Panasonic TS7 vs Kodak AZ901

The Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7 (called Panasonic FT7 in some regions) and the Kodak PixPro AZ901 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2018 and January 2016. Both the TS7 and the AZ901 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20.2 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic TS7		Kodak AZ901
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
28-128mm f/3.3-5.9		22-1980mm f/3.1-6.8
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)		ISO 100-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (1170k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (31m)		not weather sealed
300 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
117 x 76 x 37 mm, 319 g		139 x 104 x 119 mm, 777 g

Check TS7 offers at
ebay.com
Check AZ901 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7 and the Kodak PixPro AZ901? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic TS7 and the Kodak AZ901. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TS7 can be obtained in three different colors (black, blue, orange), while the AZ901 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Kodak AZ901 is considerably larger (63 percent) than the Panasonic TS7. Moreover, the AZ901 is substantially heavier (144 percent) than the TS7. It is worth mentioning in this context that the TS7 is splash and dust resistant, while the AZ901 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the TS7 is water-proof up to 31m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the TS7 gets 300 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BCM13 battery, while the AZ901 can take 400 images on a single charge of its Kodak LB-070 power pack. The power pack in the TS7 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
2.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
8.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic ZS80	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
13.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The TS7 was somewhat cheaper (by 10 percent) than the AZ901 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the TS7 and the AZ901 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the TS7 is much more recent (by 2 years and 4 months) than the AZ901, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 80-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Kodak PixPro AZ901 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
2.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
3.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
4.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
5.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
6.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
8.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
9.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
10.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
11.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
12.		Panasonic ZS80	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
13.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
16.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
17.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the TS7 provides a higher video resolution than the AZ901. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Kodak is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the TS7 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the AZ901 (1170k vs 202k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic TS7, the Kodak AZ901, and comparable 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.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic ZS80	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 TS7 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).

Both the TS7 and the AZ901 have zoom lenses built in. The TS7 has a 28-128mm f/3.3-5.9 optic and the AZ901 offers a 22-1980mm f/3.1-6.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Kodak provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Panasonic. The AZ901 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the TS7 and the AZ901 write their files to SDXC cards. The TS7 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 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 Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7 and Kodak PixPro AZ901 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.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic ZS80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

The AZ901 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Kodak. In contrast, the TS7 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the TS7 from Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the TS7 and AZ901 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic TS7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Kodak AZ901 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic TS7 or the Kodak AZ901 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (1170k vs 202k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x76mm vs 139x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 458g or 59 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 31m).
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the AZ901 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Kodak PixPro AZ901:

• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/2000s vs 1/1300s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.1 vs f/3.3).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (400 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the TS7 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 8 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Panasonic TS7 and the Kodak AZ901 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom 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 TS7 and the AZ901 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
2.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
3.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
8.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic ZS80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
13.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check TS7 offers at
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Check AZ901 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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