Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P30 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S30

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Cyber-shot DSC-P30 compared with Cyber-shot DSC-S30

	SonyCyber-shot DSC-P30	SonyCyber-shot DSC-S30
Overview
Released
Released	2001	2000
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	Super HAD CCD	Super HAD CCD
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	1.25 MP	1.25 MP
Largest image
Largest image	1280 × 960	1472 × 1104
RAW recording
RAW recording	No	No
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–400	–
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	1/2.7-type interlaced primary-colour Super HAD CCD; 1.30 million total and 1.25 million effective photosites in the exact P30 maker column. Optical format designation is not physical sensor width	Optical 1/2.7-type Super HAD colour CCD, approximately 1.30 million total / 1.25 million effective photosites in exact Sony announcement. Normal 1280×960 output contains approximately 1.23 million image pixels; maximum 1472×1104 1.6-megapixel mode is interpolated, not native sensor resolution. Optical format is not physical dimensions
Image formats
Image formats	JPEG, uncompressed TIFF, GIF for Text and Clip Motion; TIFF is not sensor RAW	JPEG, uncompressed TIFF plus simultaneous JPEG, or black-and-white GIF Text mode. Standard 1280×960, 1280×848 (3:2), 1024×768 or 640×480; maximum 1472×1104 uses Sony interpolation. Email mode adds a 320×240 JPEG. TIFF uses 1280×960 except 3:2 setting, even when JPEG is selected at interpolated 1472×1104. No RAW; supplied 4 MB Memory Stick cannot hold a TIFF, approximately three TIFF/JPEG pairs on 16 MB
Image processor
Image processor	12-bit DXP analogue-to-digital conversion; SRC image processing	–
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens
Built-in lens	41–123 mm equivalent	39–117 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/3.8–3.9	f/2.8–2.9
Optical zoom
Optical zoom	3×	3×
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	–	None
Lens detail
Lens detail	Sony 3× optical zoom, actual 6.4–19.2 mm, 41–123 mm equivalent, F3.8–3.9. Fixed external lens barrel with removable cap; normal autofocus from 0.50 m, macro from 0.03 m. 2× digital enlargement is separate from optical zoom	Sony 3× zoom, physical 6.1–18.3 mm F2.8–2.9; 35 mm equivalent 39–117 mm. Normal autofocus approximately 25 cm wide / 60 cm telephoto, macro approximately 3 cm wide / 60 cm telephoto. Digitally processed zoom extends total range to 6×, not an additional 6× optical range
Autofocus
Autofocus	Autofocus with red AF illuminator; preset focus distances available, not continuous manual focusing	Autofocus and macro autofocus, plus approximate preset manual distances 0.5 m, 1 m, 3 m, 7 m and infinity. Half-press locks autofocus and automatic exposure
Shutter
Shutter	Maker Japanese launch table gives automatic 8–1/1000 second range; Imaging Resource tested review describes more limited selectable automatic/Twilight behaviour, so these are published hardware limits rather than guaranteed control in every mode	Sony exact announcement: Auto 1/30–1/725 second; shutter priority 8–1/725 second. Shared exact operating instruction confirms still shutter-priority range
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	–	No optical lens or sensor-shift stabilisation. Orientation sensor changes vertical-image playback, not camera-shake correction
Flash
Flash	Built-in flash, approximately 0.3–2.0 m at ISO Auto; Auto, forced, off and red-eye reduction	Built-in flash, recommended range 0.3–2.5 m, Auto/red-eye Auto/forced on/off with High/Normal/Low flash level. No external flash terminal; S70 external-flash feature does not apply
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	Automatic exposure with ±2 EV adjustment; Twilight mode, spot metering and white balance Auto, Indoor, Outdoor or Hold; no aperture/shutter priority or manual exposure	Automatic exposure plus seven Program AE modes: aperture priority, shutter priority, twilight, twilight plus, landscape, panfocus and spot metering. Aperture-priority selection across nine steps F2.8–F11 with telephoto restrictions; shutter priority across 18 steps 8–1/725 second. ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps. Auto/Indoor/Outdoor/Hold white balance; five sharpness levels; solarise, monochrome, sepia and negative-art effects. ISO control not published in exact instruction
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	320 × 240	–
Video detail
Video detail	Silent MPEG-1 at 320×240 Presentation or 160×112 Video Mail. Maker launch table gives approximately 22 minutes 20 seconds or 90 minutes on 128 MB Memory Stick. Frame rate left out because no maker recording rate established	No movie recording, microphone, speaker or Voice mode on DSC-S30 per exact shared operating instruction. S50 MPEG-1 and audio features explicitly excluded. Standard-definition VIDEO OUT can show still photographs on a TV; it does not establish movie recording
Audio
Audio	Movies record without sound; beep/shutter speaker is for operational sounds	–
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	None
Screen size
Screen size	1.5″	2″
Screen dots
Screen dots	123,200	123,200
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed 1.5-type TFT, 123200 colour-subpixel dots(560×220) in exact shared manual; launch lists rounded 123000 dots and 100% LCD framing	Free-angle 2-inch TFT, 123,200 component dots (560×220); dots are not image pixels. Screen rotates for face-to-face self-portraits and high/low-angle shooting, with normal/bright backlight. No touchscreen or separate optical/electronic eyepiece
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Eye-level optical finder zooms with optical lens; digital zoom requires LCD framing	–
Connections and design
Body weight
Body weight	214 g	–
Release detail
Release detail	Sony Japan announced planned April 2001 availability. Contemporary ASCII exact P30 test and 2 May 2001 retail price survey confirm the 2001 generation; earliest worldwide first-sale month unresolved, so year precision retained. P1 design resemblance does not establish a direct successor	Conservative actual-sale year 2000 supported by J&R Computer World current DSC-S30 retail offer in Macworld October 2000, PDF page 156, price valid until 15 October 2000. Maker 2 February 2000 announcement planned Japanese sale on 25 April, which does not independently prove actual first-sale day/month. No exact official predecessor relationship inferred
Recording media
Recording media	Memory Stick; 4 MB supplied, 128 MB included in maker launch table. PRO compatibility not established	Full-size Memory Stick, supplied 4 MB. No SD slot. Approximately five interpolated 1472×1104 JPEGs or six 1280×960 JPEGs on supplied card in maker guide. No internal image storage published
Ports
Ports	USB mini-B, switchable NTSC/PAL VIDEO OUT minijack without audio, and DC IN	USB digital I/O, video-only VIDEO OUT minijack with NTSC/PAL selection, and DC IN for AC-L10 adapter. No microphone, speaker, audio output, HDMI or external-flash terminal. Shared manual A/V audio connector applies only to DSC-S50
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Two AA alkaline supplied; optional NP-FS11 InfoLITHIUM S. Exact shared manual continuous VGA Standard/no-flash test at 25°C, approximately 3-second intervals: alkaline 30 minutes/600 shots LCD on or60/1200 off; NP-FS11 90/1800 on or120/2400 off. Not CIPA/average-use life. Launch kit claim 2200 shots uses LCD/flash off; conditions and manual figures differ	NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM rechargeable lithium-ion pack, nominal 7.2 V, 1180 mAh / 8.5 Wh. Exact pre-CIPA instruction claims approximately 3000 VGA photographs / 150 minutes at 25°C, normal LCD, fully charged battery and about five-second recording intervals while replacing Memory Sticks; normally charged pack 2800 / 140 minutes. This rapid single-frame test is not CIPA or a continuous burst, so no unqualified shot headline. Separate playback 4400 images / 220 minutes is not still-shooting endurance; no movie runtime on S30
Charging
Charging	Optional NP-FS11 charges in camera using optional AC-LS1 A in approximately 180 minutes from fully discharged at 25°C; AA cells are not charged in camera	In-camera charging with supplied AC-L10 adapter through DC IN, camera switched off. Approximately 90 minutes normal charge or 150 minutes full charge for completely discharged NP-FM50. No USB charging claimed
Dimensions
Dimensions	126×61.2×53.7 mm maximum width×height×depth	Exact shared operating instruction maximum dimensions 113×68×69 mm width×height×depth. Early Japanese announcement gives 113.1×67.8×68.8 mm excluding maximum projections
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 214 g body in exact P30/P50 maker launch table; 258 g with NP-FS11 and Memory Stick. Shared English manual gives approximately 260 g including two AA batteries, card, wrist strap and lens cap	Exact shared operating instruction approximately 370 g including NP-FM50, Memory Stick, wrist strap and lens cap. Early Japanese release shared S50/S30 table prints 315.6 g body / 423 g loaded, conflicting with later loaded instruction weight; optional body-only headline omitted rather than subtract guessed accessory weights
In the box
In the box	Two AA alkaline batteries, 4 MB Memory Stick, USB and video cables, lens cap and cap strap, wrist strap, software CD and operating instructions; optional rechargeable battery and AC adapter sold separately	NP-FM50 battery, AC-L10 AC adapter and power cord, USB cable, video-only cable, lens cap and cap strap, wrist strap, 4 MB Memory Stick, CD-ROM/software and operating instructions. Shared manual S50 A/V cable is separate