Deep Dive Comparison: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V vs. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800

When navigating the sea of compact cameras, even within a single brand like Sony, choices can be daunting. The Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V and DSC-W800, both released within a few years of each other, target distinct user groups with notably different design philosophies and capabilities. Drawing on extensive hands-on testing and technical evaluation, this comparative review demystifies the practical and technical differences between these two Sony compacts. Our goal is to empower enthusiasts and professionals alike with nuanced insights tailored to a wide range of photographic disciplines - ultimately helping you pick the better-fit camera for your creative needs and budget constraints.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Build Quality

Ergonomics and Physical Design

The HX100V distinguishes itself as a bridge camera with an SLR-like body, whereas the W800 is a true pocketable compact. This fundamental difference immediately informs their handling and use cases.

At 122 x 87 x 93 mm and approximately 577 grams, the HX100V feels substantially more substantial and substantial in hand compared to the W800’s diminutive 97 x 55 x 21 mm and light 125 grams. The bridge-style chassis of the HX100V includes a pronounced grip and a robust build that, while not weather-sealed or ruggedized, offers a confident feel when shooting handheld, especially considering its long telephoto reach. The W800’s ultra-slim form is optimized for pocket portability but sacrifices grip comfort and control finesse.

This size and weight differential influences not only carry convenience but also stability during shooting, especially at longer focal lengths or slower shutter speeds. In practice, the HX100V’s heft provides a steadier platform, reducing camera shake without external support, while the W800 may necessitate a tripod or image stabilization reliance to avoid softness in challenging conditions.

Topside Controls and Interface: Intuitive or Basic?

Examining the top control layouts clarifies the user experience each camera offers. The HX100V boasts a dedicated mode dial supporting manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, and program exposure modes, catering to enthusiasts and semi-professionals seeking creative control. Physical buttons for ISO, exposure compensation, and a zoom rocker ring encircle the shutter button, affording rapid adjustments under varied shooting scenarios.

By contrast, the W800’s controls are minimalistic, reflecting an emphasis on simplicity for beginners or casual shooters. There is no mode dial; exposure modes are fully automatic, with scene modes accessible via an on-screen menu. The shutter button doubles as the zoom lever, and dedicated buttons are few - streamlining the interface but limiting manual intervention.

This comparison drives home the HX100V’s suitability for users requiring parameter tweaking and on-the-fly exposure control, whereas W800 users trade off granular controls for quick point-and-shoot ease.

Sensor and Image Quality: A Detailed Technical Overview

The heart of any camera’s imaging prowess lies in its sensor and processing pipeline. Despite sharing the same sensor size of 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm), the two cameras employ differing sensor types and resolutions, which meaningfully impact image outcomes.

• Sony HX100V: Utilizes a 16-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor coupled with Sony’s BIONZ processor. The BSI-CMOS design enhances light gathering efficiency, especially in low-light conditions, compared to traditional CCD sensors.

• Sony W800: Employs a 20-megapixel CCD sensor, which, while offering a higher pixel count, faces inherent limitations in noise performance and dynamic range due to sensor technology and older design.

Impact on Image Quality

Across my controlled lab tests and field shoots, the HX100V consistently produces cleaner images at higher ISOs (up to ISO 3200 supported), with better shadow retention and natural color rendition. The back-illuminated sensor architecture helps reduce read noise, yielding usable images under dimmer lighting where the W800 begins to show grain and diminished detail.

In terms of resolution, although the W800 nominally offers 20 megapixels compared to the HX100V’s 16, the practical effective resolution advantage is marginal and overshadowed by noise and dynamic range considerations. The HX100V's superior processing pipeline and sensor enable superior DR, critical for landscapes and scenes with challenging lighting.

Furthermore, the HX100V benefits from an anti-aliasing (AA) filter, which slightly softens images but avoids moiré patterns, whereas the W800 includes this filter as well but its CCD sensor tends to produce a different tonal quality that some might find less vibrant or less natural.

LCD Screens and Viewfinders: Composition and Usability

The HX100V’s 3-inch, 921K-dot XtraFine LCD with TruBlack technology delivers crisp live view feeds with excellent brightness and contrast control, facilitating easier framing even in bright daylight. The tilting mechanism adds compositional flexibility for low- or high-angle shots, a plus for macro, street, or landscape enthusiasts wanting unconventional perspectives.

Conversely, the W800’s fixed 2.7-inch TFT LCD with just 230K dots offers notably reduced resolution and viewing angles. It lacks touch functionality, and without a viewfinder, it can be challenging to compose in brighter outdoor environments where screen reflections hinder visibility.

The HX100V also includes an electronic viewfinder (EVF), albeit with modest resolution and coverage, but invaluable for stable handheld shooting, especially in strong light or when precise framing is essential. The W800 does not have any viewfinder, limiting framing options to the rear screen alone.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Precision Versus Simplicity

Autofocus performance critically impacts usability across genres, from sports to wildlife and street. Despite matching focal length multipliers, the autofocus systems here diverge considerably.

• HX100V: Features a 9-point contrast-detection AF system that supports multi-area focus but omits face detection and continuous AF tracking. While slower and less sophisticated than modern hybrid systems with phase detection, this contrast AF is relatively quick given the vintage, returning sharp focus with a degree of reliability in well-lit environments. Manual focusing is also available, beneficial for macro or creative work.

• W800: Operates a simpler contrast-detection AF system with unknown focus points and supports face detection. Its AF speed is modest, matching casual shooting but struggling with fast-moving subjects or in low light. Manual focus is unsupported, reinforcing its beginner-friendly approach.

Continuous shooting modes highlight further differences: the HX100V supports up to 10 fps burst shooting, impressive for its class and excellent for action capture, while the W800 lags at a paltry 1 fps, ill-suited for sports or wildlife sequences.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: Telephoto Power Versus Compact Range

Lens specifications are decisive for photographers balancing versatility and portability.

• Sony HX100V: Offers an extraordinarily wide 30x optical zoom (27-810 mm equivalent focal length), starting from a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture at wide-angle that progressively narrows to f/5.6 at telephoto. This massive reach rivals entry-level DSLRs paired with super-telephoto lenses and suits wildlife, sports, and travel photographers who need maximum framing flexibility without lens changes.

• Sony W800: Provides a 5x zoom range (26-130 mm equivalent) with a variable f/3.2-6.4 aperture. While more limited in reach, the W800's lens enables casual snapshot framing, covering most day-to-day scenes, but struggles to isolate distant subjects without cropping.

Both lenses are fixed, integrated units (non-interchangeable), reducing system complexity and cost but limiting future optical upgrades.

Stabilization, Shutter, and Exposure Controls

Optical image stabilization is a crucial feature in compact cameras to counteract handshake, particularly at long zoom lengths and low shutter speeds.

Both the HX100V and W800 include optical stabilization, yet the HX100V’s system synergizes better with the telephoto range and wider aperture to yield sharper images in handheld conditions. Testing reveals the HX100V allows for slower shutter speeds before noticeable blur sets in compared to the W800.

The HX100V’s shutter range is robust, spanning from 30 seconds to 1/4000th of a second, enabling long exposures for night or creative shots, whereas the W800 only covers 2 seconds to 1/1500th, limiting low light and action flexibility.

Exposure modes diverge radically: the HX100V’s manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority modes afford experienced users precise control, whereas the W800 offers fully automatic shooting with limited manual intervention.

Video Performance: Resolution, Frame Rates, and Features

For hybrid shooters blending stills and video, capabilities differ markedly.

• Sony HX100V: Captures full HD 1080p video at 60 fps with AVCHD compression, enabling smooth, high-quality footage. Its BIONZ processor supports superior video noise reduction and sharpness control. HDMI output for external monitoring is present, though no microphone or headphone jacks restrict advanced audio capture.

• Sony W800: Limits video to HD 720p at 30 fps using AVI/MPEG-4 format, resulting in lower resolution and less fluid motion rendering. The absence of HDMI or audio ports further relegates this camera to casual, social media use.

Both cameras lack 4K or high-bitrate video functions, underscoring their entry-level and mid-tier hybrid positioning.

Specialized Photography Disciplines: Strengths and Weaknesses

Photography is a multifaceted practice. We now assess both cameras based on discipline-specific criteria.

Portrait Photography

The HX100V’s BSI-CMOS sensor, manual exposure modes, and long zoom range support attractive portrait framing and shallow depth-of-field effects at 27 mm f/2.8 but struggles to achieve the creamy bokeh typical of larger sensors. Face detection is absent, meaning manual focus and composition skills become essential.

The W800 offers face detection autofocus but limited aperture (~f/3.2 maximum) and lacks manual controls, producing flatter skin tones with less rendering finesse. Its compact design suits casual portraits only.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range superiority in the HX100V enables retention of highlight and shadow detail critical for landscapes. The tilting high-res LCD assists composition, and the longer shutter range allows for creative long-exposures.

The W800’s sensor and processing cannot match this, resulting in narrower DR and noisier images in shadows, while its small LCD hampers composition in bright conditions.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Only the HX100V is remotely suitable here - 30x zoom with decent autofocus speed and 10 fps burst capture let you effectively track and freeze fast action. The W800’s slow 1 fps burst and limited reach make it unsuitable for these disciplines.

Street Photography

The W800’s compactness and stealth favor candid street imagery where low profile and light weight matter, despite limited manual control.

The HX100V, while bulkier, offers more exposure control and framing FL flexibility, but might attract more attention and fatigue on long walks.

Macro Photography

Lack of dedicated macro modes and limited close-focus data restrict both cameras here, but the tilting screen of the HX100V offers an advantage in composing low-angle shots.

Night/Astro Photography

The HX100V’s longer shutter speeds, ISO flexibility, and noise reduction are vastly superior, enabling star trails and nightscapes. The W800 is severely limited by its shorter exposure range and CCD noise performance.

Travel Photography

Balancing versatility and portability, the HX100V is heavier but far more capable in diverse environments due to manual controls, zoom range, and GPS tagging. The W800’s lightness and simplicity appeal to minimalists or travelers seeking ultra-light kits, trading capability for size.

Professional Work

Neither camera suits rigorous professional workflows fully; absent RAW support stands out as a major limitation. However, the HX100V’s manual modes, image stabilization, and HDMI output make it a better option for casual or semi-pro projects, while the W800 is relegated to snapshots or backups.

Connectivity, Storage, and Battery Life

Wireless connectivity in the HX100V is limited to Eye-Fi card compatibility, lacking modern Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC, restricting instant sharing. The HDMI port supports external displays for better review or live monitoring.

The W800 provides no wireless features or HDMI, relying solely on USB 2.0 for transfers, which impacts workflow speed.

Battery life is somewhat dependent on usage mode but the HX100V’s larger NP-FH50 battery outlasts the smaller NP-BN cell of the W800, important for extended shoots.

Price-to-Performance Evaluation

At an approximate street price of $429 (new-ish) for the HX100V versus around $90 for the W800, the two cameras serve diametrically different budgets and aspirations.

The HX100V justifies its premium with markedly better optics, sensor performance, and operational flexibility for enthusiasts or prosumers. The W800 caters purely to entry-level users, casual shooters, or constrained budgets where portability and ease of use outrank image quality or features.

Summary Visualizations: Sample Images and Genre Scores

Sony HX100V front Sony HX100V screen back Sony W800 front Sony W800 screen back

Representative samples illustrate the HX100V’s sharper, cleaner detail and better ISO handling versus the W800’s softer images and color shifts under low light.

This breakdown shows the HX100V leading across portraits, landscapes, wildlife, sports, and video, while the W800 scores best only for portability and casual snapshot simplicity.

Final Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which Camera?

• Choose the Sony HX100V if:

  • You desire extensive zoom capability with substantial reach for wildlife or sports.
  • Manual exposure control and faster continuous shooting matter.
  • You prioritize better video quality with at least full HD 1080p 60fps.
  • You need a tilting but non-touch LCD and an EVF for versatile shooting angles.
  • You value GPS tagging and expandable storage options.
  • Your budget accommodates a mid-range bridge camera.

• Choose the Sony W800 if:

  • You are a complete beginner or casual user wanting a simple, pocketable camera.
  • Ultra-lightweight and minimal controls are paramount.
  • You focus on daylight snapshots and occasional video without manual interference.
  • Cost is the overriding factor, with affordability and ease taking precedence over image quality.
  • You do not require extended zoom or advanced creative modes.

Concluding Thoughts: Weighing Legacy and Practicality

While both the Sony HX100V and W800 remain relevant as entry-level and mid-tier compacts, our comprehensive testing underscores the critical influence of sensor technology, controls, and lens versatility on photographic potential. The HX100V continues to defend its niche as a highly capable bridge camera offering image quality, flexibility, and zoom reach that appeal to enthusiasts stepping up from point-and-shoots without investing in interchangeable-lens systems.

Conversely, the W800 remains a no-frills snapshot tool, accessible and straightforward - but understandably limited in performance, best suited for minimalistic usage where size and price don't sacrifice the user's patience.

This comparison aims to equip you with the experiential knowledge crucial for discerning your next camera investment, striking a balance between technical prowess and real-world applicability. Choosing either camera involves clear trade-offs aligned with your photographic aspirations.

For further questions on usage scenarios or lens compatibility considerations, feel free to consult our detailed database or contact professional advisors to optimize gear fit for your unique workflow.