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  • BLOG

Sony S980 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Sony S980

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    Main Features

    • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
    • ISO 80 - 3200
    • 33-132 mm F3.3-5.2 Zoom Lens
    • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
    • 1.0fps continuous shooting
    • 167g. 93 x 56 x 24 mm
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Sony S980 Overview

    Launched in February 2009 , Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 is a 12.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and 4.0x zoom 33-132 mm F3.3-5.2 lens.

    Sony S980 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Video
    8. Other Features
    9. Lens
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Sony S980 is a member of Sony's Small Sensor Compact class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

    Sony Small Sensor Compact Series History
    Model Release Date Sensor Max FPS Dimensions Weight
    Sony W800
    Compare
    2014 20.0MP - 1/2.3-inch 1.0 fps 97 x 55 x 21mm 125g
    Sony WX80
    Compare
    2013 16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch 10.0 fps 92 x 52 x 22mm 124g
    Sony W730
    Compare
    2013 16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch 1.0 fps 93 x 52 x 22mm 122g
    Sony W710
    Compare
    2013 16.0MP - 1/2.3-inch 1.0 fps 97 x 55 x 20mm 114g
    Sony WX150
    Compare
    2012 18.0MP - 1/2.3-inch 10.0 fps 95 x 56 x 22mm 133g

    Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side-by-side:
    Sony W800 vs WX80 vs W730 vs W710 vs WX150


    **This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Sony S980 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Sony S980 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    167g Light Body
    12 MB Internal Storage
    Report a correction

    Buy Sony S980 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Image Stabilization
    No Articulating Screen
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Full HD Video
    No Touch Screen
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW Shooting
    No Face Detection Focusing
    Low Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
    Max Sensitivity only ISO 3.200
    Only 9 Focus Points
    Small LCD Screen ( 2.70")
    Low Screen Resolution ( 230.4kdots )
    1/1600s Low Max Shutter Speed
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
    No Manual Focusing
    No Manual Exposure
    No Environmental Sealing
    33 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.30
    Slow Lens at Tele: f5.20

    Report a correction


    Sony S980 Physical Specs
    Sony S980 weighs 167 g (0.37 lb / 5.89 oz) and has external dimensions of 93 x 56 x 24 mm (3.66 x 2.2 x 0.94″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, its weight is about average in its class. On the other hand, with a thickness of only 24mm, it is quite small, 4mm thinner than the average of its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Sony S980
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Sony S980
    Min
    Average
    Max


    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony S980, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Sony S980 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Sony S980 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery



    Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Sony S980 with its main competitors:

    Sony S980 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs S980 Thickness vs S980
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Fujifilm Z1000EXR
    Compare
    157g 10g lighter 18mm 6mm thinner
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Samsung Galaxy Camera 2
    Compare
    283g 116g heavier 19mm 5mm thinner
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Nikon S100
    Compare
    175g 8g heavier 18mm 6mm thinner
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Fujifilm X-A2
    Compare
    350g 183g heavier 40mm 16mm thicker
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Panasonic ZS70
    Compare
    322g 155g heavier 41mm 17mm thicker
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Casio EX-G1
    Compare
    154g 13g lighter 20mm 4mm thinner
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Nikon P610
    Compare
    565g 398g heavier 107mm 83mm thicker
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Fujifilm X30
    Compare
    423g 256g heavier 60mm 36mm thicker

    Weather Sealing

    Sony S980 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 S980 Lens

    Sony S980 features a 33-132 mm F3.3-5.2 4× zoom lens. With a focal length of only 33mm on the wide end, it offers very limited wide angle capability . However, 132mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    S980
    Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    S980
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.30 at 33mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end and neither at tele end with its f5.20.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    S980
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    S980
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average

    Sony S980's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

    Sony S980 Sensor and Photography Features

    Sony S980 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. S980 has a native ISO range of 80 - 3200 but unfortunately, Sony S980 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 (Lumix DMC-LX15) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 in the same price range.

    Sony S980 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Canon SX740 HS with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony S980 vs Canon SX740 HS or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Sony S980's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Sony S980 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Sony S980 Sensor Size with other standard sensors



    Sony S980 LCD

    Sony S980 has a Fixed Type 2.70-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.70", the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.



    Unfortunately Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.


    S980 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 Canon PowerShot G5 X (Compare) or Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II (Compare).
    Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

    Sony S980 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    You can connect S980 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Sony S980 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Fujifilm Z1000EXR
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 220shots Yes No No
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Samsung Galaxy Camera 2
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 400shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Nikon S100
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 150shots No No No
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Fujifilm X-A2
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 410shots Yes No No
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Panasonic ZS70
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 380shots Yes No No
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Casio EX-G1
    Compare
    640 x 480 shots No No No
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Nikon P610
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 330shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Camera Fujifilm X30
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 470shots Yes No No

    Sony S980 Video Features

    With Sony S980, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30 fps and save in and Motion JPEG formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

    Video Resolutions Comparison Chart



    Microphones, Speaker and Headphone Connections

    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 has a built-in Mono microphone but no speaker. On the other hand, Sony S980 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 Nikon Coolpix P7100 in a similar price range.

    Also read:

    • Best Compact Cameras with Microphone Port
    • Best Compact Cameras with Headphone Port

    If you are getting into videography and want to know what are the must-have video accessories for your camera, read our article:
    Essential Videography / Filmmaking Accessories for your Camera

    Sony S980 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Sony S980 can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1600 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately S980 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Sony S980 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.



    What type of Photography is Sony S980 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Sony S980 in 5 different photography areas.

    Sony S980 for Portrait Photography

    Sony S980 has a score of 16 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS980.
    Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
    No Image Stabilization
    No RAW shooting capability
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

    Read the details of how we scored Sony S980 for Portrait Photography

    Sony S980 for Street Photography

    Sony S980 has a score of 36 for Street Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Street We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS980.
    Live-view
    Small Body
    33 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Image Stabilization
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Sony S980 for Street Photography

    Sony S980 for Sports Photography

    Sony S980 has a score of 17 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 theS980.
    132 mm Tele Lens
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
    Environmental Sealings
    Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
    9 Focus Points
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Image Stabilization
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Sony S980 for Sports Photography

    Sony S980 for Daily Photography

    Sony S980 has a score of 46 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Compact Body
    167g
    4.0X 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 S980 for Daily Photography

    Sony S980 for Landscape Photography

    Sony S980 has a score of 19 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 theS980.
    33 mm - Not so Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    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 S980 for Landscape Photography
    Sony S980 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Sony S980 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Sony S980 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Sony S980

    Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Sony S980 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Fujifilm Z1000EXR
    Fujifilm Z1000EXR
    Compare
    Samsung Galaxy Camera 2
    Samsung Galaxy Camera 2
    Compare
    Nikon S100
    Nikon S100
    Compare
    Fujifilm X-A2
    Fujifilm X-A2
    Compare
    Panasonic ZS70
    Panasonic ZS70
    Compare
    Casio EX-G1
    Casio EX-G1
    Compare
    Nikon P610
    Nikon P610
    Compare
    Fujifilm X30
    Fujifilm X30
    Compare

    Sony S980 Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Sony S980 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Sony S980's price range.

    Sony S980 Conclusion and Scores

    Currently, Sony S980 has an Overall Score of 31/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 is ranked #462 out of 631 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #1095 out of 1268 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

    #1095 out of 1268 in Top Ranking Cameras
    #462 out of 631 in Top Ranking Compact Cameras
    #165 out of 262 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Compact Cameras
    #578 out of 740 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Sensor Cameras
    #272 out of 536 in Lightest Compact Cameras with Small Sensor sensor(167g)
    #772 out of 919 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
    Geek Score: 0

    Sony S980
    Sony S980
    CHECK PRICE

    CHECK PRICE

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Sony S980
    Does the Sony S980 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Sony S980 have RAW support?
    Does the Sony S980 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Sony S980 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Sony S980?
    What is the Sensor Size of Sony S980?
    is the Sony S980 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Sony S980 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Sony S980 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony S980?
    What is the Weight of Sony S980?
    What are the Dimensions of Sony S980?
    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Sony
    Model Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980
    Announced 2009-02-17
    Body Type Compact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 33-132 mm (4×)
    Max Aperture F3.3-5.2
    Macro Focus Range 10cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Size 2.70"
    Screen Resolution 230k 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 2s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/1600s
    Max Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation n/a
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 3.50 m
    Flash Modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, 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 CCD
    Sensor Size 1/2.3-inch
    Sensor Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm
    Sensor Area 28.07mm2
    Sensor Resolution 12 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 4000 x 3000
    Max Native ISO 3,200
    Min Native ISO 80
    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 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720
    Video Formats Motion JPEG
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity None
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 167g
    Physical Dimensions 93 x 56 x 24mm
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, Internal
    Storage Slots 1


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