Upgrade Guide
Lumix TZ99→Lumix G3
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the TZ99. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the G3
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution16MP (down from 20MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | TZ99 | G3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.3 | ||
| Street | +0.4 | ||
| Travel | -0.3 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.9 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -1.5 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -0.6 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.1 | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.1 | ||
| Casual | -2.0 | ||
| Food | +0.6 | ||
| Macro | -0.5 | ||
| Architecture | +0.4 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.4 | ||
| Fun & simple | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | TZ99 | G3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £493 | £20 used | |
| Released | 2025 | 2011 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 20.3MP 1/2.3-inch MOS | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 16MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p | Full HD 1080/60i | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with face detection | 23-area contrast AF with face detection, touch AF | |
| Stabilisation | Optical image stabilisation (lens-based) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | 380 shots (CIPA) | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 322g (with battery and card) | 388g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | None (screen only) | LCD EVF, 1.44M dots | |
| Screen | Tilting touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 460k dots | |
| Mount | Fixed Leica 30x zoom lens (24-720mm equivalent) | Micro Four Thirds | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD (UHS-I) | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See TZ99 and G3 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the G3 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the TZ99
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Camera family history