Panasonic has been pushing boundaries lately, by fitting a lot of high-end technology into its compact line-up. The TZ90 is no exception, bearing the weight of some of the Lumix range's best features on its extremely slimline shoulders...

Bit overpriced. Video quality good, however quality of photos is no better than a $100 camera.

With phone cameras getting so good these days, the traditional camera needs all the stand-out specification goods possible. When pocketable convenience from your mobile handset isn't enough, and you want a boost of proper optical zoom to shoot far-away subjects, then there's no other logical option...

Adds tilt-angle screen; easy touchscreen control; 30x zoom versatility in pocketable body; mode dial and lens control ring for easy adjustment and functionality; 4K Photo is useful

Low-light and full zoom limitations due to limited maximum aperture; image quality in low-light isn't the greatest (especially versus 1-inch sensors); viewfinder will be overkill for some

Panasonic's latest superzoom travel compact camera, the Lumix DC-TZ90 (also known as the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70), follows on from last year's TZ80 to bring a 30x optical zoom (24-720mm equivalent) combined with a 1/2.3-inch 20.3 megapixel sensor.

Huge optical zoom for a compact; Useful 4K skills; 180-degree tilting touchscreen; Room for a viewfinder;

A tad larger than some compacts; Not great in low light;

While I didn’t find the Lumix TZ90’s image quality blow-my-socks-off stellar, there’s no doubt that, as an all-round do-most-things-really-well camera that fits in your pocket, it’s hard to beat. Panasonic set out to make a great travel compact here, and it's definitely succeeded. Personally, I’d rather take a slightly bulkier CSC or DSLR on my weekends away, because I prize quality more highly than I do convenience. But for those travelling light, the TZ90 far excels a phone for quality, control and autofocus speed – and then there’s that big old zoom lens… Buy the Panasonic Lumix TZ90 here from Wex photographic

Huge optical zoom for a compact; Useful 4K skills; 180-degree tilting touchscreen; Room for a viewfinder;

A tad larger than some compacts; Not great in low light;