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Sony S2100

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 front
 
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 33-105mm (F3.1-5.6) lens
  • 167g - 98 x 61 x 27mm
  • Introduced January 2010
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
93
Imaging
35
Features
17
Overall
27

Sony S2100 summary

Sony S2100 is Sony's Small Sensor Compact digital camera first launched on January of 2010. It houses a 12 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a max resolution of 4000 x 3000.

The S2100 stands at #219 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras & over-all #1188 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should try our Advanced camera filter to find camera ratings based on your personalized factors.

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The following is a chart of various factors used in the rating system.

Sony S2100 history

The Sony S2100 is part of a family of cameras. You can read the complete list underneath.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-S2000 front thumbnailSony S2000
S2100 vs S2000
33-105mm
F3.1-5.6
10MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-S2100 front thumbnailSony S210033-105mm
F3.1-5.6
12MP1/2.3"2010
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-S980 front thumbnailSony S980
S2100 vs S980
33-132mm
F3.3-5.2
12MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-S950 front thumbnailSony S950
S2100 vs S950
33-132mm
F3.3-5.2
10MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-S930 front thumbnailSony S930
S2100 vs S930
38-108mm
F2.9-5.4
10MP1/2.3"2009

Sony S2100 Pros and Cons

Here is a list of advantages and drawbacks of the Sony S2100 based on factors which are normally considered useful in a digital camera.

built-in flash
built in lens has zoom (33-105mm 3.2 x zoom)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
does have HDMI port
very good minimum ISO (100)
does not have phase detect autofocus
does not have RAW format
does not have selfie friendly screen
fixed screen
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of image stabilization
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
low maximum shutter speed (1/1,200s)
low resolution screen (230 k dot)
low resolution sensor (12MP)
manual exposure not possible
manual focus not available
no external flash support
no external microphone port
no headphone port
no shutter priority
no Timelapse recording
slow fps (1.0 fps)
sluggish at long end (f5.6)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
video resolution low (640 x 480 resolution)
wide angle not great (33mm)
Photography Glossary

Sony S2100 Sensor information

The Sony S2100 is powered by the Bionz processor chip. The dimension of the sensor in the Sony S2100 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4000 x 3000 pixels using aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.

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The CCD sensor has 12MP and delivers a standard ISO range of 100 - 3200. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not supported which means that the user has less margin for error.

The image underneath shows the S2100's sensor size when compared to other popular sizes. The S2100 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 sensor size Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony S2100 dimensions

Sony S2100 weighs in at 0.37 pounds (167 grams or 5.89 ounces) & the physical size of the camera is 98mm x 61mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Compact camera is 174 grams so the Sony S2100 is very much the same compared to its competitors.

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Down below is a image of the Sony S2100 alongside a soda to help you get a sense of its size.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 dimensions scale

The top view under will provide the button arrangement on the S2100.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 topview buttons dials

Sony S2100 Lens information

The S2100 has a fixed lens having a focal range of 33-105mm giving it a 3.2 x zoom which isn't amazing however it will definitely be very helpful in certain conditions.

At it's widest 33mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.1 and that's fairly sluggish and not very good for low light circumstances and you will probably find it hard to get good bokeh. You might also need to raise your ISO resulting in noisy photos. For the long end, 105mm comes to f5.6 which is fairly slow and you would have to choose slower shutter speeds.

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Sony S2100 Connectivity

The S2100 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly via smartphones. You are able to send files and in some cases alter camera settings without connecting physically with the camera.

Several apps also allow a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it can be hooked up to an external screen. Many cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Sony S2100 Video information

The max video resolution in the Sony S2100 is 640 x 480 and you can record in Motion JPEG file format. 480p is awful for today's requirements. You should strive for a minimum 1080p resolution for decent video. The body does not have a microphone and / or headphone socket which means you have absolutely no control over the audio. It is perhaps best to purchase another model if you want decent audio for your videos.

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Sony S2100 Weather Sealing

Sony S2100 does not have environment sealing so damp conditions might ruin the camera.

Sony S2100 Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony S2100 is equipped with a 3" fixed screen having a resolution of 230k dots.

Unfortunately the screen isn't a touch screen.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 screen and viewfinder Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

The View Finder details for Sony S2100 are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

For sunny outdoor situations that make the camera displays washed out and hard to see, viewfinders will be particularly helpful.

Sony S2100 Shutter information

Sony S2100 has the ability to shoot continuously at 1.0 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/1200 seconds.

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Sony S2100 Flash and Hot shoe information

Sony S2100 has just built-in flash with no external flash support.

Sony S2100 Autofocusing information

Sony S2100 has only Contrast Detect Autofocus & does not have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more quicker and precise as compared with Contrast Detect focusing.

It supports 9 focus points to select from. Sony S2100 has no manual focus. Manual focus option is good for low light occasions or you need more exact depth of field control.

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Sony S2100 Battery life

The usual Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 features the maximum (470) battery life for this category of cameras.

Following is a list of Small Sensor Compact cameras that come with the strongest battery life:

Sony S2100 for various styles of photography

The following graph presents a summary of the Sony S2100 for various styles of photography. To view more, visit the specific paragraph underneath.

Sony S2100 Portrait photography factors

The Sony S2100 gets a score of 21 which is really bad, meaning that it is simply not good to use for portrait images. Photographing portrait images favors heavily to sensor resolution, support for RAW files and ability to work with off-camera lighting.

Photography Glossary
lack of manual focus
manual exposure not available
can't use external flash
low resolution sensor (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format

Street photography with Sony S2100

Getting a modest score of 46, the Sony S2100 is reasonably acceptable to buy for street photography. A very good street photography camera offers a fine balance of image quality plus portability.

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no articulating screen
no image stabilization
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW support

Sony S2100 Sports photography info

A really bad sports photography rating of 17 suggests the Sony S2100 is simply not good for shooting sports. A camera needs to have fantastic tracking and continuous shooting for sports photography.

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max shutter speed is low (1/1,200 seconds)
slow frames per second (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority
no image stabilization
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus

Travel photography with Sony S2100

Portability is super important in choosing a camera for travel. On the whole, the Sony S2100 gets a reasonable 50 for a travelling camera which makes it somewhat appropriate to buy for your holidays.

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flash built-in
no Timelapse mode
megapixel count low (12 megapixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not great (33mm)
slow max aperture (f3.1)

Sony S2100 Landscape photography information

For anyone planning to buy a camera for landscape photos, the most essential aspect will be image quality. The Sony S2100 at it's really bad rating of 27 for a landscape camera is simply not good among its competitors.

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screen size is good (3 inches)
manual focus not available
can't change lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not the best (33mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.1)
no manual control
does not have image stabilization
low MP (12MP)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
no Time Lapse mode

Vlogging with Sony S2100

A vlogging camera should posses a articulating screen, microphone input and ideally image stabilization. Considering everything, the Sony S2100 is simply not good for vlogging as it delivers a really bad score of 22.

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wide angle not good (33mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
video quality not great (640 x 480 pxls)
lack of external mic support

Sony S2100 Alternatives

If you are looking for alternatives to the S2100, below is a list of the top scored cameras which fall within the family of Small Sensor Compact.

The diagram underneath will give you an overview of the S2100 versus it's top ranked rivals suggested earlier.

Following are several cameras you might check out as alternatives. To read a thorough comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100
Class
Small Sensor Compact
Introduced
2010-01-07
Body design
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Chip
Bionz
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
12 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4000 x 3000
RAW images
Maximum native ISO
3200
Lowest native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount
fixed lens
Lens focal range
33-105mm (3.2x)
Highest aperture
f/3.1-5.6
Macro focus distance
5cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Range of screen
Fixed Type
Screen sizing
3 inch
Resolution of screen
230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
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
Min shutter speed
1s
Max shutter speed
1/1200s
Continuous shutter speed
1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
3.30 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Slow syncro
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
640x480
Video file format
Motion JPEG
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
167 gr (0.37 pounds)
Dimensions
98 x 61 x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1")
Other
Battery model
2 x AA
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo, optional SD, Internal
Storage slots
1
Launch price
$0