Five years on from the Lumix FT5 / TS5, the new Lumix FT7 / TS7 marks a massive step up in features and capabilities – as well as price. The FT7 / TS7 is a bold bid to capture the premium waterproof rugged compact market. So there's really only one question that needs answering.

The Lumix TS7 (known as the Lumix FT7 outside the US) is Panasonic's new premium waterproof camera. This is the first high-end waterproof camera we've seen from Panasonic in over five years, with the outgoing TS5 / FT5 soldiering on against a raft of newer models from rivals, as well as GoPros and...

Built-in electronic viewfinder; Waterproof down to 31m; 4K video and 4K Photo; Decent amount of exterior controls

No raw capture; LED light only works during video recording; Battery life not as good as outgoing model

The Lumix FT7 is Panasonic's latest ruggedised compact camera and replaces the now discontinued Lumix FT5. It comes with a new 20.4-megapixel sensor and the build quality to withstand treatment that would turn most point-and-shoot models into useless lumps of metal.

Features a built-in electronic viewfinder; Waterproof to 31m (102ft; Introduces 4K Photo Modes; Supports USB charging

Doesn't shoot in the RAW format; Small 1/2.3-inch size sensor; Zoom operation is slow; Buttons are fairly small

Panasonic's latest compact camera, the Lumix DC-FT7 (also know as the DC-TS7), is a new "rugged" camera. That is, it has a number of tough credentials, which make it ideal for shooting in a wide variety of different conditions.

I purchased the Panasonic Lumix FT7 from the Brisbane Adelaide store, I will be travelling to Laos and the robust build of this camera is exactly what I need. The staff member Daniel Seed served me and knew exactly what I needed and provided excellent service.

Easy to use; Compact; Build quality; Battery life; Screen size

Although the Lumix DC-TS7 includes an electronic viewfinder and can dive more than 100 feet underwater, it doesn't quite rise to the level of the competition.

Useful electronic viewfinder; Captures 4K video at 30 fps; Manual exposure features; Excellent waterproof locking system; Claims to be waterproof to a depth of 102 feet

Narrower wide angle than most; Slight but noticeable shutter lag; Struggles in low-light settings; Bigger and heavier than others in its class; Maximum apertures aren't as wide as competitors' models

On the face of it, this is an impressive camera, robust, waterproof, good battery life ... but I saw two major flaws: 1 - When the camera is dirty or wet, the only way to retrieve photos is via wifi but the Panasonic Application 'Image App' simply doesn't work on iOS.

Panasonic has a reputation for excellent compacts, and this extends to its underwater range. The newly released FT7 is the latest in a long line of underwater tough cams, and boasts a 20.4MP 1/2.3in sensor and a 35mm equivalent 28-128mm f/3.3-5.9 lens.

Camera in black version looks great Easy to use & photos are as hoped for

I bought this instead of Olympus TG because for me, no EVF = no deal. This camera has a great feature set for its category. It is very well built. The EVF is small but bright and makes all the difference. The buffer in burst mode at 5fps seems almost unlimited (I quit after 40 shots).