Cyber-shot DSC-WX300

Released 2013

An eighteen-megapixel pocket travel compact with a twenty-times G zoom, Wi-Fi and interlaced Full HD movies.

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.3-type
Megapixels: 18.2
Lens: 25–500 mm equivalent
Video: 1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Body weight: 139 g

What reviewers say

Both reviews praised the compact twenty-times zoom, straightforward controls and useful Wi-Fi, while finding the burst slower than Sony’s ten-fps claim. ePHOTOzine highlighted battery stamina but found fine detail disappointing and colour fringing visible. Photography Blog was more positive about low-ISO sharpness and colour, though it criticised wide-angle edge quality and the extensive menus.

From ephotozine.com and photographyblog.com

Specifications

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Image and sensor

Camera type: Compact
Sensor format: 1/2.3-type
Sensor type: Exmor R CMOS
Effective resolution: 18.2 MP
Largest image: 4896 × 3672
RAW recording: No
Standard ISO range: 80–3200
Sensor detail: 1/2.3-type back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS; approximately 18.2 million effective and 21.1 million total photosites. Optical format is not physical dimensions
Image formats: JPEG in sRGB, maximum 4896 × 3672 in 4:3 or 4896 × 2752 in 16:9; 3D still images in MPF. Sweep Panorama up to 11520 × 1080 in 360-degree mode or 10480 × 4096 in high-resolution mode
ISO detail: Ordinary settings ISO 80–3200; ISO 6400/12800 use Sony’s pixel-processing technology and overlaid burst exposures rather than ordinary single-exposure sensitivity
Image processor: BIONZ

Lens and shooting

Built-in lens: 25–500 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture: f/3.5–6.5
Optical zoom: 20×
Stabilisation: Optical lens stabilisation
Lens detail: Sony G twenty-times optical zoom, eleven elements in ten groups including five aspherical elements; actual 4.3–86 mm. Equivalent 25–500 mm for 4:3 photographs or 27–540 mm for 16:9 photographs. Movie 16:9 Standard stabilisation 27–540 mm, Active 27–690 mm; 4:3 Standard 33–660 mm, Active 33–840 mm
Autofocus: Nine-point multipoint, centre, spot, tracking and face-tracking AF; approximately 5 cm minimum focus wide or 200 cm telephoto
Shutter: Intelligent Auto 4–1/1600 second; Program Auto 1–1/1600 second
Burst detail: Maximum approximately 10 fps at full resolution for ten frames; this is a brief buffered burst rather than sustained continuous shooting. Some modes prevent burst shooting, and flash reduces its speed
Stabilisation detail: Optical SteadyShot for photographs; movie Active mode combines optical and electronic stabilisation and narrows the angle of view. Sony’s telephoto comparison claims around twice the correction effect under its test conditions, not a two-stop rating
Flash: Built-in fixed front flash with Auto, forced, slow-sync, off and Advanced Flash; ISO Auto range approximately 0.2–4.3 m wide or 2–2.4 m telephoto
Exposure controls: Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Easy, Program Auto, scenes, Picture Effects, 3D, Background Defocus and panoramas; ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps. Wide-angle F3.5/F8 ND-filter aperture settings; no aperture/shutter-priority or manual exposure modes

Video

Highest video resolution: 1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Video detail: AVCHD 2.0, maximum 1920 × 1080 interlaced at 24 Mbps or 17 Mbps; Japan/NTSC versions use 60 fields/30 frames per second, UK/PAL versions 50 fields/25 frames per second. No 1080p50/60. MP4 options 1440 × 1080 at 12 Mbps, 1280 × 720 at 6 Mbps and VGA at 3 Mbps, at 30 fps NTSC or 25 fps PAL. Approximately 29-minute per-clip limit; MP4 12M reaches the 2 GB file limit at approximately 15 minutes. Optical zoom works during recording

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder: None
Screen size: 3″
Screen dots: 460,800
Touchscreen: No
Tilting screen: No
Display detail: Fixed 3.0-type TFT LCD with 460800 dots; Sony Japan calls it Clear Photo, while UK support labels it Xtra Fine. No touchscreen or viewfinder

Connections and design

Wi-Fi: Yes
Battery life (maker's claim): 500 photographs
Body weight: 139 g
Release detail: Released in 2013. Sony’s 20 February European announcement scheduled general sale from March, while its 1 March Hong Kong release scheduled late April availability. These prospective regional dates alone do not establish the actual first on-sale day or month
Recording media: Approximately 48 MB internal memory; SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC with adapters, Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO-HG Duo/XC-HG Duo and Memory Stick Micro with an adapter
Ports: Multi terminal with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed; micro-HDMI output
Wireless connections: Built-in Wi-Fi for smartphone transfer and remote control, compatible TV viewing and computer transfer; PlayMemories Mobile required for smartphone functions. Eye-Fi support
Battery life detail: Supplied NP-BX1. Approximately 500 photographs or 250 minutes under CIPA conditions; approximately 80 minutes actual movie use or 120 minutes continuous movie use, distinct from per-clip limits
Charging: In-camera USB charging and playback power; shooting power requires optional AC-UD10 according to Sony Japan
Dimensions: 96 × 54.9 × 25.7 mm (width × height × depth), CIPA compliant; 20.3 mm at the thinnest part
Weight detail: Approximately 139 g body-only; approximately 166 g including NP-BX1 and Memory Stick Duo
Colours: Black, white, red, brown or blue in Japan; regional choices differ
In the box: NP-BX1, AC-UB10/UB10B and regional AC-UB10C/UB10D variants, micro-USB cable, wrist strap and instructions

Pros and cons

Pros

25–500 mm equivalent optical zoom
Wi-Fi transfer and smartphone remote control
Up to 500 photographs per CIPA charge

Cons

No RAW or manual exposure modes
Fixed screen and no viewfinder
Fast shooting limited to ten frames

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Sensor	Megapixels	Lens	Video	Body weight	Released
SonyCyber-shot DSC-HX50V	Compact	1/2.3-type	20.4	24–720 mm equivalent	1920 × 1080 at 60 fps	246 g	May 2013
SonyCyber-shot DSC-WX200	Compact	1/2.3-type	18.2	25–250 mm equivalent	1920 × 1080 at 30 fps	105 g	2013
SonyCyber-shot DSC-H90	Compact	1/2.3-type	16.1	24–384 mm equivalent	1280 × 720 at 30 fps	192 g	2012

Sources

Photo: Sony Japan official black product photograph; native source 740 × 555 pixels.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, white finish, side view with lens fully extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, brown finish, side view with lens fully extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, red finish, side view with lens fully extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, blue finish, side view with lens fully extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, blue finish, front view with lens extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, red finish, front view with lens extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, black rear display and controls: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, brown finish, front view with lens extended: Sony Japan exact-model largest published original; labelled finish or physical finish lineup, native hardware RGB retained
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, white finish, front three-quarter view with lens extended: Sony Japan official product-feature photograph.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, white, black, brown, red and blue finish lineup: Sony Japan official product-feature photograph.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, white camera fitted in the official jacket case, with case finish options: Sony Japan official product-feature photograph.

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