Sony S930 vs Sony ZV-1

Its time to take a closer look at the Sony S930 and Sony ZV-1, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both of them are manufactured by Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the S930 (10MP) and ZV-1 (20MP) and the S930 (1/2.3") and ZV-1 (1") provide different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The S930 was revealed 12 years earlier than the ZV-1 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Sony S930 being a Compact camera and the Sony ZV-1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick summary of how the S930 scores vs the ZV-1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S930 and Sony ZV-1. The full galleries are available at Sony S930 Gallery and Sony ZV-1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you have to factor its weight and proportions. The Sony S930 offers outer dimensions of 90mm x 61mm x 26mm (3.5" x 2.4" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) while the Sony ZV-1 has measurements of 105mm x 60mm x 44mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.7") and a weight of 294 grams (0.65 lbs).

Contrast the Sony S930 and Sony ZV-1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the S930 versus the ZV-1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S930 and ZV-1 is 94 and 88 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to picture the contrast in sensor sizing merely by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph below will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the S930 and ZV-1.

Clearly, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The S930 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Sony ZV-1 will show greater detail because of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots more aggressively. The older S930 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.