It looks like Panasonic is set to launch a new compact camera – though if you're hoping for a successor to the legendary LX100 series, you might be out of luck.
Panasonic has registered a number of new cameras with overseas certification bodies – among them an entry-level model, P2501A, believed to be a point-and-shoot camera.
However, while many people immediately think of the Lumix LX100 II when the words "Panasonic compact" are brought up, it seems unlikely that we'll be seeing a successor model.
While very little in the way of information was contained in the registration, it does note that the camera only possesses Bluetooth connectivity – and if this is the case, the lack of WiFi capability means that we're almost certainly looking at a more basic model than an LX100.
So what could this compact be? It was posited by L-Rumors, which shared the report, that we could be looking at a Lumix TZ99 / ZS99-like compact.
This camera, launched at the start of last year, has been a hot seller – in fact, it was the third-best-selling camera of 2025 at Yodobashi, one of Japan's biggest camera retailers.
In his Lumix TZ99 / ZS99 review, my colleague Matthew lamented the lack of a viewfinder – and the use of a small 1/2.3-inch sensor. He remarked how much he'd love to see the slightly higher-specced Lumix TZ100 get an update – and perhaps that points to what we could be looking at.
The TZ100 was launched 10 years ago, in January 2016, with a 20.1MP 1-inch sensor and 25-250mm lens… and WiFi, which would disqualify it from this conversation. However, if Panasonic were to release a similar camera with the larger sensor and / or a viewfinder, it could be a very big hit.
It does seem unfair that we haven't seen a new LX100 since 2018, while Leica's D-Lux line (which features the same innards) has seen both the Leica D-Lux 7 and D-Lux 8 since that time. Come on, Panny – it's time we had a proper LX100 III!
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If you're curious as to what was new in the D-Lux 8, read our full Leica D-Lux 8 review – and check out our Leica D-Lux 8 vs D-Lux 7 comparison to see all the differences.
