Comparative Analysis of the FujiFilm FinePix Z800EXR and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20: Which Ultracompact Camera Suits Your Needs?

When seeking an ultracompact camera for everyday and specialty photography, discerning enthusiasts and professionals must navigate a crowded field where subtle differences in sensor technology, ergonomics, and feature sets dramatically impact real-world usability and image quality. This detailed comparison pits two notable ultracompact models - the FujiFilm FinePix Z800EXR (hereafter “Z800EXR”) announced in mid-2010, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20 (“TX20”) released in early 2012 - against one another. Both cameras target casual to enthusiast users valuing portability but differ on many fundamental technical and operational parameters.

Having personally tested these cameras extensively under diversified photographic scenarios and benchmarked them using standard laboratory methods (sensor evaluation, frame rate testing, autofocus tracking fidelity, etc.), this analysis provides an authoritative breakdown aimed to help informed buyers align camera capabilities with their precise use cases.

Physical Dimensions and Ergonomics: Handling in the Hand

Ultracompact cameras specialize in portability by definition, but usability hinges greatly on ergonomics and size. The Z800EXR measures 98 x 59 x 20 mm and weighs 158 grams, while the TX20 is marginally smaller and lighter at 96 x 56 x 18 mm and 133 grams. These small differences mean the TX20 slips more discretely in a pocket but also provides a slightly slimmer grip.

Ergonomic Assessment:

• FujiFilm Z800EXR: The Z800EXR features slightly more pronounced beveling and a thicker body profile. This affords a firmer grip despite reduced volume, particularly for users with average or larger hands. The fixed, tactile buttons provide reliable feedback but are somewhat clustered, which may challenge users with larger fingers.

• Sony TX20: The TX20 impresses with a refined, minimalist aesthetic and a curved front that fosters smooth hand placement. However, its smaller body and glossier finish occasionally induce slippage, particularly when shooting in humid or wet conditions. Button spacing is more generous and labels clear, especially beneficial when operating quickly.

While both cameras lack an electronic viewfinder (EVF), thus necessitating LCD reliance, the TX20’s thinner design slightly compromises stable handholding but enhances pocketability.

Conclusion: For photographers prioritizing pocket convenience, the TX20 edges out. However, those who value physical control and a more assured grip might prefer the Z800EXR’s slightly larger chassis.

Top-Panel Controls and User Interface Accessibility

User interface design directly impacts shooting efficiency - an essential consideration for candid street or fast-action photography. Inspection of the top views reveal nuanced differences.

• Z800EXR: The top plate hosts a single power button, shutter release, and a mode lever providing rudimentary scene selections. However, there is no dedicated manual exposure adjustment or quick-access dial, reflecting the camera’s fixed automatic exposure paradigm.

• TX20: Sony’s TX20 incorporates a more comprehensive control set - while still lacking full manual exposure, it offers a manual focus ring supplemented by touchscreen AF control. The power and shutter buttons are better proportioned for rapid actuation.

From testing, the TX20’s inclusion of manual focus support, via a physical ring, significantly enhances usability for macros and selective focusing scenarios - a persistent limitation on the Z800EXR.

Sensor Technology and Imaging Performance

The sensor is arguably the most critical element for photographic outcome. Both cameras deploy 1/2.3” class sensors but differ in type and resolution, reflecting their respective release timelines and technology choices.

Sensor Architecture and Practical Impact:

• CCD vs. BSI-CMOS: The Z800EXR’s CCD sensor, combined with FujiFilm’s proprietary EXR processor, excels in delivering clean images with notable color fidelity at base ISO levels but exhibits increasing noise at ISO 800 and above. CCD sensors inherently generate more heat and consume more power, which partly explains the Z800EXR’s comparatively limited battery life.

• The Sony TX20’s backside-illuminated CMOS architecture benefits from improved quantum efficiency, especially in low-light conditions, facilitating cleaner images up to ISO 1600 with manageable noise levels. Its modestly higher native resolution also provides enhanced detail rendition without compromising dynamic range excessively.

Real-World Observation:

Shooting landscapes and portraits side-by-side reveals the TX20 produces sharper images with more nuanced tone gradation, especially in challenging light. Meanwhile, the Z800EXR’s images have a distinct color character attributed to FujiFilm’s color science, pleasant for skin tones but lacking the crispness that enthusiasts might demand.

Autofocus System and Focusing Performance

Ultracompact cameras often struggle with autofocus (AF) speed and precision due to size and cost constraints. These two models demonstrate contrasting approaches.

The Z800EXR allows only single-shot contrast-detection AF, with no continuous or tracking modes. This results in slower acquisition times and greater focus hunting, especially in low light or with moving subjects.

The TX20 leverages Sony’s face detection and multi-area AF options, delivering more reliable performance on moving targets and better eye detection for portraits. Its touchscreen AF substantially improves focusing accuracy and user interaction.

While neither camera features phase-detection AF, the TX20’s enhanced software and manual focus capability provide headroom for precise control absent on the Z800EXR.

Display Quality and Interface Usability

Both models lack viewfinders and rely heavily on rear LCD panels for composition and review, underpinning the importance of display clarity and responsiveness.

While the Z800EXR features a larger 3.5-inch display, its low resolution (460k) produces identifiable pixelation and less accurate color reproduction, particularly noticeable when reviewing focus or exposure.

Sony’s TX20, despite a smaller 3-inch screen, offers double the resolution, resulting in crisper previews with richer color fidelity. The TruBlack technology also enhances contrast and outdoor visibility - a decisive advantage for travel and street photographers.

User interface responsiveness is superior on the TX20, with touch input being less prone to lag - a factor critical for quick AF point selection and menu navigation.

Lens Mechanics and Optics: Reach and Versatility

Despite fixed lens designs typical for ultracompacts, zoom range, aperture, and close-focus ability profoundly influence photographic versatility.

The Z800EXR’s longer focal reach (175mm equivalent) offers more reach for casual telephoto needs, beneficial for portrait and wildlife starting points. However, maximum aperture starting at f/3.9 limits low-light capabilities.

Sony’s TX20 prioritizes wider angle coverage beginning at 25mm equivalent, favoring landscapes, architecture, and travel shots. Its macro focusing distance of just 1 cm enables detailed close-up imagery, outperforming the Z800EXR’s minimum macro distance.

Optimal image stabilization tech also differs:

• Z800EXR employs sensor-shift stabilization, effective at reducing handshake blur but sometimes less consistent.

• TX20’s optical image stabilization (OIS) system typically delivers smoother results, particularly important during telephoto zoom and video capture.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Speed Range

Continuous shooting speed and shutter range affect performance in action and sports imaging.

The Sony TX20’s 10 fps burst, albeit at modest resolution and in a buffer-limited mode, substantially outperforms the Z800EXR’s 2 fps, enabling more effective capture of fast-moving subjects such as sports or wildlife.

TX20’s slightly faster maximum shutter speed favors freezing fine motion, while both cameras handle long exposures comparably.

Video Recording Capabilities

Hybrid shooters increasingly demand capable video from compact devices.

The TX20’s Full HD 1080p at 60fps support with AVCHD compression allows for higher-quality, smoother videos than the Z800EXR’s HD 720p capped at 24fps in Motion JPEG, which tends to generate larger files and lower efficiency.

The presence of HDMI output on the TX20 facilitates direct connection to monitors/recorders, enhancing professional workflow capacity despite the absence of an external mic port.

Battery Performance and Storage

Shooting endurance and storage flexibility affect usability on extended trips.

While precise comparative battery longevity measurements for the Z800EXR are lacking, anecdotal testing corroborates a shorter lifespan relative to the Sony TX20, which officially achieves around 250 shots per charge, consistent with similar cameras utilizing BSI CMOS sensors.

Storage versatility favors Sony with broader memory card compatibility, supporting SDXC and Memory Stick formats, thereby accommodating larger and faster media cards.

Robustness and Environmental Sealing

Environmental resistance extends shooting opportunities under adverse conditions.

Of note, the Sony TX20 counters its compactness by incorporating weather sealing, protecting against dust and light moisture. This confers a practical advantage for travel and outdoor photographers operating in unpredictable climates.

The FujiFilm Z800EXR lacks any weather-proofing, thus requiring more careful handling outdoors.

Connectivity Features

Wi-Fi, HDMI, and wireless connectivity facilitate modern workflows.

The Sony TX20’s Eye-Fi compatibility allows wireless image transfer through supported SD cards - convenient for casual sharing - while the Z800EXR requires physical connection for file download.

HDMI output, present only on the TX20, supports clean playback on external displays, useful during client presentations or surveillance of focus/video framing.

Image and Video Samples: Comparative Visual Quality

Reviewing sample galleries from both cameras under varying light and subjects confirms earlier analytical points.

FujiFilm Z800EXR front FujiFilm Z800EXR screen back Sony TX20 front Sony TX20 screen back

• The TX20’s images manifest superior detail, reduced noise in shadows, and more accurate color rendition, especially under mixed lighting conditions.
• The Z800EXR produces pleasing skin tones but with softer fine detail and increased image noise at raised ISO.
• Video footage from the TX20 is visibly smoother and more detailed compared to the choppier, less defined Z800EXR clips.

Performance Ratings and Genre-Specific Analysis

The following rating graphics collate and visualize benchmark scores obtained from independent testing labs and in-field assessments.

Key takeaways:

• Portrait: TX20 excels due to better AF (face detection), sharper optics, and skin tone reproduction. Z800EXR’s shorter sensor and larger pixel size yield softer bokeh but less detail.
• Landscape: Both perform acceptably, but TX20’s higher resolution and improved dynamic range edge it ahead.
• Wildlife and Sports: TX20’s faster burst and AF tracking provide real advantages.
• Street & Travel: TX20’s weather sealing, lower weight, and superior low light abilities favor mobility.
• Macro: TX20 shines with 1cm focusing distance and manual focus control.
• Night/Astro: Neither is ideally suited, but TX20’s BSI sensor extends usable ISO range.
• Video: The TX20’s Full HD and 60fps give it clear superiority.
• Professional Workflows: Neither supports RAW, limiting advanced editing, but TX20’s HDMI and better file management grant it a slight edge.

Practical Recommendations by User Type and Use Case

Budget-Conscious Casual Photographer:
The FujiFilm Z800EXR delivers decent image quality at a lower cost (~$200 street price) and is appropriate for users primarily shooting daylight scenes, family snapshots, and requiring simple operation. However, limitations in AF and video should be anticipated.

Travel and Street Photographers:
The Sony TX20’s lighter weight, weather sealing, and wider lens make it suitable for urban exploration and travel photography where adaptability and quick AF are essential.

Macro Enthusiasts:
With 1 cm minimum focusing distance and a manual focus ring, the TX20 offers better control and results for close-up work.

Wildlife and Sports Hobbyists:
The substantial burst rate advantage and continuous AF modes of the TX20 facilitate capturing action better than the Z800EXR’s slower and more limited system.

Video and Multimedia Users:
For anyone integrating video into their workflow, the TX20’s Full HD at 60fps and HDMI output represent a significant upgrade over the Z800EXR.

Professional Photographers:
Neither camera fully meets professional standards due to lack of RAW support, limited manual controls, and modest sensor sizes. However, for professionals seeking an ultracompact second camera for quick street or travel shots, the TX20’s zoom versatility, weather resistance, and advanced focus features would be preferable.

Summary: Which Ultracompact Camera Wins?

The FujiFilm FinePix Z800EXR and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20 provide contrasting bundles tailored to different priorities. The Z800EXR embodies a classic ultracompact ethos with straightforward operation, longer telephoto reach, and unique FujiFilm color nuance but compromises modern features such as manual focus, high-speed burst, and extended video resolution.

In comparison, the Sony TX20 incorporates technologically up-to-date sensor architecture, improved AF, enhanced video capabilities, and weather sealing at the expense of slightly reduced zoom range and marginally smaller ergonomics.

Choosing between these depends foremost on the user’s photographic ambitions:

• For casual to beginner enthusiasts who prize simplicity over versatility and have a modest budget, the Z800EXR remains a competent option.
• For advanced amateurs and travel photographers desiring a compact camera with more control, better image quality, and comprehensive multimedia features, the Sony TX20 clearly dominates.

This comparison has drawn from hands-on testing, technical measurements, and extensive field trials to assist in making a data-driven camera selection suited to a broad set of photographic demands.

Article images utilized in this evaluation:

FujiFilm Z800EXR front FujiFilm Z800EXR screen back Sony TX20 front Sony TX20 screen back