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Sony WX1

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 front
 
  • 10MP - 1/2.4" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 160 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.4-5.9) lens
  • 149g - 91 x 52 x 20mm
  • Released August 2009
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
96
Imaging
33
Features
18
Overall
27

Sony WX1 summary

Sony WX1 is Sony's Ultracompact camera initially announced on August of 2009. The camera includes a 10MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.4" size sensor with a max resolution of 3648 x 2736.

The WX1 comes in at #124 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras and over-all #1195 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should check out our Smart camera search to see camera listings based on your personal factors.

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The following is a graph of different factors used in the rating system.

Sony WX1 Pros and Cons

Here is a collection of good and bad points of the Sony WX1 based on features which are typically considered necessary in a camera.

has built in flash
image stabilization (Optical)
in built zoom lens (24-120mm 5.0 x zoom)
includes HDMI support
quite wide (24mm)
cannot switch lens (fixed lens mount)
display isn't selfie friendly
external flash not possible
heavier than competition (149 grams)
lack of phase detect autofocus
lack of RAW files
low MP (10 megapixels)
manual mode not possible
max zoom aperture not good (f5.9)
no aperture priority mode
no headphone jack
no manual focus
no mic jack
no shutter priority
no Time Lapse mode
screen has low resolution (230 k dot)
screen is fixed
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inch)
slow max aperture (f2.4)
very small sensor size (1/2.4")
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pixels)
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Sony WX1 Sensor features

The Sony WX1 features the Bionz processor chip. The measurement of the sensor on the Sony WX1 is 6.104mm x 4.578mm (1/2.4"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization since the latter may produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 10 megapixels and features a native ISO range of 160 to 3200. Unfortunately, RAW files are not saved so you have less room to maneuver in post.

The image underneath displays the WX1's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The WX1 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.9 and is shown in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 sensor size President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony WX1 dimensions

Sony WX1 is 0.33 lbs (149g or 5.26 oz) and features external dimensions of 91mm x 52mm x 20mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.8"). The weight of typical Ultracompact camera is 121g and the Sony WX1 is heavier than other rivals.

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Down below is a image of the Sony WX1 alongside a soda so you're able to have a feel for its size.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will provide the button arrangement on the WX1.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 topview buttons dials

Sony WX1 Lens features

The WX1 provides a built in lens with a focal range of 24-120mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which is not outstanding but it would certainly be handy in a few scenarios.

At it's widest 24mm, it will have an aperture of f2.4 which is very sluggish and not very good in low light circumstances and you will find it difficult to capture a shallow depth of field. You could also need to up your ISO resulting in noisy pictures. On the long end, 120mm comes with f5.9 making it fairly sluggish and you will have to apply slow shutter speeds.

Photography Glossary

Sony WX1 Connectivity

The WX1 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras which include NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You can copy pictures and in some cases adjust settings without the hassle of connecting physically with the camera.

A few apps also stream a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera provides a HDMI out, it could be connected to an external display. A good number of cameras enable you to charge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Sony WX1 Video features

The max video quality on the Sony WX1 is 1280 x 720 and it can save in format. 720p is awful by today's requirements. You should really strive for at least 1080p quality for video recording. The body does not have a mic or headphone socket so you get zero control over your audio. It is probably best to purchase an alternative model in case you require decent audio in your video clips.

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Sony WX1 Weather Sealing

Sony WX1 does not have environment proofing so rainy conditions may ruin the camera.

Sony WX1 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony WX1 includes a 2.7" fixed display screen with a resolution of 230k dots.

Please note that the display offers no touch support.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 screen and viewfinder Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

The ViewFinder specifications regarding Sony WX1 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

In those sunny outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and tricky to view, viewfinders are particularly useful.

Sony WX1 Shutter features

Sony WX1 has the capability to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/1600 sec.

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Sony WX1 Flash and Hot shoe features

Sony WX1 boasts just integrated flash with missing external flash support.

Sony WX1 Autofocus features

Sony WX1 boasts only Contrast Detect Autofocus and is missing Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is more quicker and exact than Contrast Detect autofocusing.

The AF system includes 9 focus points to select from. Sony WX1 has no manual focus. Manual focus can be good during low light occasions or you want more accurate focus control.

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Sony WX1 Battery life

The usual Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 comes with the maximum (320) battery life within this class of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Ultracompact cameras that come with the strongest battery life:

Sony WX1 for different categories of photography

The following illustration displays a outline of the Sony WX1 for different categories of photography. To see more, have a look at the specific section underneath.

Sony WX1 Portrait photography information

The Sony WX1 receives a points total of 19 which is terrible, and means the camera is not acceptable for portraits. Photographing portrait images favors greatly towards sensor specs, RAW support and capability to use off-camera lighting.

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lack of manual focus
manual exposure not possible
cannot use external flash
low MP (10 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/2.4")
does not have RAW support

Sony WX1 Street photography info

With a reasonable points total of 55, the Sony WX1 is reasonably suitable to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera has a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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image stabilization (Optical)
screen is fixed
tiny sensor size (1/2.4")
lack of RAW files
heavier than competition (149 grams)

Sports photography with Sony WX1

A terrible sports photography points total of 26 suggests the Sony WX1 is not acceptable for photographing sports. A camera really should have fantastic tracking plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Optical)
lack of shutter priority mode
low MP (10MP)
small sensor (1/2.4")
no phase detect autofocus

Sony WX1 as a Travel photography camera

Size is really critical in selecting a camera for travel. Over-all, the Sony WX1 gets a decent 56 for a travel camera which makes it relatively adequate to buy for your trips.

Photography Glossary
has built in flash
decently wide (24mm)
no Time Lapse mode
heavier than competition (149 grams)
MP count low (10MP)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
slow max aperture (f2.4)

Sony WX1 as a Landscape photography camera

For anybody who is looking to choose a digital camera for landscape photos, the biggest factor is going to be image quality. The Sony WX1 at it's terrible score of 31 as a landscape camera is not acceptable within the current marketplace.

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rather wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.4)
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
no manual mode
low megapixels (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.4")
no RAW format
doesn't have Time Lapse recording

Sony WX1 as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging really should posses a articulating display, microphone input and preferably IBIS. Taking all things in to account, the Sony WX1 is not acceptable as a vlog camera as it delivers a terrible score of 28.

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fairly wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.4)
display isn't selfie friendly
low res video (1280 x 720 pxls)
doesn't have microphone support
more heavy than competition (149g)

Sony WX1 Alternatives

If you are searching for replacements to the WX1, below is a selection of the highest rated cameras which fall within the family of Ultracompact.

The graph followed below gives you a bird's eye view of the WX1 versus it's top ranked rivals listed earlier.

Following are additional cameras you might see as alternatives. To read through a complete comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1
Class
Ultracompact
Released
2009-08-06
Body design
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor
Bionz
Sensor size
1/2.4"
Sensor dimensions
6.104 x 4.578mm
Sensor area
27.9mm²
Sensor resolution
10MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution
3648 x 2736
RAW support
Max native ISO
3200
Min native ISO
160
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points
9
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
24-120mm (5.0x)
Max aperture
f/2.4-5.9
Macro focus range
5cm
Crop factor
5.9
Screen
Range of display
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
2.7 inch
Display resolution
230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
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
2 seconds
Max shutter speed
1/1600 seconds
Continuous shutter speed
10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
5.00 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution
1280x720
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
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
149g (0.33 lb)
Dimensions
91 x 52 x 20mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.8")
Other
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo, Internal
Storage slots
Single
Price at release
$149