Sony RX10 II vs Sony WX30: Bridging the Gap Between Power and Portability in Compact Cameras

As someone who has spent over 15 years hobnobbing with nearly every digital camera under the sun - from bulky DSLRs to pocket-sized point-and-shoots - I’m often asked to weigh in on gadget battles like this: Sony RX10 II vs Sony WX30. It’s a tale of two Sony cameras from different eras, catering to very different users but still vying for a spot in your kit bag.

The RX10 II is a legacy large-sensor “bridge” superzoom powerhouse, announced in 2015, boasting tech that still punches well above its weight almost a decade later. The WX30, released four years earlier in 2011, is a more modest, ultra-compact small-sensor offering aimed squarely at casual shooters and those who prize portability over pixel-peeping detail.

I spent weeks shooting real-world scenarios across genres ranging from wildlife to macro, bustled through technical labs for sensor and autofocus benchmarks, and wrestled with ergonomics and usability. What follows is your hands-on expert guide to choosing between these two Sony cameras - or understanding their very different places in Sony’s storied lineup.

Let’s dive in!

Putting Size and Ergonomics Under the Microscope

First impressions matter, and for cameras, size and handling are huge factors. The RX10 II is no lightweight pocket camera; it’s an SLR-style bridge camera with deliberate heft and substantial grip.

You can see from the size comparison above:

• RX10 II: 129 × 88 × 102 mm, 813 grams
• WX30: 92 × 52 × 19 mm, a mere 117 grams

That’s about seven times heavier, with bulkier dimensions reflecting its advanced internals and fixed 24-200mm equivalent F2.8 lens (more on that later). The RX10 II’s body offers plenty of real estate for clubs for thumbs - dedicated dials, buttons, and a solid grip - making it a pleasure for long shooting sessions and rapid-fire operation.

Conversely, the WX30 is delightfully pocketable and disappears into a jacket pocket with ease but is minimalist in controls. No tactile dials or customizable buttons here - typical tiny compact fare that prioritizes simplicity over speed or manual control.

Ergonomics Verdict: If you crave a comfortable camera you can shoot with for hours, twist dials, and rapidly change settings, the RX10 II commands respect. For grab-and-go snapshots when bulk is a no-go, WX30 is the easy winner.

Top-View Control Layout and User Interface: Serious Versus Simple

Moving from size to controls, the RX10 II’s top plate screams professional capability. Plenty of dials and buttons enable mode switching, ISO adjustment, and shutter speed tweaks without diving into menus. In contrast, WX30’s top surface is sparser, chock-full of menu-driven navigation via the rear screen.

The RX10 II includes a physical shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual exposure modes - crucial for enthusiasts who want creative control. The WX30, however, offers none of these beyond basic automatic or scene modes, targeting users indifferent to exposure controls.

As someone who appreciates rapid access over menu diving, the RX10 II feels like a tool built for creative expression; the WX30, a simple pocket camera for casual use.

The Heart of the Image: Sensor Size and Image Quality Differences

Nothing defines image quality more fundamentally than sensor size - and here the divide couldn’t be more glaring.

• RX10 II: 1-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, 20 MP, sensor area ~116.16 mm²
• WX30: 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, 16 MP, sensor area ~28.07 mm²

The RX10 II’s 1-inch sensor is roughly four times the surface area of the WX30’s tiny sensor. This translates directly into better dynamic range, color depth, and especially low-light sensitivity. DXO Mark figures give the RX10 II an overall score of 70 (very respectable for its class), with 23.0 bits of color depth and an impressive 12.6 EV dynamic range.

The WX30 goes untested by DXO (no official scores), but experience and specs tell us it’s optimized for bright daylight and convenience rather than image quality excellence. Its limited dynamic range and higher noise at ISO values above 400 mean images are less forgiving of challenging lighting.

If you’re a pixel peeper who demands sharpness, color fidelity, and the ability to shoot in dim conditions or pull detail from shadows, the RX10 II’s sensor reigns supreme.

What You See Is What You Get: Rear LCD and Viewfinder Differences

Having a usable screen and viewfinder impacts the shooting experience significantly.

• RX10 II: 3-inch tilting LCD with 1.23 million dots + 2.36 million-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF)
• WX30: 3-inch fixed LCD with lower 922k dots, no EVF

The RX10 II’s tilting touchscreen-free display, paired with a crisp high-res EVF, enables comfortable shooting at varied angles and facilitates manual focusing or reviewing images under bright sunlight. The WX30 lacks any EVF and has a lower-resolution fixed screen, limiting usability in bright conditions or awkward compositions.

From in-the-field testing, the RX10 II’s viewfinder sharpness and coverage (100%) are huge benefits for critical framing, while the WX30’s absence of EVF makes it a more casual point-and-shoot experience.

Lens and Zoom Range: Flexibility and Speed on the Move

Fixed-lens cameras often hinge on their lens specifications and quality.

• RX10 II: 24-200mm equivalent, constant bright F2.8 aperture
• WX30: 25-125mm equivalent, variable aperture F2.6-6.3

The RX10 II’s spectacularly fast zoom at F2.8 throughout the 8.3x range unlocks excellent background blur (bokeh), sharpness, and low-light shooting. Its close-focusing at 3 cm also facilitates macro shots with pleasing blur. Compared to that, the WX30’s smaller zoom range (5x) and rapidly narrowing aperture limits its creative potential, especially in dim lighting or when depth-of-field effects are desired.

While the WX30’s lens is versatile for casual everyday use, it just can’t compete with the RX10 II’s pro-grade superzoom capabilities.

Autofocus Systems and Burst Rates: Capturing Crucial Moments

If you shoot moving subjects - whether sports, wildlife, or kids running amok - the camera's autofocus (AF) speed, tracking accuracy, and burst rates are critical.

Checking the specs:

The RX10 II’s hybrid AF system (contrast-detection only but heavily optimized) and 14 fps burst rate are remarkable for this class, proving useful for rapid-fire action or wildlife photography. I personally tracked hummingbirds and squirrel antics with little lag or hunt.

By comparison, the WX30's rudimentary AF struggles a bit with moving subjects and offers no continuous tracking. While 10 fps burst at low resolution is decent, it feels more gimmicky than practical.

Build Quality and Weather-Sealing: On the Road and Off the Beaten Path

If you’re a traveler or outdoor shooter, a robust build and weather sealing hugely impact reliability.

• RX10 II: Weather-sealed body, built to withstand light moisture and dust
• WX30: No weather sealing, plastic compact body

The RX10 II’s rugged SLR-style body and environmental sealing provide confidence for hiking through misty forests, bright deserts, or light rain. The WX30, while able to survive casual daily use, demands more care to avoid moisture or dust issues.

Battery Life and Storage: Staying Power in the Field

Battery longevity affects how much shooting you can cram into a day.

• RX10 II: ~400 shots per charge with Sony NP-FW50 battery
• WX30: ~250 shots per charge with NP-BN1 battery

The RX10 II gives you over 50% more shots per fully charged battery, which is a plus once you start shooting in burst mode or using EVF extensively. Both cameras use proprietary battery systems with a single SD /Memory Stick card slot.

Connectivity Options: How Modern Are These Cameras?

Wireless features enable quick sharing and remote control - essential for today’s content creators.

• RX10 II: Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC
• WX30: No wireless features

Sony’s RX10 II allows HTML5-based remote shooting and direct smartphone transfers via app - a convenience for social media users. The WX30 is stuck in the wired era, requiring cables to offload photos and control.

Video Features: From 4K to 1080p

Video has become a standard camera feature, so let’s compare capabilities.

• RX10 II: 4K UHD video at 30p/25p/24p, Full HD up to 60p, microphone & headphone jacks, optical image stabilization
• WX30: Full HD 1080p video up to 60fps, no mic/headphone jacks, optical image stabilization

The RX10 II’s 4K recording capability, combined with excellent stabilization and audio inputs, makes it suitable for serious videographers or hybrid shooters. Its advanced codec (XAVC S) maintains quality for post-processing.

The WX30 offers competent 1080p video for casual family memories or travel clips but lacks pro video features.

Real-World Photography Disciplines: Who Wins Where?

Let’s translate all these specs and experience into practical use across key photography genres.

Portrait Photography

• RX10 II: Thanks to the fast F2.8 aperture and 1-inch sensor, the RX10 II produces pleasing background blur and excellent skin tone rendition. Sony’s face detection AF aids eye-detection accuracy, though no dedicated eye AF exists. Manual focus control and exposure options shine for creative portraits.
• WX30: Limited aperture range and smaller sensor yield flatter images with less separation between subject and background. Face detection is absent, so autofocusing is slower and less precise for portraits.

Recommendation: Serious portrait enthusiasts should opt for RX10 II.

Landscape Photography

• RX10 II: Wide 24mm equivalent and good dynamic range allow capture of sweeping vistas with saturated colors and shadow detail. Weather sealing increases durability outdoors.
• WX30: Narrower zoom, modest ISO performance, and lack of weather sealing limits landscape use - best for casual snapshots.

Recommendation: RX10 II for dedicated landscape photographers.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

• RX10 II: Fast burst shooting (14 fps), decent autofocus tracking, and long 200mm reach enable capturing fast wildlife action and sports moments.
• WX30: Shorter telephoto reach (125mm equiv), slower AF, and no tracking make it unsuitable for these uses.

Recommendation: RX10 II clearly outclasses WX30 here.

Street Photography

• WX30: Small, discreet, lightweight, and silent shutter (to some extent), qualities prized in street shooting.
• RX10 II: Bulkier, louder, and more conspicuous, but quicker autofocus and manual control.

Recommendation: WX30 wins for unobtrusive street shooting beginners; RX10 II for more serious street photographers willing to carry the weight.

Macro Photography

• RX10 II: Can focus down to 3 cm, combined with large sensor yields sharp details and aesthetically pleasing background blur.
• WX30: Limited focusing down to 5 cm, smaller sensor limits creative macro shots.

Recommendation: RX10 II excels for macro.

Night and Astrophotography

• RX10 II: Superior high ISO performance, long 30s shutter, and manual exposure modes make it a good entry astro camera.
• WX30: Limited ISO range, noisy sensor, and no manual exposure control limit night shooting.

Recommendation: RX10 II again wins.

Travel Photography

• Hybrid Assessment: The RX10 II offers ultimate versatility with wide zoom, excellent image quality, rugged build, and decent battery life, albeit at a weight cost.
• WX30: Ultra-compact and light for travelling light but compromises in image quality and control.

Recommendation: Choose RX10 II if you can handle the bulk; WX30 for cheapskates and super minimalists.

Professional Use

• RX10 II: Raw support, advanced controls, 4K video, and robust connectivity make it a potential backup or secondary camera.
• WX30: No raw support, limited controls, and video make it ill-suited for professional work.

Sample Images: Putting Pixels to the Test

Nothing beats seeing real images side by side for evaluation.

Sony RX10 II front Sony RX10 II screen back Sony WX30 front Sony WX30 screen back

In my testing, the RX10 II’s photos exhibit cleaner detail, richer colors, and much better handling of contrasty scenes. The WX30 pictures tend to be softer with limited tonal range - fine for snapshots but underwhelming for art or editorial use.

Overall Scores and Expert Ratings

Here’s a quick look at the overall scores reflecting the performance difference:

The RX10 II leads solidly with a 70 DxOmark rating and better real-world versatility, while the WX30 scores lower due to limited sensor size and features.

Genre-Specific Breakdown: Who Dominates Which Discipline?

Summary:

• Portrait, wildlife, landscape, night, video: RX10 II dominates
• Street and casual snaps: WX30 holds some appeal for size and ease of use
• Macro and sports: RX10 II far ahead

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

If you’re reading this and can afford the RX10 II (which currently sits in the ~$1,000 range, but note that it’s an aging model now superseded by RX10 III and IV with incremental improvements), you’re essentially getting a powerhouse camera with very few compromises. Its combination of sensor size, aperture, image stabilization, and video performance makes it a versatile all-in-one tool for enthusiasts or working photographers wanting something portable yet professional-grade.

On the other hand, the WX30 is a relic from an earlier compact era. At $259 for a second-hand model today, it’s a no-frills, lightweight shooter for those who want snapshots without fuss - and can tolerate its limitations. It’s great for novices seeking ease of use or as a pocket backup for social events.

My Personal Recommendation:

• For enthusiasts who want flexibility and image quality and don’t mind carrying some weight, the RX10 II is hands down the better camera - and still relevant for many photography needs in 2024.
• If you want a tiny, effortless camera for casual travel and everyday street photography, and you are on a tight budget, go for the WX30 but temper your expectations.

Closing Thoughts: Balancing Budget, Expectation, and Use Case

Years of hands-on camera testing have taught me that the “best camera” is the one you actually want to carry and use often. The RX10 II respects this by delivering robust build and advanced features open to creativity, albeit at a physical and financial cost. The WX30 aims for simplicity and portability, giving up much on image quality and control, but making certain compromises worth it for the absolute minimum fuss.

Whether you lean toward the Champions League performances of the RX10 II or the lightweight convenience of the WX30, understanding their differences - sensor, lens, ergonomics, speed, video, and build - allows you to pick the right companion for your photographic journey.

Happy shooting!