Clicky

Sony H70

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 194g - 102 x 58 x 29mm
  • Launched January 2011
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
93
Imaging
39
Features
31
Overall
35

Sony H70 summary

Sony H70 is Sony's Small Sensor Compact digital camera initially announced on January of 2011. The camera houses a 16MP, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a full resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The H70 stands at #90 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras & over all #915 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please look at our Advanced camera finder to find camera ratings based on your personal factors.

President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

Below is a diagram of various factors used in the rating system.

Sony H70 history

The Sony H70 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can see the complete list underneath.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX80 front thumbnailSony HX80
H70 vs HX80
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2016
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX90V front thumbnailSony HX90V
H70 vs HX90V
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX50V front thumbnailSony HX50V
H70 vs HX50V
24-720mm
F3.5 - 6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX20V front thumbnailSony HX20V
H70 vs HX20V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX10V front thumbnailSony HX10V
H70 vs HX10V
24-400mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX30V front thumbnailSony HX30V
H70 vs HX30V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H90 front thumbnailSony H90
H70 vs H90
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX7V front thumbnailSony HX7V
H70 vs HX7V
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX9V front thumbnailSony HX9V
H70 vs HX9V
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H70 front thumbnailSony H7025-250mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H55 front thumbnailSony H55
H70 vs H55
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
14MP1/2.3"2010
Photography Glossary
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H20 front thumbnailSony H20
H70 vs H20
38-380mm
F3.5-4.4
10MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H50 front thumbnailSony H50
H70 vs H50
31-465mm
F2.7-4.5
9MP1/2.3"2009

Sony H70 Pros and Cons

Here is a checklist of pros and cons of the Sony H70 based on things which are normally regarded as important in a digital camera.

built in lens has zoom (25-250mm 10.0 x zoom)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
decent sized screen (3")
good minimum ISO (80)
great zoom (250mm)
has built in flash
has HDMI support
image stabilization (Optical)
pretty wide (25mm)
does not have selfie friendly screen
lack of shutter priority mode
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
manual exposure not available
manual focus not available
no aperture priority mode
no articulating screen
no external flash support
no external mic jack
no headphone jack
no phase detect auto focus
no RAW files
no Time Lapse function
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 fps)
screen has low resolution (230 thousand dot)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
sluggish at long end (f5.5)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

Sony H70 Sensor information

The Sony H70 features the BIONZ processor chip. The sensor size in the Sony H70 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can capture 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization as the latter can cause cropping.

Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

The CCD sensor has 16 megapixels and delivers a standard ISO range of 80 - 3200. Unfortunately, RAW files are not supported so the user has less margin for error.

The graphic underneath displays the H70's sensor size when compared to other popular sizes. The H70 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70 sensor size Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony H70 dimensions

Sony H70 weighs in at 0.43 lbs (194g / 6.84 ounces) & has outer proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1"). The weight of average Small Sensor Compact camera is 174g so the Sony H70 is heavier than its rivals.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

Underneath is a picture of the Sony H70 beside a soft drink to help you to get a sense of its size.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70 dimensions scale

The top view just below will highlight the button design on the H70.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70 topview buttons dials

Sony H70 Lens information

The H70 provides an inbuilt lens with a focal range of 25-250mm giving it a 10.0 x zoom which isn't really great but it would certainly be convenient in certain circumstances.

At it's widest 25mm, the lens comes with an aperture of f3.5 and that's fairly sluggish and not good for low light occasions and you will find it difficult to get a shallow depth of field. You could also need to raise your ISO causing noisy shots. Towards the long end, 250mm is superb zoom and comes at f5.5 which is very slow and you might have to utilize slower shutter speeds.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

Sony H70 Connectivity

The H70 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth compatibility can easily be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to copy images and usually change camera settings without connecting physically with the camera.

Several apps also stream a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not near the camera. If the camera features a HDMI port, it could be connected to an external monitor. A good number of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack through the USB port.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

Sony H70 Video information

The highest possible video quality in the Sony H70 is 1280 x 720 and you can save in MPEG-4 file format. 720p is terrible for today's requirements. You really should aim for a minimum 1080p quality for decent video. The body does not offer a microphone or headphone jack so you have zero control over the audio. It is perhaps best to order another model should you want good audio for your videos.

Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

Sony H70 Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing on the Sony H70 so you have to be careful in wet or dusty conditions.

Sony H70 Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony H70 is equipped with a 3 inch fixed display with a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display isn't a touch screen.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70 screen and viewfinder President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

The ViewFinder specs for Sony H70 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders can be very beneficial in sunny outdoor conditions which will make the camera screen washed out and very difficult to see.

Sony H70 Shutter information

Sony H70 continuous shooting rate is 1.0 fps. The highest shutter speed is 1/1600 sec.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

Sony H70 Flash and Hot shoe information

Sony H70 comes with just built in flash with no external flash support.

Sony H70 Autofocusing information

Sony H70 comes with only Contrast Detect Auto Focus & does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot quicker & exact than Contrast Detect focusing.

It supports 9 focus points to select from. Sony H70 doesn't have manual focus. Manual focus option is good in low light or you need to have more precise control on focus.

Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

Sony H70 Battery life

The average Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 features the best (470) battery life in this range of cameras.

Here is a collection of Small Sensor Compact cameras that come with the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Photography Glossary

Sony H70 for various forms of photography

The following illustration displays a outline of the Sony H70 for various forms of photography. To see more, visit the specific paragraph underneath.

Sony H70 Portrait photography highlights

The Sony H70 gets a points total of 30 which is really bad, meaning that it is just not suitable for portrait images. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor size, RAW support and capability to utilize external lighting.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
manual focus not available
no manual control
can't use external flash
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files

Street photography with Sony H70

Coming in at a reasonable points total of 57, the Sony H70 is somewhat acceptable for street photography. A decent street photography camera features a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month
has image stabilization (Optical)
fixed screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files

Sony H70 Sports photography factors

A really bad sports photography points total of 36 means the Sony H70 is just not suitable for photographing sports. A camera should have very good autofocus and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
continuous shooting slow (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus

Sony H70 Travel photography highlights

Size is really critical in getting a camera for travel. All things considered, the Sony H70 gets a very good 67 for a travel camera which makes it a very decent fit to buy for your journeys.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
decently wide (25mm)
great zoom (250mm)
does not have Time Lapse mode
display isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)

Sony H70 Landscape photography factors

If you are looking to purchase a camera for landscape photographs, the most important aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony H70 and it's really bad grade of 43 for a landscape camera is just not suitable in the current market.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide
quite wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
manual exposure not available
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse recording

Vlogging with Sony H70

A vlogging camera should really come with a articulating screen, microphone port and preferably IBIS. Considering all things, the Sony H70 is just not suitable as a vlog camera as it comes to a really bad score of 29.

Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images
quite wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
does not contain selfie friendly display
low video resolution (1280 x 720 pixels)
no external mic jack

Sony H70 Alternatives

If you are in the market for replacements to the H70, here is a list of the top placed cameras that fall under the family of Small Sensor Compact.

The line chart underneath offers you an overview of the H70 vs it's top rated rivals shown previously.

Here are a few more cameras you may regard as alternative options. To see a full comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Sony
Model
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H70
Class
Small Sensor Compact
Launched
2011-01-06
Body design
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Chip
BIONZ
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Max resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW support
Max native ISO
3200
Minimum native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount
fixed lens
Lens focal range
25-250mm (10.0x)
Maximal aperture
f/3.5-5.5
Macro focus distance
5cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Range of screen
Fixed Type
Screen sizing
3"
Screen resolution
230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Screen technology
Clear Photo LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30s
Fastest shutter speed
1/1600s
Continuous shutter speed
1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
3.60 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution
1280x720
Video format
MPEG-4
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
194g (0.43 lbs)
Dimensions
102 x 58 x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1")
Other
Battery model
NP-BG1
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots
1
Launch price
$199