Nikon W150 vs Sony HX350

The Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2019 and December 2016. Both the W150 and the HX350 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/3.1-inch (W150) and a 1/2.3-inch (HX350) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 13 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon W150		Sony HX350
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
30-90mm f/3.3-5.9		24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3
13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor		19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 125-1,600		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
4.7 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
220 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g		130 x 93 x 103 mm, 652 g

Check W150 offers at
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Check HX350 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon W150 and the Sony HX350. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W150 can be obtained in five different colors (blue, orange, white, flower, resort), while the HX350 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony HX350 is considerably larger (64 percent) than the Nikon W150. Moreover, the HX350 is substantially heavier (268 percent) than the W150. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W150 is splash and dust resistant, while the HX350 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W150 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The power pack in the W150 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	159	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
4.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
5.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
9.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
13.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The W150 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 65 percent) than the HX350, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W150 features a 1/3.1-inch sensor and the Sony HX350 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the HX350 is 75 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 7.4 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

With 19.9MP, the HX350 offers a higher resolution than the W150 (13MP), but the HX350 nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 1.19μm versus 1.11μm for the W150) due to its larger sensor. However, the W150 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 4 months) than the HX350, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony HX350 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX350 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.8 x 19.3 inches or 65.4 x 49.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.6 x 15.5 inches or 52.3 x 39.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.2 x 12.9 inches or 43.6 x 32.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon W150 are 20.8 x 15.6 inches or 52.8 x 39.6 cm for good quality, 16.6 x 12.5 inches or 42.3 x 31.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.9 x 10.4 inches or 35.2 x 26.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix W150 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the W150 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the HX350 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon W150	1/3.1	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	22.1	13.8	4058	65
2.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
3.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
4.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
5.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
6.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
7.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
8.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
9.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
10.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
11.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
12.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
13.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
16.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
17.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the HX350 provides a faster frame rate than the W150. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the HX350 has an electronic viewfinder (202k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the W150 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon W150, the Sony HX350, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon W150	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.7/s	Y	n
2.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
13.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the W150 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Both the W150 and the HX350 have zoom lenses built in. The W150 has a 30-90mm f/3.3-5.9 optic and the HX350 offers a 24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Sony provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Nikon. The HX350 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The W150 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX350 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Coolpix W150 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon W150	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the W150 offers wifi support, while the HX350 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the W150 and the HX350 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the W150 and HX350 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W150 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX350 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon W150 and the Sony HX350? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x67mm vs 130x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 475g or 73 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (65 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the HX350 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (19.9 vs 13MP), which boosts linear resolution by 24%.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.3).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (300 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in December 2016).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the HX350 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 10 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon W150 and the Sony HX350 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the W150 or the HX350. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Apr 2019	159	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
4.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
5.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
6.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
7.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
9.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
13.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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