Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

Point-and-shoot digital cameras these days aren't particularly exciting unless of course, they have some unique features such as 4K video support or a high zoom range.

Incidentally, Sony's new Cybershot DSC-WX800 manages to squeeze both these features into a really compact body. In fact, Sony claims that this is the world's smallest fixed-lens camera with such a wide optical zoom
range.

The Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 is available right now in India at a price of Rs. 34,990, which doesn't seem so bad considering the features you get. We were eager to see how this camera performs, and now that we finally got our hands on a retail unit, it's time to see if the Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 is the perfect camera for your next vacation.

HIGHLIGHTS

The camera has 28x optical zoom and an 18.2-megapixel sensor

It's incredibly compact and autofocus speed is relatively quick

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 price in India is Rs. 34,990

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 design and ergonomics

The Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 weighs about 233g and is almost the same as the size of Sony's DSC-HX90V and RX100 IV compact cameras. Sony has essentially used the same entity as the predecessor for this model - Cybershot DSC-WX500 - and just upgraded some of its features.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

The camera looks well placed together, and all the plastic and metal parts meet well, without any rough spacing. When locked, the lens does not spread too much, so this camera can easily slip into your pants pocket.

Where your thumb is resting, there is not too much handgrip on the right, leaving a small rubber patch behind it. We have considered this as an issue many times, especially when shooting with one hand because there is no catching of so many surface areas. The front metal plate has a smooth texture that looks good, but here some rubber cushion is helpful.

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This is not a big complaint, but in a little detail, it seems that Sony has been missed. At the top of the camera, there is also a power to open the flash as well as power and shutter buttons and mode dial. When you try to half-press to lock it, the shutter button has a bit game, so it could be designed better. The mode dial is small, but it is quite harsh, so during the shoot, we have never had sudden changes.

The Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 lacks the electronic viewfinder (EVF), which means that all the need to be prepared through the LCD screen on the rear. Talking about, the 3-inch TFT display is a 921K dot resolution touchscreen. It has a decent glow but it washes a little out under strong sunshine.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

Being an EVF would work here. The screen also flips up to 180 degrees, making it easy to shoot a selfie. The 3-second timer is activated by default on the screen, so you have time to hit the shutter and pause for your selfie. The back button layout is almost identical to the old model.

You have a rotating dial that is double as video recording, menu, playback, a function button and a customizable 'C' button as well as a four-way navigation pad. On the right is a micro-USB port, which is used to charge the camera and connect to the PC. Micro-HDMI port is placed at the bottom.

There is also a flap below for battery and storage. Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 accepts either MicroSD card or Memory stick micro card. It is a bit strange that Sony did not use the full-size SD card slot, given that the previous model was one and the dimensions of this camera are more or less similar.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

Given that cheap MicroSD cards have become, this is not a problem, but if you have to copy the files on the laptop while traveling, you have to remember to take the adapter. Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 is only available in one color, which is black. In the box, you get a wall charger, a micro-USB cable, and a wrist strap.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 specifications and features

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 is packed with an 18.2-megapixel, 1 / 2.3-inch XMR R CMOS sensor with BIONZ X image processor. It has contrast detection autofocus, zoom range of f / 3.5 aperture range / f to 6.4, 24-720mm (35mm equivalent), and SteadyShot optical stabilization for stills and movies.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

The camera has a native ISO range of 80-3,200, which is expandable for the ISO 6,400. The camera shoots only JPEGs and there is no raw file support. It has a constant burst shooting speed of 10fps (inSpd Priority mode). 4K video can be recorded at 30fps, while 1080p recording can go up to 120fps. Eye autofocus is also supported.

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The camera has a feature called Zoom Assist, which allows you to temporarily zoom out so that you can frame your subject again, and then return to the zoom state you were in. It works at high zoom levels because you do not need to adjust the zoom switch back and forth. The zoom assist function can be assigned some buttons behind the camera.

Even some labeled buttons can be reassigned for different tasks, so you get a decent level of adaptation to your shooting style. Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 is synced with Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1, and NFC, and your smartphone using the Sony PlayMemories mobile app. You can remotely control the camera or use your phone to browse through images and copy them, either in original size or at lower resolutions.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 performance and battery life

Looking at the price point and sensor size in this camera, we were not expecting a miracle in our ISO test. Still, it is interesting to see how this small camera fares at the high ISO level. We start with ISO 100, and on 100% of the crop, you can see that things are not far from a very good start.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

There is some slight distortion in the shadow, and after going to ISO 400, it becomes more apparent. Note that the details also start to be slightly lower, and we have yet to reach a high ISO level. From ISO 800 to 1600, the description becomes progressively evident.

At the highest native ISO level, the image is barely usable. The 6400's expanded ISO level should avoid photos because the photos are only granulated. For shooting low-light, we found it best to leave the camera in auto mode.

Sony can take advantage of the Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 multi-frame shooting, which means it captures a series of frames and combines the output to reduce the noise. This can be compelled in any program mode, by selecting "ISO Multi-Frame NR". It works well but it can backfire several times, especially in very little light. We found that it could mess with exposure and colors in some shots.

Under good lighting, Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 captures bright and vivid images with good sharpness and detail. Red and greens appear a bit exaggerated at times, which can not always be the most accurate representation of the scene you are shooting, but it can appeal to users who are targeted for such a camera for the first time There are markets. Macros are handled well, however at high zoom levels and under strict lighting, the camera struggles slightly to get the right exposure.

Sony claims that the camera can lock the focus in 0.09 seconds, but it is only on the most widespread focal length. We noticed that it is going to run very fast, even with increasing topics, but it slows down as you zoom in.

At the highest zoom level, the camera can lock the focus once or twice, depending on the light and size of your subject. Eye autofocus works well, and we liked the lock-on AF feature, which still tracks your subject in shots and some video modes.

We were able to capture some very good action shots using a burst mode, even from a moving boat. It is good for the camera's optical stabilization. The zoom range is quite impressive, and photos retain good sharpness and detail even at the highest zoom level. You can also enable digital zoom, but image quality is hit, so we do not recommend it.

However low-light performance is strictly average. Even with multi-frame shooting, there is no escape from noise in the shadow, and the details are not as sharp as we would like it to be. Sony uses similar technology on its high-end RX100 series, but there, the camera shoots at high burst rates, resulting in a cleaner and sharper picture than the Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800, which It seems to shoot only about 3-4 cm.

4K videos are limited to 5 minutes per clip, but we found the quality above average in good lighting. This is due to the fact that the Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 uses a full sensor read-out without any pixel bins, which means that it shoots at a full 18.2-megapixel resolution and then over mass it at 4K.

Image quality makes little noise in low light and we observe a little more attention hunting than shooting in daylight. At full zoom, the camera's autofocus locking is a bit slow on the focus, and if your subject goes too far, then it is not very fast to move focus.

If you set the screen on time after 2 seconds, the camera is rated to deliver approximately 370 shots or 460 shots per charge. We were able to easily match these claims, and many times, before we immersed the battery level at one time, we managed to get around 450 to 500 shots.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

During most of our field trials, we had a camera in airplane mode, which could be one of the reasons for above-average battery life. The battery can be charged through a power bank, which is convenient and you can also use PowerBank for the power supply so that you can continue using the camera.

Verdict

The Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 offers good features and a very good zoom range, and its price is Rs. 34,990 If image quality is what you are after, then the entry-level DSLR like Nikon D3400 or Canon EOS 1500D will give you better service at this price, but they are in very high quantity.

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review

Panasonic is a direct competitor to the Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800, which is called the Lumix DMC-ZS60S, which costs approximately the same but offers EVF with a touchscreen, 30x zoom range, and 4K video recording.Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 would have been better if it had better handgrip, quick autofocus and EVF at faster zoom levels. Low-light performance is quite average, but this segment is equivalent to the curriculum, so this is not a big complaint.

However, this small camera has many things for it, including its large, flexible touch display, good zoom range, 4K video support, good battery life, and good features. All of them, this means that it is worth considering.

Price (MRP): Rs. 34,990

Pros

Pocketable

Good zoom range

Shoots decent JPEGs in good light

Flippable touchscreen

Good battery life

Decent 4K video

Cons

Average low-light performance

Slow autofocus at high zoom levels

No EVF

Ratings (out of 5)

Build/ design: 4

Image quality: 3.5

Video quality: 3.5

Performance: 3.5

Value for money: 4

Overall: 3.5

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX800 Review