Lumix's new camera might give my Fujifilm X100V a run for its money – not least because of its crazy zoom

A few weeks ago, I got to get my hands on a camera that could just be the perfect solution for travel photography, and it's made me think my Fujifilm X100V might not be quite as future-proof as I've been hoping.

Panasonic has now finally announced the Lumix TZ300, taking the wraps off a gorgeous compact design that hides the potential for staggering 15X optical zoom, with a lens that just keeps extending once you start to stretch it. Its 1.0-type 20.1MP BSI CMOS sensor should ensure you get pretty ruddy crisp photos, too.

When I bought my X100V, there was no getting around its price tag, but I've loved practically every photo I've taken on it since. This Lumix will not be quite so steep, coming in at £869 or €999, but it also doesn't have quite the same film recipe setup to boast.

Lumix has baked in some 22 filter modes for people to use, like in acknowledgement of how Fujifilm has created a huge niche for itself, but the bigger focus in the TZ300 is surely how enormously adaptable it is.

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Getting my hands on the camera in Munich, I was impressed by how small it is – Panasonic really can say it's pocketable, in my view. It also has a nice, straightforward design that I think should age well both in the grey or black version, with a lot of metal making it feel really solid in the hand.

Plus, of course, there's that zoom. We were in a fairly harshly lit warehouse environment, and I couldn't save any sample images, but my brief experiments with the zoom left me impressed – especially since I'm used to having no zoom at all on my Fuji camera.

For those concerned with video, the TZ300 can manage 4K video (3840×2160) or 120fps at FHD, which should make it similarly quite handy for creators. Even in photo mode, it can shoot at 30fps, to ensure you get a big burst of images to pick from.

Crucially, it has optical image stabilisation, too, to minimise blurring in low-light situations or when you're moving around while shooting. That's great for urban photographers, particularly.

All in all, this looks like an incredibly attractive proposition for photographers who don't want a massive case clogging up their luggage when they go on holiday. It has everything you'd need to come back from trips and days out with memorable photos, and is visibly more conveniently sized than plenty of similar competitors. It'll be out in early May, apparently, so we can look forward to that.