Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP And Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W570 16.1 MP - A Comparison Review

Mar 29
15:13

2012

Roberto Sedycias

Roberto Sedycias

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The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS and Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W570 16.1 MP are two of the most interesting point-and-shoot cameras on the market not only because they take advantage of advanced technology but also because they offer one features that just a few short years ago were very high-end cameras.

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The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS and Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W570 16.1 MP are two of the most interesting point-and-shoot cameras on the market not only because they take advantage of advanced technology but also because they offer one features that just a few short years ago were very high-end cameras.

For example,Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP And Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W570 16.1 MP - A Comparison Review Articles as recently as 2007 6 to 8 MP cameras were considered high-end and thus, high-priced models. Indeed, these same cameras - Pentax, Nikon, Kodak, Sony and Canon - for example, were only starting to offer some of the features that the PowerShot ELPH and the Cyber-Shot DSC-W570 now features as standard.

Looking at the cameras independently, for a moment, the Cyber-Shot is a 16.1 MP point-and-shoot, wide-angle model that offers digital photostablization so that even at maximum zoom, the photos remain blur free. The Canon, on the other hand, at 24 mm, is the narrowest camera on the market and offers not only digital photostablization, but it makes use of its own microprocessor - the MIMIC4, available across the line - to handle the features that are also available in the Cyber-Shot.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the "point-and-shoot" cameras is the resolution. As noted, the Cyber-Shot shoots images at 16.1 MP while the much thinner Canon takes images at 12.1 MP. In reality, one would have to have some very sophisticated photofinishing equipment to tell the difference between 16.1 and 12.1 MP as they look pretty much the same on any photoprinter you choose the use for a final printout.

Indeed, the Cyber-Shot and Canon match each other pretty well, feature for feature. Aside from photostablization when in zoom, each camera features a panoramic mode that allows one to take a sweeping panoramic shot of up to 235 degrees. The Canon and Sony digital cameras will take a continuous stream of video and stitch is seamlessly together so that you end up with a nice panoramic shot.

Since both cameras offer pretty much the same printing features, you should be able to print out the panorama in up to A3 (13 by 19) model.

Both the Sony and the Canon offer many of the same features, though they are identified differently. For example, the Sony calls its low-light enhancement system the Dynamic Range Optimizer. It runs a special algorithm that looks at the differences between light and shadow and compensates in low-light situations where using a flash might be a distraction. A similar system, used by Canon is the HS System, where the MIMIC processor compares light and shadow and optimizes the image for best lighting effects.

Sony has another system it calls Face Detection mode where it can recognize up to eight faces already in memory and then can make adjustments to their skin tone. In addition, the Sony offers a Soft Skin mode where the skin is smoothed so that the subjects look great and, the Sony has two other modes where the Cyber-Shot actually takes two images, the first to ensure that people aren't caught with their eyes closed, and the second - great for kids - where a second shot is taken after the photographer says "Smile". The second shot gets people really smiling. The results are quite good.

Both the Canon and Sony are also high-definition videography devices that take images at 1080 p (native high-definition) mode so that they can take real video at up to 30 frames per second. The Cyber-Shot only has the ability to use 16 GB of memory while the Canon can handle up to 64 GB. Both of them take standard microSD memory modules.

Finally, Canon stretches its HS mode so that it claims its HS mode images are nearly as good as the higher resolution modes of other cameras. Only a true video aficionado will have the equipment to verify if one's images at 12.1 are the same as those shot at 16.1 (though we doubt it). What we can tell you is that ounce for ounce, the Cyber-Shot and the Canon are virtually the same camera and do virtually the same things. If you are looking for a camera that you can drop in a shirt pocket and go, the 24 mm Canon is the way to go, if you are looking for a slightly meatier camera, then the Cyber-Shot with better resolution is the way to go. On your computer screen, to be truthful, you'll be hard-pressed to see any difference.