Sony NEX-7 vs Sony TX20: The Ultimate Camera Face-Off for Enthusiasts and Pros

When you stare down these two Sony cameras, the 2011 Sony NEX-7 and the 2012 Sony TX20, at first glance the difference is glaring. On one side, you have a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera designed to woo advanced enthusiasts and prosumers. On the other, a slim ultracompact point-and-shoot aimed at casual shooters craving portability and ease. But how do they actually stack up when you roll up your sleeves and put them through the trenches of real-world photography?

Having spent over 15 years testing thousands of cameras (and yes, I’m a bit of a cheapskate always hunting for value), I’m here to break down these two Sonys across every critical point - from sensors and autofocus to ergonomics, image quality, and beyond. If you’re wavering between these models or simply curious about the practical merits each brings to the table, stick with me - I’ve put them both through rigorous hands-on testing across diverse shooting scenarios.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Size matters: The Sony NEX-7's heft and grip contrast strongly with the sleek, pocketable TX20.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Build Quality

Right out of the box, you can’t ignore the size difference. The Sony NEX-7 weighs 400 grams and sports a robust, rangefinder-style mirrorless body with dimensions of 120 x 67 x 43mm. The TX20 is a featherweight at 133 grams, embodying the typical ultracompact form factor at 96 x 56 x 18mm.

If you’re a fan of cameras with clubs for thumbs and excellent ergonomics - the NEX-7's thoughtfully sculpted grip and substantial control wheel layout will feel familiar and offer confidence during extended shoots. The TX20’s slim profile is incredibly pocket-friendly but sacrifices grip comfort and control accessibility (notably, it relies fully on touchscreen input with no physical dials).

The build quality of the NEX-7 feels solid and durable but doesn’t offer environmental sealing. The TX20 surprisingly touts some degree of weather resistance, although it’s far from rugged or waterproof.

This size and build contrast sets the tone for how these cameras handle different photographic scenarios. The NEX-7 demands commitment and intention - bringing it adds weight but yields control. The TX20, meanwhile, flaunts grab-and-go portability at the expense of manual control options.

The NEX-7's dials and buttons vs the TX20’s minimalist top surface highlights a battle between manual control and simplicity.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Now that size and feel are settled, it’s time to peek under the hood - the sensor and image-processing engine. This is where the true divide lies.

Sony NEX-7 Sensor: APS-C Brilliance

The NEX-7 features a 24-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.5x15.6mm, paired with Sony’s BIONZ image processor. This sensor size and resolution are impressive even by today’s standards for advanced mirrorless bodies - not bad for a camera announced in late 2011.

The NEX-7 sports a true 3:2 aspect ratio “large” chip, meaning it captures detailed, clean images with a good dynamic range of 13.4 EV stops (pretty solid, especially for shooting landscapes with varied lighting). The camera’s color depth scores 24.1 bits per channel, an excellent sign for nuanced skin tones and rich hues - a real gift for portrait photographers especially.

Native ISO spans 100 up to 16000, and while nothing to write home about for extreme low-light shooters, it still delivers surprisingly usable images up to ISO 1600 and acceptable results pushing to ISO 3200 before noise becomes distracting.

Sony TX20 Sensor: Compact Convenience

Contrast this with the TX20’s tiny 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor, measuring only 6.17x4.55mm, with 16 megapixels effective resolution. This sensor size has inherent limitations in noise control and dynamic range - something any seasoned photographer will immediately feel.

The max ISO caps at 3200, and while image noise is well-controlled at base ISO, shots above 800 ISO lose sharpness and accrue smudgy noise faster than you’d like.

The TX20 is designed for casual snaps and compact convenience - not high-end artistry. Yet, in bright daylight and moderate conditions, it produces clean images that handle social media sharing and family albums just fine.

Sensor area comparison visualizes the NEX-7's advantage in gathering light over the TX20's tiny chip.

Focusing Systems and Speed: Locking on the Moment

Both cameras promise continuous shooting at 10 frames per second - a tempting spec for sports and wildlife shooters. But the devil is in the details.

NEX-7’s Autofocus: Contrast-Only but Slick

The NEX-7 uses a hybrid 25-point contrast-detection AF system with face detection. It lacks phase-detect autofocus, so while the AF isn’t the fastest of modern mirrorless cameras, it’s accurate, especially in good light and with static or slowly moving subjects.

Face detection works well for portraits and street shots, nudging focus onto subjects’ eyes reasonably reliably. But don’t expect high-octane tracking for wildlife or intense sports action.

TX20’s Autofocus: Simple but Effective

The TX20 relies entirely on contrast detection, making its AF average at best. It offers face detection and a touch-based AF point selection, which helps in casual shooting. However, continuous AF tracking is rudimentary and prone to focus hunting or lag, limiting its usefulness for subjects in motion.

Burst Performance and Buffer

While both claim 10fps continuous, the NEX-7’s buffer handling and speed of write to SD card make it a practical option for short bursts of action photography. The TX20’s buffer is extremely shallow, and its slow write speeds can choke the frame rate quickly.

Handling and User Interface: Control Versus Simplicity

The NEX-7’s well-laid-out dials and buttons are designed for “one-handed” control - ideal for users who want quick exposure adjustments (shutter/aperture priority and manual modes are on board). It also includes customizable buttons and an electronic OLED viewfinder with 100% coverage and 0.73x magnification.

In comparison, the TX20 forgoes any physical controls aside from the power and shutter buttons. Its 3-inch 922k-dot LCD touchscreen offers direct tapping to focus and shoot. However, there’s no EVF, and limited exposure control is frustrating to experienced shooters.

The NEX-7's pop-up tilt screen offers flexibility vs the TX20's fixed touchscreen suited for casual framing.

Lens Ecosystem and Versatility

This is a deal-breaker for enthusiasts considering long-term growth and creative freedom.

The NEX-7’s Sony E-mount supports a broad and growing lineup of 121 native lenses spanning primes, zooms, macros, and super-telephotos. This flexibility lets you tailor your gear to virtually every photographic niche - from portrait bokeh beasts to ultra-wide landscapes and powerful wildlife telephotos.

The TX20’s fixed zoom lens, a 25-100mm equivalent (F3.5-4.6), limits you to a general-purpose focal range without the ability to switch or upgrade. While it features a decent 4x optical zoom and a super-close macro focus down to 1cm, its aperture limitations hinder low-light performance and shallow depth-of-field effects.

Durability and Weather Sealing

If you shoot outdoors often, build durability and weather sealing can be a major factor.

While neither camera is truly rugged or shockproof, the TX20 includes some level of environmental sealing - resisting light splashes and dust ingress. This surprising feature makes it a reasonably resilient ultraportable companion for travel and street shooting in varied weather.

The NEX-7, despite its serious build, lacks sealing and should be shielded from moisture and dust, best suited for controlled environments or with additional protection.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery life is where these two diverge considerably:

• The NEX-7 offers a solid 430 shots per charge, supported by the proprietary NPFW50 battery pack. This makes it suitable for day-long shoots without swapping batteries constantly.
• The TX20’s smaller NP-BN battery delivers about 250 shots, reflecting its diminutive size and ultracompact design.

Storage-wise, both accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and Sony’s Memory Stick options, expanding your options. Single card slots on both reflect their consumer-grade positioning.

Sony NEX 7 front Sony NEX 7 screen back Sony TX20 front Sony TX20 screen back

Video Capabilities: Who Films Better?

The NEX-7 shoots full HD 1080p video at up to 60fps in AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats. It includes a microphone port for external audio - a boon for video enthusiasts and content creators who want better sound quality. However, there’s no headphone jack, limiting monitoring options.

The TX20 also offers 1080p at 60fps, but with no microphone input or audio monitoring, restricting advanced video workflows. Both lack 4K and advanced video features, given their vintage.

Neither camera features in-body image stabilization, but notably the TX20’s lens does include optical stabilization, which helps smooth handheld video.

Special Features and Connectivity

Both cameras support Eye-Fi wireless card compatibility but lack Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. HDMI ports on both allow external viewing.

The NEX-7 excels with its extensive manual exposure modes, bracketing for exposure and white balance, and customizable settings for power users.

The TX20 caters toward novices with a touchscreen interface, face detection, and easy-to-use scene modes.

How They Stack Up Across Photography Genres

Here’s my breakdown based on extensive testing:

Portraits

• NEX-7: Outstanding skin tone reproduction due to its sensor and color depth. Eye detection is decent but not cutting-edge.
• TX20: Adequate for casual portraits but limited bokeh and noisy in low light.

Landscapes

• NEX-7: Performs superbly with high resolution and dynamic range making it ideal for dramatic lighting.
• TX20: Limited by sensor size and dynamic range but great for snapshots.

Wildlife

• NEX-7: Sharp AF and lens options enable decent wildlife shots, though AF tracking lags behind modern standards.
• TX20: Struggles with moving subjects due to slower AF and limited zoom reach.

Sports

• NEX-7: 10fps burst and manual control allow for capturing fast action in decent lighting.
• TX20: Not recommended; AF and buffer limitations hold it back.

Street

• NEX-7: Bulk is a downside but excellent image quality.
• TX20: Highly portable and discreet, perfect for candid street shots and daylight.

Macro

• NEX-7: With dedicated lenses, superb detail and focus precision.
• TX20: Decent 1cm macro focusing with optical stabilization but lacks flexibility.

Night and Astro

• NEX-7: ISO performance and manual controls shine here.
• TX20: Noise and limited ISO range reduce capabilities.

Video

• NEX-7: More professional options with mic input and manual exposure.
• TX20: Basic, consumer-grade video.

Travel

• NEX-7: Versatile but heavier.
• TX20: Ultra-portable option for quick daily snaps.

Professional Work

• NEX-7: Suitable as a backup or lightweight pro camera.
• TX20: Mainly a casual user’s device.

Real-World Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Sony NEX-7 if:

• You want a camera with interchangeable lenses and expandable creative control.
• Image quality is your top priority - including detailed portraits, landscapes, or advanced hobbyist photography.
• You appreciate manual controls and customizable ergonomics during shoots.
• You need better video features with microphone input.
• You're comfortable carrying extra gear and battery spares.
• Price-to-performance value matters - you get a surprisingly capable APS-C beast for around $700.

Choose the Sony TX20 if:

• You crave a pocketable, lightweight camera for casual photography and travel.
• You want an easy-to-use touchscreen interface without fuss.
• Budget and portability are paramount - you can pick this up for around $330.
• You shoot mostly in good lighting conditions and prioritize convenience over ultimate image quality.
• You want some ruggedness and environmental sealing in a compact body.

Pros and Cons Recap

Final Thoughts: A Tale of Two Sonys

The Sony NEX-7 feels like a serious tool - a camera that invites you to learn, experiment, and grow your photographic skills without breaking the bank. It’s a solid bridge between prosumer and professional-level gear that rewards investment in lenses and careful shooting. Its APS-C sensor and feature set still hold up impressively in 2024 for a classic shooter who values image quality and manual control.

The Sony TX20, on the other hand, remains a charming little sidekick for those times when lugging a bigger camera is a no-go. Its ultracompact size and simple touchscreen interface make it perfect for spontaneous street shots, casual travel memories, or as a backup camera for social media content creation. Just don’t expect masterpiece-quality images or advanced control.

If your budget allows and you want a versatile powerhouse, the NEX-7 wins hands down. But if you want something light, convenient, and easy to slip in your pocket for everyday moments, the TX20 still performs admirably.

No matter which Sony you choose, each fills a distinct photographic niche - so now it’s your move. With this deep dive in your pocket (figuratively and literally), you’re ready to make a choice that fits your style, needs, and budget.

Happy shooting!

The End