Panasonic TZ90 vs Sony H200

The Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 (called Panasonic ZS70 in some regions) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2017 and January 2013. Both the TZ90 and the H200 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 15.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic TZ90		Sony H200
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.3-6.4		24-633mm f/3.1-5.9
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)		ISO 100-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (1166k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		0.8 shutter flaps per second
380 shots per battery charge		240 shots per battery charge
112 x 67 x 41 mm, 322 g		123 x 83 x 87 mm, 530 g

Check TZ90 offers at
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Check H200 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200? 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 Panasonic TZ90 and the Sony H200 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TZ90 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the H200 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 Sony H200 is notably larger (36 percent) than the Panasonic TZ90. Moreover, the H200 is substantially heavier (65 percent) than the TZ90. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the TZ90 nor the H200 are weather-sealed.

The power pack in the TZ90 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. 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.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
2.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The H200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 45 percent) than the TZ90, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the TZ90 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 15.2 MP of the H200. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the TZ90 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.36μm for the H200). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the TZ90 is much more recent (by 4 years and 3 months) than the H200, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic TZ90 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the TZ90 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony H200 are 25.9 x 14.7 inches or 65.8 x 37.2 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 11.7 inches or 52.7 x 29.8 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 9.8 inches or 43.9 x 24.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the TZ90 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the H200 uses a CCD 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. 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 TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
2.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
3.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
4.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
5.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
6.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
7.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
8.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
9.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
10.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
11.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
12.		Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
13.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
14.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
15.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
16.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the TZ90 provides a higher video resolution than the H200. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the TZ90 has an electronic viewfinder (1166k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the H200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic TZ90 and Sony H200 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic LX5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The TZ90 has a touchscreen, while the H200 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 TZ90 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 TZ90 and the H200 have zoom lenses built in. The TZ90 has a 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 optic and the H200 offers a 24-633mm f/3.1-5.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Panasonic and Sony provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Sony has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The H200 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The TZ90 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H200 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The TZ90 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the H200 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-TZ90 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 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 TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the TZ90 offers wifi support, while the H200 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the TZ90 and the H200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The TZ90 was replaced by the Panasonic TZ95, while the H200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the TZ90 and H200 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic TZ90 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H200 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic TZ90 or the Sony H200 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.2MP) with a 9% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• 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 1/1500s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x67mm vs 123x83mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 208g or 39 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (380 versus 240) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 3 months of technical progress since the H200 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200:

• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.1 vs f/3.3).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (45 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2013).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the TZ90 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 3 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 TZ90 and the Sony H200 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the TZ90 and the H200 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 expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
2.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ82	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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