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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

SonyCyber-shot DSC-H20SonyCyber-shot DSC-WX500
Overview
Released20092015
Image and sensor
Camera typeCompactCompact
Sensor formatOther1/2.3-type
Sensor typeSuper HAD CCDExmor R CMOS
Effective resolution10.1 MP18.2 MP
Largest image3648 × 27364896 × 3672
RAW recordingNoNo
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 back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS; approximately 18.2 million effective and 21.1 million total photosites. Optical format is not physical dimensions
Image formatsJPEG still images; no RAW recording. Exif 2.21 and DPOF supportedJPEG with Fine or Standard compression; maximum 4896 × 3672 in 4:3, 4896 × 3264 in 3:2, 4896 × 2752 in 16:9 or 3664 × 3664 in 1:1. Sweep Panorama standard, wide or 360-degree up to 11520 × 1080
ISO detail–Single-exposure settings ISO 80–3200, Auto ISO 80–3200. Multi Frame NR extends to ISO 6400/12800 through processed overlaid burst exposures
Image processorBIONZ imaging processor; Dynamic Range Optimizer, Intelligent Scene Recognition, face detection and Smile ShutterBIONZ X
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens38–380 mm equivalent24–720 mm equivalent
Maximum aperturef/3.5–4.4f/3.5–6.4
Optical zoom10×30×
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
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* thirty-times optical zoom, eleven elements in ten groups including five aspherical elements; five-blade iris, actual 4.1–123 mm. Equivalent 24–720 mm in 4:3, 25–750 mm in 3:2, 26.5–795 mm in 16:9 or 27.5–825 mm in 1:1. Movie 16:9 Standard 26.5–795 mm, Active 28–1180 mm, Intelligent Active 31–1210 mm; 4:3 Standard 32.5–975 mm, Active 34.5–1450 mm, Intelligent Active 38–1480 mm
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 infinityContrast-detection AF-S; AF-C only in Advanced Sports and movie modes. Nine-point Wide, centre, Flexible Spot S/M/L and Expand Flexible Spot, with Lock-on AF; approximately 5 cm minimum focus 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 availabilityIntelligent Auto 4–1/2000 second; Program Auto 1–1/2000 second; aperture priority 8–1/2000 second; shutter priority and manual 30–1/2000 second
Burst detailUK maker lists approximately 0.57-second burst intervals and up to 100 frames; no reciprocal conversion into headline fpsMaximum 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 detailOptical SteadyShot lens stabilisation; UK table explicitly excludes NightShot and NightFramingOptical SteadyShot for photographs. Intelligent Active movie mode combines optical and electronic compensation, including rotation correction; Sony’s five-axis launch claim applies to movies and includes 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 manually raised pop-up flash, Auto, forced, slow-sync, rear-sync or off; ISO Auto range approximately 0.3–5.4 m wide or 2.5–3 m telephoto
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 instructionsIntelligent Auto, Superior Auto, Program Auto, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, Memory Recall 1/2/3, scenes, panorama and automatic/scene movie modes. ±3 EV in 1/3 EV steps; wide-angle F3.5–F8 in aperture priority or manual. Thirteen still-image Picture Effects
Video
Highest video resolution1280 × 720 at 30 fps1920 × 1080 at 60 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 omittedMaximum 1920 × 1080 progressive at 60p NTSC or 50p PAL. XAVC S up to 50 Mbps; AVCHD up to 28 Mbps and MP4 up to 28 Mbps. Japan also lists 1080p30/p24 XAVC S, interlaced AVCHD and 720p30 MP4; regional frame rates differ and PAL/NTSC can be switched. XAVC S requires a Class 10 or faster SDXC card. Approximately 29-minute clip limit; MP4 28M reaches its 4 GB limit in approximately 20 minutes. Optical zoom works during recording; 4K output is still photographs only
AudioBuilt-in monaural microphone and monaural speaker, confirmed by exact instructionsBuilt-in stereo microphone and mono speaker; XAVC S LPCM two-channel, AVCHD Dolby Digital two-channel or MP4 AAC-LC two-channel audio
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderNoneNone
Screen size3″3″
Screen dots230,400921,600
TouchscreenNoNo
Tilting screenNoYes
Display detailFixed 3-type TFT LCD, 230400 dots in exact English manual; maker tables round to 230000. No viewfinder3.0-type Xtra Fine TFT LCD with 921600 dots, manual five-step brightness; tilts upward approximately 180 degrees for self-portraits. No touchscreen or viewfinder
Connections and design
Wi-Fi–Yes
BluetoothNo–
Battery life (maker's claim)290 photographs400 photographs
Body weight250 g209 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 retainedReleased in 2015. Sony’s 7 May Hong Kong announcement scheduled mid-June launch after a pre-order period; the prospective date does not establish the actual first on-sale day or month
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 suppliedSD, SDHC and SDXC with UHS-I support, microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC with adapters, Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO-HG Duo and Memory Stick Micro with an adapter
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.Multi/micro-USB terminal with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed; micro-HDMI output
Wireless connectionsUK exact specifications explicitly list no BluetoothWi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g/n at 2.4 GHz and NFC Forum Type 3 Tag for one-touch pairing; smartphone transfer/remote control, TV viewing and computer transfer with compatible software. PlayMemories Camera Apps support and Eye-Fi; no GPS
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 supportedSupplied NP-BX1; approximately 400 photographs or 200 minutes under CIPA conditions, approximately 75 minutes actual movie use or 110 minutes continuous movie use, distinct from per-clip limits
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 external USB power with supplied AC adapter and battery fitted
DimensionsApproximately 107.3 × 68.7 × 47.1 mm width × height × depth excluding protrusions101.6 × 58.1 × 35.5 mm (width × height × depth), CIPA compliant
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 209 g body-only; approximately 236 g including NP-BX1 and Memory Stick Duo
Colours–Black, white or red; regional choices differ
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/UB10D, micro-USB cable, wrist strap and instructions; regional contents differ

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