Samsung ST30 vs Sony S950

Here, we are looking at the Samsung ST30 versus Sony S950, former being a Ultracompact while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Samsung and Sony. The image resolution of the ST30 (10MP) and the S950 (10MP) is fairly similar but the ST30 (1/3") and S950 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The ST30 was launched 24 months later than the S950 making them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Samsung ST30 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony S950 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a full comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the ST30 matches up against the S950 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Samsung ST30 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S950. The complete galleries are available at Samsung ST30 Gallery & Sony S950 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Samsung ST30 features outside measurements of 82mm x 52mm x 17mm (3.2" x 2.0" x 0.7") along with a weight of 87 grams (0.19 lbs) while the Sony S950 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Examine the Samsung ST30 versus Sony S950 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the ST30 vs the S950.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ST30 and S950 is 98 and 94 respectively.

Typically, it can be hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizing purely by going over technical specs. The visual below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the ST30 and S950.

As you can tell, the two cameras feature the identical megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The ST30 contains the tinier sensor which is going to make obtaining shallow depth of field more challenging. The more modern ST30 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.