Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S30 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S50

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Cyber-shot DSC-S30 compared with Cyber-shot DSC-S50

	SonyCyber-shot DSC-S30	SonyCyber-shot DSC-S50
Overview
Released
Released	2000	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	2.02 MP
Largest image
Largest image	1472 × 1104	1600 × 1200
RAW recording
RAW recording	No	No
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	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	Optical 1/2.7-type Super HAD colour CCD with approximately 2.11 million total / 2.02 million effective photosites in exact Sony Japanese announcement. Maximum output 1600×1200 contains 1.92 million image pixels; contemporary review output-pixel figures are not transferred as maker sensor count. Optical format is not physical dimensions
Image formats
Image formats	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	JPEG, uncompressed TIFF plus simultaneous JPEG, or black-and-white GIF Text mode. Maximum 1600×1200, also 1600×1072 (3:2), 1024×768 and 640×480. Email mode adds a 320×240 JPEG. No RAW. Supplied 4 MB Memory Stick is too small for TIFF; exact guide lists approximately two full-resolution TIFF/JPEG pairs on 16 MB
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens
Built-in lens	39–117 mm equivalent	39–117 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/2.8–2.9	f/2.8–2.9
Optical zoom
Optical zoom	3×	3×
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	None	None
Lens detail
Lens detail	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	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. Digital processing beyond 3× extends total zoom to 6×, not an additional 6× optical range
Autofocus
Autofocus	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	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	Sony exact announcement: Auto 1/30–1/725 second; shutter priority 8–1/725 second. Shared exact operating instruction confirms still shutter-priority range	Sony exact announcement: Auto 1/30–1/725 second; shutter priority 8–1/725 second. 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	No optical lens or sensor-shift stabilisation. Orientation sensor controls vertical-image playback, not camera-shake correction
Flash
Flash	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	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 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	Automatic exposure plus seven Program AE settings: 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 18 still-image steps 8–1/725 second, or 12 movie steps 1/8–1/725. ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps. White balance Auto, Indoor, Outdoor or Hold; five sharpness levels; solarise, monochrome, sepia and negative-art effects. ISO control not published in exact instruction
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Screen size
Screen size	2″	2″
Screen dots
Screen dots	123,200	123,200
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	Yes	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	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	Free-angle 2-inch TFT, 123,200 component dots (560×220); dots are not image pixels. Screen rotates for face-to-face/self-portrait and high/low-angle shooting, with normal/bright backlight. No touchscreen or separate optical/electronic eyepiece
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	–	320 × 240
Video detail
Video detail	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	MPEG-1 movies with monaural audio at 320×240, maximum 15 seconds per clip; 160×112 video-mail mode up to 60 seconds. Exact frame rate not stated in read maker sources and left unpublished. Separate Voice mode attaches 5–40 seconds of audio to a still photograph. S30 has no movie/audio recording; S70 higher-quality MPEG mode is separate
Connections and design
Release detail
Release detail	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	Conservative actual-sale year 2000 supported by contemporary Digicamera June 2000 news describing current DSC-S50 retail prices in Shinjuku. Sony announcement of 2 February 2000 planned Japanese sale on 15 April; that plan alone does not establish actual first-sale day/month. No exact official predecessor relationship inferred
Recording media
Recording media	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	Full-size Memory Stick, supplied 4 MB. No SD slot. JPEG, TIFF and movie capacities depend on image size; approximately four 1600×1200 JPEGs on supplied card. No internal image storage published
Ports
Ports	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	USB digital I/O, monaural A/V OUT minijack with NTSC/PAL selection, and DC IN for AC-L10 adapter. Built-in microphone and speaker. No HDMI or external-flash terminal
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	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	NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM rechargeable lithium-ion pack: nominal 7.2 V, 1180 mAh / 8.5 Wh. Exact pre-CIPA instruction claims approximately 2500 VGA photographs / 150 minutes at 25°C, normal LCD, fully charged battery, about five-second intervals and replacement Memory Sticks; normally charged pack 2300 / 140 minutes. This rapid single-frame test is not CIPA or a continuous burst. Separate playback and low-resolution movie runtime are not still-shooting endurance; no unqualified shot headline
Charging
Charging	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	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	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	Exact 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	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	Exact operating instruction approximately 370 g including NP-FM50, Memory Stick, wrist strap and lens cap. Early Japanese release prints 315.6 g body / 423 g loaded in shared S50/S30 table, conflicting with later instruction loaded weight; optional body-only headline omitted rather than infer a subtraction
In the box
In the box	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	NP-FM50 battery, AC-L10 AC adapter and power cord, USB cable, A/V cable, lens cap and cap strap, wrist strap, 4 MB Memory Stick, CD-ROM/software and operating instructions; exact shared manual distinguishes S30 video-only cable