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Sony WX70

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-125mm (F2.6-6.3) lens
  • 114g - 92 x 52 x 19mm
  • Launched January 2012
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
97
Imaging
39
Features
46
Overall
41

Sony WX70 overview

Sony WX70 is Sony's Small Sensor Compact camera first introduced on January of 2012. The camera has got a 16MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The WX70 is rated #27 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras and all round #659 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can use our Advanced camera search to see camera results based on your customized requirements.

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Here is a diagram of various criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony WX70 family

The Sony WX70 is part of a family of cameras. You can see the full range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX500 front thumbnailSony WX500
WX70 vs WX500
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX350 front thumbnailSony WX350
WX70 vs WX350
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W800 front thumbnailSony W800
WX70 vs W800
26-130mm
F3.2-6.4
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX300 front thumbnailSony WX300
WX70 vs WX300
25-500mm
F3.5-6.5
18MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W730 front thumbnailSony W730
WX70 vs W730
25-224mm
F3.3-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W710 front thumbnailSony W710
WX70 vs W710
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
16MP1/2.3"2013
Photography Glossary
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX80 front thumbnailSony WX80
WX70 vs WX80
28-224mm
F3.3-8.0
16MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX150 front thumbnailSony WX150
WX70 vs WX150
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W690 front thumbnailSony W690
WX70 vs W690
25-250mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX70 front thumbnailSony WX7025-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX50 front thumbnailSony WX50
WX70 vs WX50
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W610 front thumbnailSony W610
WX70 vs W610
26-105mm
F2.8-5.9
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W620 front thumbnailSony W620
WX70 vs W620
28-140mm
F3.2-6.5
14MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W650 front thumbnailSony W650
WX70 vs W650
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX30 front thumbnailSony WX30
WX70 vs WX30
25-125mm
F2.6-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX10 front thumbnailSony WX10
WX70 vs WX10
24-168mm
F2.4-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-WX5 front thumbnailSony WX5
WX70 vs WX5
24-120mm
F2.4-5.9
12MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W370 front thumbnailSony W370
WX70 vs W370
34-238mm
F3.6-5.6
14MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W290 front thumbnailSony W290
WX70 vs W290
28-140mm
F3.3-5.2
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W230 front thumbnailSony W230
WX70 vs W230
30-120mm
F2.8-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-W220 front thumbnailSony W220
WX70 vs W220
30-120mm
F2.8-7.1
12MP1/2.3"2009

Sony WX70 Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of positives and negatives of the Sony WX70 based on things that are often seen as necessary in a camera.

built in image stabilization (Optical)
built in lens has zoom (25-125mm 5.0 x zoom)
good resolution (16MP)
great min ISO (100)
has built in flash
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
includes HDMI out
lighter than average (114 grams)
nice clear screen (922 k dots)
nice screen size (3 inch)
offers face detection focus
offers focus via touch
offers tracking autofocus
quite wide (25mm)
touch screen
can't use external flash
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
fixed screen
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of manual exposure
lack of phase detect auto focus
lack of RAW format
lack of shutter priority mode
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
missing external mic support
missing headphone support
missing Time Lapse recording
no manual focus
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
slow at full zoom (f6.3)
slow max aperture (f2.6)
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Sony WX70 Sensor specifications

The Sony WX70 houses the BIONZ chip. The sensor spec on the Sony WX70 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 4608 x 3456 pixels at aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter may lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 16MP and provides a native ISO range of 100 to 12800. Sadly, RAW files are not supported which means that the user has less margin for error.

The image below displays the WX70's sensor dimensions in comparison to other common sizes. The WX70 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is shown in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 sensor size Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony WX70 dimensions

Sony WX70 is 0.25 lbs (114g or 4.02 oz) and features outside dimensions of 92mm x 52mm x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7"). The weight of general Small Sensor Compact camera is 174g and the Sony WX70 is lighter compared with various competitors.

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Listed below is a photo of the Sony WX70 alongside a soft drink so you're able to have a sense of its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 dimensions scale

The top view here will provide the button design on the WX70.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 topview buttons dials

Sony WX70 Lens specifications

The WX70 has got a built in lens and a focal range of 25-125mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which is not great however it could be convenient in certain scenarios.

At the widest 25mm, it offers an aperture of f2.6 which is quite slow and not very good in low light situations and you might find it difficult to capture a shallow depth of field. You will likely also have to boost the ISO setting producing noisy pictures. Towards the tele end, 125mm comes to f6.3 which is really slow and you will need to go with slow shutter speeds.

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Sony WX70 Connectivity

The WX70 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that contain NFC and Bluetooth compatibility can easily be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily send pictures and usually change settings without the hassle of connecting directly to the camera.

Several applications even stream a Liveview and press the shutter if you aren't near the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external display. Nearly all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery using the USB socket.

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Sony WX70 Video specifications

The highest video quality on the Sony WX70 is 1920 x 1080 and it can capture in MPEG-4 and AVCHD format. 1080p quality is an excellent balance for quality and file sizes but FULL HD isn't going to leave you with much room to crop. The camera doesn't include a mic and headphone jack which means you get no control over your sound. It is perhaps a better idea to shop for an alternative camera in case you need good sound in your video clips.

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Sony WX70 Weather Sealing

Sony WX70 doesn't include weather sealing so damp conditions may affect the camera.

Sony WX70 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony WX70 has got a 3" fixed display screen boasting a resolution of 922k dots.

Additionally the display screen is touch friendly which means that you will be able to change focus point and adjust settings by using your fingertips.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70 screen and viewfinder Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The ViewFinder details regarding Sony WX70 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are pretty handy for bright outdoor conditions which may make the camera display washed out and hard to view.

Sony WX70 Shutter specifications

Sony WX70 has the capability to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames/s. The highest shutter speed is 1/1600 seconds.

Photography Glossary

Sony WX70 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Sony WX70 includes only built-in flash lacking external flash ability.

Sony WX70 Autofocusing specifications

Sony WX70 includes just Contrast Based Auto Focus and doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more snappier and accurate compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera has got Face detect which is handy for portrait photography.

Sony WX70 has touch to focus. You are able to use your fingers to adjust focus. It also comes with Tracking Auto Focus for objects on the move. Sony WX70 lacks manual focusing. Manual focusing can be useful for low light situations or you need to have more precise focus control.

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Sony WX70 Battery life

The battery power (NP-BN) on the Sony WX70 is made to last for 240 shots with respect to the CIPA requirements making it comparable with its competitors. The typical Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 has got the highest (470) battery life for this type of cameras.

Following is a number of Small Sensor Compact cameras that have the highest battery life:

Sony WX70 for various types of photography

The following chart provides a summation of the Sony WX70 for various types of photography. To read more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.

Portrait photography with Sony WX70

The Sony WX70 gets a rating of 34 which is bad, and means the camera is not good for portrait photography. Shooting portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor size, RAW support plus the capability to work with off-camera lighting.

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resolution is good (16 megapixels)
offers face detection autofocus
focusing manually not possible
manual exposure not possible
no external flash support
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format

Sony WX70 Street photography features

With a very good rating of 68, the Sony WX70 is a good fit for street photography. A decent street photography camera offers a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.

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image stabilization (Optical)
has touch to focus
lighter than average (114 grams)
fixed screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support

Sony WX70 Sports photography factors

A bad sports photography points tally of 44 means the Sony WX70 is not good for shooting sports. A camera must have excellent focusing and continuous shooting for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
supports tracking focus
no shutter priority mode
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus

Sony WX70 Travel photography details

Size is really crucial when picking a travel camera. On the whole, the Sony WX70 gets a nice 71 as a travelling camera which is a fine option to take on your journeys.

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lighter than competition in class (114g)
includes touch to focus
MP count good (16MP)
has built in flash
relatively wide (25mm)
doesn't have Timelapse mode
display isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f2.6)

Landscape photography with Sony WX70

For anyone planning to buy a digital camera for landscape photography, the biggest factor will no doubt be image quality. The Sony WX70 at it's bad score of 43 as a landscape camera is not good among its competitors.

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reasonably wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f2.6)
no manual control
very small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
missing Timelapse recording

Sony WX70 Vlogging features

A vlogging camera ought to offer a articulating display, mic input and preferably IBIS. Considering all the details, the Sony WX70 is not good for vlogging as it gets a bad score of 36.

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fairly wide (25mm)
touchscreen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
features face detect autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition in class (114 grams)
sluggish max aperture (f2.6)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
missing microphone socket

Sony WX70 Alternatives

If you are in the market for alternatives to the WX70, below is a list of the highest placed cameras that fall in to the family of Small Sensor Compact.

The line chart below shows you a bird's eye view of the WX70 versus it's highest scored competitors mentioned above.

These are various other cameras you may look into as alternatives. To look at a complete comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70
Type
Small Sensor Compact
Launched
2012-01-30
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Chip
BIONZ
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Maximum resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW files
Maximum native ISO
12800
Minimum native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
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
25-125mm (5.0x)
Maximal aperture
f/2.6-6.3
Macro focusing distance
5cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Type of display
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inch
Display resolution
922k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Display technology
XtraFine TFT LCD display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
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
Lowest shutter speed
4s
Highest shutter speed
1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate
10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
5.30 m
Flash options
Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
114g (0.25 lb)
Physical dimensions
92 x 52 x 19mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.7")
Other
Battery life
240 photos
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery ID
NP-BN
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse recording
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
Single
Retail cost
$242