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Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500

Portability
89
Imaging
51
Features
74
Overall
60
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500 front
Portability
91
Imaging
44
Features
56
Overall
48

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Key Specs

Sony RX100 II
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 160 - 12800 (Expand to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-100mm (F1.8-4.9) lens
  • 281g - 102 x 58 x 38mm
  • Announced June 2013
  • Older Model is Sony RX100
  • Replacement is Sony RX100 III
Sony WX500
(Full Review)
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.5-6.4) lens
  • 236g - 102 x 58 x 36mm
  • Launched April 2015
  • Old Model is Sony WX350
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Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Overview

On this page, we are matching up the Sony RX100 II versus Sony WX500, one is a Large Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Sony. The sensor resolution of the RX100 II (20MP) and the WX500 (18MP) is fairly similar but the RX100 II (1") and WX500 (1/2.3") offer different sensor dimensions.

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The RX100 II was brought out 21 months earlier than the WX500 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Sony RX100 II being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony WX500 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the RX100 II grades vs the WX500 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Sony RX100 II over the Sony WX500

 RX100 II WX500 
Manually focus More exact focusing
Display resolution1229k921kClearer display (+308k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony WX500 over the Sony RX100 II

 WX500 RX100 II 
LaunchedApril 2015June 2013More modern by 21 months

Common features in the Sony RX100 II and Sony WX500

 RX100 II WX500 
Display typeTiltingTiltingTilting display
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display sizing
Selfie screen Neither comes with selfie screen
Touch display Neither comes with Touch display

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Sony RX100 II comes with outer dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 281 grams (0.62 lbs) and the Sony WX500 has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 236 grams (0.52 lbs).

Contrast the Sony RX100 II versus Sony WX500 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the RX100 II compared to the WX500.

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the RX100 II and WX500 is 89 and 91 respectively.

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 top view buttons comparison

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, it is hard to imagine the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading technical specs. The pic below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the RX100 II and WX500.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The RX100 II due to its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Sony RX100 II will deliver more detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged RX100 II is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 sensor size comparison

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Screen and ViewFinder

Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Sony RX100 II as a Portrait photography camera
Sony WX500 as a Portrait photography camera
70
focusing manually
great flash sync speed (1/2,000s)
MP count good (20MP)
good sensor size (1")
includes face detection focus
supports RAW formats
39
MP count decent (18 megapixels)
features face detection autofocus
manual focus not available
no external flash support
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Sony RX100 II
Street photography with Sony WX500
85
tilting screen
has image stabilization (Optical)
good sensor size (1")
supports RAW formats
lighter than others (281g)
70
screen tilts
has image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition (236 grams)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Sony RX100 II Sports photography features
Sony WX500 Sports photography features
67
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (20MP)
good sensor size (1")
includes tracking autofocus
great battery pack (350 per charge)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
57
amazing zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (18 megapixels)
features tracking autofocus
better than average battery (360 per charge)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Sony RX100 II as a Travel photography camera
Sony WX500 as a Travel photography camera
80
great battery pack (350 shots)
lighter than others (281 grams)
MP count good (20 megapixels)
built-in flash
quite wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
does not have a selfie friendly display
71
better than average battery (360 CIPA)
lighter than competition (236 grams)
MP count decent (18 megapixels)
flash built-in
rather wide (24mm)
very long reach (720mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
screen is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Sony RX100 II Landscape photography info
Sony WX500 Landscape photography info
74
focusing manually
quite wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
screen size is good (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (1")
supports RAW formats
great battery pack (350 per charge)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
49
rather wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (18MP)
better than average battery (360 CIPA)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Sony RX100 II Vlogging advice
Sony WX500 Vlogging advice
37
quite wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
has image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than others (281 grams)
does not have a selfie friendly display
missing external mic support
35
rather wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
features face detection autofocus
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition (236 grams)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is not selfie friendly
doesn't have external mic port
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Sony RX100 II vs Sony WX500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Sony RX100 II and Sony WX500
 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IISony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500
General Information
Company Sony Sony
Model type Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500
Category Large Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2013-06-27 2015-04-14
Body design Large Sensor Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Chip - Bionz X
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 13.2 x 8.8mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 116.2mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 20MP 18MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 5472 x 3648 4896 x 3672
Max native ISO 12800 12800
Max boosted ISO 25600 -
Min native ISO 160 80
RAW photos
Min boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Total focus points 25 -
Lens
Lens support fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 28-100mm (3.6x) 24-720mm (30.0x)
Maximum aperture f/1.8-4.9 f/3.5-6.4
Macro focusing distance 5cm 5cm
Focal length multiplier 2.7 5.8
Screen
Range of screen Tilting Tilting
Screen size 3 inch 3 inch
Screen resolution 1,229 thousand dot 921 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology Xtra Fine WhiteMagic TFT LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 30 secs 30 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shooting speed 10.0 frames per second 10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 15.00 m (ISO Auto (W)) 5.40 m (with Auto ISO)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync Auto, flash on, slow sync, flash off, rear sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/2000 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 30p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30p)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format MPEG-4, AVCHD AVCHD, XAVC S
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 281 gr (0.62 lb) 236 gr (0.52 lb)
Physical dimensions 102 x 58 x 38mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.5") 102 x 58 x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 67 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 22.5 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.4 not tested
DXO Low light rating 483 not tested
Other
Battery life 350 pictures 360 pictures
Style of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID NP-BX1 NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (10 sec. / 2 sec. / Self-portrait One-person/ Self-portrait Two-person/ Self timer Continuous (3 or 5 shots)) Yes
Time lapse feature With downloadable app
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo
Storage slots One One
Launch price $598 $348