Sony HX10V vs Sony S980

Following is a in-depth comparison of the Sony HX10V and Sony S980, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are sold by Sony. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the HX10V (18MP) and S980 (12MP) but they possess the exact same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The HX10V was announced 3 years after the S980 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick overview of how the HX10V matches up vs the S980 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are viewable at Sony HX10V Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera often, you'll have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Sony HX10V enjoys outside dimensions of 105mm x 60mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 234 grams (0.52 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Analyze the Sony HX10V and Sony S980 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the HX10V compared to the S980.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the HX10V and S980 is 91 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes simply by looking through specs. The picture below might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the HX10V and S980.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Sony HX10V to result in greater detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The newer HX10V is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.