Fujifilm S8500 vs Sony HX50V: The Ultimate Hands-On Small-Sensor Superzoom Showdown

When budgets are modest, but image versatility is a must, small-sensor superzoom cameras have long been the go-to for enthusiasts craving everything-from-wide-to-telephoto capability in one package. Today, I put two such 2013 classics head-to-head: the Fujifilm FinePix S8500, a bridge-style behemoth with a staggering 46x zoom, and the pocket-friendly Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V, a sleek compact boasting a 30x zoom with GPS thrown in for good measure. Both sit in the sweet spot for walk-around travel, casual wildlife spotting, and share a similar sensor size, but their design philosophies couldn’t be more different.

I’ve had weeks with each, shooting landscapes, portraits, wildlife, and video, pushing their autofocus and image quality to the limit. Let’s dive into an in-depth, no-nonsense comparison based on real-world use, technical analysis, and practical recommendations to help you decide which of these aging but still relevant superzooms deserves a place in your bag.

First Impressions: Handling and Ergonomics Battle

Looking at their size and design, you’ll quickly notice these two cameras couldn’t be more different in handling philosophy.

The Fujifilm S8500 - with its DLSR-like bridge camera physique - is a chunky 670 grams, with thick grips and room for proper clubs for thumbs. It feels substantial in hand, and that hefty zoom lens demands a solid hold. Its physical dimensions (123x87x116mm) reflect a camera designed to feel like a “real camera,” giving you lots of manual control but sacrificing portability.

By contrast, the Sony HX50V lives in a compact (108x64x38mm), pocketable chassis weighing just 272 grams. It slots easily into a jacket pocket or small purse, excellent for street and travel photographers who want to stay unobtrusive and light on their feet.

The Fujifilm’s larger body offers more dedicated buttons and dials, a welcome fact for those who prefer tactile manual control over menu diving, especially in the field. The Sony relies heavily on menus and fewer buttons due to its compact body, which can slow fast shooting situations for some.

Top Controls: Button Layout and Usability

Ergonomics aren’t just about size - control placement impacts how quickly you can respond to shifting scenes.

The Fujifilm’s top deck houses clearly separated dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, plus a zoom rocker that feels tactile and precise. This is ideal for photographers accustomed to DSLR-style controls who want to switch settings rapidly without looking.

Sony’s HX50V uses a smaller zoom rocker and a mode dial around the shutter button. While functional, Sony’s layout feels less intuitive when shooting fast-moving subjects or when needing to quickly adjust aperture or ISO.

Sensor and Imaging Core: Who Wins the Pixel Race?

Both cameras sport a 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, a common size in this class, but Sony comes with a higher pixel count: 20 MP vs. Fuji’s 16 MP. Let’s get technical.

Higher megapixels on the HX50V means a slight edge in resolution for large prints or tight cropping. However, small sensors with dense pixels can suffer from increased noise, especially at higher ISOs. The Fuji, with fewer pixels but similar sensor size, pulls a slightly better low-light performance on paper and practical use because pixels are bigger and collect more light.

Neither camera offers RAW shooting, which limits post-processing latitude, especially in recovery of highlights and shadows. Both rely mainly on JPEG outputs - a hit for professionals who crave greater control. Color reproduction from Fujifilm's sensor tends toward warm tones, appealing to portrait shooters, while Sony aims for neutral, balanced color.

Build Quality and Weather Protection: Are They Ready for Adventure?

Neither camera sports any form of weather sealing or ruggedized features. While the Fujifilm’s size gives a feeling of robustness with its solid grip, the plastic-heavy Sony chassis feels more delicate but is easier to carry.

Both will demand extra care outdoors, especially in moisture or dust-heavy environments.

Screens and Viewfinders: Framing Your Shot

The Fujifilm sports a 3-inch, 460k-dot TFT LCD that is fixed (no tilt), while the Sony has a 3-inch, 921k-dot XtraFine LCD, also fixed. The Sony’s screen is noticeably sharper and brighter, making it easier to review images in daylight - something that matters greatly when you’re on the fly.

Fujifilm’s electronic viewfinder is very basic, with just 200k dots, and no real data overlay options. Meanwhile, Sony lacks a built-in viewfinder; you must add an accessory if you want one. This tradeoff suggests Fuji aims for a DSLR-like experience, whereas Sony focuses on compact portability and screen-based composing.

Autofocus: Tracking, Speed, and Accuracy

When it comes to autofocus systems, let me just say that these cameras reflect the technology level you’d expect from early-2010s superzooms - but they behave quite differently.

The Fujifilm S8500’s AF is contrast-detection only and a bit sluggish, often hunting in low light or at longer focal lengths. There’s no continuous AF mode or face detection, and autofocus points are limited, making wildlife or sports shooting challenging.

Sony’s HX50V uses contrast-detection with face detection and a sort of continuous autofocus tracking for stills (though no phase detection). While it won’t rival current mirrorless cameras in speed, the Sony feels snappier and more reliable in daylight, with follow-focus that manages moderate movement well. This makes Sony more versatile for casual wildlife, street, and travel shooters.

Zoom Reach and Aperture: The Telephoto Wars

If zoom length is your top priority, Fujifilm’s 24-1104mm equivalent (46x zoom) is hypnotic. That’s an enormous reach compared to Sony’s 24-720mm (30x zoom), which is still no slouch but significantly shorter.

However, this comes at a cost. The Fuji’s maximum aperture narrows from f/2.9 to f/6.5 as you zoom in, while Sony falls from f/3.5 to f/6.3 across its zoom range. The wider aperture at the wide end favors Fuji for landscapes and group shots with better low-light performance. But at extreme telephoto, both struggle with light, and image sharpness drops noticeably.

Realistically, the enormous zoom on Fujifilm is often unwieldy without a tripod and suffers more from handshake blur despite optical stabilization - something I constantly battled during wildlife shoots.

Sony’s shorter range is easier to manage during hand-held shots and felt more immediately usable for street and family candid photography.

Image Stabilization: Optical Help When You Need It

Both cameras boast optical image stabilization, which is essential on such high zooms to counteract hand shake. While the Sony system felt more effective (especially at mid-telephoto), Fujifilm’s system did help but didn’t fully prevent blur at the longest zoom settings.

Neither system features in-body stabilization, so you’re at the mercy of lens-based optics.

Image Quality Recap: What Did I Capture?

In controlled base ISO conditions, both cameras produce decent 16-20 MP JPEGs with vibrant colors. Fujifilm’s S8500 rendered skin tones nicely warm and pleasing for portraits, while Sony’s HX50V favored natural hues and sharper detail.

Noise becomes more noticeable beyond ISO 800 on both, but Fuji’s bigger pixels show a slight advantage in low-light definition.

During my outdoor landscape shoots, Fuji’s wider zoom and brighter aperture wide-angle helped produce more detailed, colorful shots, though image softness crept in near 1100mm. Sony’s images were sharper at mid-telephoto but couldn’t reach those super long focal lengths.

Neither camera supports RAW, limiting creative control, so in-camera processing matters more here, with Sony’s HDR and white balance bracketing edges giving it a slight edge for tricky scenes.

Burst Speed, Video, and Extra Features

Both can shoot around 10 fps for stills, respectable for casual action, but buffering limitations cap continuous bursts comparatively quickly.

Video-wise, both nail full HD 1080p at 60fps, but Sony has more format options (MPEG-4, AVCHD) compared to the Fuji’s Motion JPEG. Video image quality is clean on both, but Sony’s smoother compression and exposure transitions feel more modern. No microphone or headphone jacks are present in either, limiting professional video work.

Sony’s built-in GPS is a bonus for travel photographers who want automatic geotagging, whereas Fujifilm lacks any wireless or location features.

Battery Life and Storage

Sony’s NP-BX1 rechargeable battery rated for about 400 shots per charge offers much longer shooting cycles than Fuji’s 4 x AA battery system, which can be both a blessing and a curse. While AA batteries are easy to replace on the fly anywhere, their drain and weight can add up during an all-day shoot.

Both cameras use a single SD card slot, and Sony adds Memory Stick compatibility, which could be a plus if you’re already Sony-labeled.

Price and Value in 2024

Today, these two cameras hover around similar price points (roughly $440–$500 secondhand), making them intriguing affordable superzoom options where budget is tight but zoom is king.

Let’s put these numbers and performance into context with a visual summary.

Specialized Photography Use Case Breakdown: What Are They Best At?

To really sum up each camera’s strengths, here’s how they fare across different genres:

Portraits

• Fujifilm S8500 edges out with warmer skin tones but suffers from no face detect AF - you’ll need good lighting and still subjects.
• Sony HX50V has face detection autofocus which makes portraits simpler, though colors are more neutral.

Landscape

• Fujifilm delivers a more immersive zoom and slightly better wide-angle aperture, aiding landscapes.
• Sony has sharper images at moderate zoom but can lack reach or brightness wide-open.

Wildlife

• Fuji offers incredible focal reach but slow AF makes tracking difficult for fast movers.
• Sony trades zoom length for more responsive AF and decent burst rates, better for casual wildlife shots.

Sports

• Neither is ideal for competitive sports photography, but Sony’s quicker AF and tracking get the nod for casual use.

Street

• Compactness and portability win hands down for Sony HX50V - easier to be discreet and quick.
• Fujifilm is bulky and more conspicuous but offers better grip and handling for deliberate compositions.

Macro

• Sony’s 5 cm macro focus beats Fuji’s close focus at 0 cm (meaning focus on lens surface - less realistic), offering better practical macro shots.

Night / Astrophotography

• Both struggle beyond ISO 800; Fuji brighter aperture wide-set helps, but neither designed for low noise extremes.

Video

• Sony offers smoother, better compressed formats and contrast tracking AF than Fujifilm's Motion JPEG output.

Travel

• Sony’s small size, GPS capability, and better battery life make it ideal pack-around camera.
• Fujifilm’s massive zoom is tempting but heavy, limiting travel day-long comfort.

Professional Use

• Neither supports RAW or pro-grade interface, limiting adoption for serious workflow.
• Fujifilm offers more controls and viewfinder, beneficial for learning manual skills.

Sample Images from Real Shootouts

Fujifilm S8500 front Fujifilm S8500 screen back Sony HX50V front Sony HX50V screen back

Looking at real samples, you’ll spot the tradeoffs: Fujifilm’s extended zoom yields shots impossible for Sony but with softness and noise in dim conditions, while Sony’s images appear sharper with better exposure consistency.

Pros & Cons: Quick Reference

Fujifilm S8500

Pros:

• Massive 46x zoom - impressive reach for distant subjects
• DSLR-style handling with many manual controls
• Brighter wide-angle aperture (f/2.9)
• Built-in electronic viewfinder

Cons:

• Heavy and bulky
• Slower, less reliable autofocus
• Fixed low-res LCD screen
• No RAW, limited video format
• Shorter battery life due to AA batteries

Sony HX50V

Pros:

• Compact and lightweight design
• Faster, face-tracking autofocus
• Higher resolution sensor (20 MP)
• Brighter, sharper LCD screen
• Built-in GPS tagging
• Longer battery life with rechargeable pack
• Better video options/quality

Cons:

• Shorter zoom range (30x vs. 46x)
• No built-in viewfinder
• Slightly narrower max aperture at wide end (f/3.5)
• Limited manual controls compared to Fujifilm

My Take: Which Should You Buy in 2024?

If you crave maximum telephoto reach and DSLR-style control and don’t mind lugging around a brick, the Fujifilm S8500 remains a strong contender for casual wildlife enthusiasts, landscape adventurers on a budget, or learners wanting to grasp manual exposure without diving into interchangeable lenses. Its massive zoom lens will let you explore perspective like few compacts can. Just remember to pack a tripod or expect some handshake blur at full zoom.

If you want an all-rounder that fits in your pocket, shoots quick, is better for portraits and travel, and includes handy extras like GPS, the Sony HX50V is your camera. Its faster autofocus, longer battery, and sharper screen make it more versatile day-to-day, especially for street photographers and casual nature shooters.

Final Thoughts

Both cameras are relics in today’s mirrorless-dominated market but offer niche value for those prioritizing superzoom reach on a tight budget. Neither breaks new ground in image quality but do reliably cover multiple shooting scenarios with very different strengths.

If portability and speed trump zoom reach, lean Sony. If zoom reach and your manual control muscles are what you want to play with, Fuji is still fun.

One last tip from experience: Superzooms reward slow, deliberate shooting - zoom all the way in, brace your elbows, be patient, and accept some softness in exchange for epic framing.

I hope this detailed comparison helps you zero in on the superzoom that suits your style and budget best. Happy shooting!

If you found this helpful, feel free to ask questions about lenses, accessories, or shooting tips with either model - I’m always here with the hands-on know-how you need!