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Nikon W300 vs Sony WX800

The Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2017 and October 2018. Both the W300 and the WX800 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 18 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Nikon W300
versus
Sony WX800
Nikon W300   Sony WX800
Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
24-120mm f/2.8-4.9 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor 18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400) ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 921k dots 3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Tilting touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (30m)not weather sealed
280 shots per battery charge370 shots per battery charge
112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g 102 x 58 x 36 mm, 233 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W300 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800? 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.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon W300 and the Sony WX800. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W300 can be obtained in three different colors (black, orange, yellow), while the WX800 is available in two color-versions (black, white).

Size Nikon W300 vs Sony WX800
Compare W300 versus WX800 top
Comparison W300 or WX800 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony WX800 is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Nikon W300. However, the WX800 is slightly heavier (1 percent) than the W300. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W300 is splash and dust resistant, while the WX800 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W300 is water-proof up to 30m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the W300 gets 280 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL12 battery, while the WX800 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon W300 112 mm 66 mm 29 mm 231 g 280 Y May 2017 389ebay.com
2.
 
Sony WX800 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 233 g 370 n Oct 2018 399ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX730 110 mm 64 mm 40 mm 300 g 250 n Apr 2017 399ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon B600 122 mm 82 mm 99 mm 500 g 280 n Jan 2019 349ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon A1000 114 mm 72 mm 41 mm 330 g 250 n Jan 2019 429ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon P1000 146 mm 119 mm 181 mm 1415 g 250 n Jul 2018 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Olympus TG-5 113 mm 66 mm 32 mm 250 g 340 Y May 2017 449ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic TS7 117 mm 76 mm 37 mm 319 g 300 Y May 2018 449ebay.com
9.
 
Ricoh WG-60 123 mm 62 mm 30 mm 193 g 300 Y Oct 2018 279ebay.com
10.
 
Sony HX99 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 242 g 370 n Aug 2018 449ebay.com
11.
 
Sony HX95 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 242 g 370 n Aug 2018 429ebay.com
12.
 
Sony HX80 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 245 g 390 n Mar 2016 349ebay.com
13.
 
Sony HX90V 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 245 g 360 n Apr 2015 429ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The W300 was somewhat cheaper (by 3 percent) than the WX800 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Nikon W300 and Sony WX800 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the WX800 offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 15.9 MP of the W300. This megapixels advantage translates into a 6 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the WX800 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 1.33μm for the W300). However, it should be noted that the WX800 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the W300, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the WX800 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony WX800 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the WX800 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon W300 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix W300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 125-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the W300 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the WX800 uses a 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.

W300 versus WX800 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon W300 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.512.093850
2.
 
Sony WX800 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36724K/30p20.612.2107051
3.
 
Canon SX730 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.511.992450
4.
 
Nikon B600 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/30p20.712.2109552
5.
 
Nikon A1000 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.712.2109552
6.
 
Nikon P1000 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34564K/30p20.612.1104451
7.
 
Olympus TG-5 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30004K/30p20.511.993450
8.
 
Panasonic TS7 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38884K/30p20.612.1102851
9.
 
Ricoh WG-60 1/2.3 15.9 4608 34561080/60p20.612.2107251
10.
 
Sony HX99 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36724K/30p20.612.1105851
11.
 
Sony HX95 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36724K/30p20.612.1105751
12.
 
Sony HX80 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36721080/60p20.411.882248
13.
 
Sony HX90V 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36721080/60p20.211.673847
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The W300 and the WX800 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon W300 and Sony WX800 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
# image 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 W300none n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony WX800none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon SX730none n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/3200s 5.9/s Y Y
4.
 
Nikon B600none n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 7.4/s Y Y
5.
 
Nikon A10001166 n3.0 / 1036 tilting Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Nikon P10002359 n3.2 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 7.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus TG-5none n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/2000s 20.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Panasonic TS71170 n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/1300s 10.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Ricoh WG-60none n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 8.0/s Y n
10.
 
Sony HX99638 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Sony HX95638 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Sony HX80638 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony HX90V638 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The WX800 has a touchscreen, while the W300 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The WX800 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the W300 does not have a selfie-screen.

Both the W300 and the WX800 have zoom lenses built in. The W300 has a 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9 optic and the WX800 offers a 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Nikon and Sony provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Sony has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The W300 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The W300 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the WX800 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

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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 W300 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon W300-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
2.
 
Sony WX800-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon SX730-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
4.
 
Nikon B600-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon A1000-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
6.
 
Nikon P1000Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
7.
 
Olympus TG-5-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Panasonic TS7-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Ricoh WG-60-mono / mono--micro2.0---
10.
 
Sony HX99-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
11.
 
Sony HX95-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
12.
 
Sony HX80-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony HX90V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
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Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the W300 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the W300 and the WX800 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 W300 and WX800 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony WX800 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon W300 and the Sony WX800? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W300:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
  • Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.8 vs f/3.5).
  • 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 30m).
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2017).

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Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 6%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
  • More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 112x66mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (370 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 4 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the WX800 emerges as the winner of the match-up (11 : 8 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

W300 08:11 WX800

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon W300 and the Sony WX800 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the W300 or the WX800 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon W300..+....4/54/5 May 2017 389ebay.com
2.
 
Sony WX800............ Oct 2018 399ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX730..+....4/54/5 Apr 2017 399ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon B600..+....3.5/53/5 Jan 2019 349ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon A1000..+ +3.5/5..3.5/53/5 Jan 2019 429ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon P1000..+3.5/573/1003.5/53.5/5 Jul 2018 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Olympus TG-5..+ +4.5/5..4/54/5 May 2017 449ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic TS7..+......3.5/5 May 2018 449ebay.com
9.
 
Ricoh WG-60............ Oct 2018 279ebay.com
10.
 
Sony HX99........4/54.5/5 Aug 2018 449ebay.com
11.
 
Sony HX95............ Aug 2018 429ebay.com
12.
 
Sony HX80............ Mar 2016 349ebay.com
13.
 
Sony HX90V4/5+ +....4/54.5/5 Apr 2015 429ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu 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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    Specifications: Nikon W300 vs Sony WX800

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Nikon W300 Sony WX800
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens 24-120mm f/2.8-4.9 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4
    Launch Date May 2017 October 2018
    Launch Price USD 389 USD 399
    Sensor Specs Nikon W300 Sony WX800
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format 1/2.3" Sensor 1/2.3" Sensor
    Sensor Size 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.0735 mm2 28.0735 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 7.7 mm 7.7 mm
    Crop Factor 5.6x 5.6x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 18 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 4896 x 3672 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 1.33 μm 1.25 μm
    Pixel Density 56.73 MP/cm2 64.04 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 125 - 1,600 ISO 80 - 3,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 125 - 6,400 ISO 80 - 6,400 ISO
    Screen Specs Nikon W300 Sony WX800
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder no viewfinder
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 921k dots 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon W300 Sony WX800
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 7 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support no no
    Connectivity Specs Nikon W300 Sony WX800
    External Flash no Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in no Bluetooth
    Geotagging GPS built-in no internal GPS
    Body Specs Nikon W300 Sony WX800
    Environmental SealingWaterproof body (30m)not weather sealed
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL12 Sony NP-BX1
    Battery Life (CIPA)280 shots per charge370 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 112 x 66 x 29 mm
    (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.1 in)
    102 x 58 x 36 mm
    (4.0 x 2.3 x 1.4 in)
    Camera Weight 231 g (8.1 oz) 233 g (8.2 oz)
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