Panasonic Lumix ZS10 - Best Compact Point and Shoot Camera

There are a few standouts in this category and in our opinion, the Panasonic Lumix ZS10 is still the best choice in this group. Camera specs keep improving and new features are regularly added so newer models are often the best deal. In this case, they are all new so the competition is tough. These cameras all have a high megapixel count and (with the exception of the Sony TX10) they also have very high zoom factors. You get a lot of camera for the price with every one of these cameras.

The Panasonic ZS10 provides a very solid package of features for a camera at this level. In virtually every category, it has very credible specs even when they aren't the absolute best in the group. It is this consistency that makes it the best choice. By comparison, the Canon has good specs but not quite as good as the Panasonic. It only has 24fps video and it has a bit less than the Panasonic in megapixels, zoom, ISO and time exposure. It has the lowest full resolutiion burst mode in the group. It is one of two in ths group that is waterproofed so for those who do a lot of outdoor / all-weather photography, this may be an important factor in the decision. 

The Sony TX10 and Olympus SZ-30MR also provide strong competition for the Panasonic ZS10. The Sony has the benefit of waterproofing but the tradeoff is a low zoom factor. Most of its other specs are quite good so for those who need a waterproof camera, this could be a good choice. The Sony and the Panasonic both use AVCHD video recording and this provides more compressed output than the more common JPEG format. The Olympus SZ-30MR has good specs including 24x zoom, the highest in this group. It also has an interesting array of features including 3D mode, the ability to take pictures and video at the same time and the ability to take video in two different modes at the same time.