Fujifilm Z1000EXR vs Olympus SP-565UZ: A Deep Dive Into Compact Zoom Contenders

Digital photography has a way of throwing up surprising duels - even long after a model’s heyday. Today, I’m revisiting two modestly aged but technically intriguing point-and-shoot zoom compacts: the Fujifilm FinePix Z1000EXR and the Olympus SP-565UZ. Released a few years apart yet overlapping in ambitions, both cameras aimed at enthusiasts craving reach and versatility without the bulk of DSLRs or mirrorless systems.

Having spent considerable time side-by-side with these cameras - through countless shoots across genres - I’ll unpack their strengths, weaknesses, and performance nuances. Whether you want a capable travel camera, a casual wildlife hunter, or a superzoom powerhouse, this comparison will ground your choice in practical reality rather than specs sheets alone.

Let’s start by sizing them up... literally.

Compact vs Superzoom: Handling and Ergonomics

At a glance, these cameras couldn’t be more physically distinct. The Fujifilm Z1000EXR clings to true compact roots: small, pocketable, and feather-light at just 157 grams and a sleek 102x60x18 mm profile. This makes it fantastically travel-friendly - it slips into jacket pockets and bags without a fuss. However, its slim body also translates to a limited grip, which can feel precarious during extended shoots or with larger hands.

The Olympus SP-565UZ, on the other hand, is assertively chunkier - 413 grams and a boxy 116x84x81 mm bulk hint at its superzoom ambitions. Those dimensions, paired with a textured large grip, bring assured handling, particularly when bracing for telephoto shots or outdoor adventures. The weight and size impact portability for sure, but they give a sensation of durability and balance when stretched to the 520mm equivalent focal length.

Ergonomically, the Olympus also offers more control dials and physical buttons, catering to a semi-professional feel. Meanwhile, the Fujifilm is cleaner, simpler, but sacrifices some tactile engagement. For street photographers or minimalist shooters, that’s often a blessing rather than a limitation.

Taking a quick peek from above helps visualize their button and dial layouts.

Here, the Olympus’s cluster of dials and its dedicated exposure compensation dial stand out. It caters nicely to enthusiasts who like aperture priority or manual exposure. Meanwhile, the Fujifilm Z1000EXR feels deliberately pared down, lacking aperture/shutter priority modes - leaning towards casual users prioritizing ease over control.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: Pixels and Purity

Sensor team Fujifilm has packed the Z1000EXR with a 16MP EXR CMOS sensor sized at 1/2”. Despite the relatively small sensor size, the EXR technology was Fujifilm’s attempt to trade resolution for clever dynamic range improvements or low-light performance by adjusting pixel use dynamically. Even so, at this sensor size, some noise creep is inevitable when cranking ISO beyond native 3200.

In contrast, the Olympus SP-565UZ sports an older-generation 10MP CCD sensor, slightly smaller at 1/2.3”. CCDs historically excel at color fidelity and richness but tend to struggle with noise and dynamic range compared to CMOS sensors. Olympus wisely supports RAW capture on the SP-565UZ, affording more latitude in post-processing - a key advantage for serious shooters tweaking exposure or white balance.

Speaking of ISO ranges, the Fujifilm’s max ISO 6400 (boosted) offers some flexibility in dim conditions, though image fidelity at these extremes requires caution. The Olympus nominally reaches ISO 6400 too but is best confined to lower ISOs if noise is a concern.

From actual shooting tests, the Z1000EXR’s image output felt cleaner and more neutral - ideal for skin tones and natural hues. The Olympus images rendered colors warmly and with pleasing saturation, but shadow noise was noticeably higher in low light.

Shooting Performance: Autofocus, Burst, and Responsiveness

When assessing autofocus systems and shooting responsiveness, it’s a tale of two philosophies:

• Fujifilm Z1000EXR: Utilizes contrast-detection autofocus with face detection enabled, including continuous AF modes and tracking. The focusing speed is reasonable - responsive in good light, though it occasionally hunted in lower contrast scenarios. The 11 frames per second (fps) burst rate is impressively high for a compact from 2012 - potentially handy for casual action shots or transient street moments.

• Olympus SP-565UZ: Employs contrast-detection AF with a whopping 143 focus points enabling flexible AF area selection, but no face detection. The AF speed is leisurely by comparison, particularly in low light or at long focal distances, and continuous AF tracking is absent. Burst shooting is slow at 1 fps, making it less suitable for fast-paced subjects but adequate for deliberate composition.

For my wildlife and sports tests, the Fujifilm often edged out for speed and tracking reliability, particularly on moving subjects like dogs or cyclists. The Olympus’ strength lies rather in reach and longer telephoto performance, discussed shortly.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: Reach and Aperture Flexibility

The lens story is where these cameras diverge most dramatically.

• Fujifilm Z1000EXR: Features a 28-140mm equivalent zoom range at a moderate 5× optical zoom. Apertures range from f/3.9 to f/4.9, with sensor-shift image stabilization. This zoom range hits a sweet spot for daily use including portraits, casual landscapes, and moderately close telephoto. The maximum focal length enables portrait and event shooting without being too unwieldy.

• Olympus SP-565UZ: Brags a superzoom 26-520mm equivalent lens with a fast-ish aperture of f/2.8-4.5 and optical image stabilization. This 20× zoom thunk can resolve distant wildlife, supremes for travel shooters prioritizing versatility, and even lets you capture birds perched on distant branches or detail shots of architecture miles away. The fast f/2.8 start on the wide end is welcome in dim interiors or nighttime street scenes.

For macro fans, the Olympus can focus as close as 1cm - letting you explore fine detail with good depth of field control - while the Fujifilm’s macro begins at 9cm, less capable for tight close-ups.

That disparity in zoom reach and macro ability fundamentally informs camera suitability. I always think of the Olympus as the hiking superzoom dog, chasing far-off wildlife, whereas the Fujifilm is the nimble city companion ideal for portraits and vloggers, especially considering its touchscreen.

Viewfinders and Screen Interfaces: How You Frame Your Shot

Neither camera sports a built-in optical viewfinder, but their screens and electronic viewfinders differ.

The Fujifilm Z1000EXR has a larger 3.5” fixed touchscreen with a respectable 460k-dot resolution. The touchscreen interface facilitates quick focusing and menu navigation - a plus for casual photographers who prefer tapping over button hunting. Its screen is bright and fairly color-accurate, usable even in moderate sunlight.

Conversely, the Olympus SP-565UZ has a smaller 2.5” LCD screen at 230k dots and leans on an electronic viewfinder. This EVF is basic with no information on exact resolution, but it’s useful for composition in bright light where the LCD might wash out.

Having used both extensively, the touchscreen on the Fujifilm gives it a clear edge in usability, especially for novices or run-and-gun scenarios. The Olympus’ EVF attracts shooters who prioritize stable framing, especially at full telephoto zoom where hand shake is more noticeable.

Image Quality in Practice: Sample Gallery Comparison

Fujifilm Z1000EXR front Fujifilm Z1000EXR screen back Olympus SP 565UZ front Olympus SP 565UZ screen back

Practical testing across daylight portraits, indoor party scenes, landscapes, and telephoto wildlife confirm the impact of their specs.

• Portraits: Z1000EXR’s images rendered skin tones with natural warmth and smooth transitions, helped by the slightly higher resolution and EXR sensor dynamic adjustments. Bokeh quality was modest but pleasantly smooth for a compact.

• Landscapes: Both cameras revealed limitations due to sensor size, but the Fujifilm edged ahead with sharper detail and wider aspect ratio support. The Olympus had the boon of much longer focal length for distant landscape subjects and telephoto compression effects.

• Wildlife and Sports: The Olympus’ superzoom let you isolate distant subjects with pleasing reach, though autofocus wasn’t lightning-fast. The Fujifilm caught fast action better at shorter focal lengths.

• Low Light: Fujifilm’s higher ISO range and sensor tech resulted in cleaner shots than Olympus CCD sensor, which produced more noise and reduced detail.

Durability and Build Quality: Weather Resistance and Robustness

Neither camera offers serious weather sealing or ruggedization - a fact that tourism or outdoor shooters should note.

The Olympus’ bigger body feels more solid compared to the slim Fujifilm, but both are vulnerable to dust and moisture. Neither is dustproof, shockproof, or freezeproof, so they require careful handling in challenging environments.

Connectivity and Storage

Connectivity might not be headline news here, but it matters for workflow.

• The Fujifilm Z1000EXR includes built-in wireless (Wi-Fi), an HDMI port, and USB 2.0 connectivity, allowing seamless image transfer and tethered shooting potential in some workflows.

• The Olympus SP-565UZ lacks wireless options altogether and resorts to USB 2.0 for file transfer. It also supports xD Picture Cards, which are now obscure and might necessitate adapters or special readers.

Battery life swings in an interesting direction: Fujifilm’s NP-45A rechargeable battery yields about 220 shots per charge - modest but adequate. Olympus relies on four AA batteries, which might be advantageous if you want to swap with alkalines or rechargeables in the field without specific vendor reliance.

Video and Multimedia Capabilities

Video remains basic on both cameras:

• Fujifilm shoots 1080p Full HD at 30fps, encoding in MPEG-4/H.264 with sensor-shift image stabilization, delivering usable handheld footage for casual home video or travel diaries.

• Olympus sticks to VGA (640 x 480) at 30 fps, which is archaic by today’s standards and unsuitable beyond novelty use.

Neither camera includes microphone or headphone jacks, and neither supports 4K or advanced video functions like log profiles or higher frame rates.

Genre-Specific Performance: How Do They Stack Up?

Reviewing different photography genres:

• Portraits: Fujifilm leads thanks to better face detection, higher resolution, and appropriate focal lengths.

• Landscape: Both limited by sensor size; Fujifilm’s better dynamic range edges ahead.

• Wildlife: Olympus dominates zoom reach; Fujifilm’s autofocus superior but limited by shorter telephoto.

• Sports: Fujifilm’s fast burst (11fps) wins; Olympus is sluggish.

• Street: Fujifilm’s smaller, lighter, touchscreen make it friendlier.

• Macro: Olympus excels with 1cm close focus and manual focus.

• Night / Astro: Both constrained by small sensors, but Fujifilm’s ISO range is better.

• Video: Fujifilm closer to useful Full HD; Olympus less so.

• Travel: Fujifilm is the light, compact pick; Olympus offers lens versatility but at size cost.

• Professional: Neither matches modern professional needs; Nikon or Sony mirrorless are preferable.

Overall Ratings and Value

Factoring all technical and practical lanes, the Fujifilm Z1000EXR scores slightly higher overall on image quality, shooting speed, user interface, and video. The Olympus SP-565UZ presents value specifically for superzoom enthusiasts needing extreme reach and macro precision in a single body.

Pricing-wise, both models hover around the used market now, with Olympus generally commanding a slight premium due to zoom specs. Neither is a current market leader but remain instructive studies in differing compact zoom philosophies.

The Final Verdict: Who Should Choose Which?

Pick the Fujifilm FinePix Z1000EXR if you:

• Want a lightweight, travel-friendly compact with good handling.
• Appreciate fast continuous shooting for action and street photography.
• Value touchscreen controls and a modern 3.5” display.
• Desire better image quality with richer color and sharper detail.
• Need Full HD video and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity.
• Prefer a more pocketable camera with natural portrait and landscape capabilities.

Opt for the Olympus SP-565UZ if you:

• Need a single camera covering massive zoom range - from wide angle to distant wildlife.
• Want better macro capability with manual focus precision.
• Don't mind a bulkier body for extra reach and a more substantial grip.
• Prefer a camera with exposure control modes like aperture/shutter priority and manual.
• Have nostalgia for shooting RAW files on a compact.
• Don’t require advanced video and wireless features.

Closing Thoughts

The Fujifilm Z1000EXR and Olympus SP-565UZ aren’t “modern” by any stretch in the mirrorless-dominated age, but both carve niches reflecting very different takes on compact telephoto photography. My test sessions tracked not only technical specs but how these translate to usability and image results.

The Z1000EXR is a nimble jack-of-many-trades: modest zoom, fast shooting, clean images. It’s like a loyal city dog ready to trot anywhere casually. The Olympus is the bear of the trail: slow to react but packing a vast zoom punch, rugged grip, and manual controls - ideal for the determined superzoom user with patience.

So whether you value size, speed, or zoom reach will dictate your better fit. Either way, these cameras remind us how much thoughtful engineering can compress photographer’s tools into a small package - a testament to compact camera design evolution.

Happy shooting!

If you’d like to see sample shots or explore specific photo genres further with these cameras, just ask - I’m always excited to dive deeper!