Panasonic TZ95 vs Sony HX350

The Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ95 (called Panasonic ZS80 in some regions) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2019 and December 2016. Both the TZ95 and the HX350 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 19.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic TZ95		Sony HX350
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.3-6.4		24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2330k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
380 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
112 x 69 x 42 mm, 327 g		130 x 93 x 103 mm, 652 g

Check TZ95 offers at
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Check HX350 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ95 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350? 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 physical size and weight of the Panasonic TZ95 and the Sony HX350 are illustrated 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 width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TZ95 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the HX350 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 HX350 is considerably larger (56 percent) than the Panasonic TZ95. Moreover, the HX350 is substantially heavier (99 percent) than the TZ95. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the TZ95 nor the HX350 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the TZ95 gets 380 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 battery, while the HX350 can take 300 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the TZ95 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
6.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
7.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	415 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic TZ200	111 mm	65 mm	45 mm	340 g	370	n	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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.

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 TZ95 offers a slightly higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 19.9 MP of the HX350. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.59999999999999 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the TZ95 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.19μm for the HX350). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the TZ95 is much more recent (by 2 years and 1 month) than the HX350, 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 Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ95 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-HX350 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

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 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 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 TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
2.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
3.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
4.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
5.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
6.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
7.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
8.		Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.4	1851	83
9.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
10.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
11.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
12.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
13.		Panasonic TZ200	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	449	64
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
16.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
17.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the TZ95 provides a higher video resolution than the HX350. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the TZ95 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the HX350 (2330k vs 202k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic TZ95, the Sony HX350, 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 TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic TZ200	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/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 TZ95 has a touchscreen, while the HX350 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 TZ95 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 TZ95 and the HX350 have zoom lenses built in. The TZ95 has a 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 optic and the HX350 offers a 24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3 (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 more tele-photo reach at the long end. The HX350 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The TZ95 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX350 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The TZ95 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the HX350 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-TZ95 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 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 TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon D3500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
9.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic TZ200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the TZ95 offers wifi support, while the HX350 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the TZ95 and the HX350 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Panasonic and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the TZ95 and HX350 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic TZ95 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX350 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Panasonic TZ95 better than the Sony HX350 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ95:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2330k vs 202k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• 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.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x69mm vs 130x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 325g or 50 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (380 versus 300) 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.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the HX350 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.3).
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in December 2016).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the TZ95 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 TZ95 and the Sony HX350 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the TZ95 or the HX350. 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 why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
6.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
7.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D3500	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic TZ200	..	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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