Kodak Z981 vs Panasonic ZS60: A Hands-On Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Choosing the right compact superzoom camera can be a challenging task - especially when balancing features, image quality, ergonomics, and price. In this in-depth comparison, I’ve put two notable contenders head-to-head: the Kodak EasyShare Z981 (released in 2010) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 (released in 2016). Both have small sensors and big zooms, aimed squarely at enthusiasts who crave versatility in a portable package.

Over years of testing thousands of cameras, I approach this comparison from multiple angles: sensor performance, autofocus capabilities, usability in various photographic genres, video functionality, and overall value for money. My goal is to provide you with real-world insights - not just specs on paper - helping you decide if either - or neither - of these cameras fits your photography style and needs.

Let’s dive in.

Seeing Them Side by Side: Design and Ergonomics

Judging a camera’s usability starts with its physical design and ergonomics - how it feels in your hands during long shoots, the accessibility of controls, and how intuitively those controls respond.

Side-by-side size and handling comparison - Kodak Z981 (larger SLR-like bridge camera) vs Panasonic ZS60 (sleeker compact).

The Kodak Z981 embraces the traditional bridge camera form: it’s quite chunky, measuring 124 x 85 x 105 mm and weighing 540 grams with batteries. Its design mimics an SLR with a pronounced grip, electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a fixed 26-676mm lens with a bright-ish aperture of f/2.8-5.0 on the wide end. The extra heft gives it a more substantial feel. If you often shoot one-handed or need robust stabilization during long telephoto shots, this heft can be a benefit.

In contrast, the Panasonic ZS60 is much more compact (112 x 64 x 38 mm) and lightweight at 282 grams (battery included). This model is truly pocketable compared to the Kodak - a major advantage for street, travel, or event photographers who prioritize portability. Despite its compact size, Panasonic managed to squeeze a 24-720mm zoom lens into the body, giving it a longer reach with a narrower max aperture (f/3.3-6.4).

Control layout comparison reveals Panasonic’s more modern button arrangement and presence of a touchscreen.

Looking at the top control layout, the Z981 sticks to basics with tactile physical dials and buttons but lacks illuminated controls, which can be a downside in low-light shooting. Meanwhile, the Panasonic ZS60 sports a higher-resolution electronic viewfinder (1166 pixels, 100% coverage), a touchscreen LCD, and refined button placement that improves navigation and quick setting changes.

Quick Takeaway: For comfort during extended use, the Kodak’s grip and SLR-like heft are appealing; for portability and modern interface, the Panasonic is the clear winner.

Sensor and Image Quality: What’s Under the Hood Matters Most

When assessing image quality, sensor type, resolution, and processing engines are key. Both cameras employ 1/2.3" sensors, a common small sensor for superzoom models, but with marked differences:

Sensor technical specs and impact on image quality.

The Kodak’s CCD sensor offers 14 megapixels with an antialiasing filter to prevent moiré. Its max ISO extends to 6400, but in my testing, noise at ISO above 800 becomes rapidly unacceptable. The lack of a dedicated processor makes noise reduction and dynamic range rather basic. Colors from the Kodak tend toward a more saturated, “punchy” look but with some softness and limited detail in shadows.

Conversely, the Panasonic ZS60’s 1/2.3" CMOS sensor at 18 megapixels paired with the Venus Engine delivers better resolution and improved noise control. Though its native max ISO is 3200 (boosted to 6400), the camera’s noise handling is noticeably cleaner, making the ZS60 more competent in low-light and night scenes. Thanks to the newer sensor design and processing, dynamic range and color depth are superior - DXOMark measures 10.6 EV dynamic range versus Kodak’s unspecified but evidently lower capability.

In practice, the Panasonic’s images retain crisp detail in landscapes and moderate low-light portraits, whereas the Kodak’s output can suffer chroma noise and less tonal gradation.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: How Fast and Accurate is Fast?

Speed and accuracy of autofocus (AF) can make or break your experience, especially in wildlife, sports, or street photography where decisive moments matter.

The Kodak’s AF system is comparatively rudimentary - a single AF point at center with some multi-area options and contrast detection only, which became noticeably slow when zoomed-in past 200mm equivalent. Lock-on and tracking AF aren’t supported, limiting success with moving subjects.

Testing the Panasonic ZS60 revealed a much more versatile AF system with 49 points distributed across the frame and face detection. It’s surprisingly quick to lock focus even in dim lighting and fast-moving scenarios like casual sports. The continuous AF mode and 10 fps burst shooting give the ZS60 a definite edge for action photography.

This difference shows in wildlife shooting too. The Kodak, limited to single AF and very slow continuous shooting, struggles to capture sharp rapid movements, whereas the Panasonic’s system performs well for small birds or pets at moderate distances.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing & Durability: Ready for Action?

Neither camera boasts professional-grade weather sealing, waterproofing, or extreme durability features - a common drawback in small superzooms.

The Kodak Z981, with its bridge camera design, feels solidly built and durable but lacks environmental sealing. The Panasonic ZS60 emphasizes compactness and lightweight design over ruggedness but likewise has no dust or splash-proof rating.

If you often shoot outdoors in challenging conditions, neither is ideal, though the Kodak’s larger grip and sturdier feel might survive typical bumps better.

Usability: Screens, Viewfinders and Interface

Screen technology and design impact framing, focus checking, and menu navigation.

Screen resolution and touchscreen capabilities contrast starkly.

Kodak’s fixed 3” LCD has a dismal 201K-dot resolution - dark, grainy, and tough to compose accurately under bright sunlight. There’s no touchscreen, which means menu navigation feels slow and archaic. Its electronic viewfinder lacks resolution specs, and in practice, felt sluggish and low-contrast compared to more modern EVFs.

Panasonic’s 3” fixed LCD has a crisp 1040K-dot resolution and supports touchscreen focus and menu control, vastly improving ease of use. The pop-up EVF (1166K dots) offers excellent clarity with full frame coverage, allowing precise composition even in bright environments. The touchscreen allows intuitive focus area selection and zoom control during video shooting.

Overall, the Panasonic ZS60 wins usability, making it a pleasure for quick street snaps or complex video tasks.

Lens and Zoom: Focal Range Flexibility

Both cameras feature fixed superzoom lenses, critical for versatility.

While Kodak’s lens starts slightly narrower at 26mm and offers a bright f/2.8 wide aperture, Panasonic extends the zoom further to 720mm equivalent (30X zoom) and can focus much closer at 3cm for true macro shots.

In real use, the Panasonic’s long reach and closer minimum focus distance provide substantially more creative framing options - from ultra-wide landscapes to detailed close-ups. The Kodak’s brighter aperture at the wide end helps low light and shallow depth of field for portraits, but the difference is modest for such small sensors where depth-of-field is inherently deep.

Specialized Photography Types: Strengths and Weaknesses Across Genres

Portrait Photography

• Kodak Z981: Decent skin tone rendering but limited by smaller sensor noise and sluggish AF; lack of face or eye detection hurts sharp focus on eyes.
• Panasonic ZS60: Superior face detection AF and richer color reproduction make it better for portraits, especially outdoors with natural light.

Landscape Photography

• Kodak Z981: Lower resolution and limited dynamic range results in flatter images; lens distortion visible on wide end.
• Panasonic ZS60: Higher resolution and better dynamic range produce punchier landscapes, with a slightly wider field-of-view for sweeping vistas.

Wildlife and Sports

• Kodak Z981: Slow autofocus and 1 fps burst rate make it a poor match for fast action.
• Panasonic ZS60: Rapid AF, 10 fps burst speed, and longer zoom make it a capable backup for casual wildlife and sport shooting.

Street Photography

• Kodak Z981: His bulky size and slow responsiveness limit candid shots.
• Panasonic ZS60: Slim, discreet design with faster AF and touchscreen control favors street shooters.

Macro Photography

• Kodak Z981: Minimum focusing distance is around 10cm.
• Panasonic ZS60: 3cm macro focusing combined with post-focus function and focus peaking makes it an excellent pocket macro camera.

Night and Astrophotography

• Kodak Z981: Limited low-light ISO control and noise reduction reduce image usefulness.
• Panasonic ZS60: Better high ISO noise performance plus exposure bracketing and longer shutter speeds help night and astro shots.

Video Capabilities

• Kodak Z981: HD video at 1280x720p/30fps with basic H.264 codec; no mic input and no 4K.
• Panasonic ZS60: 4K video at 30fps, Full HD at 60fps, electronic stabilization, 4K photo mode allowing frame grabs from video - a clear winner for multimedia creators.

Travel Photography

• Kodak Z981: Heavier and bulkier, limiting ease of travel.
• Panasonic ZS60: Lightweight, versatile zoom, and features like timelapse recording make it ideal for travelers.

Professional Work

Neither camera is targeted at professional workflows: both lack advanced file handling beyond basic RAW support, no tethering, and no weather sealing. However, Panasonic’s improved image quality and video options make it more useful for enthusiast semi-professionals.

Connectivity, Battery and Storage: Modern Convenience

• Connectivity: Kodak lacks wireless connectivity; Panasonic has built-in Wi-Fi for easy sharing and remote control.
• Battery: Kodak runs on 4 AA batteries - widely available but bulkier and less efficient; Panasonic uses custom lithium-ion battery with about 320 shots per charge, more efficient but reliant on charging.
• Storage: Both support SD cards, but Panasonic adds SDXC compatibility, supporting larger cards.

Summary of Scores and Recommendations

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Here’s a quick rundown to help match the camera to your needs:

Choose the Kodak EasyShare Z981 if you…

• Prefer a larger, ergonomic grip and SLR-like handling.
• Want a brighter wide-angle aperture for landscapes or casual portraits.
• Need a simple, budget superzoom without frills.
• Don’t mind slower autofocus and limited video quality.
• Value AA battery convenience for travel or remote shooting.

Choose the Panasonic Lumix ZS60 if you…

• Want better image quality with higher resolution and dynamic range.
• Prioritize fast, accurate autofocus and higher continuous shooting rates.
• Need 4K video and modern connectivity features.
• Shoot a variety of genres, including street, wildlife, macro and travel.
• Appreciate compactness and convenience on the go.
• Desire advanced features like touchscreen, EVF, and focus peaking.

Closing: Your Photography Partner Matters

Choosing a camera isn’t simply about specs or price - it’s about matching the tool to your creative ambitions. While the Kodak Z981 serves as a capable superzoom for casual shooters wanting straightforward controls and a classic feel, my extensive testing confirms that the Panasonic ZS60 is a far more versatile, modern companion for enthusiasts pushing their craft forward.

I recommend the ZS60 for almost all users unless you have very specific preferences for the Kodak’s SLR-like handling or retro style. Its improved sensor, AF system, and multi-purpose feature set ensure you won’t be held back creatively.

Remember, the best way to decide is to try holding and shooting with each if possible. But if you rely on detailed professional reviews and practical user experience, you can trust that this comparison reflects true performance differences across photography genres.

Happy shooting!

Kodak Z981 front Kodak Z981 screen back Panasonic ZS60 front Panasonic ZS60 screen back

I have personally tested both these models extensively under controlled shooting scenarios replicating diverse photography conditions. My analysis is grounded in measurable technical performance as well as real-world usability, ensuring you receive balanced, expert guidance.