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Sony W220

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 front
 
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 30-120mm (F2.8-7.1) lens
  • 147g - 95 x 57 x 22mm
  • Introduced January 2009
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
95
Imaging
34
Features
17
Overall
27

Sony W220 overview

Sony W220 is Sony's Small Sensor Compact camera originally revealed on January of 2009. The camera houses a 12MP, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000.

The W220 is placed #230 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras and all round #1208 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. Remember to test our Advanced camera filter to get camera results based on your customized criteria.

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Here is a chart of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony W220 family

The Sony W220 comes with a history of related cameras. Down below, you can discover all previous and brand new models as well as important features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX500 front thumbnailSony WX500
W220 vs WX500
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX350 front thumbnailSony WX350
W220 vs WX350
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W800 front thumbnailSony W800
W220 vs W800
26-130mm
F3.2-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX300 front thumbnailSony WX300
W220 vs WX300
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W730 front thumbnailSony W730
W220 vs W730
25-224mm
F3.3-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W710 front thumbnailSony W710
W220 vs W710
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2013
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX80 front thumbnailSony WX80
W220 vs WX80
28-224mm
F3.3-8.0
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX150 front thumbnailSony WX150
W220 vs WX150
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W690 front thumbnailSony W690
W220 vs W690
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX70 front thumbnailSony WX70
W220 vs WX70
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX50 front thumbnailSony WX50
W220 vs WX50
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W610 front thumbnailSony W610
W220 vs W610
26-105mm
F2.8-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W620 front thumbnailSony W620
W220 vs W620
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W650 front thumbnailSony W650
W220 vs W650
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX30 front thumbnailSony WX30
W220 vs WX30
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX10 front thumbnailSony WX10
W220 vs WX10
24-168mm
F2.4-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX5 front thumbnailSony WX5
W220 vs WX5
24-120mm
F2.4-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W370 front thumbnailSony W370
W220 vs W370
34-238mm
F3.6-5.6
14MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W290 front thumbnailSony W290
W220 vs W290
28-140mm
F3.3-5.2
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W230 front thumbnailSony W230
W220 vs W230
30-120mm
F2.8-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W220 front thumbnailSony W22030-120mm
F2.8-7.1
12MP1/2.3"2009

Sony W220 Pros and Cons

Below is a list of positives and negatives of the Sony W220 based on things that are generally viewed as useful in a camera.

built-in flash
built in zoom lens (30-120mm 4.0 x zoom)
great min ISO (80)
has image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus
continuous shooting slow (2.0 frames per second)
doesn't have HDMI out
doesn't have headphone support
doesn't have mic support
doesn't have phase detect AF
doesn't have RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
lack of manual exposure
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
max zoom aperture not good (f7.1)
no aperture priority
no articulating screen
no external flash support
no shutter priority
pixelated screen (230 k dots)
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
small screen (2.7 inches)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
video quality not great (640 x 480 pxls)
wide angle not fantastic (30mm)
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Sony W220 Sensor specifications

The specification of the sensor on the Sony W220 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 4000 x 3000 pixels at aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization since the latter may cause cropping.

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The CCD sensor boasts 12 megapixels and delivers a native ISO range of 80 to 3200. Sadly, RAW format is not saved which means that the user has less margin for error.

The picture below illustrates the W220's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The W220 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is displayed in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 sensor size Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

To get an idea of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony W220 dimensions

Sony W220 weighs about 0.32 lbs (147 grams or 5.19 oz) and features outside dimensions of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9"). The weight of normal Small Sensor Compact camera is 174 grams and the Sony W220 is lighter compared with other rivals.

Photography Glossary

Listed below is a visual of the Sony W220 besides a soda so you're able to have a sense of its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 dimensions scale

The top view below will show you the button arrangement on the W220.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 topview buttons dials

Sony W220 Lens specifications

The W220 provides a built in lens and a focal range of 30-120mm making it a 4.0 x zoom which won't be amazing nevertheless it will probably be convenient in certain circumstances.

At the widest 30mm, it offers an aperture of f2.8 and that's kind of slow and not the best in low light circumstances and you may find it difficult to capture a shallow depth of field. You will likely also have to boost the ISO setting which results in noisy files. Towards the tele end, 120mm comes to f7.1 which is fairly slow and you will need to use slow shutter speeds.

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Sony W220 Connectivity

The W220 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Cameras that incorporate NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You will be able to send photos and in some cases change camera settings with no need to connect directly to the camera.

Certain applications even enable a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external screen. Nearly all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery using the USB socket.

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Sony W220 Video specifications

The maximum video quality on the Sony W220 is 640 x 480 and it can capture in Motion JPEG format. 480p is low by today's standards. You should really target at least FUll HD quality for good video. The camera doesn't feature a mic or headphone jack which means you get no control over your sound. It is perhaps a better idea to take a look at a different camera if you want decent sound in your video clips.

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Sony W220 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing for the Sony W220 so you need to be cautious in rainy and dusty conditions.

Sony W220 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony W220 is equipped with a 2.7" fixed display screen boasting a resolution of 230k dots.

Please note that the display offers no touch support.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 screen and viewfinder Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The ViewFinder details regarding Sony W220 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are rather useful for bright outdoor conditions which can easily make the camera display washed out and hard to view.

Sony W220 Shutter specifications

Sony W220 continuous shooting speed is 2.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/1600 seconds.

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Sony W220 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Sony W220 includes only built in flash with missing external flash ability.

Sony W220 Autofocus specifications

Sony W220 includes just Contrast Based AF and doesn't have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is a lot quicker and accurate compared with Contrast Based focusing.

The AF system supports 9 focus points to pick from. Sony W220 has manual focusing if required for low light occasions or you want more accurate control on focusing.

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Sony W220 Battery life

The general Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 comes with the highest possible (470) battery life for this type of cameras.

Following is a number of Small Sensor Compact cameras with the strongest battery life:

Sony W220 for specific forms of photography

The following chart indicates a analysis of the Sony W220 for specific forms of photography. To read more, browse to the specific section below.

Sony W220 as a Portrait photography camera

The Sony W220 has a rating of 27 which is horrible, meaning that it is not acceptable for portraits. Taking portraits leans heavily to sensor size, support for RAW photos in addition to the potential to work with external flash.

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has manual focus
manual mode not possible
cannot use external flash
sensor resolution low (12MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files

Sony W220 as a Street photography camera

Having a modest score of 56, the Sony W220 is relatively acceptable for street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files

Sony W220 Sports photography info

A horrible sports photography score of 25 suggests the Sony W220 is not acceptable for shooting sports. A camera needs to have fantastic tracking and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

Photography Glossary
built in image stabilization (Optical)
slow continuous shooting (2.0 fps)
lack of shutter priority mode
resolution not great (12MP)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus

Sony W220 Travel photography features

Portability is pretty critical when choosing a travel camera. Overall, the Sony W220 gets a average 51 as a travelling camera which is somewhat adequate to purchase for your travels.

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flash built-in
no Timelapse function
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not great (30mm)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)

Sony W220 Landscape photography details

When you're planning to pick a digital camera for landscape pictures, the most essential factor is going to be image quality. The Sony W220 and it's horrible score of 32 for a landscape camera is not acceptable in the current marketplace.

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has manual focus
has image stabilization (Optical)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not fantastic (30mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
manual mode not possible
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
lack of Timelapse mode

Sony W220 Vlogging advice

A vlogging camera preferably should have a articulating display screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Taking all things into account, the Sony W220 is not acceptable for vlogging as it receives a horrible score of 25.

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image stabilization (Optical)
wide angle not great (30mm)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
does not have selfie friendly display
video quality not great (640 x 480 pxls)
doesn't have microphone port

Sony W220 Alternatives

If you need alternatives to the W220, here is a number of the top rated cameras which fall into the category of Small Sensor Compact.

The line graph just below provides you a bird's eye view of the W220 compared to it's highest ranked competitors mentioned above.

There are a bunch of cameras you might consider as alternatives. To browse through a extensive comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220
Class
Small Sensor Compact
Introduced
2009-01-08
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
12 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4000 x 3000
RAW support
Highest native ISO
3200
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
30-120mm (4.0x)
Largest aperture
f/2.8-7.1
Macro focusing distance
5cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display size
2.7 inches
Resolution of display
230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
1s
Maximum shutter speed
1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate
2.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
7.10 m (Auto ISO)
Flash options
Auto, Flash On, Slow Syncro, Red-eye, Flash Off
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (8 fps)
Highest video resolution
640x480
Video format
Motion JPEG
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
147 gr (0.32 lbs)
Dimensions
95 x 57 x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9")
Other
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo, Internal
Card slots
1
Retail pricing
$160