Techradar: Logi Circle

Update: When we reviewed the Logi Circle, we enjoyed how simple it was to setup and use on a day-to-day basis. However, we criticized it for not offering a video backup solution.

Since then, Logi has introduced Circle Safe, a tiered subscription service that allows you to backup video clips for later viewing. The free account gives up to a day's worth of clips to look back on, while Circle Safe Basic allows for up to 14 days of storage. 

But, if you're looking for the most amount of features and peace of mind, then Circle Safe Premium might be your best bet. Not only does it up the amount of footage that's encrypted, then stored in Logi's servers to 31 days, it gives you access to a bevy of advanced AI-driven tools to make monitoring more customized for $9.99 per month, per camera, or $99 for one year, per camera.

Person Detection is fairly self-explanatory. The Circle cuts out all of the visual noise except for a human, then alerts you via notification. It's pretty handy when you have a lot of movement in your space.

Next up, Motion Zones. The still-excellent Logi Circle app now lets Premium customers to set distinct zones to monitor for movement. Keeping the expensive bouquet of flowers up on the table and don't want the cat getting up there? Set up a zone, so you can yell at it in time through the Circle's built-in microphone. These custom zones don't have to fit within a broad square shape. You can bend the lines so that it fits things like a table or a couch, too.

Lastly, Logi now allows you to create filters to make going through clips easier. After all, you're probably looking for something particular, right? Did the dog jump on the couch with its muddy paws? If you named one of your zones "couch", you can set that as a filter and look at the clips that only involve the couch, for instance.

The list of improvements and additions that Logi has made to its Circle camera and companion app is long, and it's only going to get bigger. Needless to say, the Circle is a much better product than it was when it released just over a year ago.

Original review follows below.

Investing in a home security camera is a wise move if you want to protect your family and valuables. But after you buy one and set it up, that's about all there is to do with it. That is, until something bad happens and you need to drudge through hours of footage. It's not a purchase known for offering any bit of fun. Some might argue that to have "fun" isn't why people buy security cameras, but Logi begs to differ.

The $199 (£159, about AU$274) Logi Circle operates in a similar "set-it-and-forget-it" fashion as other options, but that's where the comparison stops. Its design and companion app are full of engaging features that make filtering through the day's happenings much easier and, dare I say, more fun than any other home security camera on the market.

Design and app

The Logi Circle starts off on a good note with its simple, unobtrusive design. Its friendly look is the first step in Logi's campaign to brush off the stigma that home security has to be so serious. It reminds me less of something that, say, an airport would use, and more like one of those hilarious, killer robots from Portal.

The curvy body of the camera is made of matte-textured white plastic that meets with a slick, metallic ring, which covers up its omni-directional microphones. The front-facing section makes the jump back to plastic and is visually accented with a camera lens in its middle. What's a little difficult to see (unless the camera is on) is the LED indicator at the top of the circular, black area.

This camera is fixed to a stand, which gives it stability and allows it to tilt forward and backward with about 90 degrees of freedom. It's enough freedom that you could easily mount the Circle onto a wall, or do as I did and set it on top of a flat surface. Should you want to mount it, Logi provides all the adhesive and screws that you'll need to do so.

Inside the box, Logi includes a dock, which feeds the Circle its power. That's not to say that you can't go dock-free and move the camera about your house. It's just that it isn't a habit that I recommended getting into, since the internal battery can't survive much longer than a good night's sleep. There's really no reason to, especially since the USB cable, which stretches to 10 feet in length, is long enough to reach the nearest power outlet in your living space no matter where you want to install the Circle.

*Smartphone required

The Logi Circle is managed completely through its companion app, available on Android and iOS. It allows you to make several adjustments to the camera, even when you aren't home. You can do standard stuff like zoom in and out on the feed, turn off the LED indicator, and mute the microphone. One especially neat feature allows you to chat into your phone, allowing whoever is in the vicinity of the Circle to engage with you in a convenient, albeit limited conversation. This seems most ideal for a practical situation like like spooking a pet off the couch or chatting with your babysitter.

The very nature in which the Logi Circle records is a bit different from other solutions out there. In an effort to eliminate useless footage, the camera only saves clips of video where things happen. Be it a fluctuation in visual or audible activity, that's the only content you'll be able to pilfer through on the app.

It's a bit of a bummer that the app ditches any unsaved clips at the turn of each day by default, but it's a choice that incentivizes me to take the time to look through each clip. When I received the review sample from Logi, I wasn't too concerned with monitoring my valuables. My partner and I recently adopted a cat, and I instead watched the clips to see how it was adjusting to life at home alone. For that use, it was perfect.

Performance and verdict

I've talked already about how Logi's Circle camera is supposed to perform, but what matters is how it actually performs in the field. Though it doesn't set out to play on the same plane as more comprehensive options, I'm delighted that this camera does exactly what it sets out to do, and does it well.

Setting up the camera is a cinch. First, find where you want to position the Logi Circle. Then, once it's connected to power, download the app and the camera will join your Wi-Fi network, which allows it to beam footage to the app, no matter your location. While on a weekend vacation in Louisville, KY, I could peer into my NYC apartment.

Its camera sensor is capable of high definition capture in both light and dark rooms. When the lights go out, it automatically flips on night vision mode. Speaking on the video quality, it doesn't look sharp enough to be 1080p, but even so, both the live feed and recorded footage look nice on the app.

The interface of the app is user-friendly, lining up the day's clips in a scrollable wheel along the right side of the screen. If the event took place during the day, the circle is green. If it took place at night, it's translucent. Of course, you can take a peep at the live feed to see if anything's happening at the moment.

Perhaps, the coolest feature packed into the app is called Day Brief. It's for those who are short on time, and want a TL;DR version of what happened during the day. At the press of a button, every saved clip from the past 24 hours gets smushed into a 30-second clip that plays like a GIF. It's fun to watch the sun come up, then go down and see you and your loved ones moving at the speed of life.

Verdict

The Logi Circle is the ideal home security solution if you're looking for a fun, interactive way to keep an eye on the happenings inside of your home. Its simple setup and the app's ease of use even extend a hand to those who aren't too tech savvy.

I imagine that security experts wouldn't recommend this camera because of its lack of constant recording capabilities and comprehensive backup options. But the Logi Circle isn't made to defend Fort Knox. Its design puts the focus on all of the fun things that happen around your home, with the peace of mind of having a camera watching over you as an added bonus.

from TechRadar: Cameras and camcorder reviews http://ift.tt/2g2IJng
via IFTTT

Read More

Techradar: Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Canon's EOS 5D Mark III has a lot to live up to. For a start, the original Canon EOS 5D was the first DSLR to really bring full-frame digital photography within the reach of enthusiast photographers. Then came its replacement, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which kick-started the current trend for shooting video on a DSLR.

So naturally, as the 5D Mark II clocked up its third birthday in September 2011, the rumour mill slipped into overdrive with lots of speculation about the likely specification of the 5D Mark III.

While it might not have the headline-grabbing 36MP pixel count of the Nikon D810, Canon's latest full-frame camera has lots to offer enthusiast photographers.

Features

• Full-frame CMOS sensor, 22.3MP
• 3.2-inch screen, 1,040,000 dots
• 1080p video capture

With 22.3 million effective pixels, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III's sensor only has 1.2MP more than the 21.1MP Canon EOS 5D Mark II that it replaces, but it has 4.2MP more than the 18.1MP Canon EOS-1D X at the top of Canon's DSLR line-up.

Whereas the Canon EOS-1D X has two DIGIC 5+ processors, the 5D Mark III has one, which in combination with its eight-channel readout means that it has a top continuous shooting speed of 6fps.

This is half the rate of Canon's top-end camera, and it may disappoint those hoping for something in the region of 8fps or more. It's a big jump from the 3.9fps of the Canon 5D Mark II, though, and the burst depth is an impressive 18 raw images or 16,270 JPEGs (when a UDMA 7 card is used).

Sensitivity may be set in the range of ISO100-25,600 in 1/3-stop or whole stop increments, and it can be expanded to include L: ISO 50, H1: ISO 51200, H2 ISO102,400.

Predictably, Canon has upgraded the metering system to its iFCL metering. Existing Canon EOS 5D Mark II users may find it takes a little getting used to as it reacts in a similar way to centre-weighted metering and puts greater emphasis on the subject under the active AF point.

In some situations this is a blessing, but with exceptionally dark or light main subjects the results may not be the same as the Canon EOS 5D Mark II would produce in its evaluative metering mode.

Its video capability was one of the big successes of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, and Canon hasn't changed much of its specification for the Mark III version, but there are some significant improvements.

Firstly there's the introduction of a live view/movie switch on the rear, like on the Canon EOS 7D, to speed up movie activation.

There's also a headphone socket for monitoring the stereo audio, which can be adjusted in the same way as that on the Canon EOS-1D X.

Until now Canon hasn't had a DSLR with in-camera HDR recording, but the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is capable of recording and merging three shots to produce a high dynamic range image.

This is extremely useful, since it records all three shots as well as the processed HDR image, and if you shoot raw and JPEG images simultaneously, you'll find you have a total of seven images, including three raw files that you can process yourself if you wish.

Another difference between the Mark II and III versions of the Canon EOS 5D is that the newer camera has two card ports, one for compact flash and the other for SD format cards. There's no XQD card port.

• Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Mark IV: 21 key differences

Build and handling

• Magnesium alloy and polycarbonate construction
• Dust and weather-sealed
• 950g

According to Canon, the EOS 5D Mark III has better weatherproofing than the Mk II version. This is something that's difficult to test in the short term, but many enthusiasts and pros will be reassured by that knowledge.

The camera is large, but not in the same league as the Canon EOS-1D X, since it lacks the additional portrait orientation grip and controls.

The finger grip is covered in a textured rubber-like coating that helps it feel secure in your grasp, and the contours of the front and rear make it comfortable to hold.

Overall there is a feeling of quality, and the magnesium alloy body doesn't squeak or creak when squeezed tightly.

The body of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is largely unchanged from the Mark II's, but there are a few key differences. The pentaprism lump on the top, for example, is a little larger and more rounded to accommodate the AF module, which is 2.5x larger than the one in the Canon EOS 5D Mk II.

There's also the live view/video switch on the back of the camera, which is within easy reach of the right thumb. In addition, Canon has added a couple of new buttons. The first of these is to access three creative options: Picture Styles, Multiple Exposure (up to nine images can be combined into one) and the HDR modes.

Another new button is marked Rate, and pressing it in playback mode enables you to rate the image - one press for one star, two for two, and so on. These ratings are logged in the EXIF data and are visible in Adobe Bridge and Photoshop Elements.

We found the Rate feature extremely useful when reviewing images taken during this test, since it makes sitting on the bus or train home from a shoot productive. You may not use it to make your final image selection, but it's useful for working out which are the best images to consider.

Pleasingly, Canon has given the EOS 5D Mark III the same 3.2-inch 1,040,000-dot Clear View II TFT LCD screen as the Canon EOS-1DX.

The gap between the LCD display and its glass cover has been filled with an optical gel, and this helps to keep reflections at bay. We found that the screen provides a sharp, clear view even when shooting outside in bright sunlight.

Given the Canon EOS 5D's reputation as video camera, it's a shame that Canon wasn't bold enough to give the Mark III version an articulating screen. 

Autofocus

• 61-point AF, 41 cross-type AF points
• 21 cross-type AF points at f/4
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF for Live View

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III has the same 61-point wide-area autofocus system as the flagship Canon EOS-1D X. This is a big improvement on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which has nine user selectable AF points and six assist points, giving a total of 15.

Of these 61 points, 41 are cross-type and five are dual cross-type points, which is good news for accuracy. The customisable AF presets introduced in the Canon EOS-1D X are also available, which Canon claims helps when shooting more challenging subjects.

However, this means that existing Canon EOS 5D Mark II users have a steep learning curve when shooting sport and action scenes.There are six AF Area Selection modes, including Spot AF (Manual Selection), Single-point AF (Manual Selection), AF Point Expansion (Manual Selection), AF Point Expansion (Manual Selection, Surrounding 8 Points), Zone AF (Manual selection of Zone) and 61-Point Automatic Selection AF.

On top of this, the the AI Servo (continuous AF) mode characteristics such as tracking sensitivity, acceleration/deceleration tracking and AF point switching can be adjusted.Helpfully, there are a number of sport-orientated 'Case Studies' or setup arrangements that enable users to select the correct options for the subject. We found that the AF system is fast and accurate. It did a good job of keeping up with skateboarders and BMX riders in subdued light in this test.

• The best full-frame DSLRs you can buy right now

Performance

• 6fps burst shooting
• Quiet shooting mode (3fps)
• Multiple Picture Styles

A burst shooting rate of 6fps is solid if unspectacular, while wildlife photographers may find the Canon EOS 5D Mark III's Quiet Mode useful, because unlike other quiet modes, it doesn't rely on the mirror being held up after the shot has been taken. 

Instead the mirror moves more slowly, and a new mechanism dampens the movement to reduce the noise.The end result isn't silent, but it's much quieter than in normal shooting mode, and it enables a maximum continuous shooting rate of 3fps.

Canon produces one of the best white balance systems around, and the one in the Canon EOS 5D Mark III doesn't disappoint. When set to the automatic setting, images look natural and generally retain the atmosphere of the shooting conditions.

The Standard picture style is a great option for most situations, but others such as Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape are on hand, along with three custom options, if you want a different look.

Image quality

• ISO100-256,000 expandable to 50-102,400 (H2)
• Built-in low-pass filter
• +/-5 EV exposure compensation in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments

The Nikon D810 is viewed by many as the natural competitor for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Given its class-leading pixel count, it's not really a surprise that the Nikon D810 is capable of resolving more detail than the 5D Mark III.

What is a little surprising, however, is that the Nikon camera also produces raw and JPEG images that have a higher dynamic range when the lower sensitivity images are used.

We might have expected this to be the other way around, given that the pixels on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III's sensor have more space.

It is only when the sensitivity of raw files is pushed to ISO800, or the JPEG sensitivity is ISO3200 or higher, that the Canon EOS 5D Mark III's dynamic range is higher than the Nikon D810's.

Nevertheless, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is extremely capable, and it resolves an impressively high level of detail in both raw and JPEG files, which only really starts to dip when the sensitivity is pushed to ISO25,600.

Our tests also show that from around ISO100 and above, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a slightly higher signal to noise ratio than the Nikon D810, so images have less noise.

However, as is usually the case, noise becomes quite noticeable when the upper sensitivity expansion settings (ISO51,200 and ISO102,400) are used, so these are best reserved for emergencies.

We also found that at the top settings, the camera can struggle to render tonal gradations in some red subjects, and small patches of uniform tone appear, giving parts of the image a posterised appearance.

Despite these issues, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is capable of producing some very impressive results in low light.

When shooting some BMX riders in dim light, for example, the sensitivity was pushed to ISO12,800 and the JPEG results look very good at A3 size.

Even at 100 per cent on the computer screen, images look respectable, with only a slight mottling of luminance noise and some softening of some fine details. Raw files, of course, can be processed to reveal a bit more detail provided you don't mind a bit of texture.

Video

• 30, 25 or 24fps
• Max duration 29min 59sec, Max single file size 4GB
• Uncompressed 8bit 4.2.2 via HDMI

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II hit the market in late 2008, and although it wasn't the first DSLR to offer HD video, its ability to record at 1080p footage overshadowed the Nikon D90's 720p, making it the popular choice for many movie makers.

Its launch also marked the beginning of a new era, since for the first time a DSLR was capable of producing video footage that, in the right hands, could rival the visual style and quality of a professional-level movie camera.

Yet despite the Mark II's popularity, early issues with frame rates, audio levels and manual control left many working with its video features feeling frustrated.

Users had to wait a year before the 21.1 million pixel full-frame sensor's full video potential could be realised, when official and unofficial firmware updates unlocked additional features such as zebra stripes, depth of field estimates and an assortment of other handy cinematic tools.

Its replacement, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was finally announced in March 2012, offering a new sensor, image enhancements and a host of video improvements.

The headline features don't seem on paper to be that far removed from what has come before, with frame rates remaining at 24, 25 and 30fps at 1080p.

Unfortunately there are no 50 or 60fps options on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, even though these faster rates have been seen on rival models from both Sony and Panasonic.

However, features such as intra-frame (All-i) formats for higher quality footage, along with SMTPE time code, have migrated down from the Canon EOS 1DX, and recording times have been extended from the relatively short 12 minutes to 29 minutes 59 seconds.

For Canon EOS 5D Mark II users, one of the biggest issues had been the complete lack of audio monitoring through headphones. This is now added to the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, along with visual audio level indicators - these levels appeared on the Mark II after an early firmware update.

One big advantage of the Mark III over the Mark II is the addition of silent controls, again migrated from the 1D X. After activation these enable you to use the rear dial to adjust aperture, ISO and audio values through a touch-sensitive response, but this feature only becomes active while shooting.

A light touch is of course needed, but when you compare this with the noise of moving the dials, as with the Mark II, the benefits of eliminating dial clicks or inevitable shake while filming are instantly apparent.

So the Canon EOS 5D Mark III has made steps rather than leaps forward with video, and because of this, unofficial firmware versions have already appeared, again offering features that many feel should have been incorporated into the official release firmware. Perhaps zebras and peaking might at some point feature in Canon's plans

As ever, specs and features are only part of the picture, and the video enhancements can only be confirmed as improvements after handling the camera.

As with the Mark II or any other DSLR featuring video, the video features, frame rates and audio setup are accessed through the menus, and as expected there's really little difference in how you select the quality, resolution and other video features with the Mark III.

Sure enough there are a few more options for the Mark III, but nothing groundbreaking. The addition of the intra-frame format is a benefit, offering higher quality files, although this is somewhat overshadowed by the knowledge that both the Nikon D800 and Nikon D600 offer clean HDMI output to external recorders. (Update now added in the latest firmware).

Comparing footage shot on both the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 5D Mark III reveals there is a noticeable difference in the noise and dynamic range, especially as you journey through the sensitivity values.

At the lower end, say ISO160, footage looks very similar from the two models. However, moving up to ISO6400, the Mark III footage is noticeably cleaner, showing less chromatic noise in the shadows and a greater level of detail.

As always the difference in quality is relative, and this difference is only highlighted when footage from the two models is viewed side-by-side.

The Mark II also suffered from issues such as rolling shutter and moiré. Although the moiré was less of an issue on the Mark II when compared with Canon's APS-C cameras, rolling shutter inevitably causes problems with almost any type of panning.

Here Canon seems to have resolved the issue, and in several panning tests the effect is minimal and far less noticeable. One major improvement is the issue of dropping frames while panning, and while this happens constantly with the 5D Mark II's footage, on test the Mark III produced clean frames without drops, even when panning quickly.

For many, one of the biggest downsides of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II was the audio monitoring. And while it was capable of recording audio using an external mic, the inability to actually hear in real time what was being recorded was a major inconvenience.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III adds a headphone socket that enables this real-time monitoring of audio and really does make a huge difference, especially when presenting live.

However, as with all video-enabled DSLRs, while the audio is good, the preamps are still not fantastic, so for a true clean audio experience an external recorder is still a good idea. On this front the addition of time coding should make audio syncing post-capture that much easier.

The recording procedure has also changed for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, with a dedicated live view movie to still switch to the right of the viewfinder replacing the old single live view option of the 5D Mark II.

This means that you don't have to swap between still and movie live view modes in the settings, which is a great time saving addition.

The way you start and stop video recording has also changed, with the new switch holding the start/stop record button, as opposed to the Mark II's Set to Start option.

The large control dial on the back is now touch-active to adjust settings while shooting, which takes a little time to get used to, but in practice works well.

While it's a nice touch, you generally set the exposure before shooting, and although you avoid the clunk of a rotating dial and to some extent movement from having to physically move the dials, the electronic aperture control still generates a fair amount of noise.

Sample images

The iFCL metering performed well here, the highlights in the petal have not burned out.

See full res image

Although the LCD screen has a wide viewing angle and reflections aren't a major issue, when you are shooting from very low angles it is impossible to see the subject without lying flat on the ground.

See full res image

The 5D Mark III has a wide dynamic range, but it can't capture detail in both the dark shadow and the sky here - one for HDR mode.

See full res image

HDR Mode sequence images

Normal exposure - the left side of the sky has burned out

See full res image

The over-exposed shot taken as part of the HDR sequence.

See full res image

The under-exposed shot taken as part of the HDR sequence.

See full res image

The in-camera HDR result, there are no true blacks or whites in this image, but the end result is natural looking.

See full res image

High ISO, 6fps sequence

Aesthetically, this and the other images in the sequence would benefit from cropping, but we have included the full scene so you can examine the whole image. The camera managed to keep the cyclist in focus from the approach, to take off and throughout the jump and landing.

See full res image

See full res image

See full res image

See high res image

This image has been shot at ISO 12,800 and really shows the low light capabilities of the 5D Mark III. Best seen at high res, an impressive amount of detail has been rendered.

See high res image

Colours directly from the 5D Mark III are represented well, as shown in this image shot in Auto White Balance.

See high res image

This is another image that shows the impressive color rendition of the 5D Mark III, shot at Auto ISO, the camera has coped well in a dark (indoor) situation.

See high res image

This image shows the incredibly shallow depth of field effects that can be achieved when using a full-frame camera (shot at f/2.8)

See high res image

Shot at ISO 8000, if you look closely at the high res image you can see how much detail has been resolved in the fabric. An impressive amount that would be more than usable for most photographers.

See high res image

See high res image

The 5D Mark III has 61 autofocus points, and we've found that it is able to lock onto the subject quickly and easily, even in low light and difficult scenarios.

See high res image

Even at incredibly high ISOs such as ISO 20,000 as seen in this picture, the images remain usable - again it's best to have a look at the high res image to truly get a feel for how well the noise has been controlled.

See high res image

For comparison, this image has been shot at the camera's highest possible ISO setting (Hi2), which is ISO 102,400.

See high res image

This image was shot using the Canon 100mm Macro 'L' lens. Selecting one of the 61 autofocus points allows you to hone in on fine detail.

See high res image

Autofocus settings can be changed to use zone AF, which clusters together autofocus points into zones selectable via the joystick on the back of the camera.

Verdict

While the key specification changes since the 5D Mark II largely just bring the Canon EOS 5D Mark III into line with Canon's existing DSLRs, we're impressed with the results from the new camera.

Raw and JPEG images have plenty of detail, noise is well controlled at the higher native sensitivity settings and colour and exposure are generally very good.

Canon has also clearly put in a lot of thought about how enthusiasts use a camera, and the new HDR system is the best on the market.

Images are generally well exposed, thanks to the iFCL metering, and the white balance and Picture Styles deliver the colour and tones we expect from a top-end Canon camera.

Provided you keep the camera reasonably still, the Canon EOS 5D Mk III's HDR mode does a great job of aligning and merging images, plus you have the fallback of all the raw and JPEG files if you want.

Existing Canon EOS 5D Mark II users will find the AF system more complex than they're used to. While this is an improvement, the various AF-point selection mode options and characteristic adjustments can be a little confusing.

It suffers a little from the fact that the majority of the systems have been seen elsewhere in the Canon DSLR lineup, and therefore there is nothing really groundbreaking.

Image quality throughout the native sensitivity range is excellent, noise is well controlled and there's plenty of detail. The AF system has been given a serious upgrade on what the Canon EOS 5D Mark II version has, and it puts in an excellent performance.

Competition

from TechRadar: Cameras and camcorder reviews http://ift.tt/YC4U3U
via IFTTT

Read More

Techradar: Panasonic Lumix ZS100 / TZ100

Panasonic entered the digital camera market in 2001, and in 2006 produced the first of its popular ZS range (TZ outside the US), a series of cameras with a small body and a large zoom range designed to appeal to travellers.

It's safe to say that in the 10 intervening years, lots of advancements have been made, many of which Panasonic itself has been first to introduce. ZS / TZ cameras have proved a big hit over the years, and with the shift towards more high-end features in compact cameras, Panasonic has now raised its game with a new model, the Lumix ZS100 / TZ100.

The most noteworthy change that the TZ100 brings is the move from a 1/2.3-inch sensor like the unit found in the ZS60 / TZ80, to a much larger 1-inch type device with 20.1 million effective pixels. One inch sensors have become very popular in the past few years, first with Sony's RX100 range, and more lately, with Canon's latest G series compact cameras .

Features

• 1.0-inch CMOS sensor, 20.1MP
• 25-250mm f/2.8-5.9 zoon lens
• 4K video capture

A 1.0-inch sensor immediately raises the ZS100 / TZ100 above the level of many other rival travel cameras. It's the same same sensor as is found in Panasonic's top-end bridge camera, the very successful FZ1000. In the ZS100 / TZ100, it is combined with a new Venus Engine processor and a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 25-250mm f/2.8-5.9 zoom lens. There's also Panasonic's Power OIS stabilisation system for stills photography and 5-axis hybrid OIS stabilisation for video.

Despite the increase in pixel count over that of last year's ZS50 / TZ70, the fact that the sensor is 4x larger in the ZS100 means that the pixels are 2.4x bigger, which should be very good news for image quality and noise control in particular. This has given Panasonic the courage to give the ZS100 a native sensitivity range of ISO125-12,800, and there are also expansion settings of ISO80, 100 and 25,600.

The 10x optical zoom means that Panasonic is describing the ZS100 as belonging to an entirely new sector of the travel compact market – premium superzoom. All of the other small form (pocketable) one-inch sensor cameras are limited in their zoom range, so it's quite exciting to see the company coming up with a camera which should appeal even more to travelling photographers.

Given Panasonic's enthusiasm for all things 4K, it's no surprise that the ZS100 has 4K recording capability (at 30 or 25 frames per second) and 4K Photo modes are present to make it easy to shoot 8MP still images at 30 frames per second (fps). There's also Panasonic's latest addition to the 4K fold, Post Focus mode. In this mode the camera takes a sequence of images with different focus distances and you can choose the shot in which your subject is sharp post capture.

In addition, the ZS100 has 4K cropping which enables the composition of 4K footage to be improved and down-sampled to Full HD in-camera.

Viewfinders are making a welcome comeback to compact cameras and the ZS100 / TZ100 has a 0.2-inch, 1,160,000-dot electronic viewfinder built-in to make it easier to compose images in bright ambient light. Naturally this is accompanied by a larger screen on the back of the camera, and in this instance it's a 3-inch 1,040,000-dot unit that is touch-sensitive. Helpfully there's an eye sensor to detect when the camera is held to the eye to switch off the main screen and activate the EVF.

Another cherry on the specification cake is the fact that the ZS100 can record raw files as well as JPEGs. This sits well with the aperture priority, shutter priority and manual exposure modes that accompany the automated shooting options. Also, the shutter speed may be set to 60-1/2000 secs when the mechanical shutter is in use or 1-1/16000 secs with the electronic shutter. It should therefore be possible to freeze very fast movement and use the widest aperture in bright light.

Interestingly, although Wi-Fi connectivity is present, NFC technology is not – Panasonic says that this hasn't proved as widely used as expected. In terms of competition, the ZS100 goes up against the latest one-inch compact cameras from rivals Sony and Canon, including the RX100 IV and the G7X Mark II – but neither feature such extensive zooms. Arguably, therefore, the ZS100 doesn't currently have any close competitors.

• Best travel zoom compact camera

Build and handling

• Solid metal construction
• Black and Silver and Black finishes
• 310g

One of the most exciting aspects of the ZS100 / TZ100 is that it's not a great deal bigger than the ZS60 / TZ80 announced at the same time. It's about 6mm (0.236 inches) thicker than the ZS60, plus 2.2mm (0.0866 inches) longer and 0.5mm (0.0197 inches) wider. That makes it just about small enough to slip in a jeans pocket and it has a metal body shell that feels solid enough to suggest it would survive being carried in that way over a long period of time.

The ZS100 looks fairly similar to the LX100, Panasonic's other current premium compact. It has fairly clean lines, along with a step in the top-plate. The camera will be available in black, or black and silver finishes, with the black and silver version having a red band around the small silver portion of the top-plate. This is a new styling for Panasonic, so it will be interesting to see if this appears elsewhere in the future.

On the front of the camera there's no texture or grip, but there's an indent which helps the camera to sit nicely in your hand. Nevertheless, it makes sense to attach the wrist strap to give an extra degree of security.

Almost all of the ZS100's buttons are grouped towards the right hand side of the camera, making it easy to use one-handed. On top of the camera are two large dials. One is an exposure mode dial which means you can quickly switch between shooting modes (there's a collection of automated and scene modes, along with more advanced program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual options).

The second dial controls different functions depending on the shooting mode you're in. If you're working in aperture priority, you can use it to alter aperture, or shutter speed if in shutter priority. It's in a convenient position for your thumb and has a satisfying amount of stiffness when you turn it.

There's also a ring around the camera's lens which, again, has a different default function depending on the shooting mode. Both this and the dial on top of the camera can be customised to change something else if you prefer. There are also a further four function buttons (marked Fn), which each have default functions, but can be changed to suit a different purpose if you wish. There are five more "virtual" function buttons, which are accessed via the touchscreen and are also customisable.

The (physical) Fn3 button accesses the ZS100 / TZ100's quick menu by default. You can use this menu to move quickly between common settings, such as ISO, metering and white balance. By default, two of the function buttons are used to access the camera's 4K photo modes.

Unlike the electronic viewfinder in Sony's popular RX100 III and RX100 IV compact cameras with 1-inch type sensors, the ZS100's electronic viewfinder is ready for action at any time that the camera is powered up and it doesn't need to be popped out for use. Furthermore, there's a sensor which automatically detects when the camera has been lifted to your eye to switch on the viewfinder, and switch the screen off. Although undoubtedly useful and a bonus on a pocketable compact camera, the ZS100's viewfinder is small, and while the image is clear and sharp, because of its small size it's unlikely you'll want to use the viewfinder for every shot.

The ZS100 / TZ100's screen is touch-sensitive, which means you can use it to set the focus point, simply tapping an area on the screen you want to use (if you have 1-Area focusing selected). You can also use it to navigate through and around the main menu and the function menu. If you don't like using touch screens, the good news is that everything can also be controlled by a physical button, or a combination of buttons, if you prefer.

In order to use the super fast shutter speeds that the electronic shutter facilitates, you'll need to change from mechanical shutter in the camera's main menu. Once you've done this, you can move past the 1/2000 fastest shutter speed offered by the mechanical shutter and reach speeds up to 1/16000.

Autofocus

• 49-point AF
• Face/Eye detection
• Post-focus function

Lumix cameras have always delivered the goods when it comes to AF speed, and the ZS100 / TZ100 is no different - in good light you can expect the camera to lock-on quickly with almost no delay. 

Even when the light levels drop, the ZS100 performs very well, though the contrast-detect AF will start to struggle when light levels are really poor - but that's to be expected.

• The 10 best compact cameras

Performance

• 10fps burst shooting (6fps with continuous AF)
• Decent optical quality
• 300 shot battery life

The ZS100 / TZ100's all-purpose metering system provides generally accurate exposures, only failing slightly when photographing something with areas of high contrast – but it's no more than we would expect from any camera. Similarly, the automatic white balance system copes well when faced with different lighting conditions. Slightly warmer tones are produced when photographing under artificial light, so if you're concerned with ultimate accuracy, either switch to a preset value or set a custom white balance.

Detail is kept well throughout the ZS100's optical zoom range, with roughly the same amount of detail at the far reach of the telephoto zoom as seen at the wide angle end.

The ability to shoot at 10 frames per second (fps) is pretty impressive, while even with it dropping down to 6fps when you want to use the ZS100's continuous AF is nothing to be sniffed at.

At 300 shots, battery life is reasonable, but if you're intending to use the viewfinder quite a bit, this does drop to 240 shots, so if you're going to be away for a long weekend or longer, then it might be worth thinking about investing in another battery.

Image quality

• ISO125-12,800, expandable to 80-25,600
• Can record plenty of detail
• Pleasing images straight from camera

As the ZS100 / TZ100 uses the same sensor as the FZ1000, we had high hopes that image quality would be good. Happily, those hopes have been borne out both by results from our labs and real-world images.

JPEG images display a great amount of vibrance and punch, without straying too far into unrealistic territory, while the overall impression of detail is fantastic.

At normal printing (A4 or smaller) or on-screen viewing sizes, the ZS100's images, have detail comparable with shots taken on cameras with much larger sensors, such as the GF7 (which has a Four Thirds sensor). And at 100% on screen, despite a little smoothing, it's hard to tell the ZS100's low sensitivity JPEG images apart from the GF7's.

Our lab tests indicate that the ZS100 / TZ100 competes very strongly with the Sony RX100 IV and Canon G5 X, all of which have 1.0-inch type sensors. For signal to noise ratio, the ZS100 beats the other cameras on test throughout the ISO 100-800 range, and most significantly at ISO200. From ISO 1600, the ZS100 is extremely closely matched to the other cameras, while at ISO 3200, the ZS100 beats both the Sony and the Canon.

It's a slightly more complicated picture for the raw format files, where at the lower end of the scale (ISO100-200) the ZS100 is beaten by the Sony and Canon cameras, but from ISO800 right up to ISO12,800, it beats all of the other cameras on test.

For dynamic range, the story is also a little more patchy. For JPEG images taken at the lower end of the scale (ISO200-800), the ZS100 is beaten by the Canon and Sony, but is still pretty good. At 1600, the ZS100 is pretty much tied with the Sony and Canon, while at ISO3200, the Canon beats the ZS100 very slightly, but the ZS100 beats the Sony. At 6400, all of the cameras are closely matched, but at 12800, the ZS100 wins out more significantly.

Looking at the raw format files, performance is particularly impressive. Although at ISO200 it is beaten ever so slightly by the Canon, from ISO 400 the ZS100 beats the other cameras on test, at times by quite a significant margin.

In terms of resolution, we can use a combination of the labs test and the real world images to make a judgement on how well detail is resolved. At the low-medium end of the ISO run (ISO200-1600), the ZS100 is capable of matching Canon's G5 X sensor, and is slightly worse than Sony's RX100 IV. However, at the higher end of the spectrum (ISO3200-6400), it's better than Canon and matches the Sony's capability, while at 12,800, the ZS100 is the best performer.

Looking at a corresponding raw file, it's clear that the camera is applying a fair amount of noise reduction to JPEG images. While that noise reduction generally results in natural-looking, low-noise images, if you're photographing something particularly detailed, you may appreciate the ability to bring that back by editing the raw format files.

When all noise reduction is turned off, images taken at ISO3200 (see shot above) and 6400 have visible chroma noise at 100%, but it's fairly evenly spread throughout the image and therefore easily tackled by noise reduction software. Even without noise reduction being applied the images still look decent at normal printing and viewing sizes.

Using the electronic shutter allows you to shoot at wide apertures in bright sunlight – this image above has been taken with a 1/16000 sec shutter speed.

• The 10 best cameras you can buy right now

Verdict

Panasonic takes aim squarely at the pocket-friendly 1.0-inch sensor compact camera market with the ZS100 / TZ100, upping the stakes with a 10x optical zoom, something which other manufacturers haven't yet produced.

Although 1.0-inch sensors aren't particularly new or exciting any more, when you couple one with a 10x optical zoom, the resulting camera becomes a much more flexible option which is bound to appeal to travelling photographers looking for something high quality, but convenient.

The ZS100 / TZ100 produces lovely JPEG images, while the raw format images give you good scope to bring out extra detail should you need it. The sensor happily competes with Sony and Canon, who have so far been the big players in the 1.0-inch sensor market. The large sensor facilitates decent low-light shooting, making it a good all-rounder camera.

It's also an enjoyable camera to use, with a good number of buttons and dials, a very responsive touch sensitive screen and an (albeit small) electronic viewfinder. There's also inbuilt Wi-Fi and a range of creative filters. It would perhaps have been nice to see a tilting or articulating screen, but that may have added extra bulk, and certainly extra cost to the camera.

Panasonic claims that it has created a new segment of the market with this camera, and it's hard to disagree with that claim.

Competition

Panasonic Lumix ZS50 / TZ70

If you're not that fussed about a 1.0-inch sensor, then the ZS50 (TZ70 outside the US) might be the camera for you. With a big 30x zoom, auto and manual controls and the ability to shoot raw files – a big bonus for keen photographers who want the best quality from a small camera, there's little to fault for the price. The ZS50 even squeezes in an electronic viewfinder. It's the Swiss Army Knife of travel cameras, combining convenience, quality and control. 

Read the full review: Panasonic Lumix ZS50 / TZ70

Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15

Panasonic's answer to the RX100 series, the LX10 (known as the LX15 outside the US) is a very capable premium pocket compact camera. There's no EVF like the ZS100 / TZ100, but does benefit from a faster (if shorter) zoom lens and more enthusiast-focused handling, making it a joy to use.

Read the full review: Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15

Sony RX100 III

First things first, it doesn't have such an impressive zoom, but the 24-70mm zoom is fast (f/1.8-2.8) and the viewfinder is that much bigger that the ZS100 / TZ100. While the RX100 V is almost double the price, this represents great value.

Read the full review: Sony RX100 III

• What camera should I buy?

from TechRadar: Cameras and camcorder reviews http://ift.tt/1OKxG0C
via IFTTT

Read More