Kodak AZ901 vs Canon R

The Kodak PixPro AZ901 and the Canon EOS R are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2016 and September 2018. The AZ901 is a fixed lens compact, while the Canon R is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (AZ901) and a full frame (Canon R) sensor. The Kodak has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 30.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Kodak AZ901		Canon R
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
22-1980mm f/3.1-6.8		Canon RF mount lenses
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
139 x 104 x 119 mm, 777 g		139 x 98 x 84 mm, 660 g

Check AZ901 price at
amazon.com
Check Canon R offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Kodak PixPro AZ901 and the Canon EOS R? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Kodak AZ901 and the Canon R is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R is notably smaller (6 percent) than the Kodak AZ901. It is noteworthy in this context that the Canon R is splash and dust-proof, while the AZ901 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the AZ901 has a lens built in, whereas the Canon R is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the AZ901 gets 400 shots out of its Kodak LB-070 battery, while the Canon R can take 370 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the Canon R can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
10.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ2500	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The AZ901 was launched at a lower price than the Canon R, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Kodak AZ901 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Canon R a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the Canon R is 2986 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.0. The sensor in the AZ901 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the Canon R offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 30.1MP, the Canon R offers a higher resolution than the AZ901 (20.2MP), but the Canon R nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.36μm versus 1.18μm for the AZ901) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the Canon R is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 7 months) than the AZ901, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Canon R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 33.6 x 22.4 inches or 85.3 x 56.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 26.9 x 17.9 inches or 68.3 x 45.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 22.4 x 14.9 inches or 56.9 x 37.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Kodak AZ901 are 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon R has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Kodak PixPro AZ901 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R are ISO 100 to ISO 40000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the AZ901 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the Canon R uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
2.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
3.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
6.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
7.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
8.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
9.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
10.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
11.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
12.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
13.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
14.		Panasonic FZ2500	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
15.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
16.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
17.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Canon R provides a better video resolution than the AZ901. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Kodak is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Canon R offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the AZ901 (3690k vs 202k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Kodak AZ901 and Canon R in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
8.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ2500	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The AZ901 has one, while the Canon R does not. While the built-in flash of the AZ901 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the Canon R is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the AZ901 and the Canon R write their files to SDXC cards. The Canon R supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the AZ901 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Kodak PixPro AZ901 and Canon EOS R and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ2500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Canon R has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The AZ901 does not feature such a mic input.

The AZ901 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Kodak. In contrast, the Canon R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the Canon R from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the AZ901 and Canon R can be found, respectively, in the Kodak AZ901 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Kodak AZ901 and the Canon R? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Kodak PixPro AZ901:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the Canon R requires a separate lens.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2016).

Advantages of the Canon EOS R:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (30.1 vs 20.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3690k vs 202k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 920k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 7 months of technical progress since the AZ901 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Canon R is the clear winner of the contest (25 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Kodak AZ901 and the Canon R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the AZ901 and the Canon R in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
10.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ2500	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check AZ901 price at
amazon.com
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ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

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