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Sony WX300

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 front
 
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-500mm (F3.5-6.5) lens
  • 166g - 96 x 55 x 25mm
  • Introduced February 2013
  • Replacement is Sony WX350
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
94
Imaging
42
Features
38
Overall
40

Sony WX300 summary

Sony WX300 is Sony's Small Sensor Superzoom camera first announced on February of 2013. It includes a 18 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a full resolution of 4896 x 3672.

Sony brought out the more recent Sony WX350 (Read Full Comparison) to replace this camera.

The WX300 places at #126 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras & over-all #688 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please try out our Advanced camera search to see camera results based on your customized criteria.

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

Sony WX300 family

The Sony WX300 has a history of related digital cameras. Below, you can see all previous and more recent models along with important specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX500 front thumbnailSony WX500
WX300 vs WX500
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX350 front thumbnailSony WX350
WX300 vs WX350
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W800 front thumbnailSony W800
WX300 vs W800
26-130mm
F3.2-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX300 front thumbnailSony WX30025-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W730 front thumbnailSony W730
WX300 vs W730
25-224mm
F3.3-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W710 front thumbnailSony W710
WX300 vs W710
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2013
Photography Glossary
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX80 front thumbnailSony WX80
WX300 vs WX80
28-224mm
F3.3-8.0
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX150 front thumbnailSony WX150
WX300 vs WX150
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W690 front thumbnailSony W690
WX300 vs W690
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX70 front thumbnailSony WX70
WX300 vs WX70
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX50 front thumbnailSony WX50
WX300 vs WX50
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W610 front thumbnailSony W610
WX300 vs W610
26-105mm
F2.8-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W620 front thumbnailSony W620
WX300 vs W620
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W650 front thumbnailSony W650
WX300 vs W650
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX30 front thumbnailSony WX30
WX300 vs WX30
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX10 front thumbnailSony WX10
WX300 vs WX10
24-168mm
F2.4-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX5 front thumbnailSony WX5
WX300 vs WX5
24-120mm
F2.4-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W370 front thumbnailSony W370
WX300 vs W370
34-238mm
F3.6-5.6
14MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W290 front thumbnailSony W290
WX300 vs W290
28-140mm
F3.3-5.2
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W230 front thumbnailSony W230
WX300 vs W230
30-120mm
F2.8-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W220 front thumbnailSony W220
WX300 vs W220
30-120mm
F2.8-7.1
12MP1/2.3"2009

Sony WX300 Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of good and bad points of the Sony WX300 based on criterias that are often regarded as useful in a camera.

built in image stabilization (Optical)
flash built-in
good minimum ISO (80)
great reach (500mm)
great zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
lighter than others (166g)
megapixel count good (18 megapixels)
relatively wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
supports face detection focus
supports tracking autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
does not contain selfie friendly display
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of phase detect auto focus
lack of RAW files
missing external microphone jack
missing HDMI support
missing headphone jack
missing Timelapse mode
no external flash support
no manual exposure
no manual focus
no moving screen
no shutter priority
pixelated screen (460 thousand dot)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
sluggish at long end (f6.5)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
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Sony WX300 Sensor information

The dimension of the sensor on the Sony WX300 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to capture 4896 x 3672 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 since the latter can lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 18 megapixels and features a native ISO range of 80 to 3200. Unfortunately, RAW files are not supported which means that the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The image below shows the WX300's sensor size compared to other common sizes. The WX300 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 sensor size President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony WX300 dimensions

Sony WX300 weighs around 0.37 pounds (166 gr / 5.86 oz) & the size of the camera is 96mm x 55mm x 25mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0"). The weight of average Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr and the Sony WX300 is less heavy compared to other rivals.

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The following is a photo of the Sony WX300 besides a soft drink so you can get a sense of its size.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 dimensions scale

The top view here will illustrate the button layout on the WX300.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 topview buttons dials

Sony WX300 Lens information

The WX300 comes with a built-in lens giving a focal range of 25-500mm making it a 20.0 x zoom which is ideal and will allow you to zoom right in.

At it's widest 25mm, it comes with an aperture of f3.5 which is quite sluggish and not great for low light circumstances and you may find it difficult to get good bokeh. You will probably also need to boost your ISO producing noisy pictures. At the long end, 500mm is terrific zoom and comes with f6.5 which is fairly slow and you might have to choose slow shutter speeds.

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Sony WX300 Connectivity

The WX300 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes

Digital cameras that include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity are able to be used wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to copy pictures and at times change settings with no need to connect physically with the camera.

Certain apps also provide a Liveview and release the shutter if you are not near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it can easily be connected to an external display. A lot of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Sony WX300 Video information

The highest possible video resolution on the Sony WX300 is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in AVCHD format. 1080p resolution gives you an excellent balance in quality versus file size but 1080p isn't going to give you any room to downsample. The body does not offer a microphone and / or headphone jack which means you get zero control over the sound. It is perhaps best to consider a different camera if you need better sound for your video clips.

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Sony WX300 Weather Sealing

Sony WX300 does not have environment sealing so rainy conditions may affect the camera.

Sony WX300 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony WX300 includes a 3 inch fixed display screen with a resolution of 460 thousand dots.

Please note that the display has no touch support.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300 screen and viewfinder Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

The View Finder specs for Sony WX300 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are rather handy in bright outdoor situations which may make the camera display washed out and very difficult to see.

Sony WX300 Shutter information

Sony WX300 continuous shooting speed is 10.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/1600 seconds.

Photography Glossary

Sony WX300 Flash and Hot shoe information

Sony WX300 comes with just in-built flash with missing external flash support.

Sony WX300 Autofocusing information

Sony WX300 has no Auto focusing. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more snappier & accurate compared to Contrast Based focusing. The camera includes Face detect which is handy for portrait photography.

It also boasts Tracking Auto Focus for subjects that move. Sony WX300 has no manual focusing. Manual focusing ability can be good in low light occasions or you need more precise control on focusing.

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Sony WX300 Battery life

The average Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the best (600) battery life in this range of cameras.

Below is a collection of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that have the best battery life:

Sony WX300 for various forms of photography

The following diagram shows a rundown of the Sony WX300 for various forms of photography. To find out more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.

Portrait photography with Sony WX300

The Sony WX300 has a rating of 36 which is dreadful, meaning that it is just not suitable to use for portrait images. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor dimension, support for RAW files together with the capability to use off-camera lighting.

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decent sensor resolution (18MP)
supports face detect autofocus
no manual focus
manual exposure not possible
can't use external flash
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW support

Sony WX300 Street photography features

Having a above average score of 63, the Sony WX300 is a very decent pick for street photography. A decent street photography camera has a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average in class (166 grams)
screen is fixed
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
no RAW files

Sports photography with Sony WX300

A moderate sports photography rating of 49 suggests the Sony WX300 is somewhat suited for taking pictures of sports. A camera should have great tracking plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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excellent zoom range (25-500mm 20.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (18 megapixels)
features tracking focus
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF

Sony WX300 Travel photography factors

Portability is super crucial when picking a camera for travel. All round, the Sony WX300 gets a above average 71 as a travelling camera which is a very decent choice to buy for your journeys.

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lighter than competition (166 grams)
decent MP (18 megapixels)
has built in flash
really wide (25mm)
long zoom (500mm)
does not have Timelapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)

Sony WX300 Landscape photography details

In case you're planning to buy a digital camera for landscape photography, the most important factor will be image quality. The Sony WX300 with it's dreadful score of 44 for a landscape camera is just not suitable among its competition.

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rather wide (25mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count decent (18MP)
no manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
no manual exposure
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
does not have Time Lapse function

Sony WX300 Vlogging advice

A vlogging camera should really offer a articulating display screen, microphone input and preferably image stabilization. Taking everything in to account, the Sony WX300 is just not suitable as a vlog camera as it gets a dreadful score of 35.

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quite wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focusing
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average in class (166 grams)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of external mic socket

Sony WX300 Alternatives

If you need replacements to the WX300, below is a range of the top rated cameras which fall in to the category of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The graph underneath provides you a bird's eye view of the WX300 vs it's top scored rivals shown earlier.

These are some more cameras you might consider as alternatives. To review a complete comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300
Category
Small Sensor Superzoom
Introduced
2013-02-20
Body design
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
18 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution
4896 x 3672
RAW data
Highest native ISO
3200
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Cross type focus points
0
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
25-500mm (20.0x)
Maximum aperture
f/3.5-6.5
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inch
Resolution of display
460 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
4 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/1600 secs
Continuous shutter speed
10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
4.30 m
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
AVCHD
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
166 grams (0.37 lbs)
Dimensions
96 x 55 x 25mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0")
Other
Battery ID
NP-BX1
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots
1
Pricing at release
$330