Sony H200 vs RX0

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2013 and August 2017. Both the H200 and the RX0 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (H200) and an one-inch (RX0) sensor. The H200 has a resolution of 15.2 megapixels, whereas the RX0 provides 15.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony H200		Sony RX0
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-633mm f/3.1-5.9		24mm f/4.0
15.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.4 MP – 1" sensor
720/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 125-12,800
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		1.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.8 shutter flaps per second		5.5 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Waterproof body (10m)
240 shots per battery charge		240 shots per battery charge
123 x 83 x 87 mm, 530 g		59 x 41 x 30 mm, 110 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0? 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 Sony H200 and the Sony RX0. 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX0 is considerably smaller (76 percent) than the Sony H200. Moreover, the RX0 is substantially lighter (79 percent) than the H200. It is noteworthy in this context that the RX0 is splash and dust-proof, while the H200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the RX0 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The power pack in the RX0 can be charged via the USB port, 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 want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
6.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
9.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
12.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
13.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The H200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 64 percent) than the RX0, 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony H200 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony RX0 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX0 is 314 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.7. The sensor in the H200 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the RX0 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Technology-wise, the RX0 uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ X) than the H200 (BIONZ), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 15.4MP, the RX0 offers a higher resolution than the H200 (15.2MP), but the RX0 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 2.74μm versus 1.36μm for the H200) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the RX0 is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 7 months) than the H200, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the H200 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 are ISO 125 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the H200 is build around a CCD sensor, while the RX0 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
2.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
3.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
4.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
5.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
6.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
7.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
8.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
9.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
10.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
11.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
12.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
13.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
14.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
15.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
16.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the RX0 provides a better video resolution than the H200. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the H200 is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The H200 and the RX0 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony H200, the Sony RX0, 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.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
9.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
12.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The H200 has one, while the RX0 does not. While the built-in flash of the H200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 RX0 only has 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).

The H200 is equipped with a zoom lens, while the RX0 comes with a built-in prime. The H200 has a 24-633mm f/3.1-5.9 optic and the RX0 offers a 24mm f/4.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the H200 and RX0 provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the RX0 has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The H200 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The H200 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the RX0 uses micro SDXC or Memory Stick Micro cards. The RX0 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the H200 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 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.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RX0 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the H200 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the H200 and the RX0 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX0 was replaced by the Sony RX0 II, while the H200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the H200 and RX0 can be found, respectively, in the Sony H200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX0 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony H200 or the Sony RX0 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200:

• 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 1.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.1 vs f/4.0).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (64 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ X vs BIONZ).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 720/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5.5 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (59x41mm vs 123x83mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 420g or 79 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the H200 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX0 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Sony H200 and the Sony RX0 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the H200 or the RX0 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.

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.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
6.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
9.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
10.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
12.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
13.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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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