are close in size: the ZS70 measures 112 x 67 x 41 mm, while the ZS80 is 112 x 69 x 42 mm. The ZS70 is also the lighter of the two at 322 g against 327 g, a 5 g difference.

The Lumix ZS80 gives you a much more detailed electronic viewfinder for framing and checking focus, with 2,330,000 dots against 1,166,000 on the ZS70. That near-doubling of the dot count makes fine detail, such as a bird's plumage or a distant landmark, easier to judge before you press the shutter. Both viewfinders are electronic, so the advantage lies in viewing clarity rather than a different viewing method.

Autofocus coverage favours the ZS70: it offers 49 autofocus points against 1 on the ZS80, which helps when you want an off-centre subject under its own point. Resolution and sensor format are shared: both record 20 MP images on a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, so file sizes and cropping room are alike. Both also have in-body stabilisation for handheld work.

The ZS70 is the better pick if you shoot time-lapses on the move, because it has built-in time-lapse recording while the ZS80 does not. Capturing a sunset or clouds rolling over a hike directly in camera saves carrying interval gear or stitching frames yourself.

The recording limits for ordinary clips are shared: both reach 4K resolution and offer video frame rates up to 60 fps, writing MPEG-4 or MOV files. Filming a dog running along a beach therefore gains no resolution or format advantage from choosing either camera.

Both cameras frame selfies and overhead shots the same way: each carries a 3-inch LCD touch screen with 1,040,000 dots that flips for awkward angles. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both make transferring photos to a phone straightforward. Each includes a built-in flash for dim interiors, while neither offers GPS or weather sealing, so geotagging a travel album means pairing a phone's location data with either body.

The ZS80 holds the storage advantage here: its card slot supports UHS-I SD cards, enabling faster writes when you clear the buffer after a burst. The battery setup is shared: both use the DMW-BLG10 battery with a 380-shot rating, charge over USB and take a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card.