Samsung MV800 vs Sony TX5: A Hands-On Comparison for Budget-Conscious Photography Enthusiasts

When hunting for a compact camera that offers decent image quality without breaking the bank, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer variety on the market - especially once you dip into models released a decade ago, which still have some loyal fans today. Two such contenders are the Samsung MV800 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5. Lightweight, pocketable - and both aimed at casual shooters and enthusiasts looking for an affordable everyday camera - they share some similarities but play in quite different balls.

Having tested these particular models extensively, shooting everything from landscapes in tricky lighting to snapping wildlife in my local parks, I’m here to deliver an honest, detailed comparison. Whether you’re a cheapskate looking for a solid backup or an aspiring content creator on a budget, I’ll walk you through the nuts and bolts, real-world uses, and quirks of both cameras.

Let’s dive in.

Getting a Feel: Size, Ergonomics, and Build

Anyone who’s spent time wrangling compact cameras knows ergonomics can make or break the experience. You want a camera that feels nice in your hands - especially if you plan to shoot for more than 10 minutes without cramping.

At 92x56x10 mm and weighing just 121g, the Samsung MV800 is notably slim and light. It’s one of those cameras that easily slips into a side pocket or small handbag. What I particularly liked is its stylish, polished finish and the fact that it features a (very handy) tilting touchscreen. This tilt mechanism lets you get creative with shooting angles without feeling like you’re doing a yoga pose. That said, it’s paper-thin - which means it lacks grip clubs for your thumbs, so steady handling requires a gentle, two-handed approach.

In contrast, Sony’s TX5 is a bit chunkier but still compact at 94x57x18 mm, weighing a slightly heavier 148g. Its fixed 3.0” touchscreen might not tilt but offers a fairly straightforward interface. The major plus here is the robust environment sealing - the TX5 is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, and freezeproof, designed to survive rough outdoor adventures. I tried taking it on a rainy hike, and it handled everything without a hitch, which the MV800 simply can’t match - there’s zero weather sealing on that Samsung.

On top of that, both cameras lack electronic viewfinders, so you’re relying solely on the rear screen to compose shots outdoors (which can be a challenge in bright daylight, a common problem with compacts).

If you’re someone who values ruggedness and versatility in unpredictable conditions, the Sony TX5 has that covered. If slimness and tilt screen flexibility are the priorities, the MV800 leads.

Navigating Controls and Shooting Interfaces

Controls are king when it comes to ease of use and speed. Neither camera is a manual mode champion; both lack shutter/aperture priority or full manual exposure, but let’s look at how their interfaces compare.

The MV800’s top panel is minimalist - no clubs for your thumbs or tactile dials here. Sony packs slightly more functionality, including a manual focus ring (surprisingly rare in ultrasmall cameras!). The touchscreen on both cameras supports touch AF and quick access to settings, but the MV800’s higher resolution 460k-dot display means you get a slightly crisper preview than the TX5’s 230k-dot screen.

If touchscreen responsiveness is your jam, you’ll appreciate the MV800’s more modern capacitive screen, especially since it supports multi-area autofocus and face detection. I found it intuitive for quick framing and adjusting white balance on the fly.

Sony’s interface is simple but doesn’t support face detection autofocus (which I missed when shooting portraits). Its 9 focus points and the ability to tap-to-focus directly on the touchscreen partially make up for that, but it still feels dated by modern standards.

Bottom line: For casual shooters who want to point and shoot with minimal fuss, Samsung’s touch interface offers a slightly more responsive and capable experience. For rugged outdoor shooting, Sony’s manual focus helps, but interface-wise you’re trading some fluidity.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Image quality boils down to sensor size, resolution, and processing chops - areas where these two differ significantly.

The Samsung MV800 houses a 1/2.3” CCD sensor with 16 megapixels (4608 x 3456 max resolution). CCD sensors are known for color accuracy and smooth gradation but often lag behind CMOS sensors in power efficiency and low-light performance. The MV800’s sensor yields punchy color but falls short on dynamic range and noise suppression at high ISO - expect noise creeping in above ISO 400.

Sony’s TX5 sports a 1/2.4” BSI-CMOS sensor with 10 megapixels. Here, the back-illuminated (BSI) technology improves low-light sensitivity and noise control. The TX5’s sensor doesn’t quite deliver the same resolution as Samsung, but its images are cleaner at ISO 800 and beyond. In my night shoots, the TX5 rendered starry skies with less noise and retained more mid-tone detail than the MV800’s output would allow.

Both cameras apply an anti-aliasing filter, which softens fine detail somewhat to reduce moiré but limits sharpness slightly.

In practical terms, if your priority is high-resolution images for larger prints or heavy cropping, the MV800’s 16MP output is an edge - ideal for landscape enthusiasts or studio/portrait shooters using good lighting. For mixed-use with an emphasis on low-light or night photography (think street scenes or astro shots), the TX5’s sensor wins out.

How Do They Perform Across Popular Photography Genres?

Image quality numbers only tell part of the story - how these cameras behave with real subjects is paramount.

Portraits: Skin Tones, Bokeh, and Eye Detection

The MV800 shines here thanks to face detection autofocus and a wider zoom range lens (26-130 mm), giving good framing flexibility for different portraits. Its CCD sensor produces pleasant skin tone transitions - somewhat warmer and natural-looking compared to many early backlit CMOS sensors.

However, with an aperture maxing out at f/3.3 (wide) to f/5.9 (tele), neither offers much in terms of bokeh. Background blur is mild, so expect relatively busy surroundings unless you get close or add external lighting.

Sony’s TX5 lacks face detection but still nails focus quickly on faces with its dedicated center AF point. Its 25-100 mm lens has a slightly narrower reach and slower max aperture (f/3.5-6.3), impacting shallow depth of field further.

If you want nicer skin tones with minimal fuss and occasional zooming for portraits, go Samsung. If you’re roughing it outdoors and prefer durability over slight bokeh advantage, Sony will suffice.

Landscapes: Dynamic Range, Resolution, Weather Resistance

Landscape lovers care about resolution and dynamic range - capturing intricate details and broad exposure latitude.

Samsung’s 16MP CCD delivers higher resolution shots useful for large prints or panorama stitching. Its dynamic range is limited, so you may struggle with high-contrast scenes - risky skies or heavy shadows tend to clip.

Sony’s 10MP BSI sensor offers more balanced exposure and noise performance but lower resolution. However, its weather sealing gives it an unbeatable advantage for landscapes in adverse weather. Rain, dust, or cold won’t hamper the TX5’s shooting.

So for serious landscape work in stable conditions, Samsung edges ahead due to resolution. For adventurers or anyone shooting outdoors in unpredictable settings, Sony’s ruggedness is a game-changer.

Wildlife & Sports Photography: Autofocus and Burst Speed

These genres require quick autofocus and fast continuous shooting for capturing fleeting moments.

Neither camera is a sports powerhouse, but let’s look under the hood.

Samsung lacks continuous autofocus or burst modes, limiting its utility for moving subjects. Its autofocus relies on contrast detection without multi-point tracking.

Sony offers 10 fps continuous shooting - a surprising feature for such a tiny camera - though autofocus locks before the sequence starts (no AF tracking during bursts). With 9 AF points, it can lock focus quickly on fixed subjects but struggles with tracking erratically moving animals or athletes.

If your wildlife or sports shots don’t demand pro-level speed or tracking, Sony gives you a slight leg up. Samsung’s autofocus limitations make it less suitable.

Street & Travel Photography: Discreteness, Portability, Versatility

For candid street shoots and travel, size, noise, and versatility matter.

Both cameras are compact and discreet, but Samsung’s slimness and tilt screen edge out Sony for framing versatility in crowd or tight spaces.

Sony’s rugged build encourages travel to tough environments - beach, mountain, even poolside - with less worry. Battery life details aren’t fully documented for either, but both will generally last a day of moderate shooting.

Sony’s lens is a bit wider at the short end (25 mm vs 26 mm), useful for street scenes and snapshots in cramped quarters.

Samsung supports microSD storage only; Sony accepts multiple card types, including Memory Stick, giving more flexibility in a pinch.

Macro Capability and Stabilization

Macro enthusiasts want sharp close-ups with focusing precision.

Sony boasts a handy 1 cm macro focusing distance, allowing extremely tight close-ups, perfect for insects or fine details. Samsung doesn’t specify macro focus range, typically meaning less optimized close focusing.

Both cameras include optical image stabilization - a must-have in compact cameras to reduce blur from shaky hands. I noticed Sony’s system slightly more effective in video mode, producing smoother footage.

Night and Astro Photography

Shooting in darkness challenges small sensors. Sony’s BSI-CMOS has a clear advantage in low-light noise handling.

Though neither camera offers long exposure modes typically sought by astro photographers, Sony’s minimum shutter speed of 2 seconds allows more flexibility than Samsung’s shortest at 8 seconds.

ISO ceilings are similar (3200 max native), but noise levels are considerably lower on Sony’s images. For casual night shooting or holiday fireworks, TX5 is a more dependable mate.

Video Capabilities: Specs and Stabilization

Both cameras max out at 720p HD video at 30 fps - not mind-blowing but decent for casual clips.

Samsung uses MPEG-4 and H.264, Sony MPEG-4 only. Neither supports external mics, HDMI output is present only on Samsung for cleaner feeds.

Image stabilization helps smooth handheld footage on both, but Sony’s weatherproof design lets you shoot video in more challenging conditions without worry.

Professional Use: Workflow and File Formats

Neither camera offers RAW support, limiting post-processing latitude for pro workflows. Both shoot JPEG only.

For workflow integration, Samsung’s USB 2.0 port is standard, but no wireless connectivity is built into either camera (a more recent feature most pros expect).

Battery types differ (Samsung's BP70 vs Sony's NP-BN1), so spares aren’t interchangeable, an annoyance if you switch between systems.

Storage, Connectivity, and Price-to-Performance

Samsung accepts MicroSD cards only, which are cheap and easy to source. Sony supports SD, Memory Stick Duo, and proprietary cards - an advantage for users with mixed gear.

Both lack Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS, missing out on remote control or geo-tagging, which might be deal-breakers for some.

Let’s talk price. At the time of launch, Samsung MV800 was around $499 - now likely found cheaper used - while Sony TX5 debuted closer to $239.

Given the price differential, Sony offers better ruggedness and low-light performance at a budget, whereas Samsung brings higher resolution and more modern touch functionality but costs more.

The Numbers Game: Performance Ratings and Genre Scores

Let's take a look at how these cameras stack up numerically.

While no comprehensive lab testing exists due to their age, independent community consensus and lab-score approximations show Sony’s TX5 outperforms Samsung MV800 in durability, low-light handling, and continuous shooting modes. Samsung scores better in megapixel count and face detection for portraits.

Real-World Shot Samples: See for Yourself

Finally, seeing sample images is critical.

Samsung MV800 screen back Sony TX5 screen back

The MV800 images show sharper details in daylight with richer colors, but highlight clipping is evident in contrasty scenes. Sony’s TX5 images have less fine detail but better exposure balance and cleaner high ISO shots.

Wrapping Up: Which Camera Should You Choose?

Samsung MV800 - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Higher resolution (16MP) sensor for detailed images
• Tilting, higher-resolution touchscreen for flexible framing
• Face detection autofocus great for portraits
• Optical image stabilization for steady shots
• Stylish, slim, and lightweight design
• HDMI output for external viewing

Cons:

• No weather sealing - vulnerable to elements
• No RAW or manual exposure controls
• Limited autofocus capability (no continuous AF)
• No video microphone input
• No wireless connectivity
• Higher price point

Sony TX5 - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Rugged, waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, and freezeproof
• BSI-CMOS sensor with better low-light and noise handling
• Continuous shooting at 10 fps (albeit no AF tracking)
• Manual focus capability
• Very close macro focusing (1 cm)
• Supports multiple storage card formats
• Budget-friendly price

Cons:

• Lower resolution (10MP)
• Fixed, non-tilting touchscreen with lower resolution
• No face detection autofocus
• No raw or manual exposure controls
• Video and audio features fairly basic

My Final Verdict

If your priority is casual shooting in safe, indoor, or fair weather conditions and you want the sharpest detail plus a nifty tilt screen, Samsung MV800 is a decent pick. It’s particularly suited for portrait and daylight landscape shooters who carry their camera gently and want to snap elegantly.

However, if you’re looking for an everyday travel companion that laughs in the face of rain, drops, dust, and freezing temps while offering solid all-around image quality and faster burst shooting, the Sony TX5 is your rugged buddy. It’s especially suited to those who spend time outdoors, need macro flexibility, and can live with slightly lower resolution.

For those on a tighter budget who want a durable compact that punches above its weight, the TX5 is a no-brainer. For slightly more money and a little more fragility, MV800 offers a touch more image refinement.

Useful Tips for Testing These Cameras Yourself

From my experience testing these and many other cameras, here’s a quick checklist to guide your evaluation:

• Always shoot familiar subjects in various lighting (daylight, indoors, low light) to compare handling and quality.
• Test autofocus on faces and moving subjects - note lag, hunting, and focus accuracy.
• Take a burst series (if available) to assess speed and buffer depth.
• Check how well image stabilization helps in handheld video and still shots.
• Use both LCD screens outdoors with/without shade to see visibility differences.
• If possible, test ruggedness by shooting in challenging weather or conditions (but don’t take either swimming unless waterproof!).
• Review file formats and storage compatibility to ensure workflow fits your needs.

In a sea of rival cameras, neither the Samsung MV800 nor Sony TX5 emerges as a perfect champion, but each fills a distinct niche with commendable strengths. I hope this comparison equips you with insights from real shooting experience to make an informed choice. Happy shooting out there!

If you enjoyed this in-depth comparison or have questions about other compact cameras, don’t hesitate to reach out - I’m always excited to share hands-on wisdom from years on the front lines of photography testing.

Safe travels and sharp shooting!