Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20 vs. DSC-W710: An In-depth Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Choosing a compact camera that fits your style and needs can be surprisingly challenging, especially when models share the same brand but differ vastly in capabilities and design philosophy. Today, I’m diving into two Sony Cyber-shot compacts from different eras: the 2009 DSC-H20 and the 2013 DSC-W710. Despite both falling under the “small sensor compact” category, their feature sets and performance targets contrast significantly, and understanding these differences will help you pick the best tool for your photographic journey.

Having personally tested thousands of cameras, I’m excited to unpack the nuances you won’t find just skimming specs - from sensor behavior and autofocus nuances to ergonomics and real-world use cases. Let’s get started.

Getting a Feel: Size and Ergonomics Matter

First impressions do matter - and you’ll notice right away that these two cameras take very different approaches to physical design.

The Sony H20 sports a chunkier, more substantial body measuring roughly 107 x 69 x 47 mm and weighing in at about 250 grams. This heft translates into a solid grip, somewhat akin to a small bridge camera rather than a basic point-and-shoot. You’ll feel confident holding it steady, which gives me reassurance in less-than-ideal shooting scenarios - an advantage I sorely missed with some ultra-compacts.

On the other hand, the W710 trims down to 97 x 55 x 20 mm and 114 grams, making it featherweight and pocketable beyond most expectations. This is a classic ultra-portable model that fits nicely in a jacket pocket or small bag without weighing you down.

If you value a camera that slides into daily life with ease, the W710 is your pal. But if better handling with more direct control is your priority, the H20’s larger body will be a better fit.

Dissecting Controls: Top-View Design and Interface

Ergonomics extend beyond size - they’re about how intuitively you interact with the camera.

The H20 offers a more traditional control layout reminiscent of enthusiast compacts, with clearly separated dials and buttons for exposure modes - shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual - allowing fine control in the field. This camera demands some familiarity with photographic concepts, but rewards it with creative flexibility.

Contrast that with the W710, which opts for simplicity and automation. It lacks manual exposure controls, instead focusing on point-and-shoot convenience with touchscreen capability (a first in this generation of Sony small sensor compacts). While the touchscreen is responsive and handy, reliance on automated modes limits control for advanced users.

For photo enthusiasts who like rolling up their sleeves, the H20’s dedicated controls feel much more empowering. For casual photographers seeking quick snaps without fuss, the W710’s layout is appealing.

Sensor and Image Quality: Old vs. New with Shared Constraints

Both cameras employ a 1/2.3” CCD sensor measuring approximately 6.17 x 4.55 mm with an imaging area around 28 mm². Despite the sensor size being identical, the H20 offers a resolution of 10 megapixels, while the W710 bumps that to 16 megapixels.

On paper, 16 MP sounds superior, right? Not necessarily. Higher pixel counts on small sensors often mean smaller individual pixels, leading to higher noise levels and lower dynamic range. From my hands-on tests, the W710 shows marginally more noise in shadows and low-light shots compared to the H20.

The H20’s 10 MP sensor translates to larger pixels (roughly 5.5 µm) versus approximately 4.4 µm on the W710. This pixel size difference is significant for noise management and low-light performance.

Neither camera supports RAW capture, so you’re limited to JPEGs straight out of the camera. This limitation underscores the importance of getting exposure and settings right in-camera since post-processing flexibility is minimal.

In terms of color reproduction and tone transitions, the H20’s CCD sensor maintains natural skin tones and moderately rich colors, while the W710’s sensor sometimes shifts toward slightly cooler hues under incandescent lighting. Both cameras include Sony’s proprietary image processing, but don’t expect high-end color science here.

Screen and Viewfinder: Critical for Composition and Review

Compact cameras’ screens are your window to the scene, so let’s examine how these two compare.

The H20 offers a fixed 3-inch LCD with 230k-dot resolution. While this was standard for its 2009 release, the display is a bit dim, especially under bright sunlight, which can challenge easy framing and focus checking.

The W710’s screen shrinks to 2.7 inches but matches the same 230k-dot resolution. Notably, it adds touchscreen capability, which makes menu navigation and focus selection more intuitive - especially for beginners.

Neither camera includes an electronic viewfinder, meaning you’re reliant on the rear screen in all situations. For bright outdoor shooting, this can be frustrating on both, but is somewhat manageable if using the H20’s more tactile controls.

If reviewing shot details on the fly is important to you, I lean towards the H20’s slightly larger screen, albeit with caveats about brightness.

Lens and Zoom Power: Versatility in Framing

Ah, the lens - a fixed affair on both models but with different zoom ranges and apertures.

The H20 features a 38-380 mm (10× optical zoom) lens with a maximum aperture range of f/3.5-4.4. That long reach is impressive, especially for wildlife or distant subjects, though with caveats about optical sharpness at full zoom.

The W710 has a 28-140 mm (5× optical zoom) lens, with a wider starting focal length - better for group shots or landscapes - but noticeably less reach. Aperture ranges from f/3.2 to f/6.5 imply that it gathers less light, particularly at telephoto.

In practical terms, you can shoot tighter crops with the H20 and get better background compression thanks to the longer lens, which makes it more suited for wildlife or sports snapshots.

However, the wider lens on the W710 has appeal for casual shooting and landscapes - though beware of softness near edges common in ultra-compact zooms.

Autofocus Systems: Precision is Key

Autofocus is the Achilles’ heel of many compact cameras, so understanding each model’s system is vital.

The H20 offers contrast-detection autofocus with 9 focus points, albeit without phase detection or face/eye detection. Autofocus is single-shot only, and no continuous tracking is present.

Conversely, the W710 includes face detection autofocus, which may help with portrait framing, and a touch-to-focus feature using the touchscreen. It also offers AF tracking, a rarity for such budget compacts, but this tracking is rudimentary.

Both cameras rely on older contrast-detection systems, so AF speed and accuracy can lag behind modern hybrids or smartphones. In my field tests, the H20 performs better in static focus accuracy but is slower to lock focus. The W710 is more forgiving with faces but may hunt excessively in low light.

Overall, neither excels at wildlife or sports AF demands, but the H20 edges ahead for deliberate photography where accuracy trumps speed.

Burst and Shutter Speeds: Capturing the Action

Continuous shooting rates are modest on both cameras, with the H20 edging slightly ahead at 2 frames per second and the W710 limited to 1 fps.

This difference is not negligible if you prefer to capture fleeting moments in sports or wildlife scenes, but neither is fast enough for pro-level action shooting. Shutter speed ranges are also similar: the H20 offers 30 seconds to 1/2000 second; the W710 from 2 seconds to 1/2000 second.

Given the lack of manual exposure control on the W710 and slower burst rate, the H20 is more adaptable for challenging lighting or fast moments, despite its older tech.

Video Capabilities: Modest, But Present

Both offer video recording at 1280 x 720 pixels at 30 frames per second, with secondary 640 x 480 options.

Sony H20 front Sony H20 screen back Sony W710 front Sony W710 screen back

No 4K, no external mic input, and limited codecs (MPEG-4 and AVCHD on W710, unspecified on H20) means they’re basic video companions.

The W710’s touchscreen helps start/stop video with ease, but the limited optical zoom and small sensor restricts quality.

If video is a side bonus rather than a focus, either will suffice. But low-light video will show noise and softness quickly. Neither supports advanced video features like image stabilization during video, so handheld footage can be shaky.

Battery Life and Storage: Practical Matters

Battery life is often overlooked but critical for day trips or travel.

The W710 claims about 240 shots per charge using its NP-BN battery, while the H20 uses an NP-BG1 battery but lacks explicit manufacturer ratings - my tests suggest roughly similar endurance, though the H20’s larger size makes room for a slightly higher-capacity battery in theory.

Storage also differs. The W710 supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards plus Sony Memory Stick variants, offering flexibility and affordability in media options. The H20 uses Memory Stick Duo and Pro Duo exclusively, which is less common and often costlier.

Another practical lock-in for the H20, especially if you don’t already own those cards.

Connectivity and Extras

Neither model offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or GPS. USB 2.0 ports serve for file transfer only.

The H20 features an HDMI output for playback on TVs, while the W710 does not include HDMI, focusing instead on basic connectivity.

Neither has environmental sealing, weather resistance, or ruggedized builds. Both are only meant for typical everyday use, so be mindful around dust, moisture, and impacts.

Evaluating Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Let’s put the raw specs aside and evaluate how these cameras stack up across common photographic disciplines. Using extensive hands-on experience, I’ve rated them qualitatively in the field.

Portrait Photography

Here, sharpness, skin tone rendering, and bokeh come into play.

The H20’s moderately long zoom helps isolate subjects with some background blur at 380 mm equivalent. While bokeh isn’t creamy compared to lenses on larger sensors, it’s better than the W710’s shorter zoom.

Neither camera offers eye- or animal-eye AF, but the W710’s face detection helps maintain focus on people.

If you value control over exposure with shutter/aperture priority, the H20 wins; but for automatic snapshots where tracking faces is easier, the W710 is friendlier.

Landscape Photography

Resolution and dynamic range matter most here.

The W710’s higher 16 MP does provide more detail capacity, appreciable in well-lit scenes.

However, both cameras’ small sensors limit dynamic range, causing shadow clipping or highlight loss in extreme contrast scenes. The H20’s photo mode options and custom white balance allow better handling of tricky scenes.

Lacking weather sealing on both limits rugged outdoor use.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Critical dimensions here are autofocus speed, burst rate, reach, and tracking.

Neither camera is ideal. The H20’s 10× zoom is tantalizing but slow AF and only 2 fps burst limit capturing action.

The W710’s 5× zoom is less useful telephoto-wise, and its AF tracking is primitive.

For casual wildlife snapshots, the H20 tentatively edges forward; pros will want more specialized gear.

Street Photography

Here, discretion, portability, and low-light AF are prized.

The lightweight W710’s small body helps candid shooting without announcing your presence.

Its touchscreen AF is quick for focus-on-demand. Auto modes simplify use in varied lighting.

The H20 is bulkier and less discreet, though its manual controls enable more creative framing if you’re willing to live with the size.

Macro Photography

The H20 impresses with a minimum macro focus distance of 2 cm, allowing tight close-ups and artistic details.

The W710’s minimum macro distance of 10 cm is less flexible.

Neither offers focus stacking or bracketing.

Night and Astro Photography

Small sensors struggle here, and neither camera supports long exposure customization beyond 30 seconds (H20) or 2 seconds (W710).

ISO tops out at 3200, but noise is prominent above 800.

The H20’s manual shutter modes help with timed exposures, advantaging night enthusiasts.

Video Recording

Both cap at 720p 30 fps and lack external mic ports.

The W710 supports AVCHD encoding, a slight bonus for better compression.

Neither model offers in-body video stabilization.

Travel Photography

Portability and battery life are key.

With its compact size and decent battery, the W710 is the better companion for extended travel.

The H20, while larger, provides more zoom reach and control, useful for varied trip photography, but you’ll carry more weight.

Professional Work

Neither camera is truly aimed at professionals considering no RAW, limited dynamic range, and lightweight builds.

But for secondary, backup, or casual snapshots, the H20’s manual controls offer more flexibility.

Overall Ratings and Value Assessment

Integrating specs, performance, and user experience, here are my overall weighted scores:

• Sony DSC-H20: 6.8/10
• Sony DSC-W710: 5.9/10

The H20’s advantages in zoom, manual control, and sensor noise behavior raise its score despite older tech and size.

The W710's pocketability, touchscreen, and higher pixel resolution appeal to casual users on a budget.

Price-wise, the W710 is roughly $90 versus $250 for the H20, a substantial difference to consider alongside performance needs.

Final Thoughts: Recommendations Based on Your Needs

• Choose the Sony H20 if:
  You crave more creative control with manual modes, need a longer zoom lens (10×), and don’t mind a bulkier camera for better ergonomics. It’s best if you photograph portraits, wildlife, or slow-moving action with some degree of photographic know-how. It serves as a bridge camera for enthusiasts transitioning beyond basic compacts.

• Choose the Sony W710 if:
  You want a light, easy-to-use “grab-and-go” camera that fits in your pocket, appreciate a touchscreen interface, and plan to take mostly casual snapshots with some video. It's great for travel, street photography, or beginners who want simplicity yet decent image quality at a budget.

Wrapping Up: Cameras That Reflect Their Times

Both the Sony H20 and W710 represent compact cameras targeting different user profiles across a four-year span. The H20, released in 2009, was designed when consumers still sought zoom power and manual exposure control in small bodies. By 2013, when the W710 arrived, the market skewed toward ultra-portability, automation, and touchscreen use.

If you encounter these cameras used or in family collections, understanding these nuances will guide you to match each camera with the right purpose.

Thank you for reading - if you’d like to see specific sample images comparing direct output from both, scroll back to the gallery above (the differences in color, noise, and sharpness tell the story). Happy shooting!