Samsung PL170 vs Sony W800

Below is a in-depth assessment of the Samsung PL170 and Sony W800, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Samsung and Sony. The sensor resolution of the PL170 (16MP) and the W800 (20MP) is very well matched and they possess the same exact sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The PL170 was manufactured 4 years before the W800 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Samsung PL170 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony W800 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a simple summary of how the PL170 matches up against the W800 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Samsung PL170 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800. The entire galleries are viewable at Samsung PL170 Gallery and Sony W800 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Samsung PL170 features physical measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) and the Sony W800 has dimensions of 97mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Look at the Samsung PL170 and Sony W800 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the PL170 versus the W800.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the PL170 and W800 is 99 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to see the contrast between sensor measurements purely by checking specifications. The photograph underneath should give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the PL170 and W800.

Plainly, both cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Sony W800 to resolve more detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics far more aggressively. The older PL170 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.