Sony RX100 III vs Sony W550

Below, we will be matching up the Sony RX100 III vs Sony W550, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Ultracompact and both of them are sold by Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the image resolutions of the RX100 III (20MP) and W550 (14MP) and the RX100 III (1") and W550 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The RX100 III was manufactured 2 years later than the W550 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a simple summary of how the RX100 III grades versus the W550 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The entire galleries are provided at Sony RX100 III Gallery & Sony W550 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Sony RX100 III enjoys outer measurements of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs) while the Sony W550 has specifications of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony RX100 III vs Sony W550 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the RX100 III compared to the W550.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the RX100 III and W550 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements just by viewing specs. The graphic here may give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the RX100 III and W550.

All in all, both cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The RX100 III because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Sony RX100 III will render extra detail due to its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more recent RX100 III is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.