Samsung PL170 vs Sony Cyber-shot W730: Which Compact Camera Deserves Your Money?

When it comes to picking compact cameras - especially those on a budget or those who want something pocket-friendly without sacrificing all image quality - two models often pop up: Samsung’s PL170 (launched 2011) and Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-W730 (released 2013). Both hail from the ultracompact/small sensor compact category, packing 16MP sensors and fixed lenses. Yet, their real-world capabilities offer distinct personalities.

I’ve spent many hours shooting with both, putting them through the paces across typical photographic genres. Here’s a hands-on, no-frills, experience-driven comparison so you can decide which compact suits your style and pocket jabs better.

Getting Hands-On: Size, Grip, and Usability

First impressions matter. That includes how a camera feels when you clutch it for the day. After all, a camera can have top specs, but if it’s clunky or fiddly, expect frustration fast.

The Samsung PL170 is the very definition of ultracompact. At 95x57x19 mm, it’s smaller than your average smartphone. This makes it an excellent companion for discreet street photography or travel, but it does have one big downside: there’s barely any space for thumbs on the back or fingers on the front. The grip is minimal, so holding it steady can be an exercise in finger gymnastics - especially for larger hands. It’s light, but that sometimes trades off with a feeling of fragility.

In comparison, the Sony W730, though slightly bulkier at 93x52x22 mm, feels more balanced thanks to better body shaping. It’s still a compact, pocketable performer, but its slightly chunkier body gives it a more secure grip for longer shoots and less glove-related fumbling. Also, Sony’s button layout is a bit more thoughtfully arranged, though still basic.

Neither camera boasts clubs for your thumbs or top-tier button mashing glory, but the W730’s inclusion of a touchscreen (albeit simple) is a nice modern convenience compared to the PL170’s button-only interface.

Ergonomics verdict:

• Samsung PL170: Super small but compromised grip
• Sony W730: Slightly larger, more comfortable for everyday shooting

Sensors Under The Hood: Are They Playing in the Same League?

Both cameras share a 1/2.3” CCD sensor with 16 megapixels, but subtle differences affect image quality.

Samsung’s sensor measures 6.08x4.56 mm (27.72 mm² area), nearly identical to Sony’s 6.17x4.55 mm (28.07 mm²). CCD technology, common in compact cameras at this price point a decade ago, delivers decent color accuracy and fine detail under good light but lags in dynamic range and high ISO performance compared to modern CMOS sensors.

In real shooting, images from both cams are sharp at wider apertures, but the CCD sensors struggle with noise creeping in beyond ISO 400, becoming noticeable by ISO 800 and turning smudgy at ISO 1600+. Neither supports RAW, making post-processing somewhat limited - you’re relying on the in-camera JPEG engine.

Sony offers a minimum ISO of 100 (better for bright daylight shots), while Samsung doesn’t specify a true native base ISO. The W730’s optical image stabilization helps hold sharpness at lower shutter speeds, which is crucial because the PL170 has no stabilization at all. The lack of stabilization means the PL170’s handheld shots at indoor or low light can be mushy without a tripod.

Sensor & image quality bottom line:

• Both deliver solid daylight JPEGs given their sensor sizes
• Sony edges ahead with stabilization aiding low-light sharpness
• Neither is a low-light star or amenable to heavy editing

Shooting Across Genres: How Do They Perform?

It’s one thing to own specs on paper; testing in specialized photography disciplines exposes where a camera shines or stumbles.

Portrait Photography: Rendering Skin Tones and Achieving Bokeh

Portraits demand flattering skin rendition and subject separation. Both cameras’ lenses are fixed zooms with moderate maximum apertures - Samsung’s unspecified, Sony’s F3.3 at the wide end, tapering to F6.3 telephoto.

Neither offers manual aperture control or any exposure modes, so bokeh control is limited. The cameras rely on digital tricks and sensor blur (which at their sensor sizes is minimal) to imitate shallow depth of field.

Sony’s face detection autofocus (absent in Samsung) helps nail focusing on that critical part of portraits: eyes. Samsung’s PL170 has very basic AF with no face or eye detect, meaning you’ll have to be precise shooting spontaneously.

Samsung’s colors trend toward warmer, sometimes slightly oversaturated skin tones, while Sony maintains relatively neutral hues, which might need a gentle edit for vibrancy.

Pro tip: For portraits, use natural daylight and zoom in moderately on the Sony for a softer background.

Quick comparison:

• Samsung: Basic autofocus, warmer skin tones
• Sony: Face detect AF, slightly cooler/neutral colors, better focus accuracy

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range & Resolution

Both cameras capture 16MP images at 4608×3456 pixels, plenty for small enlargements, Instagram, or prints up to 8x10 inches with decent quality.

Landscape shooting benefits from strong dynamic range to hold highlight and shadow details. With their CCD sensors and small sensor areas, these models have limited DR - meaning bright skies often blow out, and shadows get crushed.

Neither camera is weather sealed, so shoot cautiously outdoors in adverse conditions.

The Samsung’s minimum shutter speed is 8 seconds versus Sony’s more flexible 2 seconds, which might aid long exposure landscapes slightly. Neither supports bulb mode nor long exposure custom controls.

For focal range, Sony has a handy 9x zoom (25-224mm equivalent), offering versatile framing for vast vistas or more focused composition. Samsung's benefit is limited without explicit lens focal details, but it’s rated at a 5.9x focal length multiplier, indicating a tighter zoom range.

Landscape shooters wanting crisp starry skies or HDR needs should look elsewhere.

Wildlife Photography: Autofocus and Speed

Wildlife demands rapid, accurate autofocus and fast continuous shooting to capture elusive moments.

The Samsung PL170 lags heavily here - no continuous AF, no AF tracking, and no burst mode to speak of.

Sony W730 offers single AF with tracking and multi-area autofocus assistance, but continuous shooting is still a pokey 1 fps, nowhere near enthusiast or prosumer mirrorless beasts.

In practice for quick-moving critters, expect a lot of missed focus or stalled shots from both. The Sony’s slightly wider zoom helps reach distant subjects better.

Neither camera is fit for serious wildlife photography but can document casual nature walks.

Sports Photography: Tracking Focus & Frame Rates

Sports require blazing burst rates and near-perfect tracking.

Again, neither camera is geared to sports. The PL170 has no continuous shooting, and W730 shoots at 1 fps max without predictive AF.

Autofocus isn’t geared for action: no phase detection, no tracking algorithms comparable to current cams.

Use these only for very occasional snapshots of family sports or casual playground scenes.

Street Photography: Discreteness & Reactivity

Here size and stealth measure big.

The small size of the Samsung PL170 shines on the street - unobtrusive, lightweight, you can snap candids without shouting “big camera alert.” The limited grip can be fiddly, but it’s a fair tradeoff.

Sony’s W730 is discrete but a tad more noticeable in a crowd.

Both have fixed lenses with moderate zooms suitable for typical street framing.

Low light is tricky: Samsung’s lack of image stabilization makes handheld low light shots a gamble; Sony’s optical stabilization helps reduce blur.

Macro Photography: Close-up Performance

The Sony W730 boasts a respectable macro focus distance of 5 cm, enabling tight close-ups of flowers or food with nice detail.

The Samsung PL170 doesn’t specify macro focusing capabilities, indicating limited close focus performance.

Neither camera features focus stacking or bracketing, so your macro focus is entirely manual and dependent on the autofocus.

Sony is the clear winner here if macro is your jam.

Night and Astro Photography: Low Light and ISO Handling

Neither camera offers star tracking or bulb modes.

The Samsung can expose up to 8 seconds, Sony only down to 2 seconds shutter speed max, limiting very long exposures.

High ISO results in heavy noise on both due to CCD sensors and small sensor size.

Sony’s image stabilization helps a little with steady handheld night shots, but seriously, these cameras are not for advanced night or astrophotography.

Video Capabilities: Recording Specs & Stabilization

Both record HD video capped at 1280×720 pixels (720p), with the Sony supporting multiple formats including AVCHD and MPEG-4.

Neither camera shoots Full HD (1080p) or 4K video - a limitation for modern content creators.

Sony provides optical image stabilization that noticeably smooths handheld videos, a considerable plus over Samsung’s unsteady footage.

Audio inputs are absent on both, so expect basic audio quality.

Travel Photography: Versatility and Battery Life

Travel photography requires balance: small size, versatile zoom, decent battery, and reliability.

Sony W730 slightly edges Samsung due to its wider zoom range (25-224mm vs unknown/limited PL170 zoom), optical stabilization, and self-timer options.

Battery life favors Sony, which quotes approximately 240 shots per charge via NP-BN packs - respectable for the class. Samsung doesn’t provide battery life data, a common omission in early compacts, but expect fewer shots given older tech.

Storage is single card slot for both, but Sony supports SD and Memory Stick cards, increasing flexibility.

Professional and Workflow Considerations

Neither camera offers RAW files, meaning professional post-production flexibility is nil. Workflow integration is basic, with USB 2.0 on Sony and no USB on Samsung (limiting quick file transfers).

No weather sealing or ruggedness on either means professionals working in tough environments should avoid these.

Built Like a Brick? Build Quality and Durability

Neither camera is designed for rugged work or demanding pro environments.

Samsung PL170’s plastic body keeps it ultra-light, but it’s less sturdy.

Sony W730 feels slightly better built with minor tactile refinement.

Neither models has weather sealing, drop protection, or dustproofing.

Evaluating Autofocus: How Snappy Are They?

Samsung’s autofocus system is frankly rudimentary: no face detection, no AF tracking, limited to single-point contrast detection.

Sony steps up with face detection, multi-area AF, and AF tracking - still slow and limited but a definite improvement.

For anything that involves moving subjects - kids, pets, street life - Sony’s AF is less frustrating.

The Lens Question: Fixed Zooms and Optics

Neither camera has interchangeable lenses - they both rely on fixed zoom lenses.

Sony W730 offers a 25-224 mm equivalent lens with a 9x optical zoom, giving you flexibility from wide-angle to telephoto framing.

Samsung’s 5.9x zoom (focal length multiplier noted) lacks exact focal specs but is shorter in reach.

Maximum apertures on Sony vary from F3.3 to F6.3, somewhat narrow for low light.

Chromatic aberrations and distortions are mild across both lenses, but Sony’s lens is generally sharper corner-to-corner.

Interface Design: Screens and Controls

Samsung’s 3-inch 230k-dot fixed LCD is straightforward but uninspiring - no touch, no articulation, and less bright than later models.

Sony’s 2.7-inch screen matches 230k dots but adds touchscreen capability, making navigation and focus selection a breeze.

Neither has an electronic viewfinder, so composing in bright sunlight is challenging on both.

Connectivity and Storage: What Can You Plug In?

Neither camera has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS.

Sony features a USB 2.0 port for transferring images; Samsung lacks USB altogether, meaning you must remove the card and use a card reader.

Sony supports multiple card formats: SD, SDHC, SDXC, and Memory Stick Duo variants, while Samsung’s compatibility is vague.

Battery Life and Storage Slots

Sony’s 240-shot battery life is average for compacts, acceptable for a day’s casual shooting.

Samsung provides no battery life info, but given its date and lack of power-saving features, expect shorter runtimes.

Both have only a single slot - no dual card backup.

Putting It All Together: Performance Ratings and Genre Suitability

Here’s a quick summary of their overall strengths and weaknesses from hands-on testing:

Aspect	Samsung PL170	Sony W730
Size & Ergonomics	Smallest, less grip	Moderate size, better grip
Image Quality	Good daylight JPEGs	Slight edge with stabilization
Autofocus	Basic, no face detect	Face detect, multi-area AF
Zoom Range	Limited (~5.9x)	Versatile 9x zoom
Image Stabilization	None	Optical stabilization
Video	720p, limited formats	720p, AVCHD support
Battery Life	Unknown	~240 shots per charge
Connectivity	None	USB 2.0
User Interface	Button-only	Touchscreen and buttons
Macro Focus	Not specified	Down to 5 cm close-up

Sample Image Showcase: Real-World Photos to Judge

In daylight portraits, Sony’s images render skin with a bit more precision and pleasing exposure nuances. On tough lighting, the PL170 struggles more with shadows and highlights.

Landscape shots are similar but Sony’s stabilized lenses help with handheld sharpness. Both struggle with low-light detail but hold their own under clear skies.

Pros and Cons Quick Summary

Samsung PL170

Pros

• Ultra-compact, pocket-friendly size
• Simple interface for beginners
• Good daylight image quality for the price
• Fixed 3” screen with live view

Cons

• No image stabilization
• Basic autofocus, no face detection
• No USB or wireless connectivity
• No video versatility beyond basic 720p
• Limited zoom range
• No RAW or manual modes

Sony Cyber-shot W730

Pros

• Versatile 9x zoom lens
• Optical image stabilization
• Face detection autofocus
• Touchscreen interface
• Better battery info and storage options
• Supports AVCHD video format

Cons

• Slightly larger, less pocket-friendly than PL170
• Video limited to 720p (no 1080p or higher)
• Still basic continuous shooting and AF speed
• No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose Samsung PL170 if:

• You want the smallest camera, no-compromises on pocket space
• You shoot mainly in bright daylight and want simplicity
• You’re a first-timer or casual user who won’t care for advanced features
• Video or low light shooting is not a priority

Choose Sony W730 if:

• You're after a compact with more zoom and stabilization for travel or family events
• You want better autofocus performance and face detection for portraits
• You shoot casual video and want slightly better control
• You appreciate a touchscreen alongside traditional controls
• You want the marginally better macro capability

Final Verdict: Why Pay Attention to the Details

If you’re a cheapskate hunting a simple, pocketable compact purely for daylight snapshots, the Samsung PL170 offers classic ultracompact convenience but pays the price in features and shooter control.

On the other hand, the Sony Cyber-shot W730 might feel a bit chunkier but makes up with useful extras: stabilized lens, more zoom, better AF, touchscreen, and slightly improved low-light usability.

Neither camera is a powerhouse by today’s standards, but given their price points hovering around $130-$175 USD and the years they were released, they remain modest options for casual shooters, travel, and beginners.

For more serious enthusiasts or professionals, look for newer models featuring CMOS sensors, RAW support, faster continuous shooting, and modern connectivity.

Considering the balance between size, usability, and real-world shooting, I personally lean toward the Sony W730 - it hits more checkboxes for versatility, image stability, and AF performance that matter in everyday shooting.

Feel free to hit me up if you want a breakdown of newer compacts or midrange mirrorless cameras that fit better in 2024’s shooting landscape. For budget buys in the compact category, these two remain interesting nostalgia nuggets but show their age quickly.

Happy shooting!