Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Review

Main Features

18MP - 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

25-500 mm F3.2-5.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

254g. 107 x 62 x 35 mm

Replaced Sony HX10V

Replaced by Sony HX30V

$389.98

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Sony HX20V Overview

First introduced in July 2012 , Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V is a 18.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor. Sony replaced the older Sony HX10V with this model and later HX20V was replaced with Sony HX30V. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V vs Sony HX10V
Compare Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V vs Sony HX30V
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V vs HX10V vs HX30V

Sony HX20V has an Overall Score of 47/100 and ranked #137 out of 626 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #597 out of 1171 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Sony HX20V Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Sony HX20V Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Sony HX20V review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Built-in GPS

Face Detection Focusing

18.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

12.800 Max ISO

922k dots LCD Resolution

10.0fps Fast Continuous Shooting

Long Battery Life (320 shots)

254g Light Body

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

25mm Wide Angle Lens

500mm Good Tele Lens

20X Optical Zoom

3D Shooting Capability

Panorama Shooting

Buy Sony HX20V from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

Only 9 Focus Points

1/1600s Low Max Shutter Speed

No Environmental Sealing

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.20

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80

Sony HX20V Sensor and Photography Features

Sony HX20V has a 18.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4896 x 3672 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. HX20V has a native ISO range of 100 - 12800 but unfortunately, Sony HX20V doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Fujifilm X30 in the same price range.

Sony HX20V is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony HX20V vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sony HX20V's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Sony HX20V Physical Specs

Sony HX20V weighs 254 g (0.56 lb / 8.96 oz) and has external dimensions of 107 x 62 x 35 mm (4.21 x 2.44 x 1.38″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Sony HX20V is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 35mm, it is not small either, 6mm thicker than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Sony HX20V

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Sony HX20V

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Sony HX20V with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony HX20V, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sony HX20V with its main competitors:

Sony HX20V Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs HX20V	Thickness	vs HX20V
Sony HX90V	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	245g	9g lighter	36mm	1mm thicker
Sony HX50V	20.0MP - 1/2.3"	272g	18g heavier	38mm	3mm thicker
Sony HX30V	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	254g	equal weight	35mm	equal thickness
Sony WX350	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	164g	90g lighter	26mm	9mm thinner
Sony HX10V	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	234g	20g lighter	34mm	1mm thinner
Canon SX260 HS	12.0MP - 1/2.3"	231g	23g lighter	33mm	2mm thinner
Panasonic ZS50	12.0MP - 1/2.3"	243g	11g lighter	34mm	1mm thinner
Sony HX80	18.0MP - 1/2.3"	245g	9g lighter	36mm	1mm thicker

Sony HX20V doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Sony HX20V Lens

Sony HX20V features a 25-500 mm F3.2-5.8 20× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 25mm and remarkable super telephoto reach at 500mm.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

HX20V

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

HX20V

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.20 at 25mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.80.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

HX20V

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

HX20V

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

HX20V is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Sony HX20V's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Sony HX20V Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Sony HX20V has a Fixed Type 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

HX20V doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare) or Fujifilm X30 (Compare).
If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

Max Shutter speed
Sony HX20V can shoot continuously at max speed of 10 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1600 sec.

Flash
Unfortunately HX20V doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing
Sony HX20V features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Sony HX20V also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Sony HX20V, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60 fps and save in MPEG-4 and AVCHD formats. Full HD resolution of Sony HX20V will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

HX20V has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Sony HX20V doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Fujifilm X30 in a similar price range.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect HX20V to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Sony HX20V is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 320 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, Sony HX20V has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Superzoom Cameras

Sony HX20V

Min

Average

Max

Fujifilm HS35EXR with its 600shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Superzoom cameras. Check the comparison of Sony HX20V vs Fujifilm HS35EXR or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Sony HX20V Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony HX90V >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony HX50V >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	400shots	Yes	No	No
Sony HX30V >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	320shots	Yes	No	No
Sony WX350 >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	470shots	Yes	No	No
Sony HX10V >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	320shots	No	No	No
Canon SX260 HS >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	230shots	No	No	No
Panasonic ZS50 >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	300shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony HX80 >>Compare to HX20V	1920 x 1080	390shots	Yes	No	Yes

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Sony HX20V is $389.98

What type of Photography is Sony HX20V Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sony HX20V in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the HX20V compares with the average Compact camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Sony HX20V for Portrait Photography

Sony HX20V has a score of 42 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX20V for Portrait Photography

Sony HX20V for Street Photography

Sony HX20V has a score of 67 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Image Stabilization
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Small Body
No Built-in Viewfinder
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX20V for Street Photography

Sony HX20V for Sports Photography

Sony HX20V has a score of 25 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theHX20V.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Image Stabilization
500 mm Tele Lens
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s

9 Focus Points
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
No Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX20V for Sports Photography

Sony HX20V for Daily Photography

Sony HX20V has a score of 61 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
254g
20X Optical Zoom

Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX20V for Daily Photography

Sony HX20V for Landscape Photography

Sony HX20V has a score of 38 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theHX20V.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Sony HX20V for Landscape Photography

Sony HX20V Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sony HX20V compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of HX20V and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sony HX20V alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sony HX20V

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony HX20V amongst Camera Decision readers.

Sony HX90V

Compare

Sony HX50V

Compare

Sony HX30V

Compare

Sony WX350

Compare

Sony HX10V

Compare

Canon SX260 HS

Compare

Panasonic ZS50

Compare

Sony HX80

Compare

Sony HX20V Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Sony HX20V with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Sony HX20V's price range.

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Panasonic G7

Compare

Fujifilm X-T100

Compare

Fujifilm X-T10

Compare

Olympus E-P5

Compare

Olympus E-M10

Compare

Canon M6

Compare

Fujifilm X-A5

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Sony HX20V

Does the Sony HX20V have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sony HX20V have RAW support?
Does the Sony HX20V have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sony HX20V have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sony HX20V?
What is the Sensor Size of Sony HX20V?
is the Sony HX20V a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sony HX20V have Touch Screen?
Does the Sony HX20V have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony HX20V?

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sony
Model	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V
Announced	2012-07-20
Body Type	Compact
Price	$389.98
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-500 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-5.8
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Technology	XtraFine TruBlack TFT LCD
Screen Size	3″
Screen Resolution	922k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/1600s
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	7.10 m
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	BSI-CMOS
Sensor Size	1/2.3"
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	18 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4896 x 3672
Max Native ISO	12,800
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	254g
Physical Dimensions	107 x 62 x 35mm
Battery Life	320 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NP-BG1
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	BuiltIn
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage Slots	1