Fujifilm S4200 vs Sony HX100V: A Hands-On Comparison of Two Small-Sensor Superzooms

When I first picked up the Fujifilm FinePix S4200 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V side by side, it struck me just how similar yet distinctly different these two small-sensor superzoom bridge cameras appear at first glance. They both promise extensive focal ranges, DSLR-esque handling, and versatility for a variety of shooting situations, but their feature sets, underlying technology, and real-world performance are markedly different. Having extensively tested both in studio and field conditions, I’m eager to guide you through a detailed comparison from sensor specs to shooting experience, helping you decide which fits your photography ambitions - whether it’s travel, wildlife, street, or video.

Let’s dive into an experience-based, technical, and practical review that prioritizes what matters most to photographers.

Size and Ergonomics: Handling that Feels Right

One of the first things I consider when evaluating a camera is how naturally it fits in the hand and how intuitive the controls feel during prolonged shooting. You want a camera that becomes an extension of your creative intent rather than a clunky obstacle.

The Fuji S4200 feels compact yet substantial in my grip. It’s a bit boxier with a firmly rubberized grip area that prevents slipping, despite weighing 543 grams with batteries. Its dimensions (118x81x100 mm) allow for confident handheld shooting, especially when zoomed in.

By comparison, the Sony HX100V is slightly larger and heavier (577 grams, 122x87x93 mm), but the ergonomics are excellent with a more contoured grip and thoughtfully positioned zoom and shutter controls on the top deck. The slightly narrower body width makes the camera sit comfortably for smaller hands. Although it’s heavier, the HX100V feels more balanced, especially with longer lenses extended.

Both cameras radiate what I call “bridge camera seriousness” in their build, but the Sony’s controls - including a distinct mode dial and dedicated exposure compensation wheel - offer more direct access to settings. The Fuji’s control layout is simpler but less immediately tangible.

Design and Control Layout: Navigating Your Camera with Confidence

While size matters, how you interact with controls defines your shooting efficiency in the field.

The Fuji S4200’s top panel presents a minimalist interface with a shutter release, zoom toggle, and power switch. There is no top screen or status display. I found myself diving into menus frequently to change ISO or drive modes, which can interrupt shooting flow if you’re chasing fast-moving subjects.

Sony’s HX100V, however, sports a classic mode dial granting access to program, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, and scene modes at a flick. There are dedicated buttons for ISO and metering modes, plus custom function shortcuts accessible easily. What really pleases me is the intuitive placement of these controls, which allow me to keep eyes on the scene rather than the menu hierarchy.

For users who like to micromanage exposure while shooting sports or wildlife, the HX100V’s layout better supports rapid adjustments. The Fuji is simpler but may frustrate more advanced shooters who want fine control on the fly.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Core of Visual Impact

Both cameras utilize a 1/2.3-inch sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm with an active area of roughly 28 mm². Visually, the sensor sizes are identical and within expectations for bridge superzooms in this class.

However, the crucial differences lie in sensor type and resolution:

• Fujifilm S4200: 14-megapixel CCD sensor, ISO range 64-1600 (boosted to 6400), anti-alias filter present.
• Sony HX100V: 16-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, ISO 100-3200 native, anti-alias filter present.

The BSI-CMOS sensor in the Sony offers better light-gathering efficiency than the Fuji’s CCD, especially in lower-light conditions. In practical shooting, this translated into noticeably cleaner images from the HX100V at ISO 800 and above, with reduced noise and preserved detail. The Fuji’s images grow grainy and softer beyond ISO 400.

Resolution wise, Sony’s 16MP versus Fuji’s 14MP doesn’t make an enormous difference in print size or cropping ability, but the sensor technology does affect dynamic range and color fidelity. The HX100V could capture greater shadow detail and show richer colors, particularly in landscape and outdoor portraits.

Fuji’s CCD sensor, by contrast, sometimes yielded images with a warmer color bias and moderate contrast, which some users may find appealing for casual shooting but less so for professional post-processing.

LCD and Viewfinder Experience: Framing Your Shots Precisely

Precise framing and image review ease are pivotal to photo satisfaction.

The Fuji sports a fixed 3-inch TFT LCD with only 230k dots resolution - frankly, a cramped and somewhat grainy display that makes scrutinizing sharpness or critical focus challenging in bright light.

Sony counters this with a tilting 3-inch 921k-dot XtraFine LCD featuring TruBlack technology for improved contrast and daylight visibility. The tilting functionality really helped me compose low-angle street shots or wildlife photos without crouching awkwardly. The Fuji’s static screen does not afford such flexibility.

Both cameras utilize electronic viewfinders (EVF) with similar coverage but limited resolution that makes judging fine focus tricky, especially in challenging light. Sony’s EVF felt marginally more responsive, though neither camera pushes this aspect far.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: Covering Every Scenario

Both models sport superzoom fixed lenses engineered to cover broad focal ranges.

• Fuji S4200: 24–576mm equivalent focal range (24x zoom), aperture f/3.1-f/5.9
• Sony HX100V: 27–810mm equivalent focal range (30x zoom), aperture f/2.8-f/5.6

Sony clearly wins here with a longer zoom reach, extending into super-telephoto territory essential for wildlife and distant landscapes.

The faster aperture at wide angle (f/2.8 vs f/3.1) also benefits low-light work and provides shallower depth of field for background separation in portraits and macro.

While both lenses perform well in terms of sharpness at the wide end, Sony’s lens maintains better center-to-edge sharpness throughout the zoom range. The Fuji, being a more budget-oriented model, exhibits pronounced softening and chromatic aberrations at full telephoto.

Autofocus Performance: Capturing Moments at the Right Time

Autofocus (AF) responsiveness and reliability directly affect your ability to capture fleeting moments - particularly in wildlife or sports.

Fuji’s S4200 uses contrast-detection AF with some face detection capabilities but lacks touch or selective AF points. It supports continuous AF but only one frame per second in burst mode.

Sony’s HX100V also uses contrast-detection with 9 AF points and multiple AF-area modes (multi, center, selective), but crucially, it does not offer continuous AF for video or burst. It has face-detection off by default but can be enabled.

In my tests, the Sony’s AF acquisition was appreciably faster and more accurate in well-lit conditions, enabling me to track birds in flight with fewer missed shots. The Fuji tended to hunt under the same conditions and occasionally misfocused.

However, burst shooting capabilities are significantly better in the Sony (10 fps vs 1 fps), making it superior for sports or action photography, where sequence capture is invaluable to selecting perfect frames.

Image Stabilization: Holding Shots Steady

Both cameras feature image stabilization but via different methods:

• Fuji S4200: sensor-shift (sensor-shift stabilization)
• Sony HX100V: optical lens-shift stabilization

During handheld shooting, especially at full telephoto, I found Sony’s optical stabilization more effective and natural, reducing handshake blur more consistently. The Fuji’s sensor-shift stabilization helps but feels less capable on the long zoom end.

If you often shoot at 500mm and above without a tripod, this difference impacts final image sharpness significantly.

Burst Rates and Video Capabilities: Beyond Still Photography

For enthusiasts who mix stills with video, or want to capture fast action sequences, these specs matter.

• Fuji S4200 shoots at a modest 1 frame per second continuous stills, video at 720p/30fps.
• Sony HX100V shoots stills at 10 fps bursts, video at Full HD 1080p 60fps (AVCHD/MPEG-4).

The Sony’s video quality is noticeably richer with smoother motion capture and more flexible codecs. The tilting screen also facilitates better video framing.

The Fuji’s video mode is serviceable for casual use but feels dated at 1280x720 resolution with basic H.264 and Motion JPEG formats.

Battery Life and Storage: Keeping You Shooting Longer

The Fuji S4200 runs on four AA batteries, which makes it super convenient to swap cells anywhere but adds weight.

Sony HX100V uses a proprietary NP-FH50 rechargeable battery. While I didn’t receive official battery life numbers for Sony, I generally got a solid day of shooting under mixed use. The AA battery solution is better for travelers without charging facilities but less eco-friendly and heavier in the pack.

Both have single SD card slots, but Sony’s added Memory Stick compatibility offers versatility for existing Sony users.

Connectivity and Additional Features

Neither camera offers Bluetooth or NFC, but the Sony HX100V includes built-in GPS and Eye-Fi card connectivity for geotagging and wireless file transfers - not present on the Fuji.

Having GPS embedded on the Sony makes travel photography more manageable with automatic location references embedded in metadata.

Real-World Photography Performance

Having covered specifications, let me contextualize their impact across common photography genres and use cases.

Portrait Photography

• Fujifilm S4200: Produces pleasant skin tones with a warmer color profile and accessible face detection AF. However, fixed lens aperture limits bokeh separation, and AF speed can lag with moving subjects.
• Sony HX100V: Faster lens with f/2.8 wide aperture delivers more natural background blur. Although no eye AF, faster AF speed and accuracy help capture crisp portraits even in varied light.

Landscape Photography

• Fuji’s lower resolution and limited dynamic range make large prints less detailed, but the extended zoom and anti-aliasing filter reduce moiré artifacts in foliage and architecture.
• Sony excels here with higher resolution, wider ISO range, and superior sensor dynamic range. The tilting LCD helps compose challenging landscapes with unusual angles.

Wildlife Photography

The Sony’s longer 810mm zoom, faster burst, and more responsive AF system shine here. I successfully tracked birds in flight more reliably on the HX100V. Fuji’s slow continuous shooting and limited zoom hamper its wildlife capability.

Sports Photography

Sony again leads for similar reasons: higher frame rates, faster shutter speeds (up to 1/4000s), and improved burst mode. The Fuji’s max shutter of 1/2000s and 1 fps burst limit action capture.

Street Photography

Fujifilm’s smaller size and lighter weight slightly favor portability for street shooting. That said, Sony’s superior low-light performance and faster AF assist in unpredictable ambient conditions.

Macro Photography

Fuji’s close focusing to 2cm allows good macro shots, but the lack of manual focus and slower AF mean patience is necessary. Sony’s specs do not list macro distance but lend themselves well to close-ups with faster AF.

Night and Astro Photography

Sony’s superior ISO performance and longer shutter range (30 sec max) allow more flexibility for low-light creative work. Fuji’s max shutter of 8 sec and noisier images at high ISO limit astrophotography potential.

Video Shooting

Sony’s Full HD 60fps with AVCHD format and tilting screen make it a more serious hybrid shooter. Lack of mic port limits audio quality upgrades, but it still outclasses Fuji’s 720p video in image quality and smoothness.

Travel Photography

The Fuji’s AA batteries and compactness make it a dependable choice in remote regions or where charging isn’t available. Sony’s superior optics and GPS tagging enrich travel memories but demand charging discipline.

Professional Work

Neither camera will satisfy pro-level demands for RAW shooting or robust build/weather sealing. However, Sony’s better image quality and faster shooting modes could serve enthusiast-level clients on a tight budget.

Sample Images from Both Cameras

I’ve included side-by-side images to illustrate the difference in image clarity, color, and zoom reach through several real shooting scenarios.

Fujifilm S4200 front Fujifilm S4200 screen back Sony HX100V front Sony HX100V screen back

Overall Performance Scoring

Here is a summary of my weighted scoring across key attributes based on my hands-on testing and experience in professional environments:

The Sony HX100V leads predominantly due to sensor performance, lens quality, and versatility. Fuji remains a solid budget-friendly option.

Genre-Specific Scores and Suitability

Breaking down performance further by genre gives a nuanced view:

• Portraits: HX100V edges out for image quality and bokeh.
• Wildlife: HX100V shines due to zoom and AF.
• Landscapes: HX100V superior dynamic range.
• Sports: HX100V higher FPS and shutter.
• Street: Fuji slightly favored for portability.
• Macro: Fuji closer focusing but slower AF.
• Night/Astro: HX100V better ISO and shutter.
• Video: HX100V full HD and frame rates.
• Travel: Fuji conveniences balanced by HX100V feature set.
• Professional: Neither fully pro but HX100V closer.

The Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

Having tested both extensively, I feel confident recommending:

For Beginners and Budget Travelers

If you want dependable superzoom performance with straightforward operation, longer battery endurance with easy AA cells, and acceptable image quality for casual snapshots, the Fujifilm S4200 provides excellent value around the $200 price point. It’s well-suited for travel and everyday shooting where ultimate image quality and speed are not priorities.

For Enthusiasts and Hybrid Shooters

If you crave longer zoom reach, faster continuous shooting, better low-light capability, superior video features, and more precise manual controls, the Sony HX100V justifies its higher $430 price tag. It’s a versatile camera for wildlife, landscapes, and event photography requiring more responsiveness and quality. The built-in GPS and connectivity boost convenience on the go.

Final Thoughts from My Experience

While neither camera replaces the creative precision or image quality of modern mirrorless or DSLR systems, both the Fujifilm S4200 and Sony HX100V carve niches as affordable, versatile superzoom bridge cameras catering to hobbyists, travelers, and casual enthusiasts.

My testing approach focused heavily on real-world shooting in varied conditions, measuring response times, assessing image samples critically on calibrated monitors, and comparing usability features under time pressure - where practical camera interface design truly matters.

Ultimately, your choice boils down to priorities: is ease of use, battery flexibility, and value paramount? Choose Fuji. Need speed, image quality, and extensive zoom reach packed with pro-adjacent features? Sony leads the way.

Whichever you pick, embrace the joy of capturing compelling moments where and when they happen - that’s the heart of photography beyond specs and scores.

I hope this in-depth, hands-on comparison helps you find the camera that best fits your creative journey. Feel free to reach out with questions or for shooting advice – photography is after all a craft best shared and explored together.