Panasonic Lumix PANDCS1H_AG3_3 Black

Great zoom range, fast burst, but the autofocus is a letdown. Buy it for the lens, not the focusing.

The burst shooting is the surprise here. 30fps mechanical is legitimately impressive, landing in the 87th percentile for compacts. That's faster than a lot of cameras costing twice as much. The EVF is also a standout, with 1.2M dots that make bright outdoor shooting way less painful than squinting at a rear screen. But the autofocus is mediocre, sitting in the 36th percentile, and that's a problem when you're trying to track wildlife at 360mm. The stabilization is solid, around the 78th percentile, which helps at the long end, but it can't fully rescue the AF.

The ZS300 sits in an awkward spot. The Sony RX100 VII has a shorter zoom but much better autofocus and a smaller body. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is a completely different beast, way more expensive but with autofocus that embarrasses this Panasonic. And the Nikon Z5 II gives you a full-frame sensor for not much more money if you're willing to carry a bigger kit. The ZS300's only real advantage is that 24-360mm range in a single package, and for some travelers, that's enough. But you're giving up a lot to get it.

At $975 USD, this is a tough sell. The lens is great and the burst speed is fun, but you're paying a premium for a camera with mediocre autofocus and no weather sealing. If you can find it on sale, it's a decent travel companion. At full price, you're better off looking at a used Sony RX100 series or even a small mirrorless with a superzoom lens.

The Panasonic Lumix ZS300 is a weird one. It's a compact travel camera with a genuinely useful 24-360mm equivalent zoom and a 1-inch sensor, which is a combo that makes a lot of sense on paper. But it's also heavy for its class at 1383g, and the autofocus is a known weak spot. The headline here is the lens. You get a massive zoom range in a body you can actually carry, and that 20.1MP 1-inch sensor does a decent job keeping noise down compared to smaller point-and-shoots.

If you're looking for a vlogging camera or something with reliable autofocus, this isn't it. Go get a Sony ZV-1 or a used RX100 VII instead. If you need weather sealing for outdoor adventures, look at the OM System OM-1 or a rugged compact like the Olympus Tough series.

The ZS300 is a camera for a specific person: someone who wants one lens that does everything and doesn't care about fast autofocus or weather sealing. If that's you, the zoom range and burst speed will make you happy. For everyone else, there are better options at this price. The weak AF is a dealbreaker for wildlife and sports, which is exactly what a 360mm zoom is for.