Sony HX1 vs Sony RX100 II

Following is a detailed analysis of the Sony HX1 and Sony RX100 II, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact and both of them are produced by Sony. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the HX1 (9MP) and RX100 II (20MP) and the HX1 (1/2.4") and RX100 II (1") have different sensor sizing.

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The HX1 was brought out 5 years before the RX100 II which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summation of how the HX1 scores against the RX100 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. The entire galleries are provided at Sony HX1 Gallery and Sony RX100 II Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and size. The Sony HX1 comes with physical measurements of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") and a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs) while the Sony RX100 II has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs).

Check the Sony HX1 and Sony RX100 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the HX1 against the RX100 II.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the HX1 and RX100 II is 67 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor sizes simply by seeing technical specs. The pic below may provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the HX1 and RX100 II.

As you have seen, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The HX1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony RX100 II will provide more detail having its extra 11 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged HX1 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.