Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P20 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P31

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Cyber-shot DSC-P20 compared with Cyber-shot DSC-P31

	SonyCyber-shot DSC-P20	SonyCyber-shot DSC-P31
Overview
Released
Released	2001	2002
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	Compact	Compact
Sensor format
Sensor format	1/2.7-type	1/2.7-type
Sensor type
Sensor type	CCD	Super HAD CCD
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	1.11 MP	2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	1216 × 912	1600 × 1200
RAW recording
RAW recording	No	No
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–400	100–400
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	1/2.7-type interlaced primary-colour CCD, 1.30 million total and 1.11 million effective photosites; optical format designation is not physical sensor width	1/2.7-type primary-colour interlaced Super HAD CCD; approximately 2.10 million total and rounded 2.00 million effective photosites in exact P31 maker launch column. Shared English manual repeats the P51 label for its second 1.98-million effective entry, so that more precise assignment is not assumed for P31
Image formats
Image formats	JPEG, uncompressed TIFF, GIF for Text and Clip Motion; TIFF is not sensor RAW	JPEG stills with Fine/Standard compression; GIF Clip Motion and MPEG-1 movies. No RAW or TIFF recording
ISO detail
ISO detail	–	Auto or manually selected ISO 100, 200 or 400; no continuous ISO dial
Image processor
Image processor	12-bit DXP analogue-to-digital conversion	Clear Colour NR, Clear Luminance NR and NR Slow Shutter processing; chip identifier not published
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens
Built-in lens	42 mm equivalent	33 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/4.5	f/2.8
Optical zoom
Optical zoom	1×	1×
Lens detail
Lens detail	Fixed 6.00 mm lens, 42 mm equivalent, F4.5; 3× precision digital zoom is not optical zoom. Normal focus range 0.6 m–infinity; mechanical macro setting approximately 15–19 cm in exact English manual, compared with 15–20 cm rounded in Japanese announcement	Fixed focal length 5 mm, 33 mm equivalent, F2.8; automatic lens cover. Full-range autofocus from 0.1 m without a separate Macro mode. 3× digital enlargement is separate and does not provide optical zoom
Autofocus
Autofocus	Fixed-focus/panfocus lens with a separate mechanical macro switch; no autofocus or motorised focusing (exact manual and ASCII hands-on review)	Automatic Multi AF or centre AF with AF-assist illuminator; preset distances 0.5, 1, 3, 7 m and infinity, not continuous manual focusing
Burst detail
Burst detail	–	Multi Burst records sixteen 320×240 subframes at intervals 1/30, 1/15 or 1/7.5 second into one composite still, not sixteen full-resolution separate frames. Maker lists approximately 1.9 seconds between maximum-size single shots; this is not continuous-burst fps
Flash
Flash	Built-in flash, approximately 0.7–2.0 m at ISO Auto; Auto, forced, off and red-eye reduction	Built-in flash with Auto, forced, off and red-eye reduction; ISO Auto recommended distance 0.4–3.8 m
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	Automatic exposure with ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps; Twilight mode. White balance Auto, Indoor, Outdoor or Hold; spot metering selectable	Automatic exposure with ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps, multi-pattern/spot metering and Twilight, Twilight Portrait or Landscape scenes; no aperture/shutter priority or manual exposure
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	320 × 240	320 × 240
Video detail
Video detail	Silent MPEG-1 at 320×240 Presentation or 160×112 Video Mail; 128 MB Memory Stick holds approximately 22 minutes 40 seconds or 90 minutes respectively. Frame rate unpublished in exact maker documents read; not inferred from copied database tables	Silent MPEG-1 HQX 320×240, Presentation 320×240 or Video Mail 160×112; maker launch claims approximately 5 minutes 40 seconds HQX or 90 minutes mail with optional 128 MB Memory Stick. Frame rate omitted because exact maker recording rate not established
Audio
Audio	No movie sound recording; operational warning sounds do not establish a movie microphone	Movies record without sound; operational beep/shutter speaker is separate from audio recording
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	1.5″	1.6″
Screen dots
Screen dots	123,200	61,600
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	No
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed 1.5-type TFT, 123200 colour-subpixel dots (560×220)	Fixed 1.6-type TFT with 61600 colour-subpixel dots (280×220); launch rounds to 61000 dots
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Eye-level optical finder; use the LCD for macro framing to avoid viewfinder parallax	Optical zoom finder; no electronic finder
Connections and design
Body weight
Body weight	187 g	173 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Sony Japan announced planned 1 August 2001 availability; the full exact-model ASCII hands-on test published 2 August 2001 confirms the 2001 generation. Earliest actual worldwide retail month remains unresolved, so year precision used	Sony Japan announced on 12 March 2002 with planned Japanese availability 20 March 2002. Contemporary PC Watch 7 August 2002 retail price survey lists P31 sold at two Tokyo stores; earliest actual worldwide first-sale month unresolved, so year precision retained. No direct successor claim established
Recording media
Recording media	Memory Stick; 4 MB supplied, maker launch table includes 128 MB. PRO compatibility not established	Memory Stick; 8 MB supplied, 128 MB in maker recording table. Later PRO compatibility not established
Ports
Ports	USB mini-B and DC IN; no video output	USB mini-B with normal mass-storage or PTP setting, separate NTSC/PAL VIDEO OUT minijack without audio and DC IN for optional AC-LS1
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Two AA alkaline batteries supplied; AA NiMH/NiCd or optional NP-FS11 InfoLITHIUM S also supported. Manual continuous still test at 25°C, VGA Standard, no flash, approximately 3-second intervals: alkaline 30 minutes/600 shots LCD on or 60/1200 off; NP-FS11 90/1800 on or 120/2400 off. Not CIPA or average-use battery life. Japanese announcement rounds optional-pack claim to 2200 shots	Two supplied NH-AA-DI Ni-MH AA cells. Exact manual average-use test at 25°C: approximately 280 images/140 minutes at 1600×1200 Fine, LCD on, one shot every 30 seconds, flash every second shot, restart every 10 shots; not labelled CIPA. Separate continuous Standard/no-flash/3-second-interval test: approximately 2400 images/120 minutes LCD on or 3000/150 off. Maker permits alkaline AA only as emergency power for P31, with reduced operation
Charging
Charging	Optional NP-FS11 charges in-camera with optional AC-LS1 adapter in approximately 180 minutes from fully discharged at 25°C; do not charge AA batteries in camera	Supplied external BC-CS1 charger: approximately 13 hours for fully depleted supplied Ni-MH cells at 25°C. Cells removed from camera for charging; optional faster kit available. Optional AC-LS1 supplies camera power
Dimensions
Dimensions	123×62×46 mm maximum width×height×depth	106×58×39.5 mm width×height×depth; manual excludes protruding portions, Japanese launch labels maximum dimensions
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 187 g body (Sony Japan announcement); 229 g with NP-FS11 and Memory Stick, or approximately 230 g with two AA batteries, Memory Stick and strap in exact English manual	Approximately 173 g body only in exact Sony UK specification and Japan launch table; approximately 231 g with two batteries, Memory Stick and wrist strap in manual and launch table
Materials
Materials	Plastic body with translucent blue front trim (ASCII exact hands-on review)	–
In the box
In the box	Two AA alkaline batteries, USB cable, wrist strap, 4 MB Memory Stick, software CD and operating instructions; Japanese software package differs regionally	Two rechargeable AA Ni-MH batteries, BC-CS1 charger and mains lead, 8 MB Memory Stick, USB and video cables, wrist strap, software CD and operating instructions; AC-LS1 optional