Sony W230 vs Sony W380

Its time to look much closer at the Sony W230 vs Sony W380, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Ultracompact and both are produced by Sony. The resolution of the W230 (12MP) and the W380 (14MP) is pretty similar and they come with the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The W230 was announced 10 months prior to the W380 so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Sony W230 being a Compact camera and the Sony W380 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the W230 matches up against the W380 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380. The whole galleries are available at Sony W230 Gallery & Sony W380 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera often, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Sony W230 has external dimensions of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Sony W380 has proportions of 91mm x 52mm x 20mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Take a look at the Sony W230 vs Sony W380 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the W230 compared to the W380.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the W230 and W380 is 95 and 96 respectively.

Usually, it is very hard to picture the difference between sensor sizes merely by reading specifications. The picture below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the W230 and W380.

To sum up, each of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit different resolution. You can expect the Sony W380 to offer you more detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs far more aggressively. The more aged W230 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.