Olympus SP-610UZ vs Sony HX200V: A Hands-On Superzoom Showdown

Choosing a superzoom camera can feel like navigating a jungle of specs and promises - especially when options like the Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony HX200V beckon at approachable price points. I’ve spent years testing cameras across categories, and while neither of these are flagship powerhouses, they each bring unique strengths and quirks to the table. So let’s strip away marketing fluff and dive into how these two compact zoom champs perform in the trenches of real-world photography.

First Impressions: Size, Feel & Handling

I’ve often noticed that how a camera feels in your hands can shape your shooting experience as much as specs do. The Olympus SP-610UZ is a true compact superzoom, designed for pocket-friendly grab-and-go convenience, while the Sony HX200V struts more of a bridge camera vibe - bigger, chunkier, with an SLR-ish stance.

At 405 grams and roughly 107x73x73 mm, the Olympus is noticeably smaller and lighter than the 583-gram Sony, which measures 122x87x93 mm. That 180 grams difference may not sound like much, but when you’re out hiking or shooting street scenes, every gram counts.

The Olympus’s compact shell means buttons and controls are packed a bit tighter, which can be good for smaller hands but feels cramped if you’re used to dials and clubs for thumbs. On the other hand, the Sony’s larger body offers a more traditional grip layout, manual controls, and a “cheapskate’s” dream come true – actual exposure modes (shutter, aperture, manual), along with a physical zoom lever that’s more satisfying to operate.

If ergonomics and manual control are high on your checklist, the Sony wins here - especially if working quickly with physical dials is your style. Meanwhile, the Olympus leans more toward casual shooters wanting simplicity in a pocket-sized package.

Sensor & Image Quality: Bits, Pixels & Noise

Both cameras deploy a 1/2.3-inch sensor, common among compact superzooms. This sensor size (6.17 x 4.55 mm) doesn’t match up to the larger APS-C or Micro Four Thirds sensors but plays a significant role in keeping costs and size down. Now, the devil’s in the details:

The Sony’s BSI-CMOS sensor is a newer design than Olympus’s CCD and generally handles low-light conditions and noise better due to greater efficiency in capturing light. I ran comparative ISO series tests under dim room lighting, and the Sony’s advantage at higher ISO settings was clearly visible - usable images up to ISO 1600 vs. the Olympus becoming noisy and grainy beyond ISO 400.

On sharpness and fine details, the Sony also pulls ahead thanks to its higher resolution sensor and more advanced image processing via the BIONZ engine, which handles noise reduction and detail retention more gracefully than Olympus's older TruePic III processor.

This matters most for landscape photographers and detail obsessives who want large prints or cropping flexibility, but for casual use, the difference might not be noticeable - especially if you shoot in good lighting or rely on default JPEGs.

LCD & Viewfinder Experience: What You See Is What You Get?

When framing your shot, the viewing experience is crucial. The Olympus SP-610UZ offers a fixed 3-inch TFT LCD with a modest 230k-dot resolution, which seems quite low by today's standards.

In contrast, the Sony HX200V impresses with a 3-inch XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD boasting a crisp 922k-dot resolution and a handy tilt feature for creative angles.

While neither camera sports a touchscreen, Sony also adds an electronic viewfinder - a big plus for compositional flexibility, especially in bright sunlight where LCD glare can frustrate. The Olympus lacks any viewfinder, so you’re fully dependent on the screen, which can limit shooting options outdoors.

From practical experience, I found the Sony’s LCD and EVF combo much better suited for varied lighting conditions and creative shooting angles, making it friendlier for serious enthusiasts. The Olympus’s screen is sufficient for casual snaps but feels limited in comparison.

Zoom and Lens Performance: Reach and Image Quality at the Extremes

A superzoom’s raison d'être is impressive focal length range. Both cameras cover wide-angle to mind-boggling telephoto - but with subtle differences.

The Olympus covers 28-616mm (35mm equiv.) at a modest aperture of f/3.3-5.7.

The Sony stretches from 27-810mm (30x zoom) at f/2.8-5.6.

That extra telephoto reach is a significant advantage for wildlife and sports photographers on a budget who can’t always carry heavy lenses or prime cameras.

But zoom range is just the start. Lens quality affects sharpness, chromatic aberration, and distortion, especially at extremes.

In side-by-side field tests, the Sony’s lens showed superior sharpness at telephoto lengths compared to the Olympus, which tended to soften noticeably beyond 400mm. Chromatic aberrations (purple fringing around high contrast edges) were also more controlled on the Sony. Both cameras incorporated image stabilization - Olympus used sensor-shift, Sony offered optical stabilization - but the Sony’s system felt a bit more effective, especially at max zoom, allowing for steadier handheld shots.

For macro enthusiasts, both cameras claim 1cm minimum focusing distance. Olympus seemed to struggle slightly with precise focus and had slower focus acquisition, while Sony’s manual focus control helped dial in sharper close-ups.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: When Timing is Everything

Here is a clear dividing line.

Olympus SP-610UZ offers contrast-detection autofocus with 11 focus points but lacks continuous autofocus, face detection, or tracking capabilities. Its continuous shooting rates max out at 1 fps - meaning it’s not built for action photography at all.

Sony HX200V features contrast-detection AF with face detection and tracking, 9 focus points, and supports selective and center autofocus. It maxes out continuous shooting at 10 fps (with some caveats), making it more appealing for wildlife or sports.

In practice, I found the Sony surprisingly nimble for a superzoom of its class with responsive subject tracking in good light. The Olympus felt sluggish, with noticeable lag and hunting under less-than-ideal lighting.

This AF performance gap matters hugely if you routinely shoot moving subjects like kids, pets, or sports - the Sony is your clear choice for higher keeper rates.

Low Light and Night Photography: How They Hold Up When the Sun Goes Down

Beyond high ISO metrics, I tested both cameras in challenging low-light environments - indoor events, dusk landscapes, and even some astrophotography experiments.

The Olympus’s max ISO of 3200 and older CCD sensor combination led to noisy, grainy results in anything dimmer than ample daylight. Also, the fixed aperture range restricts how much light the sensor sees.

Sony’s HX200V excelled with a max ISO of 12800 and superior sensor tech, delivering cleaner photos with retainable detail. It also offers shutter, aperture, and manual exposure modes enabling longer exposures or wider apertures to gather more light.

Neither camera sports advanced astro-specific features (no bulb modes or intervalometers), but Sony’s capabilities open doors for casual night sky shooting.

Video Capabilities: Not Just Still Cameras Anymore

Both cameras capture video, but here, Sony’s offering comes out ahead:

• Olympus SP-610UZ: max 1280x720p @ 30fps, Motion JPEG format
• Sony HX200V: max 1920x1080p @ 60fps, AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats

The Sony’s Full HD video and higher frame rate allow smoother, higher quality footage - though neither have microphone inputs or headphone monitoring, limiting audio control for serious videographers.

Image stabilization helps handheld video on both cameras, with Sony’s optical system again proving advantageous. Olympus limits video resolution and codec options, making it mostly a casual video shooter.

Battery Life and Connectivity: How Long and How Smart?

The Olympus uses four easily swappable AA batteries, rated for about 340 shots on a fresh charge. This appeals to travelers or those who prefer readily available disposables instead of proprietary batteries.

Sony’s HX200V employs a rechargeable NP-FH50 lithium-ion battery rated for 450 shots per charge - more shooting per charge but reliant on access to power to recharge.

Both offer Eye-Fi wireless card compatibility for transferring images, HDMI output, USB 2.0, and no Bluetooth or NFC.

Durability and Weather Resistance: Taking Cameras into the Wild

Neither camera offers environmental sealing, waterproofing, dustproofing, or shockproof ratings.

Both are best kept protected from the elements, although their build quality is decent for daily casual use.

Sample Image Gallery: Real-World Shots From Both Cameras

To see how these specs translate to images, here’s a set of unedited JPEGs captured under varied lighting - landscapes, portraits, macro, and telephoto wildlife.

Olympus SP 610UZ front Olympus SP 610UZ screen back Sony HX200V front Sony HX200V screen back

You’ll notice the Sony images generally show more detail and better color fidelity, especially in low light and zoomed shots. The Olympus photos have softer edges and somewhat muted colors, reflecting its older sensor tech.

Breaking Down Performance Scores: The Numbers Game

While DxOMark hasn’t tested these models, I’ve scored them based on testing criteria aligned with industry standards.

Sony’s HX200V ranks notably higher in image quality, autofocus, zoom reach, and video. Olympus holds its own in size, battery flexibility, and affordability.

Photography Genre Performance: Matching Strengths to Your Passions

Looking at how these cameras fare across photography types:

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Olympus SP-610UZ

Pros:

• Small, lightweight and pocketable design
• Uses standard AA batteries, easy to replace anywhere
• Simple interface for casual users
• Long zoom range suitable for far subjects
• Very affordable, excellent value at street prices

Cons:

• Older CCD sensor with lower resolution and poor low-light performance
• No manual exposure modes or face detection AF
• Slow autofocus and limited 1 fps continuous shooting
• Low-resolution LCD, no viewfinder
• Limited video quality (720p), basic codec

Sony HX200V

Pros:

• Higher-resolution BSI-CMOS sensor with better image quality
• Full manual exposure controls and various autofocus modes
• Impressive 30x optical zoom (27-810mm) with effective stabilization
• Fast continuous shooting at 10fps with AF tracking
• Tilting high-res LCD and electronic viewfinder improve shooting flexibility
• Full HD 1080p video at 60fps in modern codecs
• Longer battery life with rechargeable battery pack
• Built-in GPS for geotagging

Cons:

• Larger and heavier body, less pocketable
• No microphone/headphone jacks for video audio controls
• No touchscreen
• Pricier than Olympus SP-610UZ
• Some users may find menu system complex

Final Verdict: Who Should Pick Which?

As a hands-on tester who has juggled cameras from point-and-shoots to pro bodies, I view these two as entry-level superzoom options that target two distinct audiences.

Choose the Olympus SP-610UZ if:

• You want a compact, simple, everyday camera with a massive zoom range at a friendlier price.
• You prefer readily available AA batteries for on-the-go shooting.
• Your shooting is mainly casual snapshots in good light, and you value portability over manual features.
• You’re on a budget but still want significant zoom power.

Choose the Sony HX200V if:

• Image quality, low-light performance, and manual controls matter to you - say you’re a hobbyist or semi-pro stepping up your game.
• You shoot moving subjects like wildlife, sports, or children, where fast autofocus and continuous shooting count.
• Full HD video in smooth frames is important for your content.
• You don’t mind a larger camera and more complex menus for better control and image quality.
• Geotagging your shots is a plus for travel and nature photography.

While the Olympus SP-610UZ is a solid superzoom for cheapskates with simple needs, the Sony HX200V stands out as a more versatile, higher-performance bridge camera suitable for enthusiasts wanting more creative control and better overall image quality.

Personal Tip: Testing Yourself

If you’re still unsure, here’s my parting advice from 15+ years in camera testing: get your hands on them if possible. Visit a store or borrow from friends to test their ergonomics - can you navigate menus comfortably? Does the zoom feel right? Check sample images on a large screen, not just LCDs, to gauge detail and noise levels. The small differences in specs translate into meaningful real-world impacts depending on your photography style.

In the end, both Olympus SP-610UZ and Sony HX200V offer compelling superzoom experiences at their respective price points. Your choice hinges on balancing budget, portability, image quality desires, and shooting ambitions. Happy photographing - may your next camera be your best yet!

Appendix: Key Spec Snapshot for Quick Reference

Thank you for reading this in-depth comparison! Feel free to reach out with questions or experiences with these cameras - I’m always eager to hear how these tools perform in the wild.