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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

SonyCyber-shot DSC-H20SonyCyber-shot DSC-HX99
Overview
Released2009October 2018
Image and sensor
Camera typeCompactCompact
Sensor formatOther1/2.3-type
Sensor typeSuper HAD CCDBack-illuminated Exmor R CMOS
Effective resolution10.1 MP18.2 MP
Largest image3648 × 27364896 × 3672
RAW recordingNoYes
Standard ISO range80–320080–3200
Sensor detail1/2.3-type colour Super HAD CCD, approximately 12.4 million total and 10.1 million effective photosites; optical sensor format does not establish physical sensor dimensions1/2.3-type Exmor R CMOS; approximately 21.1 million total photosites. Optical format is not physical sensor dimensions
Image formatsJPEG still images; no RAW recording. Exif 2.21 and DPOF supportedSony ARW 2.3 RAW, RAW+JPEG or JPEG Extra Fine/Fine/Standard; sRGB or Adobe RGB; 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and square photographs plus Sweep Panorama
ISO detail–Ordinary ISO 80–3200; extended single-frame ISO 6400. Multi-shot Noise Reduction offers ISO 6400 and 12800 using combined exposures
Image processorBIONZ imaging processor; Dynamic Range Optimizer, Intelligent Scene Recognition, face detection and Smile ShutterBIONZ X with front-end LSI
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens38–380 mm equivalent24–720 mm equivalent
Maximum aperturef/3.5–4.4f/3.5–6.4
Optical zoom10×28×
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst–10 fps
Lens detailCarl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 10× optical zoom, physical 6.3–63 mm, equivalent 38–380 mm, f/3.5 wide to f/4.4 telephoto in exact UK specifications and English manual. Hong Kong launch table has conflicting f/3.3–5.2 text but its manual-mode row confirms f/3.5/f/4.4; exact UK/manual values retained. 58 mm filters require optional lens adapterZEISS Vario-Sonnar T*, actual 4.25–118 mm, 11 elements in 10 groups with five aspherical elements; five-blade iris. Maker specifies 28× optical zoom, while 24–720 mm equivalent values are those displayed by the camera and recorded in Exif
AutofocusNine-point multi-area, centre and spot AF, face detection and discrete distance presets rather than continuous manual focus. Maker focus range approximately 2 cm wide or 90 cm telephoto to infinity25-point contrast autofocus, AF-S, Direct Manual Focus and manual focus; AF-C available for movies only. Eye AF, Lock-on AF and flexible spot areas; minimum focus approximately 5 cm wide or 250 cm telephoto
ShutterHong Kong exact table: Auto 1/4–1/1600 second, Program 1–1/1600, Manual 30–1/2000; operating conditions affect availabilityMechanical shutter: Manual and shutter-priority 30–1/2000 second, aperture-priority 8–1/2000, Program 1–1/2000 and Intelligent Auto 1/4–1/2000
Burst detailUK maker lists approximately 0.57-second burst intervals and up to 100 frames; no reciprocal conversion into headline fpsFull-resolution Speed Priority Continuous up to 10 fps, or ordinary Continuous approximately 3 fps. Up to 155 frames in Speed Priority with JPEG Fine; rate falls as buffer fills. Focus, exposure and white balance lock to first frame in either mode
Stabilisation detailOptical SteadyShot lens stabilisation; UK table explicitly excludes NightShot and NightFramingOptical SteadyShot for stills; Intelligent Active movies combine optical and electronic correction
FlashBuilt-in pop-up flash; Hong Kong maker specifies approximately 0.2–7 m wide or 0.9–5.5 m telephoto at ISO Auto. ISO3200 distance claims use different conditionsBuilt-in pop-up flash; ISO Auto range approximately 0.3–5.4 m wide or 2.5–3.0 m telephoto; no accessory shoe
Exposure controlsIntelligent Auto, Easy, Program Auto, Manual and scene selections. No aperture-priority or shutter-priority mode. Manual offers f/3.5 or f/8 at wide angle and f/4.4 or f/10 at telephoto; PhotographyBlog explains these use an ND filter rather than changing depth of field. Exposure compensation ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps; exposure bracketing; One Push custom white balance in exact instructionsP/A/S/M and two Memory Recall modes; ±3 EV in 1/3 EV steps; multi-pattern, centre-weighted, spot, entire-screen average and highlight metering
Video
Highest video resolution1280 × 720 at 30 fps3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detailMPEG-4 Visual movies with monaural audio, maximum 1280×720 at approximately 30 fps. Optical zoom operates while filming; exact manual warns that lens/button sounds may be recorded. 720 Fine 9 Mbps, Standard 6 Mbps or VGA 3 Mbps. Exact instructions limit continuous clips to approximately 29 minutes depending on conditions; 720 modes require Memory Stick PRO Duo. Frame-rate submode entries conflict in Hong Kong launch table, so lower-mode fps omittedXAVC S 3840 × 2160 at 30p or 24p, 60/100 Mbps; PAL uses 25p. Full-pixel readout without pixel binning. Full HD up to 120p (100p PAL); 4K and 120p/100p HD sessions limited to approximately five minutes, with possible earlier thermal shutdown. Other modes approximately 29 minutes subject to temperature. UHS-I U3 microSDHC/XC required for 100 Mbps
AudioBuilt-in monaural microphone and monaural speaker, confirmed by exact instructionsStereo recording: XAVC S Linear PCM or AVCHD Dolby Digital
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderNoneElectronic
Screen size3″3″
Screen dots230,400921,600
TouchscreenNoYes
Tilting screenNoYes
Display detailFixed 3-type TFT LCD, 230400 dots in exact English manual; maker tables round to 230000. No viewfinder3.0-type 4:3 TFT LCD, 921600 dots; tilts up 180 degrees. Touch focus, touch shutter and touchpad focus while using viewfinder; menus are not touch controlled
Viewfinder detail–Retractable 0.2-type OLED, 638400 dots; 100% coverage (97% during 4K recording), 0.50× equivalent magnification, −4 to +3 dioptres
Connections and design
Wi-Fi–Yes
BluetoothNoYes
Battery life (maker's claim)290 photographs370 photographs
Body weight250 g216 g
Release detailContemporary Sony US announcement republished by Photoxels on 17 February 2009 planned April purchase availability; Hong Kong 3 March announcement planned mid-April. Full independent May/June tests establish retail generation 2009, but earliest actual sale month unconfirmed, so year precision retainedSony Switzerland states availability from late October 2018; Sony Hong Kong specifies 26 October locally. October precision retained because the international first-sale day is not established
Recording mediaApproximately 11 MB internal memory; Memory Stick Duo, PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo supported, with no PRO-HG speed advantage. Memory card not suppliedmicroSD, microSDHC, microSDXC and Memory Stick Micro/Mark2; no full-size SD slot
PortsType2b multi-use terminal carries Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and SD/HD analogue AV output. Optional HD output adapter cable is separately sold; this is not an HDMI terminal.Micro HDMI and Multi/Micro USB with USB 2.0
Wireless connectionsUK exact specifications explicitly list no Bluetooth2.4 GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, NFC Type 3 and Bluetooth for location information from a compatible smartphone; no built-in GPS or compass
Battery life detailSupplied NP-BG1 lithium-ion battery, nominal 3.6 V, typical 3.4 Wh/960 mAh and minimum 3.3 Wh/910 mAh. Approximately 290 photographs/145 minutes under CIPA still-test conditions. Playback 6400 images/320 minutes is a separate test; optional NP-FG1 supportedNP-BX1; CIPA claim approximately 370 photographs with LCD or 300 with viewfinder. LCD claim rises to 460 with monitor auto-off set to two seconds
ChargingExternal BC-CSGD/BC-CSGE charger in exact English instructions; regional supplied components vary. Approximately 330 minutes full charge or 270 minutes normal charge from depleted battery at 25°CIn-camera USB charging and USB external power using supplied AC adapter with battery inserted
DimensionsApproximately 107.3 × 68.7 × 47.1 mm width × height × depth excluding protrusions102 × 58.1 × 35.5 mm (width × height × depth), CIPA
Weight detailApproximately 250 g excluding battery and recording media in UK/Hong Kong maker specifications; 279 g including NP-BG1 battery and Memory Stick Duo in exact instructionsApproximately 216 g body only, or 242 g including NP-BX1 and memory card
Colours–Black
In the boxNP-BG1 battery, external charger, multi-connector USB/AV cable, wrist strap, lens cap and software disc; memory card and HD output adapter cable separately sold, regional charger fittings varyNP-BX1, AC-UB10C adapter, micro USB cable, wrist strap and instructions in Japan; regional mains fittings vary

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