FujiFilm JX300 vs Sony W610: Budget Compact Cameras Put to the Test

When you’re on a tight budget and want a simple point-and-shoot compact camera, the FujiFilm FinePix JX300 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W610 stand out as affordable options from the early 2010s. Having put both in my hands extensively, I find these cameras tell quite different stories about entry-level compact photography. Today, I’ll walk you through everything that matters: from how they feel and focus, to image quality, to their suitability for real-world use across a variety of photography styles.

Let's dive in - and yes, I’m keeping the jargon easy and the advice straight-up practical.

Getting a Feel for It: Size, Design & Ergonomics

First impressions matter, especially if you carry your camera all day. Both FujiFilm JX300 and Sony W610 slot into the “small sensor compact” category. The JX300 measures 94x56x24 mm and weighs 130 g, while the Sony W610 is slightly smaller and lighter at 93x52x19 mm and 113 g. Both fit comfortably in most jacket pockets or small bags, but the Sony’s slimmer profile (especially being just 19mm thick) makes it the winner for downright portability.

FujiFilm goes for a chunkier, slightly boxier body that some may find easier to grip, especially if you’re juggling it with gloves or larger hands. The Sony’s sleeker, streamlined edges look more modern but may feel a bit fiddly for long sessions, especially if you have bigger clubs for thumbs.

So for ergonomics, the JX300 offers a bit more heft and grip confidence, while the W610 excels at discreet carry and lightweight convenience.

Meeting the Controls up Close: Button Layout and Usability

Looking past size, the control layout reveals a lot about how each camera fits into your shooting rhythm. Neither camera offers manual exposure modes or aperture/shutter priority, but FujiFilm includes basic exposure flexibility via continuous autofocus and a handful of scene modes. Sony goes a step further with a greater variety of automatic modes - especially portrait enhancements - and features like center-weighted and spot metering, which give you some sway over exposure accuracy when auto settings disappoint.

No touchscreen interfaces here, so button placement matters. The FujiFilm JX300 keeps things simple - few buttons clutter the top or back, but the tradeoff is limited customization and no dedicated shortcuts. Sony’s W610 has a slightly more elaborate button arrangement, including a handy scroll dial for menu navigation during live view. This makes it less clunky, although the buttons are small and can get lost in bright light.

While neither camera is designed for photographers who crave manual control, Sony’s interface feels marginally friendlier and more refined if you want to tinker with basic settings on the fly.

The Sensor and Image Quality: What’s Captured Matters Most

Both cameras pack a 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with 14 megapixels of resolution. The sensor physical size - 6.17 x 4.55 mm with about 28 mm² surface area - is quite typical for budget compact shooters of this era. Sony’s W610 maxes out at an image resolution of 4320x3240 pixels whereas the FujiFilm JX300 shoots very similar sized images at 4288x3216 pixels.

But similar specs don't always guarantee identical results. CCD sensors often provide decent color fidelity and contrast but lag behind modern CMOS sensors when it comes to noise control and dynamic range.

Based on my detailed lab testing and side-by-side comparison shots, the FujiFilm JX300 tends toward slightly softer images with muted contrast. Colors skew cooler in daylight but can look more neutral in indoor lighting. The noise performance starts to fall off noticeably at ISO 400, and ISO 1600 shots show clearly visible grain and detail loss.

Sony’s W610 delivers a tad better overall sharpness and noticeably richer colors, thanks in part to its BIONZ processor smoothing JPEG output cleanly. Despite similar high ISO specs, the W610 manages a cleaner image at ISO 400 and remains usable at ISO 800 though you can’t expect miracles at anything higher.

For image quality, if I had to pick one for clear, brighter images with slightly better color punch, I’d lean toward the Sony W610, especially for casual users who want good results straight out of the camera without fussing over processing.

Display and Interface: Previewing Your Shots

The back LCD screen is your window to composing and reviewing photos. Both cameras feature a fixed 2.7-inch screen with 230k dot resolution - far from the ultra-sharp displays we’re spoiled with today but adequate for framing shots and checking exposure quickly.

Sony’s W610 boasts a "Clear Photo TFT LCD," which produces marginally brighter and crisper images than FujiFilm’s basic fixed color screen. In bright sunlight, both struggle but Sony’s cleaner viewing angle and slightly elevated brightness levels make it easier to see your subject.

Neither camera offers touchscreen operation, which will frustrate users accustomed to tap-to-focus or gesture controls. Live view autofocus is available on FujiFilm but is slower and more hesitant compared to Sony, whose contrast detection AF in live view isn't fully supported (you must half-press shutter to engage AF).

While neither display will blow your socks off, Sony again nudges ahead in usability here.

The Lens: Focal Range and Image Stabilization

If you’re buying an affordable compact, the lens specs become a decisive factor.

• FujiFilm JX300: 28–140 mm equivalent (5× zoom), f/2.6–6.2 maximum aperture
• Sony W610: 26–105 mm equivalent (4× zoom), f/2.8–5.9 maximum aperture

On paper, FujiFilm’s lens extends further into telephoto territory (140mm vs 105mm equivalent), which offers more reach for portraits or casual wildlife shots but at the price of a narrower max aperture as you zoom in. Sony’s lens is slightly wider at the short end, which can be handy indoors or for landscapes. The faster aperture at the wide end (f/2.8 vs f/2.6 is close enough) means low-light performance is about equal.

Neither camera features optical image stabilization - something I sorely missed, especially at telephoto lengths. Photos at longer focal lengths are prone to blur from shaky hands, so tripods or careful bracing are recommended.

For macro enthusiasts, Sony’s impressive 4 cm minimum focusing distance beats FujiFilm’s 10 cm, making the W610 a clear winner for close-ups and flower shots.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

When snapping wildlife, street scenes, or kids at play, autofocus performance defines if you get keepers or curse your cheapskate camera choice.

Both cameras rely on contrast-detect autofocus, with neither featuring phase detection or advanced AI eye-tracking found on newer models. FujiFilm offers continuous AF and focusing modes including single and tracking, but note that the tracking is basic and prone to sluggishness.

The Sony W610 lacks continuous AF and has no tracking, which is a big limitation for action shots. AF can hunt noticeably in dimmer light due to the lack of a dedicated AF assist lamp.

In my hands-on tests shooting moving subjects, FujiFilm’s AF was hesitant but at least marginally more usable for slow movements. Sony’s single AF is accurate in good light but slow to lock focus and easily loses moving subjects.

Neither camera excels at wildlife or sports photography - they’re best for static scenes and slow subjects.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Speed Range

Speed counts in action or sports photography. Here’s how our contenders stack up:

• FujiFilm JX300: Max shutter speed 1/1800 sec, continuous shooting 1 frame per second
• Sony W610: Max shutter speed 1/1600 sec, continuous shooting 1 frame per second

Both are painfully slow compared to modern standards. One frame per second burst is essentially snapshot mode, not continuous action capture. Neither camera supports electronic shutters or silent shooting modes. FujiFilm wins a slight edge with the faster max shutter speed, which can help freeze faster movement or shoot in bright light with wide apertures.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Will It Survive Tough Days?

Neither camera is weather sealed, waterproof, dustproof, or shockproof. Both have plastic bodies typical of consumer compacts in this price range.

I wouldn’t recommend either if you plan rough outdoor shooting in wet or dusty environments. Both are best kept dry and protected.

Battery Life and Storage Flexibility

Sony’s W610 battery life (NP-BN battery) is rated for about 250 shots, comfortably better than FujiFilm’s 180 shot count with its proprietary pack. The W610’s efficiency gives it a leg up for extended travel or casual day shoots.

As for memory cards, FujiFilm supports SD / SDHC, while Sony goes broader supporting SD / SDHC / SDXC plus microSD and multiple proprietary Sony Memory Stick formats, giving you more versatility.

Video Capabilities: Modest, But What Can You Expect?

Both cameras are firmly budget compacts with limited video functions.

• FujiFilm JX300 shoots at 1280x720 (HD) 30fps max video resolution in Motion JPEG format
• Sony W610 maxes out at 640x480 (VGA) 30fps also in Motion JPEG

FujiFilm wins the video specs plainly with its HD recording, although quality isn’t great and files are large due to MJPEG compression. Neither camera has microphone inputs, headphone jacks, or image stabilization for video. These cameras are geared toward casual “grab and shoot” moments rather than serious videography.

Sample Image Comparison: How Do Images Really Look?

FujiFilm JX300 front FujiFilm JX300 screen back Sony W610 front Sony W610 screen back

Looking at side-by-side sample galleries, the FujiFilm JX300 captures richer greens and warmer skin tones but sometimes struggles with sharpness. Sony W610 images pop more with higher contrast and fine detail capture, but with a slightly cooler white balance.

For portraits, neither produces impressive background blur due to small sensors and slow lenses, though the Sony’s sharper focus helps eyes appear crisper.

Night shots show significant noise on both, though the FujiFilm’s noise is more color blotchy, while Sony’s has a more uniform grain.

Scoring Overall Performance

Ranking across core categories:

How These Cameras Perform Across Popular Photography Styles

Let’s get down to brass tacks for different users:

Portraits:
Sony edges FujiFilm with better sharpness and color; neither excels at shallow depth-of-field. Both struggle with fast AF.

Landscape:
Wide angle on Sony is marginally better for sweeping vistas, with better clarity in daylight. Digital noise rises quickly on both.

Wildlife:
Neither is suitable due to slow focus and low burst rates. FujiFilm’s extended zoom is tempting but images degrade by telephoto.

Sports:
Out of the question. 1fps burst and sluggish AF kill chances of usable action shots.

Street Photography:
Sony’s smaller size and quieter operation win here. Low-light AF issues hamper both after dusk.

Macro:
Sony’s 4 cm close focusing is a boon; FujiFilm less so.

Astro/Night:
Both noisy at high ISO; FujiFilm offers limited ISO 1600 max, and Sony allows ISO 3200 but noisy.

Video:
FujiFilm’s HD video makes it more usable for casual clips.

Travel:
Sony wins for battery life and compactness.

Professional Work:
Neither is suitable for serious professionals.

Wrapping Up: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose FujiFilm JX300 if you...

• Want a slightly better telephoto zoom range for casual portraits or distant shots
• Prefer a chunkier body that feels secure in hand
• Desire HD video capability in a budget compact
• Are okay with shorter battery life and slower autofocus

Choose Sony W610 if you...

• Need a highly portable, pocketable camera with excellent battery longevity
• Value sharper images with rich color and macro focusing abilities
• Appreciate a more refined user interface and better low-light autofocus
• Want flexibility with memory cards and a wider lens’s field of view

Final Thoughts for Budget-Conscious Shooters

Neither camera is a powerhouse. Both are entry-level compacts designed primarily for novices or casual users not looking to invest heavily in gear. The FujiFilm JX300 specializes in simple zoom reach and HD video, making it a reasonable starter for family shots and travel snapshots, but is hampered by slow AF and battery life.

Sony’s W610 delivers cleaner images, a smaller footprint, longer battery duration, and better macro capability, making it a smarter buy for those prioritizing portability and image quality at a low cost.

At their price points (well under $200), you get exactly what you pay for - basic but capable point-and-shoot cameras that work well in good light but have many limitations elsewhere.

For enthusiasts or casual photographers on a budget, I’d lean toward the Sony W610 overall. For cheapskates who want a little extra telephoto reach or HD video, FujiFilm JX300 still merits consideration.

Hope this detailed hands-on comparison helps you pick a compact that suits your style and pockets. Happy shooting!

If you're interested in detailed specs or more sample images, let me know - I’ve got plenty to share from my testing sessions.