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Sony WX30

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-125mm (F2.6-6.3) lens
  • 117g - 92 x 52 x 19mm
  • Released July 2011
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
96
Imaging
39
Features
41
Overall
39

Sony WX30 overview

Sony WX30 is Sony's Small Sensor Compact camera originally announced on July of 2011. It includes a 16 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The WX30 comes in at #42 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras and all around #743 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can test our Advanced camera finder to see camera ratings based on your personal criteria.

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Here is a graph of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony WX30 family

The Sony WX30 comes with a history of related cameras. Listed below, you can take a look at all earlier and new models along with important specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX500 front thumbnailSony WX500
WX30 vs WX500
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W800 front thumbnailSony W800
WX30 vs W800
26-130mm
F3.2-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX350 front thumbnailSony WX350
WX30 vs WX350
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX300 front thumbnailSony WX300
WX30 vs WX300
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W730 front thumbnailSony W730
WX30 vs W730
25-224mm
F3.3-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W710 front thumbnailSony W710
WX30 vs W710
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2013
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX80 front thumbnailSony WX80
WX30 vs WX80
28-224mm
F3.3-8.0
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX150 front thumbnailSony WX150
WX30 vs WX150
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W690 front thumbnailSony W690
WX30 vs W690
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX50 front thumbnailSony WX50
WX30 vs WX50
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX70 front thumbnailSony WX70
WX30 vs WX70
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W610 front thumbnailSony W610
WX30 vs W610
26-105mm
F2.8-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W620 front thumbnailSony W620
WX30 vs W620
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W650 front thumbnailSony W650
WX30 vs W650
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX30 front thumbnailSony WX3025-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX10 front thumbnailSony WX10
WX30 vs WX10
24-168mm
F2.4-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX5 front thumbnailSony WX5
WX30 vs WX5
24-120mm
F2.4-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W370 front thumbnailSony W370
WX30 vs W370
34-238mm
F3.6-5.6
14MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W290 front thumbnailSony W290
WX30 vs W290
28-140mm
F3.3-5.2
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W230 front thumbnailSony W230
WX30 vs W230
30-120mm
F2.8-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W220 front thumbnailSony W220
WX30 vs W220
30-120mm
F2.8-7.1
12MP1/2.3"2009

Sony WX30 Pros and Cons

Below is a shortlist of advantages and drawbacks of the Sony WX30 based on criterias which are often seen as useful in a camera.

above average min ISO (100)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
built in lens has zoom (25-125mm 5.0 x zoom)
fairly wide (25mm)
good megapixels (16MP)
good sized screen (3")
has built in flash
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
includes HDMI socket
lighter than competitors (117 grams)
touchscreen capability
very good screen resolution (922 k dots)
cannot switch lens (fixed lens mount)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
does not have external microphone socket
does not have headphone socket
does not have Timelapse mode
external flash not possible
focusing manually not possible
no aperture priority mode
no manual control
no moving screen
no phase detect AF
no RAW files
no shutter priority
slow at full zoom (f6.3)
slow max aperture (f2.6)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
Photography Glossary

Sony WX30 Sensor details

The Sony WX30 is powered by the BIONZ chip. The dimension of the sensor in the Sony WX30 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization as the latter may lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 16MP and features a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. Unfortunately, RAW format is not supported therefore the user has less margin for error.

The image underneath shows the WX30's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The WX30 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30 sensor size Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony WX30 dimensions

Sony WX30 is 0.26 lbs (117g or 4.13 oz) and features outer size of 92mm x 52mm x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7"). The weight of general Small Sensor Compact camera is 174g so the Sony WX30 is lighter in comparison with other competitors.

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Here is a image of the Sony WX30 beside a soda to help you have a sense of its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30 dimensions scale

The top view under will illustrate the button layout on the WX30.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30 topview buttons dials

Sony WX30 Lens specs

The WX30 offers a fixed lens and it has a focal range of 25-125mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which is not at all amazing but it can be valuable in a few conditions.

At the widest 25mm, the lens will have an aperture of f2.6 and that's very slow and not great in low light conditions and you will likely struggle to capture good bokeh. You would also have to raise the ISO setting giving you noisy files. With the tele end, 125mm comes to f6.3 which is very slow and you will need to apply slow shutter speeds.

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Sony WX30 Connectivity

The WX30 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that come with NFC and / or Bluetooth support can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to send photos and oftentimes adjust settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

Certain applications even give a Liveview and press the shutter in case you aren't near the camera. If the camera features a HDMI out, it can be hooked up to an external screen. Most cameras enable you to recharge the battery using the USB socket.

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Sony WX30 Video specs

The highest video resolution in the Sony WX30 is 1920 x 1080 and it can shoot in MPEG-4 and AVCHD format. 1080p resolution offers a decent balance for quality and file sizes but FULL HD is not going to give you much room to downsample. The camera doesn't include a mic and / or headphone port which means that you have little control over your audio. It is perhaps best to consider another model in case you want better audio in your video clips.

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Sony WX30 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing for the Sony WX30 so you need to be cautious in wet or dusty situations.

Sony WX30 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony WX30 includes a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 922k dots.

Moreover the display is touch friendly which means you will be able to shift focus points and adjust settings by using your fingertips.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30 screen and viewfinder Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The View Finder specs regarding Sony WX30 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are very useful for sunny outdoor situations which might make the camera display washed out and hard to view.

Sony WX30 Shutter specs

Sony WX30 has the ability to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/1600 sec.

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Sony WX30 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Sony WX30 boasts only in-built flash without external flash ability.

Sony WX30 Autofocusing specs

Sony WX30 boasts just Contrast Detect Auto Focus and is missing Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is more snappier and accurate in comparison with Contrast Detect focusing.

It includes 9 focus points to pick from. Sony WX30 does not have manual focus. Manual focus is useful for low light scenarios or you need more exact control on focusing.

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Sony WX30 Battery life

The battery power (NP-BN1) for the Sony WX30 is built to last for 250 shots based on the CIPA benchmarks making it similar to its competitors. The typical Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 has the highest (470) battery life for this range of cameras.

Listed below is a listing of Small Sensor Compact cameras that come with the best battery life:

Sony WX30 for varying kinds of photography

The following graph presents a analysis of the Sony WX30 for varying kinds of photography. To look at more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.

Sony WX30 Portrait photography information

The Sony WX30 has a points total of 30 which is subpar, meaning that it is not acceptable to use for portrait images. Taking portrait images favors heavily to sensor size, support for RAW files along with the potential to use off-camera flash.

Photography Glossary
megapixel count decent (16MP)
no manual focus
manual mode not possible
no external flash support
very small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format

Sony WX30 Street photography information

Having a very good points total of 63, the Sony WX30 is a respectable fit for street photography. A very good street photography camera has a fine balance of image quality plus portability.

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built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (117g)
fixed screen
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support

Sony WX30 as a Sports photography camera

A subpar sports photography points tally of 39 indicates the Sony WX30 is not acceptable for taking photos of sports. A camera should have fantastic autofocus and shutter speeds for sports photography.

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built in image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus

Travel photography with Sony WX30

Portability is pretty critical when picking a camera for travel. In general, the Sony WX30 gets a nice 69 as a travel camera which is a respectable pick for your journeys.

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lighter than competition in class (117g)
decent megapixels (16MP)
built-in flash
pretty wide (25mm)
lack of Time Lapse function
screen isn't selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.6)

Sony WX30 Landscape photography highlights

If you find yourself planning to choose a camera for landscape photography, the most vital aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony WX30 at it's subpar rating of 43 as a landscape camera is not acceptable in the current market.

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relatively wide (25mm)
screen is a good size (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (16MP)
lack of manual focus
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
lack of manual mode
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
lack of Time Lapse function

Vlogging with Sony WX30

A camera for vlogging really should offer a moving display, microphone input and preferably image stabilization. Considering all the details, the Sony WX30 is not acceptable for vlogging as it gets a subpar rating of 35.

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really wide (25mm)
touchscreen capability
image stabilization (Optical)
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than others in class (117g)
slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
lack of external microphone socket

Sony WX30 Alternatives

If you want alternatives to the WX30, below is a number of the highest rated cameras which fall in to the category of Small Sensor Compact.

The graph down below gives you a bird's eye view of the WX30 vs it's top scored competitors suggested above.

These are various other cameras you might see as alternatives. To look at a comprehensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Sony
Model
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX30
Type
Small Sensor Compact
Released
2011-07-25
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Powered by
BIONZ
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW photos
Max native ISO
3200
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points
9
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
25-125mm (5.0x)
Largest aperture
f/2.6-6.3
Macro focus distance
5cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
3"
Resolution of display
922k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display tech
XtraFine TFT LCD display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30s
Highest shutter speed
1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate
10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
3.70 m
Flash options
Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30fps)
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
117g (0.26 lbs)
Dimensions
92 x 52 x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7")
Other
Battery life
250 pictures
Battery type
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-BN1
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
1
Retail price
$259