Samsung WB850F vs Sony HX99: A Deep Dive into Two Compact Superzoom Cameras

Choosing a compact superzoom camera can be a balancing act between versatility, image quality, portability, and budget. Both the Samsung WB850F and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 cater to photography enthusiasts who want substantial zoom reach without the bulk of a DSLR or mirrorless system. Having extensively tested both models side-by-side in varied scenarios, I’m excited to walk you through a detailed comparison of these two cameras - from technical specs to real-world results.

I’ll break down how each performs across different photography disciplines, analyze image quality and usability, and highlight who each camera is best suited for. My goal: to provide you an honest, hands-on perspective that helps you confidently pick your next travel or everyday companion.

Size and Handling: Compact Design with Distinct Flavors

Despite being nearly six years apart in release date, these cameras share a compact body type tailored for convenience on all-day outings. Here’s where subtle design cues impact comfort and control.

Samsung WB850F

• Dimensions: 109 x 62 x 25 mm; Weight: 250g
• Slim profile, with a more rectangular footprint
• Fixed AMOLED display (3” diagonal, 614k resolution)
• Clean but minimal tactile controls, lacking a dedicated viewfinder

Sony HX99

• Dimensions: 102 x 58 x 36 mm; Weight: 242g
• Slightly thicker to accommodate a pop-up electronic viewfinder
• 3” tilting touchscreen LCD (921k resolution), very sharp and responsive
• Additional physical controls give quicker manual access, including zoom and shutter dials

The Samsung’s slimmer body feels lighter but also a bit less sturdy in my hands. The Samsung’s AMOLED screen offered rich colors but the fixed angle was limiting in bright sunlight or awkward shooting positions. The HX99 wins here with its articulating touch display and an EVF that provides excellent eye-level framing - essential when shooting in bright conditions or capturing fast-moving subjects.

I highly recommend holding both cameras if possible. The HX99’s ergonomics cater better to serious users who want quicker access to camera functions; the WB850F feels more beginner-friendly but less inspiring to operate.

Design and Control: User Interface Insights

Moving on to the top control layout and button placement - something that reveals each brand’s philosophy.

The Samsung WB850F employs a simplified control scheme with buttons for flash, drive, mode, and a zoom rocker surrounding the shutter. Options to switch between aperture or shutter priority modes exist, but navigation menus feel slower due to limited buttons.

Conversely, the Sony HX99 features a more command-centric approach - a top mode dial for smooth immersion into manual or priority modes, a dedicated exposure compensation dial, and a customizable function button. The tilting touchscreen adds a layer of intuitiveness missing from the WB850F.

Both cameras have built-in flash units and similar exposure compensation capabilities. However, if you prefer manual control without diving into menus constantly, Sony’s design clearly edges out the Samsung. I found during extended outdoor shoots that the HX99’s controls encouraged more creative experimentation.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras house 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensors with roughly the same sensor area (28.07 mm²), which inherently imposes limits on dynamic range and noise performance compared to larger APS-C or full-frame sensors. Still, small sensor superzooms have developed significantly in recent years, and here’s how these two compare.

• Samsung WB850F: 16MP resolution, built-in anti-aliasing filter, max native ISO 3200, no RAW format support
• Sony HX99: 18MP resolution, anti-aliasing filter present, max native ISO 12800, supports RAW shooting

The Sony edges out Samsung with a higher resolution and a considerably wider native ISO range. The inclusion of RAW support will be critical for photographers who want post-processing flexibility, as the Samsung forces you to rely solely on JPEGs, restricting dynamic range recovery and fine tonal adjustments.

In practical terms, I noticed the WB850F delivering punchy but sometimes overly processed JPEGs that struggled in high-contrast scenes. Its max ISO of 3200 is adequate for daylight but quickly presents noise challenges indoors or in twilight.

The HX99’s sensor paired with Sony’s BIONZ X processor produces cleaner images at all ISOs. Shooting in RAW, I could extract shadow detail and achieve better color fidelity, especially in tricky lighting such as backlit landscapes or window-lit portraits.

Overall, for anyone prioritizing image quality - even within the inherent limits of a tiny sensor - the Sony HX99 is the better technical performer.

Screen and Viewing Experience: Framing and Focus Confidence

The rear display is your live connection with the scene. Samsung’s choice of a fixed 3” AMOLED screen delivers vibrant colors but only 614k dots resolution - starting to feel dated. It’s not touch-enabled, so navigating menus requires manual buttons.

Sony counters with a 3” tilting touchscreen with 921k dots for clearer previews and flexible shooting angles. Even better, the HX99 sports a built-in electronic viewfinder - a critical feature missing in the WB850F.

The EVF on the HX99 has good 100% coverage and 0.5x magnification, permitting precise eye-level composition. This makes manual focusing or tracking faster-moving subjects considerably easier, especially in bright light situations where LCD glare makes rear screen use frustrating.

If you frequently shoot outdoors or in bright environments, or if you want a compact camera that can handle a variety of angles (including selfies, thanks to the tilting screen), the HX99’s display system is a significant advantage.

Lens and Zoom: Reach and Aperture Trade-offs

Superzoom cameras shine for their versatile lens ranges; let’s compare focal spans and aperture ranges.

• Samsung WB850F: 23-483 mm equivalent (21x zoom), f/2.8-5.9 max aperture
• Sony HX99: 24-720 mm equivalent (30x zoom), f/3.5-6.4 max aperture

Sony’s HX99 provides an extended 30x zoom, reaching a longer telephoto focal length ideal for distant subjects or wildlife. The narrower maximum aperture, especially at the telephoto end, does limit low-light ability somewhat - common among superzooms - but the trade-off for reach is worthwhile.

The Samsung offers a slightly brighter wide end at f/2.8 compared to Sony’s f/3.5, which theoretically aids low-light shooting and creative depth-of-field effects. However, the difference is less pronounced in practice given the sensor size constraints and the optical performance at telephoto lengths.

Both cameras support manual focus and macro modes (minimum focusing distance ~5 cm), but neither excels in macro due to sensor and lens design.

Autofocus Performance: Speed and Accuracy

Accurate, reliable autofocus dramatically impacts user experience across all genres.

The WB850F uses contrast-detect autofocus only, with face detection enabled. While adequate for still scenes and daylight, I found its acquisition slower and hunting more frequent indoors or low-light scenarios. Its continuous autofocus is limited.

The Sony HX99 also relies on contrast detection but integrates faster processing and continuous AF tracking, including face detection live view capabilities. During wildlife and street shoots, the HX99 better locked onto subjects, maintained focus through zooming, and reacted faster to subject movements.

My philosophy has always been that autofocus should be "invisible" - the camera anticipating your intent rather than making you fight for focus. The HX99 embodied this better, making it more versatile for active subjects such as kids, pets, or sports.

Burst Shooting and Video Features

Continuous shooting at 10 fps is claimed by both cameras - a respectable figure for capturing decisive moments in sports or wildlife.

In practice, I observed that the Sony HX99 maintained buffer depth and frame rates longer, facilitated by a faster processor and support for RAW burst mode. The Samsung’s buffer fills quicker, limiting burst sequences to mostly JPEG frames.

When it comes to video, Sony’s HX99 is the clear winner:

• WX99 supports 4K UHD recording at 30p and 24p, along with Full HD in multiple frame rates including slow motion (120p)
• Samsung WB850F offers 1080p (30fps) as its max video resolution, with lower frame rates and fewer codecs supported

Both cameras lack headphone or microphone ports which restricts professional audio customization. However, for casual and travel video, Sony’s higher resolution and advanced codec options deliver sharper, more flexible footage.

Real-world Photography: Sample Images and Genre Suitability

Here is a gallery of images captured with both cameras across various conditions - portraits, landscapes, street scenes, and telephoto wildlife shots - showcasing differences in color rendering, detail, and bokeh quality.

Samsung WB850F front Samsung WB850F screen back Sony HX99 front Sony HX99 screen back

• Portraits: Samsung’s brighter lens aperture produces slightly softer background blur, but Sony’s superior sensor resolution and face detection yield sharper eyes and skin textures
• Landscapes: Sony’s extended dynamic range and RAW output enabled richer shadow and highlight detail in high-contrast scenes
• Wildlife & Sports: Longer zoom and faster AF tracking on HX99 provided tighter framing and higher keeper rates
• Street & Travel: Smaller size and quieter operation of the Samsung can appeal to street shooters valuing discretion, but Sony’s quicker AF and EVF beat it for responsiveness and composition

Durability, Battery, and Storage

Neither camera is weather sealed or ruggedized, so neither is best suited for harsh environmental work. Both rely on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, with the Sony additionally supporting Memory Stick Duo.

Battery life is a decisive factor for travel photographers. Here the Sony HX99’s NP-BX1 battery offered around 360 shots per charge - nearing industry average for compacts. Samsung WB850F’s battery life isn’t officially stated, but in my tests, it performed similarly, needing frequent recharges during intensive use.

Connectivity and Sharing

Wireless connectivity is built into both, though Samsung includes basic Wi-Fi and built-in GPS for geotagging, a thoughtful feature for travel photographers documenting journeys.

Sony HX99 includes NFC for one-touch pairing with compatible smartphones but lacks GPS. For those concerned with on-the-go sharing and social media integration, both offer smartphone apps - Sony’s being moderately more robust.

Overall Performance Ratings and Genre Scores

To summarize the technical and practical evaluations, here is a scorecard aggregating performance across key attributes.

• Samsung WB850F scores well on portability and ease of use but lags on image quality and video
• Sony HX99 excels in image quality, video capabilities, and versatility while retaining compactness

Genre-specific analysis further illustrates how each model aligns with photographic interests.

Sony HX99 has an edge across outdoor, wildlife, and low-light needs; Samsung WB850F remains a solid choice for casual travel and street photography where simplicity is prioritized.

Practical Recommendations: Which One Should You Pick?

Choose the Samsung WB850F if you:

• Prioritize a very slim, lightweight travel camera
• Are a beginner or casual photographer wanting simple controls
• Shoot mostly daylight portraits and landscapes without RAW or 4K video needs
• Appreciate GPS tagging embedded into images
• Don’t mind sacrificing eventual image quality for ease and compactness

Opt for the Sony HX99 if you:

• Want the longest zoom reach in a small camera for wildlife or sports
• Demand superior image quality with RAW support and 4K video recording
• Value a versatile tilting touchscreen and integrated electronic viewfinder
• Are keen on faster, more accurate autofocus in varied environments
• Need a “do-it-all” travel camera with serious creative control in a compact package

Final Thoughts: Reflecting on Experience and Future-proofing

Over thousands of hours with digital cameras, I’ve learned that the perfect camera isn’t just about specs, but how those translate into your unique shooting style and scenarios. The Samsung WB850F may resonate with shooters seeking simplicity and minimalism without overwhelming features. Meanwhile, the Sony HX99’s advances in technology and practical features cater to enthusiasts who balance portability with high performance.

For professionals or serious enthusiasts seeking a dependable pocket superzoom today, the Sony HX99 delivers a superior all-around package. However, it comes at a slightly lower price point than the discontinued Samsung WB850F originally retailed, making the HX99 the more forward-looking investment.

Whichever you choose, understanding their strengths and limitations ensures your new camera becomes a trusted creative partner on your photographic journey.

Thank you for reading my detailed comparison. I encourage you to try hands-on both cameras if possible and consider the types of photography you’ll pursue most. Feel free to reach out with questions or share your experiences. Happy shooting!

Appendix: Technical Specifications Snapshot

I hope this hands-on comparison gives you a clear, nuanced perspective on these two notable compact superzoom cameras. Let me know your thoughts or if you want a deeper dive into any specific photography style or technical detail!