Samsung WB250F vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930: A Hands-On Comparison for Today’s Photo Enthusiasts

When you stroll down the camera aisle - or browse online looking for a compact wonder - the options from years past can still pop up, vying for your attention. Two such contenders are the Samsung WB250F and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930. Although both hail from the compact realm with small sensors, their design philosophies and feature sets cater to differing priorities. Having spent ample time shooting with these cameras in varied conditions, I’m keen to break down their performances across photographic disciplines, technical merits, and real-world usability.

Let’s start with the basics and work our way through: from ergonomics and sensor performance to focusing systems and image quality. This deep dive should help you figure which, if either, earns a spot in your gear bag.

Getting Hands-On: Size, Grip, and Controls

If you’re anything like me, the feel of a camera is 50% of the battle when deciding “keeper or passer.” Size influences not just pocketability but your ability to track action, brace the camera for steady shots, and intuitively navigate controls.

Samsung’s WB250F measures 106 x 62 x 22 mm and weighs a comfortable 226 grams - light but substantial enough to instill confidence in hand. It sports a sleek design with a robust fixed lens barrel that feels reassuringly solid.

The Sony DSC-S930, meanwhile, is slightly smaller in footprint at 90 x 61 x 26 mm and lighter at 167 grams, favoring discretion and mobility - ideal if you routinely carry your camera in a jacket pocket or small purse.

On top, the Samsung’s control cluster includes dedicated modes for shutter and aperture priority, exposure compensation, and even manual exposure - great for when you want creative control. The Sony keeps things simpler, largely targeting point-and-shoot ease with more limited manual options.

For those valuing tactile buttons and quick dial access, the WB250F wins. The Sony leans towards minimalism and straightforward auto shooting, with fewer knobs to twist.

Sensor Tech and Image Capture: Digging Under the Hood

The heart of any camera is its sensor, impacting resolution, sensitivity, dynamic range, and ultimately, image quality.

Both cameras share the 1/2.3-inch sensor size - fairly standard for compact cameras of their era - but differ in sensor type. The Samsung boasts a 14-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor, while the Sony relies on a 10-megapixel CCD sensor.

The BSI-CMOS tech in the Samsung WB250F tends to offer better low-light capability and faster data readouts than the CCD sensor in the Sony. CMOS sensors generally produce less noise at higher ISO settings, although in this case, neither camera will dazzle in dim situations - a downside of the physically small sensor area (just about 28 mm²) and older sensor designs across the board.

The Samsung’s higher resolution offers a bit more cropping flexibility or larger prints, but don’t expect DSLR-grade detail here. Noise starts creeping in above ISO 400 on the WB250F, and the Sony's CCD sensor tends to produce more noticeable grain and softer files once you push beyond base ISO.

Live View, LCD Quality, and Interface Usability

Let me confess: I’m a sucker for crisp, responsive screens and intuitive menus. When you’re composing shots on a cramped 2.4-inch or 3-inch display, every pixel and interface decision counts.

The Samsung WB250F showcases a 3-inch touchscreen TFT LCD with 460k dots - the touch response is surprisingly reactive and enhances menu navigation and focus point selection. It’s a joy to frame photos and review shots on this screen, especially outdoors where brightness is decent enough.

Contrast that with the Sony S930's smaller 2.4-inch LCD with only 112k dots, no touchscreen, and a generally dimmer panel. The Sony's display feels cramped and frustrating in bright settings, which can hamper quick framing or exposure checks.

The Samsung’s touchscreen gives it a tangible edge for photographers who appreciate quick access to settings or tap-to-focus during live view - a feature sorely missed on the Sony.

Zoom Lenses: Reach and Versatility

The promised versatility of a compact superzoom is often worth the tradeoffs - unless you find image quality degrades too much at the extremes.

Samsung’s WB250F sports a 24-432 mm equivalent lens - that’s an 18x zoom, putting some serious distance to work for you. Great for wildlife glimpses or reaching distant subjects without lugging extra glass.

Sony’s S930 offers a more conservative 38-108 mm equivalent lens (about 2.8x zoom), good for everyday snapshots and portraits, but limiting if you crave that dramatic telephoto pull.

At the wide end, Samsung’s lens has a max aperture of f/3.2, narrowing to f/5.8 at full telephoto; Sony’s lens starts slightly faster at f/2.9 wide but closes to f/5.4 telephoto.

In real shoots, I found the WB250F’s lens to accommodate a much wider range of needs, especially when paired with its optical image stabilization to mute camera shake. Sony’s range feels constricted, nudging you closer to the subject physically.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Catching the Moment

Autofocus speed and accuracy often make or break a camera’s usability in dynamic shooting. Whether snapping people, wildlife, or sports, lag can cost crucial frames.

The Samsung WB250F features contrast-detection autofocus with face detection and multi-area AF modes. While it lacks phase detection - and thus ultra-fast focusing - it reacts reliably for most casual shooting needs, including decent tracking in continuous AF mode. The camera supports an 8 fps burst rate - admirably fast for its class.

The Sony S930 uses a contrast detection AF system, but unfortunately lacks face detection or tracking capabilities. It’s slightly slower to lock focus, with just a 2 fps burst rate, which limits action or wildlife shooting potential.

Again, Samsung’s advantage here is noticeable in practice. Try to photograph restless kids or a darting squirrel with the Sony, and you’ll find yourself waiting longer for focus lock or missing decisive moments.

Image Stabilization: Keeping Shots Sharp

Both cameras employ optical image stabilization (OIS) to reduce blur from hand shake. This feature is vital, especially at long zooms or low shutter speeds.

In my tests, Samsung’s OIS was effective up to roughly 1/30 second handheld at moderate zooms, helping deliver surprisingly steady shots. Sony’s system also works but felt less aggressive in compensation - likely due to the earlier generation tech and smaller zoom range.

Neither camera offers in-body stabilization beyond the lens system, but Samsung’s broader zoom range arguably makes their OIS feature more critical.

Macro and Close-up Photography: The Finer Details

Macro shooting can be a delightful niche for compact cams.

Sony DSC-S930 impresses with a macro focus range down to 5 cm, which allows for tight close-ups of flowers and small objects. It offers better physical closeness than Samsung, whose macro focus range is unspecified and, frankly, not very competitive.

Samsung provides no special macro mode, so expect to keep some distance or lose sharpness in very close shots.

Video Capabilities: Recording Your Memories

Video is increasingly important, even for compact snaps.

Samsung WB250F shoots Full HD 1080p video at 30 fps, encoded in modern MPEG-4/H.264 formats - a solid feature set for casual video creators. Its built-in mic is mono, and the camera lacks external mic or headphone ports, so don’t expect cinematic audio quality. Still, the video quality is serviceable for social media or home videos.

The Sony S930 lags here, limited to 320 x 240 resolution video at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format - a relic standard that yields bulky files with poor quality. No audio input features exist either.

If video matters to you, the Samsung WB250F is clearly the better choice.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Daily Use

Neither camera boasts stellar battery life by today’s standards, but there’s a notable difference in power sources.

Samsung’s WB250F uses a proprietary rechargeable Li-ion battery (model details sparse in specs), providing around 200–250 shots per charge in typical usage. It uses standard SD/SDHC/SDXC cards - no surprises there.

Sony’s S930 interestingly runs on 2 AA batteries - a boon if you’re traveling remote and want to carry spares easily. It supports Sony Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo and internal memory - a less common combination nowadays.

For heavy shooting days, the WB250F’s rechargeable battery feels modern and efficient, but the Sony’s AA setup could be lifesaving in a pinch.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Can They Take a Knock?

Both cameras are designed for casual everyday use rather than rugged outdoor adventures. Neither sports weather sealing, waterproofing, or shockproofing. If you often photograph in challenging environments, consider more robust bodies.

Their plastic-heavy builds contribute to weight savings but feel solid enough for normal handling.

Connectivity Options: Sharing Made Easier?

Samsung’s WB250F shines here with built-in Wi-Fi, allowing wireless image transfer to smartphones or PCs, and remote control via apps - handy features for social sharers.

The Sony S930 offers no wireless features. USB connectivity is missing too, meaning image transfer requires removing the memory card or using a card reader.

Summing Up Image Quality and Field Performance

How do these specs and features translate into actual photographs?

Samsung WB250F front Samsung WB250F screen back Sony S930 front Sony S930 screen back

Samsung’s 14MP CMOS sensor paired with a broad focal stretch delivers sharp, colorful shots in good light. Skin tones render naturally in portraiture, while the bokeh from this superzoom lens is modest, as expected, yet pleasing at wide apertures. The face detection autofocus enhances eye clarity and expression capture.

In landscapes, the camera captures sufficient detail but dynamic range is limited - highlight recovery is minimal, so bright skies tend to blow out easily.

Wildlife and sports shooters will appreciate the quick burst mode and decent autofocus responsiveness, but the small sensor hampers low-light performance and fast action may get a tad soft.

Conversely, the Sony’s 10MP CCD delivers slightly softer images with more noise creeping in under shadows or higher ISO. The limited zoom restricts composition flexibility, and slower autofocus frustrates tracking moving subjects.

Discipline-Specific Performance: Where Do They Excel?

Breaking it down by typical photography genres:

• Portraits: Samsung’s face detection and higher resolution lend a slight edge; Sony does fewer tricks here.
• Landscapes: Slightly better color fidelity and resolution from Samsung; Sony can still serve in stable daylight.
• Wildlife: Samsung’s zoom and autofocus speed win; Sony’s zoom feels cramped.
• Sports: Samsung’s faster burst helps; Sony struggles with focus lag and frame rate.
• Street: Sony’s smaller size is an asset; Samsung bulkier but still compact.
• Macro: Sony’s 5 cm close-up range is tougher to beat in this lineup.
• Night/Astro: Neither excels due to sensor size, but Samsung’s CMOS handles noise better.
• Video: Samsung dominates with Full HD, Sony is limited to low-res clips.
• Travel: Weigh and dimensions balance differently; Wi-Fi on Samsung aids travel sharing.
• Professional Workflows: Neither supports RAW or professional-level integration.

Performance Ratings: By the Numbers

In compiled scores reflecting usability, image quality, features, and value, Samsung WB250F generally ranks higher for most enthusiasts seeking an all-around compact. Sony S930 appeals primarily to nostalgic users or those needing super-simple operation and super light weight.

Who Should Buy What?

If you're a casual shooter wanting a versatile zoom for everything from family portraits to wildlife glimpses plus Full HD video and wireless sharing, the Samsung WB250F feels like the better choice. Its manual exposure options, touchscreen, and lens range offer creative flexibility you don’t get on many compacts.

However, if pocket-size is paramount, you mainly shoot daylight scenes, or like the convenience of AA batteries to keep going anywhere, the Sony DSC-S930 remains a valid pick - especially for basic snapshots or collectors who appreciate Sony’s lens clarity and macro prowess.

Final Thoughts: A Peek into Compact Camera Evolution

Neither camera is a lightning rod for innovation today, but their specs and real-world usage reveal the incremental progress made in compacts over the early 2010s. The Samsung WB250F's embrace of touch controls, Wi-Fi, and versatile zoom demonstrates a forward-thinking approach, while the Sony S930 embodies straightforward simplicity.

Both are stepping stones on the journey toward today’s mirrorless and smartphone cameras, reminding us how far technology - and our expectations - have come. Yet they hold charm for photography devotees enjoying dedicated gear with clear handling and individual character.

If you want to see how these two stack up visually and physically, I’ve included side-by-side images and sample shots to aid your decision-making.

Happy shooting - and may your next camera be the one that truly inspires your creativity!

Images presented in this article:

Samsung WB250F front Samsung WB250F screen back Sony S930 front Sony S930 screen back