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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S50 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-S50SonyCyber-shot DSC-WX500
Overview
Released20002015
Image and sensor
Camera typeCompactCompact
Sensor format1/2.7-type1/2.3-type
Sensor typeSuper HAD CCDExmor R CMOS
Effective resolution2.02 MP18.2 MP
Largest image1600 × 12004896 × 3672
RAW recordingNoNo
Standard ISO range–80–3200
Sensor detailOptical 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 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, 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 MBJPEG 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 processor–BIONZ X
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens39–117 mm equivalent24–720 mm equivalent
Maximum aperturef/2.8–2.9f/3.5–6.4
Optical zoom3×30×
StabilisationNoneOptical lens stabilisation
Lens detailSony 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 rangeZEISS 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
AutofocusAutofocus 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 exposureContrast-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
ShutterSony exact announcement: Auto 1/30–1/725 second; shutter priority 8–1/725 second. Exact operating instruction confirms still shutter-priority rangeIntelligent 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 detail–Maximum 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 detailNo optical lens or sensor-shift stabilisation. Orientation sensor controls vertical-image playback, not camera-shake correctionOptical 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, 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 applyBuilt-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 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 instructionIntelligent 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 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 separateMaximum 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
Audio–Built-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 size2″3″
Screen dots123,200921,600
TouchscreenNoNo
Tilting screenYesYes
Display detailFree-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 eyepiece3.0-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
Battery life (maker's claim)–400 photographs
Body weight–209 g
Release detailConservative 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 inferredReleased 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 mediaFull-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 publishedSD, 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 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 terminalMulti/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-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 headlineSupplied 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-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 claimedIn-camera USB charging and external USB power with supplied AC adapter and battery fitted
DimensionsExact operating instruction maximum dimensions 113×68×69 mm width×height×depth. Early Japanese announcement gives 113.1×67.8×68.8 mm excluding maximum projections101.6 × 58.1 × 35.5 mm (width × height × depth), CIPA compliant
Weight detailExact 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 subtractionApproximately 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-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 cableNP-BX1, AC-UB10C/UB10D, micro-USB cable, wrist strap and instructions; regional contents differ

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