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Sony A58 vs H300

The Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2013 and February 2014. The A58 is a DSLR, while the H300 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (A58) and a 1/2.3-inch (H300) sensor. The A58 has a resolution of 19.8 megapixels, whereas the H300 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
Sony A58
versus
Sony H300
Sony A58   Sony H300
Digital single lens reflex Fixed lens compact camera
Sony A mount lenses 25-875mm f/3.4-6.5
19.8 MP – APS-C sensor 19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60i Video 720/30p Video
ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 25,600) ISO 80-3,200
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots) No viewfinder, LCD framing
2.7" LCD – 460k dots 3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 0.8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
690 shots per battery charge350 shots per battery charge
129 x 95 x 78 mm, 492 g 128 x 89 x 92 mm, 590 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A58 and the Sony H300 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Sony A58 vs Sony H300
Compare A58 versus H300 top
Comparison A58 or H300 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony H300 is notably smaller (7 percent) than the Sony A58. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A58 nor the H300 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the H300 has a lens built in, whereas the A58 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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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.
 
Sony A58 129 mm 95 mm 78 mm 492 g 690 n Feb 2013 599ebay.com
2.
 
Sony H300 128 mm 89 mm 92 mm 590 g 350 n Feb 2014 219ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX610 105 mm 61 mm 27 mm 191 g 270 n Jan 2015 249ebay.com
4.
 
Canon SL1 117 mm 91 mm 69 mm 407 g 380 n Mar 2013 549ebay.com
5.
 
Canon T5i 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 580 g 440 n Mar 2013 649ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D3300 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 430 g 700 n Jan 2014 499ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D3200 125 mm 96 mm 77 mm 505 g 540 n Apr 2012 599ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-S1 121 mm 93 mm 70 mm 558 g 410 n Aug 2014 749ebay.com
9.
 
Sony HX90V 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 245 g 360 n Apr 2015 429ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A68 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 610 g 540 n Nov 2015 699ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 II 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 647 g 480 Y May 2014 1,199ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A5100 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 283 g 400 n Aug 2014 549ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A6000 120 mm 67 mm 45 mm 344 g 360 n Feb 2014 599ebay.com
14.
 
Sony HX400V 130 mm 93 mm 103 mm 660 g 300 n Feb 2014 499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony H400 130 mm 95 mm 122 mm 628 g 300 n Feb 2014 319ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A3000 128 mm 91 mm 85 mm 411 g 470 n Aug 2013 329ebay.com
17.
 
Sony H200 123 mm 83 mm 87 mm 530 g 240 n Jan 2013 249ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The H300 was launched at a lower price than the A58, despite having a lens built in. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A58 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony H300 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the H300 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 5.6. The sensor in the A58 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the H300 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Sony A58 and Sony H300 sensor measures

Despite having a smaller sensor, the H300 offers a slightly higher resolution of 19.9 megapixels, compared with 19.8 MP of the A58. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.19μm versus 4.31μm for the A58). However, it should be noted that the H300 is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the A58, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the H300 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A58 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the A58 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the H300 uses a CCD 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.

A58 versus H300 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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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.
 
Sony A58 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.312.575374
2.
 
Sony H300 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/30p20.111.463045
3.
 
Canon SX610 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/30p20.211.671247
4.
 
Canon SL1 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.811.384363
5.
 
Canon T5i APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.268161
6.
 
Nikon D3300 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.312.8138582
7.
 
Nikon D3200 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/30p24.113.2113181
8.
 
Pentax K-S1 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.513.0106178
9.
 
Sony HX90V 1/2.3 18.0 4896 36721080/60p20.211.673847
10.
 
Sony A68 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i24.113.570179
11.
 
Sony A77 II APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.413.4101382
12.
 
Sony A5100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.812.7134780
13.
 
Sony A6000 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.113.1134782
14.
 
Sony HX400V 1/2.3 20.2 5184 38881080/60p20.111.462945
15.
 
Sony H400 1/2.3 19.9 5152 3864720/30p20.111.463045
16.
 
Sony A3000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.712.8106878
17.
 
Sony H200 1/2.3 15.2 5184 2930720/30p19.911.252944
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A58 provides a higher video resolution than the H300. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60i, while the H300 is limited to 720/30p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A58 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the H300 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A58 and Sony H300 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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.
 
Sony A581440 n2.7 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony H300none n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/1500s 0.8/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon SX610none n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/2000s 2.5/s Y Y
4.
 
Canon SL1optical n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.9/s Y n
5.
 
Canon T5ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D3300optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D3200optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
8.
 
Pentax K-S1optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
9.
 
Sony HX90V638 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Sony A681440 Y2.7 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Sony A77 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Sony A5100none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
13.
 
Sony A60001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
14.
 
Sony HX400V210 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/4000s 10.0/s Y Y
15.
 
Sony H400210 n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/2000s 0.7/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony A3000202 n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
17.
 
Sony H200none n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/1500s 0.8/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A58 and the H300 write their files to 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A58 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 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.
 
Sony A58Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
2.
 
Sony H300-mono / mono--micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Canon SX610-- / ---micro2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon SL1Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
5.
 
Canon T5iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
6.
 
Nikon D3300Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
7.
 
Nikon D3200Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Pentax K-S1Ystereo / mono--micro2.0---
9.
 
Sony HX90V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
10.
 
Sony A68Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0---
11.
 
Sony A77 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
12.
 
Sony A5100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony A6000Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony HX400VYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony H400-mono / mono--micro2.0Y--
16.
 
Sony A3000Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony H200-mono / mono---2.0---
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It is notable that the A58 has a hotshoe, while the H300 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the A58 and the H300 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A58 was replaced by the Sony A68, while the H300 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A58 and H300 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A58 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H300 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A58 and the Sony H300? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Advantages of the Sony Alpha SLT-A58:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • 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 definition movie capture (1080/60i vs 720/30p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/1500s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (690 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2013).


Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
  • Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the A58 requires a separate lens.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (11 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A58 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 6 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.

A58 15:06 H300

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A58 and the Sony H300 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the A58 and the H300 in practical situations. 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 following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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.
 
Sony A583/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 599ebay.com
2.
 
Sony H300..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2014 219ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SX610........4/54/5 Jan 2015 249ebay.com
4.
 
Canon SL14/5+..78/1004/54/5 Mar 2013 549ebay.com
5.
 
Canon T5i......76/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2013 649ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D33003/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 499ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D32005/5+ +..73/1004.5/54.5/5 Apr 2012 599ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-S14/5......4.5/54/5 Aug 2014 749ebay.com
9.
 
Sony HX90V4/5+ +....4/54.5/5 Apr 2015 429ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A683/5......4/54/5 Nov 2015 699ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 II4/5....80/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 1,199ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A51004.5/5+....4.5/55/5 Aug 2014 549ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A60005/5+4.5/580/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2014 599ebay.com
14.
 
Sony HX400V4/5+ +....4/54/5 Feb 2014 499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony H400..o....3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2014 319ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A30003/5+....4/54/5 Aug 2013 329ebay.com
17.
 
Sony H200........3.5/53.5/5 Jan 2013 249ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. 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: Sony A58 vs Sony H300

    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 Sony A58 Sony H300
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens Sony A mount lenses 25-875mm f/3.4-6.5
    Launch Date February 2013 February 2014
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 219
    Sensor Specs Sony A58 Sony H300
    Sensor Technology CMOS CCD
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor 1/2.3" Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 366.6 mm2 28.0735 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm 7.7 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 5.6x
    Sensor Resolution 19.8 Megapixels 19.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5456 x 3632 pixels 5152 x 3864 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.31 μm 1.19 μm
    Pixel Density 5.41 MP/cm2 70.91 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video 720/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 16,000 ISO 80 - 3,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO no Enhancement
    Image Processor BIONZ BIONZ
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 74 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.3 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.5 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 753 ..
    Screen Specs Sony A58 Sony H300
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder no viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.57x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1440k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots 460k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Sony A58 Sony H300
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 0.8 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens-based stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support no no
    Connectivity Specs Sony A58 Sony H300
    External Flash Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port no MIC socket
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Body Specs Sony A58 Sony H300
    Battery Type Sony NP-FM500H Sony 4xAA
    Battery Life (CIPA)690 shots per charge350 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 129 x 95 x 78 mm
    (5.1 x 3.7 x 3.1 in)
    128 x 89 x 92 mm
    (5.0 x 3.5 x 3.6 in)
    Camera Weight 492 g (17.4 oz) 590 g (20.8 oz)
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