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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P5 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-P5SonyCyber-shot DSC-WX500
Overview
Released20012015
Image and sensor
Camera typeCompactCompact
Sensor format1/1.8-type1/2.3-type
Sensor typeSuper HAD CCDExmor R CMOS
Effective resolution3.2 MP18.2 MP
Largest image2048 × 15364896 × 3672
RAW recordingNoNo
Standard ISO range100–40080–3200
Sensor detail1/1.8-type Super HAD CCD; UK markets 3.2 effective megapixels, exact Japan announcement gives 3.21 million effective and 3.34 million total photosites. Optical format is not 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 Fine/Standard and uncompressed TIFF; animated GIF Clip Motion and GIF text mode. TIFF is not RAW; email and voice-annotation modes also availableJPEG 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 processor14-bit DXP analogue-to-digital conversion per maker announcementBIONZ X
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens39–117 mm equivalent24–720 mm equivalent
Maximum aperturef/2.8–5.6f/3.5–6.4
Optical zoom3×30×
Stabilisation–Optical lens stabilisation
Lens detailSony 3× zoom, actual 8–24 mm, 39–117 mm equivalent, F2.8–5.6; two-stage retracting lens, not Carl Zeiss. Macro approximately 10 cm wide or 60 cm telephotoZEISS 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
AutofocusAF illuminator and monitoring autofocus; preset distances 0.5, 1, 3, 7 m or infinity, not continuously adjustable manual focusContrast-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
Shutter–Intelligent 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 detailTwo-frame Burst 2 mode; US maker datasheet claims 2 fps for this brief pair. Not a sustained continuous burst-rate headlineMaximum 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. 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 flash, auto/forced/off and red-eye reduction; maker recommends 0.5–2.8 m wide and 0.6–1.4 m telephoto. No accessory shoeBuilt-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 controlsAutomatic exposure and Twilight scene mode; no manual exposure or aperture/shutter priority. ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps; white balance Auto, Hold, Indoor and Outdoor. Sharpness adjustable in five stepsIntelligent 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 resolution320 × 2401920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detailMPEG-1 sound movies at 320×240 HQ or Presentation, plus 160×112 email mode. UK lists Presentation at 8.3 fps; US maker datasheet describes HQ playback at 16 fps. Unqualified maximum recording frame rate omitted. Clip Motion records animated GIF rather than MPEG videoMaximum 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
AudioMovie sound and still-image voice memo; built-in microphone and speaker per maker datasheetBuilt-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
ViewfinderOpticalNone
Screen size1.5″3″
Screen dots123,200921,600
TouchscreenNoNo
Tilting screenNoYes
Display detailFixed 1.5-type LCD with 123200 colour-subpixel dots; dots are not image pixels3.0-type Xtra Fine TFT LCD with 921600 dots, manual five-step brightness; tilts upward approximately 180 degrees for self-portraits. No touchscreen or viewfinder
Viewfinder detailEye-level real-image optical viewfinder–
Connections and design
Wi-Fi–Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)–400 photographs
BluetoothNo–
Body weight185 g209 g
Release detailSony announced planned Japanese availability on 4 October 2001. Contemporary production reviews establish sale in 2001; earliest actual worldwide retail month remains unresolved, so year precision retained. Exact maker announcement explicitly calls P5/P3 successors to DSC-P1Released 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 mediaMemory Stick; 8 MB supplied. Memory Stick PRO support not establishedSD, 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
PortsUSB mini-B (UK explicitly says not Hi-Speed USB 2.0), A/V output and external DC inputMulti/micro-USB terminal with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed; micro-HDMI output
Wireless connections–Wi-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 detailNP-FC10 InfoLITHIUM C rechargeable battery supplied. Maker continuous claim approximately 1800 VGA stills / 90 minutes with LCD and flash off; not an average-use or CIPA headline. Maker 90-minute mail-movie claim uses 160×112 and separately purchased 128 MB Memory StickSupplied 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
ChargingIn-camera charging with supplied AC adapter; exact charge duration not established. US maker datasheet calls the adapter AC-LS1In-camera USB charging and external USB power with supplied AC adapter and battery fitted
DimensionsApproximately 112.5×53.8×36.2 mm width×height×depth101.6 × 58.1 × 35.5 mm (width × height × depth), CIPA compliant
Weight detailApproximately 185 g body only; approximately 214 g with NP-FC10, Memory Stick and wrist strapApproximately 209 g body-only; approximately 236 g including NP-BX1 and Memory Stick Duo
MaterialsMetal body; no waterproof rating established. Separately sold MPK-P5 underwater housing is an accessory–
ColoursSilver P5 confirmed in exact Japan announcement; blue image on shared announcement is fixed-lens P3, not a P5 finishBlack, white or red; regional choices differ
In the boxNP-FC10 battery, AC adapter and mains lead, USB and A/V cables, 8 MB Memory Stick, wrist strap and software CD; software bundle differs by regionNP-BX1, AC-UB10C/UB10D, micro-USB cable, wrist strap and instructions; regional contents differ

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