Do you want to know what's better Canon PowerShot S120 or Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100? SpecsPRO has compared Canon PowerShot S120 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 vs Canon PowerShot S120

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • External flash

  • Flash modes

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Flash range

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Videography notes

  • Optics & Focus

  • Focal length (equiv.)

  • Optical zoom

  • Maximum aperture

  • Autofocus

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Macro focus range

  • Number of focus points

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Wireless

  • Remote control

  • Wireless notes

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 20 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 5472 x 3648

    SENSOR Sensor size: 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 21 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600

    IMAGE White balance presets: 9

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Minimum shutter speed: 30 sec

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 1,228,800

    OPTICS & FOCUS Digital zoom: Yes (14x)

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 25

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 330

    Go to the Summary

Canon PowerShot S120
  • Main

  • Model

    Canon PowerShot S120

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 12.1 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Touch screen: Yes

    OPTICS & FOCUS Optical zoom: 5×

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 217 g (0.48 lb / 7.65 oz)

    CONNECTIVITY Wireless: Built-In

    OTHER FEATURES Timelapse recording: Yes (Star time-lapse movie)

    OTHER FEATURES GPS: Optional

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Jun 6, 2012

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Large sensor compact

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    20 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5472 x 3648

  • Sensor size

    1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

    1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9

  • Other resolutions

    5472 x 3080, 4864 x 3648, 3888 x 2592, 3648 X 3648, 3648 x 2736, 2736 x 1824, 2592 x 1944, 2592 x 1944

  • Sensor photo detectors

    21 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600

  • White balance presets

    9

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (1)

  • Image stabilization

    Optical

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/2000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (Pop-up)

  • External flash

    No

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync

  • Continuous drive

    10.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    (3 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    No

  • Flash range

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    1,228,800

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    WhiteMagic TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    None

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, AVCHD

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Videography notes

  • Optics & Focus

  • Focal length (equiv.)

    28–100 mm

  • Optical zoom

    3.6×

  • Maximum aperture

    F1.8–4.9

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection

  • Digital zoom

    Yes (14x)

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Macro focus range

    5 cm (1.97)

  • Number of focus points

    25

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    240 g (0.53 lb / 8.47 oz)

  • Dimensions

    102 x 58 x 36 mm (4 x 2.29 x 1.41)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion NP-BX1 battery and charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    330

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (Micro HDMI)

  • Wireless

    Eye-Fi Connected

  • Remote control

    No

  • Wireless notes

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    No

  • GPS

    None

  • GPS notes

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Aug 22, 2013

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Compact

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    12 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4000 x 3000

  • Sensor size

    1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm)

  • Sensor type

    BSI-CMOS

  • Processor

    Digic 6

  • Image ratio w:h

    1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9

  • Other resolutions

    4000 x 3000, 4000 x 2248, 4000 x 2664, 2992 x 2992, 2816 x 2112, 2816 x 1880, 2816 x 1584, 2112 x 2112, 1920 x 1080, 1600 x 1200, 1600 x 1064, 1200 x 1200, 640 x 480, 640 x 424, 640 x 360, 480 x 480

  • Sensor photo detectors

    13 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 80 - 12800

  • White balance presets

    7

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (2)

  • Image stabilization

    Optical

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Superfine, Fine

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    15 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/2000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes

  • External flash

    No

  • Flash modes

    Auto, on, slow synchro, off

  • Continuous drive

    12.1 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Flash range

    7.00 m

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    922,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT PureColor II G Touch screen LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    None

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (60 or 30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Videography notes

    Miniature Effect (720p, 480p) 6fps, 3fps, 1.5 fps; Super Slow Motion Movie (480p, 240p): 120, 240 fps; Star time-lapse movie (1080p): 15 fps

  • Optics & Focus

  • Focal length (equiv.)

    24–120 mm

  • Optical zoom

    5×

  • Maximum aperture

    F1.8–5.7

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    Yes (4x)

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Macro focus range

    3 cm (1.18)

  • Number of focus points

    9

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    217 g (0.48 lb / 7.65 oz)

  • Dimensions

    100 x 59 x 29 mm (3.94 x 2.32 x 1.14)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion NB-6LH rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    230

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (Mini)

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Remote control

    No

  • Wireless notes

    Wireless LAN (IEEE802.11 b/g/n)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (Star time-lapse movie)

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    via mobile (linked to compatible smartphone)

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 highest resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels (20 megapixels) is better in comparison with the Canon PowerShot S120 maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels (12 megapixels). The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is produced with larger sensor than the Canon PowerShot S120: 1 (13.2 x 8.8 mm) versus 1/1.7' (7.44 x 5.58 mm). It is the most important advantage of this model as large sensor allows the camera owner to make photos of the higher quality. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 offers a wider ISO range of 100-25600 in compare with 80-12800 ISO range of the Canon PowerShot S120. This ISO range let you to make better photos in low light situations. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has more number of white balance presets - 9. This option gives the camera owner more control over colour. The Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 provides better 14x digital zoom. The Canon PowerShot S120 offers better 5x optical zoom. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has more number of focus points in compare with the Canon PowerShot S120: 25 vs 9. More number of focus points means less risk of losing focus lock while following a moving object.

    The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 screen is better as it offers more number of screen dots 1,228,800 in comparison to 922,000 dots of the Canon PowerShot S120 screen. The higher dot count screen is better for reviewing pictures on your camera. The Canon PowerShot S120 is produced with a touch screen. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has better minimum shutter speed - 30 seconds.

    The Canon PowerShot S120 is produced with built-in Wi-Fi which will help the photographer to transfer photos quick and easy. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 battery life is better than the Canon PowerShot S120 battery life. In accordance with CIPA standards you will be able to make 330 photos with the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 and only 230 with the PowerShot S120. The Canon PowerShot S120 weighs 217g that is 23g lighter in comparison with the weight of the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The Canon PowerShot S120 can utilize optional accessory GPS devices. Recording GPS data can be convenient for the travel photographer, to be able to go into the picture metadata and see exactly where an image was produced.

    The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has 11 advantages and the Canon PowerShot S120 only 7 so the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 becomes the best choice. Get the lowest price on Amazon.