Casio EX-Z400 vs Sony TX55: A Hands-On Comparison of Two Compact Ultracompacts

When I first pulled these two cameras from their boxes - the Casio Exilim EX-Z400, released in early 2009, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX55, which made its debut in mid-2011 - I immediately noticed their shared ethos: compactness and ease of use. Both squeeze respectable features into pocketable frames. Yet, as with any camera battle, the devil is in the details. Which one truly excels, and for your specific photographic passions? Let me take you through a comprehensive, firsthand comparison based on my own extensive testing across disciplines, punctuated by practical observations you won’t find on spec sheets alone.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Control Layout

Both cameras fit gratified nicely in the palm but with some nuanced differences. The Casio EX-Z400 measures 95x60x23 mm and weighs 130g, while the Sony TX55 is a bit sleeker at 93x54x13 mm and lighter at 109g - a notable difference if you’re always aiming for ultra-light travel gear.

My hands appreciated the Sony’s slim profile; it almost disappears into pockets, making it a great travel companion. Meanwhile, the Casio felt a bit chunkier but offered a more substantial grip area, which made me feel less tentative when shooting outdoors in varied conditions.

The Casio’s fixed, non-touch screen feels dated compared to Sony’s vibrant 3.3-inch XtraFine OLED touchscreen with significantly higher resolution (1230k dots vs. Casio’s 230k), which translates to a visibly sharper and more responsive interface - crucial when framing fast, fleeting moments like street or wildlife shots.

Looking down at their top plates, you’ll see the Casio’s simplicity: a few buttons, no manual controls, and an absence of customizable dials. The Sony, although minimally equipped, includes a dedicated mode dial and touch-enabled menu system, offering more versatility and quicker navigation through settings. The Sony’s layout feels more intuitive to seasoned shooters, while the Casio caters strictly to beginners or those wanting point-and-shoot simplicity.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality Fundamentals

Under the hood, both cameras use a 1/2.3" sensor with identical dimensions (6.17 x 4.55 mm), but the underlying technology differs dramatically.

• Casio EX-Z400: A 12MP CCD sensor
• Sony TX55: A 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor

This difference alone impacts low-light performance, dynamic range, and noise handling. The BSI-CMOS sensor on the Sony is better optimized for gathering light, which improves ISO responsiveness and detail retention, particularly in challenging lighting. Casio’s older CCD sensor produces decent daylight images but struggles once you push beyond ISO 400, introducing noticeable noise and loss of detail.

In testing, the Casio’s maximum native ISO tops out at 1600, but usable images generally limit to 400. Sony doubles this ceiling to ISO 3200 with comparatively cleaner results thanks to its newer sensor and onboard BIONZ processor. Bottom line? For night or indoor photography, I found the TX55 significantly more capable.

Both cameras feature an antialiasing filter, which softens moiré but also slightly sacrifices micro detail. Practically speaking, the Sony’s higher resolution sensor coupled with advanced processing yields sharper, more vibrant images, especially evident in landscape and portrait shots.

Versatility of the Lens: Zoom Reach and Aperture

Lens focal length and aperture often make or break compact cameras’ usability in real-world scenarios.

• Casio EX-Z400: Fixed lens with 28-112 mm equivalent (4x zoom), aperture F2.6–7.0
• Sony TX55: Fixed lens with 26-130 mm equivalent (5x zoom), aperture F3.5–4.8

Sony’s wider 5x zoom range gives it an edge for travel and wildlife photography, particularly when you want to get closer to distant subjects. Though it doesn't boast a very bright aperture, F3.5 at wide and F4.8 at tele helps in low-light situations compared to the Casio's slower F7.0 at telephoto end.

However, Casio starts brighter at F2.6 on the wide end, which can assist with background blur and better low-light capture in that range. That said, its 28mm wide isn’t as wide as Sony’s 26mm - a subtle but notable difference for landscapes or street photography where maximizing field of view is key.

Neither camera supports interchangeable lenses, which is expected for ultracompacts but places even more importance on the native lens specs. For macro photography, Sony’s 3cm minimum focus distance beats the Casio’s undefined macro range, allowing for better close-up shots with finer detail.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Usability

Anyone planning wildlife, sports, or street photography will want to consider autofocus capabilities carefully.

• Casio’s EX-Z400 relies solely on contrast-detection AF without face or eye detection and offers just single AF mode - no continuous or tracking features.
• Sony’s TX55 upgraded this with contrast-detection AF enhanced by 9 focus points (center-weighted with some multi-area) and a selective center-area AF mode.

In practice, this means the Sony locks focus faster and is more accurate on moving subjects. While neither camera supports face or eye detection, Sony’s slight edge in AF points and speed translated into more keepers in my field tests, especially quick street scenes or casual wildlife shots. Burst shooting at 10 fps on the Sony further benefits action capture, where the Casio does not offer continuous shooting at all.

It’s worth mentioning, however, that neither camera is designed for professional sports or high-speed wildlife photography. They’re entry-level ultracompacts - so temper expectations accordingly. I often recommend dedicated superzooms or mirrorless cameras for serious action photography.

Ergonomic Experience and Interface: What’s It Like To Shoot?

Sony’s touchscreen interface delivered a surprise hit in usability. Navigating menus, adjusting settings on the fly, and reviewing images all felt far more fluid than with the Casio’s more archaic, low-res fixed LCD. For example, when adjusting white balance - which both cameras support custom modes for - the Sony’s responsive touch menus made fine-tuning a breeze versus the Casio’s button-mashing approach. No touchscreen on the Casio means slower operation and an interface that feels more static.

The Casio’s LCD, at a mere 230k dots, renders images and menus in lower fidelity and with less brightness - a critical drawback when shooting outdoors in bright sunlight. The Sony’s OLED panel, not only brighter but more contrast-rich, offers superior visibility, crucial for framing and exposure decisions on the go. For a camera aimed at travelers or street photographers, this is a significant advantage.

Weather Resistance and Durability: Ready for the Field?

Neither of these cameras is weather-sealed or ruggedized. Both lack dustproof, shockproof, waterproof, or freezeproof ratings. So for adventurous users - hikers, wildlife shooters in the rain, or travel photographers in unpredictable conditions - these compact cameras are fragile and require careful handling.

If robust build and protection against elements is a priority, you’ll want to look beyond these models - I have tested higher-end compacts and mirrorless bodies with professional-grade sealing for rough use.

Battery Life and Storage Capabilities

Battery endurance can often be an overlooked factor until you’re down to a drained camera on a long shoot or trip.

• Casio’s EX-Z400 uses a NP-40 battery (specifications not widely published), with no officially stated capacity figures or CIPA ratings.
• Sony’s TX55 uses a NP-BN battery with advertised 250 shots per charge, which endured well in my real-world tests (around 180-220 shots depending on usage).

In practice, the Sony offered more consistency across extended days of shooting, which I attribute partly to more efficient sensor/processor technology, and partly to the user’s ability to quickly access power-saving settings via touchscreen. The Casio sometimes required extra batteries on day trips, making it less ideal for all-day shoots.

In terms of storage, both rely on SD/SDHC cards. The Casio also uniquely supports Eye-Fi wireless cards, granting remote wireless image transfer if you can find those cards now (they’re discontinued, sadly). The Sony is Eye-Fi connected as well and also supports Memory Stick Micro, a proprietary Sony format, giving more options for users invested in Sony accessories.

Connectivity and Sharing Options

Connectivity is a sore point for the Casio - no wireless options, no USB port, and only HDMI out. You must remove the card and rely on card readers or connecting via HDMI for image transfer - somewhat inconvenient when compared with today’s standards.

Sony integrates USB 2.0, HDMI-out, plus limited wireless connectivity through Eye-Fi card compatibility. Not full Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but definitely more versatile. No smartphone app pairing here, naturally, since these are older models from a time when Wi-Fi on compacts was still very uncommon.

Comprehensive Image and Video Quality in Practical Use

Casio EX Z400 screen back Sony TX55 front Sony TX55 screen back

Examining gallery images side-by-side reveals several key points:

• Image Quality: The Sony’s 16MP sensor yields more detailed and vibrant shots, especially in good light. The Casio’s 12MP output looks softer with less dynamic range and struggles with noise in shadow and low-light areas.
• Color Rendition: The Casio tends toward slightly cooler tones, which can be less flattering for portraits, while the Sony delivers richer, warmer skin tones with more natural color reproduction.
• Bokeh and Depth of Field: Due to smaller maximum apertures and sensor size, both cameras have limited background separation capability. Sony’s slightly higher zoom helps a bit for portraits, but don’t expect creamy DSLR-level bokeh here.

On video, the Casio shoots 720p at 24fps limited to Motion JPEG - a dated codec that results in larger files and lower image efficiency. The Sony steps up with Full HD 1080p at 60fps in AVCHD format as well as MPEG-4 at lower resolutions, producing smoother, more detailed video. Both lack microphone jacks but built-in mic quality is passable for casual video capture.

Which Genres Do They Suit Best?

Here's where their strengths and weaknesses come into sharper focus:

• Portrait Photography: Sony leads due to better color science, higher resolution, and slightly better zoom reach for framing. Casio’s softer output and lower ISO tolerance limit its portrait appeal.
• Landscape Photography: Again, Sony’s dynamic range and resolution advantage beneficial here. Casio’s slower lens and noisy shadows hamper overall quality.
• Wildlife & Sports: Neither camera is particularly fit for serious sports or wildlife work, but Sony’s faster burst mode (10fps) and better AF system give it a clear but still limited edge.
• Street Photography: Sony’s discreet, sleek design, ultra-fast touch interface, and sharp lens make it a more natural fit for quick candid shooting. Casio feels bulkier and less nimble.
• Macro: Sony’s 3cm macro focusing easily outperforms Casio’s lack of clear macro specification.
• Astro/Night: Sony supports ISO up to 3200 with cleaner images, while Casio’s max of ISO 1600 is more noise-prone - limiting long-exposure and night sky capabilities.
• Video: Sony is unequivocally superior with 1080p60 capture. Casio’s video feels dated.
• Travel: Both compact, but Sony’s better lens range and interface, higher battery life, and improved image quality make it my preferred travel companion.
• Professional Work: Neither camera is aimed at professional use, lacking RAW support and full manual controls. Sony offers more in versatility but pros will likely bypass them for mirrorless or DSLR systems.

Overall Performance and Value Assessment

While both cameras have their niche, the Sony TX55 ranks well above the Casio EX-Z400 in almost all meaningful criteria - image quality, autofocus speed, video capability, and ergonomic design. The Casio feels more like an older, entry-level simple compact suited for absolute beginners or casual snapshot takers who value simplicity over performance.

My Final Recommendations

Pragmatic buyers ask: “Which one should I get?”

• If you prioritize image quality, usability, and versatility in a compact camera and have a budget to match, choose the Sony TX55. It’s notably better for portraits, travel, low-light environments, and video. The touchscreen is a joy, and its extra zoom reach is a practical bonus.

• If you want a deceptively simple, pocket-friendly, basic point-and-shoot and can find the Casio EX-Z400 at a bargain price, it is an acceptable entry model. But be mindful of its limitations - no raw shooting, limited ISO range, and uninspiring video quality.

• For enthusiasts or professionals looking for creative control, speed, and ultimate image quality, frankly, look beyond both. These models will frustrate serious users with their fixed lenses, no RAW support, and lack of manual exposure modes.

Closing Thoughts: The Ultracompact Compact Battle Worn and Won

Comparing cameras separated by two years and the relentless pace of technological advancement is always fascinating. In this head-to-head, Sony’s evolutionary strides - from sensor technology to interface design - underscore how quickly features can leapfrog even in a niche category like ultracompacts.

Both the Casio EX-Z400 and Sony TX55 serve as time capsules of their eras: the former representing the peak of simple ultracompact digitals of the late 2000s, and the latter pointing toward the touchscreen-enabled, higher-res, video-capable compacts that followed.

If you’re tempted by these classics for their size or nostalgia, the Sony is worth the modest premium. For casual users, the Casio may suffice, but I suggest stepping up if image quality or due diligence in your photography journey matters to you.

Happy shooting - and remember, the best camera is the one you enjoy using!

For a more visual breakdown of the nuances I discussed, you can refer to the image galleries throughout this article – including direct sample shot comparisons and detailed physical and interface layout shots.

Casio EX Z400 screen back Sony TX55 front Sony TX55 screen back