Sony WX800 vs Panasonic TZ90

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 (labelled Panasonic ZS70 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2018 and April 2017. Both the WX800 and the TZ90 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 18 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony WX800		Panasonic TZ90
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.5-6.4		24-720mm f/3.3-6.4
18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (1166k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
370 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
102 x 58 x 36 mm, 233 g		112 x 67 x 41 mm, 322 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony WX800 and the Panasonic TZ90 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The WX800 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the TZ90 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic TZ90 is notably larger (27 percent) than the Sony WX800. Moreover, the TZ90 is substantially heavier (38 percent) than the WX800. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the WX800 nor the TZ90 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the WX800 gets 370 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 battery, while the TZ90 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
6.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
10.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The WX800 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 11 percent) than the TZ90, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the TZ90 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 18 MP of the WX800. This megapixels advantage translates into a 6 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the TZ90 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.25μm for the WX800). Moreover, it should be noted, that the WX800 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the TZ90, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic TZ90 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the TZ90 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony WX800 are 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm for good quality, 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm for very good quality, and 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 80-6400. The Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

In terms of underlying technology, the WX800 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the TZ90 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
2.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
4.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
5.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
6.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
7.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
8.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
9.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
10.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
11.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
12.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
13.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
14.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
15.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the TZ90 has an electronic viewfinder (1166k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the WX800 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony WX800 and Panasonic TZ90 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic LX5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
11.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the TZ90 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Both the WX800 and the TZ90 have zoom lenses built in. The WX800 has a 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 optic and the TZ90 offers a 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). The TZ90 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The WX800 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the TZ90 uses SDXC cards. The TZ90 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the WX800 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 and Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the WX800 and the TZ90 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The TZ90 was replaced by the Panasonic TZ95, while the WX800 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the WX800 and TZ90 can be found, respectively, in the Sony WX800 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic TZ90 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony WX800 and the Panasonic TZ90? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800:

• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 112x67mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 89g or 28 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (11 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 5 months after the TZ90).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ90:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 18MP), which boosts linear resolution by 6%.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.3 vs f/3.5).
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2017).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the TZ90 emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony WX800 and the Panasonic TZ90 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the WX800 or the TZ90. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
6.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	449	ebay.com
10.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
12.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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