1. 12.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
2. 5x optical zoom, 28mm wide-angle Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
3. 720p high-definition movie capture; BIONZ image processor
4. 3.0-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD; Face Detection and Smile Shutter technology
5. 11MB built-in memory; capture images to Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo Media (not included)

Editorial Review :

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 camera combines style with power and intelligence. The W290 comes in 4 sophisticated colors and has a stylish look. With the W290 taking great pictures is now easier than ever. The iAuto mode goes beyond the traditional auto mode, thinking and working for you; recognizing scenes, lighting conditions, faces, and automatically adjusts camera settings resulting in clearer images, and faces with more natural skin tones and less blur. The W290 also features HD Movie mode, recording in 720p for capturing your precious moments on video. Compose, review, and share your memories on the large 3.0” (230k pixels) LCD.

Customer Review :

Disappointing

I bought this more expensive camera hoping its quality would be better then the canon I tried about a week or two before but it ends up actually being worse. Pixelation occurs on almost all pictures on the LCD and when you upload it to your computer. My much older casio (6mp from around 2004) still took better pictures then this camera. It also doesn't take what I thought was a standard memory card size

Rating :

Good, but not great

Bought this camera a few months ago to replace a 4 year old Canon Elph. I'm generally happy with it considering the price, and C-Net gave it very good reviews. Had I known about it I would have bought the DSC-H20/B 10.1 instead, because this camera really isn't that much smaller.

+Price to feature ratio is the best out there
+Smile Detection works better than any other camera I've seen. This has been a great feature for capturing my camera shy toddler.
+Picture quality is pretty high.
+Video quality is pretty high, and I don't mind not being able to zoom.

-Auto focus is an absolute must. I could just snap with my old elph and the quality would still be pretty good. With this camera you have to use the focus.
-Picture button is really annoying. It's pretty hard to focus without accidentally snapping a pic. The button itself is too small. I thought I could live with it, but it's pretty annoying.
-Zoom button is a bit of a pain as well. It's on the back of the camera as opposed to near the snap button like on other cameras.
-Can't zoom on video. I knew this when I bought, but I don't use the video feature very much.
-Pretty bulky camera. Atleast 30% bigger than my old elph.

Generally the picture quality is good, but the ease of use is poor. I think sony just wanted to be the first to get HD video in a point & shoot camera of this class, and released it quickly without working out the kinks. Unfortunately this happened at the time when I desperately needed a new camera. I'm happy with the picture and video quality, but now that this camera has a lot of competition, I would not buy it again.

Rating :

Bad customer service outweighs everything else

Beware, if you like this camera buy it only if you believe you will never have to get anything fixed. Sony's customer service/relations is surprisingly terrible. I sent a product in for a superficial fix (at sony's request as part of a recall), I got it back with the lens not working. Understandable, it happens. But sony refused to fix it unless I paid for it or produced my proof of purchase to show it was still under warranty. After 3 hours speaking to various people over the course of two weeks (so it was not just one random person, but seems to be policy), Sony insisted that they would not fix the camera, they basically said 'the camera has a problem and we don't fix anything for free without a proof of purchase, regardless of circumstances'. Blew me away, they would not consider that they could have been at fault, that I would not have sent camera in unless they had asked me to in the first place. Customer relations and marketing have to get together and talk, marketing is spending millions to get me to buy all sorts of high margin products (playstation, flat screens, audio equipment, video cameras, etc) and customer service blows it all away over a fifty dollar fix.

Rating :

excellent

This is my first camera and really have much expectation about making a good investment. And what can I say, I am very happy that I had chosen this camera, its image quality is very good and if you use the 12-megapixel photos will have an excellent presentation on the details, the video is very good can see very clearly and sharpness. I can only say THANK YOU SONY!!

Rating :

Great camera. Love it

Bought this for my girlfriend, and now wish I had one. Great point and shoot camera

Rating :

More reviews...

1. 10.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
2. 10x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
3. 720p high-definition movie capture; BIONZ image processor
4. 3.0-inch (230K pixels) LCD; Face Detection and Smile Shutter technology
5. 11MB built-in memory; capture images to Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo Media (not included)

Editorial Review :

The Sony DSC-H20 is a full-featured point-and-shoot with outstanding high-power zoom capability and fast shutter speed. It includes Smile Shutter technology which captures smiles the moment they happen, as well as Face Detection technology to optimize focus, exposure and color for up to eight faces. Capture detailed images with 10 megapixel resolution, and get in close to the action with the 10x optical zoom Carl Zeiss lens. Intelligent Scene Recognition helps you avoid failure picture, while Sony’s Double Anti-Blur solution (Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization plus High ISO) helps keep your images blur-free. The DSC-H20 completes the package with a 3.0-Inch Clear Photo LCD Plus Display that lets you easily view your images and menu options. Supplied accessories include a rechargeable battery (NP-BG1), a battery charger (BC-CSGB), a multi-connector cable, a lens cap and the CD-ROM software. Memory sticks are only optional.

Customer Review :

Sony is superb!

My first digital camera was a Sony Mavica (MVC-FD73) --remember? The one that recorded to 3.5" disks. I loved that camera but became unhappy with the low resolution. My second digital was an HP. I was unhappy with that one because it had such a slow response time. Not a good feature when you're trying to capture pics of active grandkids -- also, I missed the 10x zoom of the Mavica. I read all the reviews of high zoom cameras and decided to go with the Sony Cyber-Shot. My good experience with the Mavica was the deciding factor in purchasing the Cyber-Shot. I have not been disappointed. The camera is easy to use, takes excellent pictures, has an almost indetectable click-to-record delay, and has many other good features. I was very impressed by the clarity and color of the pictures. I also like the feature that allows you to select the resolution from the 480x640 size to a 10 Megapixel file. With a 4 GB memory stick, there's room for hundreds of 10 Meg images or thousands of lesser-sized images. The camera also takes videos and with a 4 GB stick will record for several minutes. The ease with which I was able to show the pictures and videos on my TV was impressive. Transfer to a computer is equally simple. I have had the camera for about a month and am still learning about some of its features. I am very pleased with my purchase.

Rating :

Value for the money you spend

Value for the money you spend

- Nice picture quality
- Low on features
- Takes longer time for some actions (example deleting image, switching on the camera takes abt 15 seconds )
- Overall much better than any other Sony Cybershot camera.

I had Kodak. It was way better than Sony. Not sure why I gave up KodakZ712 for Cybershot. :)

Rating :

Excellent for tne novice

This is a camera I purchased for my wife who has problems with setting the camera to the proper shot mode. Put this camera in auto and she's ready to go. All of her shots turned out great. She lost the blury pictures and the dark figures with the bright background. Easy to off load pictures so she can do that herself now. It is bigger than her last sony but she claims this is easier for her to hold steady and the hand hold makes that possible. As far as battery life goes we are getting approxmittly 150 to 175 pictures per battery. However these are batteries she had from her last camera. Overall we are happy with this purchase.

Rating :

Great Camera!

I was very nervous about buying a new camera that was this much money, but I am very glad I did! I had an old Sony Cybershot, and wanted an update.

My main thing I was looking for was a Sony camera that zoomed in while filming, and this is the cheapest one I could find. Although I haven't had the chance to do much filming with it, I am very happy with it so far! I took it to my little brother's basketball game and got some amazing photos! I couldn't believe the clarity, and they weren't blurry! I also love how far it zooms in. I got some awesome shots of some bald eagles and they were across a field! I am looking forward to taking this to concerts with me and trying it out.

Although this camera is a little more bulkier than I'm used to, it's definitely not as big as I was expecting. If you're questioning whether this is a good camera for you, I recommend going to Best Buy and looking at it in person. But be sure to buy it from Amazon, it's cheaper and the free shipping was SUPER fast!

Rating :

much improved from the h5

this is my 3rd sony digital camera and each one has improved from the previous model. the sony h20 has intelligent auto which knows what type of picture you want to take and sets itself accordingly. compared to the h5, i lose 2x in zoom (10 vs 12), but the size is cut in half. i thought it would make a great backup to the h5. it looks like the h5 is the backup to my h20. i will write more when i return from new zealand and australia and let you know how the h20 faired.

Rating :

More reviews...

1. 26mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 4x optical zoom
2. 14.1-megapixel CCD sensor and 3.0-inch LCD screen (230k pixels)
3. SteadyShot Image Stabilization reduces blur; iAuto mode automatically optimizes camera settings
4. Smile Shutter technology automatically captures a smile
5. Card slot for optional Memory Stick Duo media and SD media

Editorial Review :

The DSC-W330 captures amazingly detailed images with a Carl Zeiss 26mm equivalent wide angle 4x zoom lens. Taking and reviewing images is made easy with a large 3.0” LCD and advanced features including Easy mode, iAuto and SteadyShot™ make it easy to capture great images in various conditions.

Customer Review :

Great Camera

Cant beat it for the money. Nice big display. Easy to use. Takes great pictures.

Rating :

Great Camera!

I just got this camera to replace my Canon Powershot SD1000. I love the fact that I'm able to crop and trim pictures in the camera. I coudn't do that with the Canon. It has a big screen and it's very light. Love it!!!

Rating :

Perfect for the price.

I purchased this camera as a gift for my younger sibling and was shocked at how well it performed from a beginner's point of view. I was pleasantly surprised to see the camera recorded video (albeit SD) since there was no mention of it on Amazon or Sony Style. I have the Sony DSC-HX5V 10.2MP CMOS Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle Zoom with Optical Steady Shot Image Stabilization and 3.0 inch LCD on pre-order for myself and can't imagine how impressive the image quality will be since I don't see a point and shoot getting much better than this Sony DSC-W330 from a technical standpoint.

Rating :

1. "Exmor R" CMOS sensor for stunning low-light performance
2. iSweep Panorama Mode captures stunning panoramic images
3. Fast capture with 10fps at full 10.2-megapixel resolution
4. 10x optical zoom Sony G-Lens with 25mm wide angle; 1080i AVCHD Movie records high-quality HD movies
5. Recording Media : 45MB internal Flash Memory, optional Memory Stick Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed), optional Memory Stick PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC media

Editorial Review :

Capture stunning low-light images and sweeping panoramic views with the DSC-HX5V featuring an “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images. featuring an “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images.

Customer Review :

Awesome features! Excellent results!

This has loads of useful features and takes good looking photos.
GPS + compass lets you see where you were and what direction you were pointing when taking photos. Works with the supplied photo browser software and others like Picasa 3. Only problem with GPS is that after you power on the camera some of you photos will be tagged with the previous location while the GPS tries to update the location. GPS can be as quick as 15 seconds, but depends on cloud coverage, the number of surrounding buildings, etc.

Some of the other features I've found useful after only a few days.
HDR mode - combines 2 back-to-back images and merges them giving you more dynamic range in the photo.
Anti blur mode - merges 6 shots into 1 to help eliminate motion blur.
Panorama stitch - great for cityscape/scenery. (Only works on the wide angle lens, no zooming allowed)
25mm lens - great for indoor shots with lots of people.
Face detection - easy to focus on people, smile detector makes capturing good shots automatic and helps when trying to take self portraits.
1080i AVCHD capture. (Yes, you can zoom while taking video)
SDHC/SD/Memory stick compatible, takes either of those memory cards.(Finally Sony!!)

As far as the camera body goes, it is pocket-able. The lens does stick out a bit, too bad they couldn't have made it flush with the body.
Stereo microphone, unfortunately the placement of the microphone may be problematic if you hold the camera with 2 hands, holding with one hand is no problem.
Flash is tiny, and I've covered it up a few times.

For next generation of this product, I would hope they improve the GPS feature, make it quicker, give more feedback about the last GPS position that was locked and how old the location data is. Also the screen is hard to see at an angle, so trying to take shots above you head is difficult.

I don't have many gripes so far. I'm liking this camera


Rating :

Every Feature You Ever Wanted and Compact

I'm normally a digital SLR user, but I've been waiting for a camera like this to come out so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera were:

1. AVCHD 1080i FULL QUALITY video. Check the bitrate -- it's the same as the camcorders. Better than the flip or handheld 'HD' bitrates
2. Wide Picture Stitching. I am astounded by the quality of these pictures. Dumbfounded. Will post some soon.
3. GPS Tagging. Yep- been waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature into its software.
4. Low-light performance. For a point-and-shoot, you're not going to beat this. Sure, it's no DSLR, but it's pretty great for the price.
5. Price- a zillion features and a totally reasonable price!!!

Mac Compatibility:
I tried out the camera with iMovie, and it worked seamlessly!!! I imported 2 minutes of low-light video footage AVCHD in about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class-6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked great.

I'm going to do some more shooting tomorrow and will update this soon!

Rating :

Point & Shoot of the Year

I have waited to long for a camera with GPS and this camera has it all. It takes great pictures indoors and outdoors and night and day pictures. The video is amazing no need for a camcorder anymore video is in AVCHD on the Apple Mac you can open and edit in iMovie while pictures open in iPhoto or Aperture also if U put the video mode in MP4 mode you can open the videos in iPhoto and post on You Tube. It comes with software that is mostly windows only cause windows doesn't come with good software out of the box like the Apple Mac does. There is one software feature that is Windows only that I wished they made for the Mac version and that is the GPS assist but if U have windows machine available to you then hook it up and click on GPS assist update and that last for 30 days so once a month but if U don't don't worry the GPS locks pretty fast with out that assist like within a minute or so. Also on the supplied disc there is a handbook and on the Mac there is also music uploading software so you can play music while playing a slideshow on the camera while hooked up to a HDTV looks and sounds amazing when hooked up to a HDTV. I do recommend a spare battery as battery life is descent around 120 pictures it is a small battery. I also am using a SDHC card in it glad Sony added that capability to this years cyber-shots. Well if you are looking for a great camera that does video and GPS and great zoom then you found it.

Rating :

Nice

I'm comparing this camera to my most recent camera: Canon SD1000 and Sony TX1. I'm just a casual photographer. The most surprising thing about this camera is the weight. If you've owned some high end Sony or Canon PowerShot cameras then holding this camera doesn't "feel" normal, it's way too light for it's size...but that's a good thing....sort of. They achieve this weight reduction by using plastic for many of the body parts (the SD1000 and TX1 are mostly, if not all metal). The back is definitely plastic, I'm not quite sure about the front. The mode dial (although very welcome) feels cheap.

That's about it for the bad news. The good news is the GPS locks FAST out of the box and the picture quality is very good, on par with 10-12 mega-pixel cameras. The Sony "extra" features such as panorama and 1080 HD video work as advertised and add value to the Sony versus the only current competitor (with GPS and a mega-zoom) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 which has not been released yet. You can compare images between the two cameras on the Imaging Resource site as well as some others.

I'm was going to purchase both this camera and the Panasonic to see which one I liked better, however I'm going to be keeping the Sony. I'm very happy with the ease of use, picture quality and the Sony extra features (such as panorama).

For a case, I'm using the Case Logic TBC302. It fits the camera perfectly with barely enough room in the front pocket to hold a spare battery. The Case Logic TBC303 is much larger but not too useful, for example you can't put the battery charger with the camera. It could hold some credit cards or papers, though.

Update: Software
I usually never install the included software because it's so bloated or just not very good to use. However, the Sony PMB (which is on a CDROM or on the internal camera memory when plugged into your computer) is VERY good. Good in that it's not bloated and it just works. You can do everything you expect such as organize and edit your photos or even update/assign GPS data. Also you can download updated GPS data (which helps the camera lock to GPS faster). I would dare say the software is nicer than Picasa or iPhoto due to the speed and built in GPS features. Some other things you can do but I have not tried yet: you can burn a video DVD (either a normal DVD or a AVCHD DVD with 1080i quality, but you need a PS3 or compatible player to watch those).

Update: GPS
I'm happy to report the GPS function works very well. I took a drive while snapping pictures as a test and then examined the recorded locations. The location was being actively updated because it was able to differentiate my position between shots taken seconds apart going about 40 MPH. Very pleased.

Rating :

The Ultimate Hiking Camera

I've been waiting a long time for someone to develop this camera and Sony finally did it.

Pros: GPS, Compass, Picture Quality, AVCHD (1080i), Weight, Shutter Speed
Cons:
No GPS Coordinates on screen, just simple indication of GPS Lock
Compass Bearing hard to decipher, just simple compass needle

This camera is a winner, no it won't replace your GPS or your DSLR (ok honestly it may replace my DSLR, the image quality is fantastic!), but for what I wanted which is a way to record life from the hiking trail this is the camera to buy.

I run secretfalls dot com and I love to be out in the woods hiking, but lugging the DSLR, Camcorder and the GPS, then trying to Geocode after the trip was just time consuming and bulky. I really wanted a small, light weight camera that would geo tag and shoot high quality video and the Sony DSC-HX5V is it. I think the still image quality is as good as my Nikon DSLR, the video quality is not as high as my Sony Camcorder but is more than excellent for the web footage I shoot.

The GPS once it has a lock appears very accurate, although it would be nice to have a screen to show actual coordinates to compare to my Garmin. You can turn on the camera and shoot a picture in 2-3 seconds which is much better than my previous Nikon.

I ran through a couple of the shots I made looking at actual EXIF data for the GPS latitude and longitude, it looks to be accurate to around 15-20 feet when I have 3 satellite lock. My Garmin GPS 60CSx is my gold standard and it can typically get me to within 5 feet. The Sony apparently only locks onto 3 satellites and updates at 15 second intervals (I'm sure to save battery). I'm not complaining this is excellent for my use.

Rating :

1. 26mm equivalent Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 4x optical zoom
2. Capture breathtaking images in Sweep Panorama Mode
3. 14.1-megapixel resolution; 2.7-inch LCD screen for easy viewing
4. Capture your videos in HD Movie mode (720p); Optical SteadyShot image stabilization reduces blur
5. Accepts Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo (not included)

Editorial Review :

The DSC-W350 captures images with amazing detail with its Carl Zeiss 26mm wide angle 4x zoom lens. Take breathtaking panoramas in Sweep panorama mode and review them on a 2.7” LCD. Record 720p high definition movies while Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization, iAuto and Face Motion Detection makes taking great images in various conditions easy.

Customer Review :

Very good compact point and shoot

I was looking for a small camera to keep with me when I didn't want to lug my big and heavy pro grade DSLR, and I'm finding the Sony generally works out for me pretty well. It's easy-to-use and relatively high performance for a compact point and shoot camera, and it's capable of producing good images under a wide range of conditions when used properly.

I usually start my camera shopping by paying close attention to the lens, and the Sony comes with a Carl-Zeiss 4x zoom, biased towards the wide-angle end of the spectrum. I generally favor less zoom range if it means getting a higher quality picture, and this is exactly the approach Sony implements. Yes, you can get 5x - even 10x - zooms in camera like these, but in my experience, the sacrifice in image quality isn't worth it. Sony's 4x tends to mean I get pretty solid lens performance in a useful zoom range. To be clear, any DSLR with a good quality lens will beat the pants off the small lens on this sort of compact camera, but that's the nature of the beast...besides, if I'm doing something where absolute best performance is a requirement, I'm carrying my heavy-duty DSLR and lenses that cost ten times what this Sony does - that's not the mission I have in mind for the Sony anyway.

The 14.1MP sensor seems to be high quality, so long as you're using the camera in well and evenly lit conditions. Where the camera struggles somewhat is low light (high ISO), or when there is substantial dynamic range (difference between brightest and darkest parts of an image). Under good conditions - bright and evenly lit - the sensor provides excellent detail, certainly way more than adequate for email, web sites or prints up to maybe A3 (13x19 inch) size. Still, under more challenging lighting, the Sony may be a bit disappointing...where a large DSLR can capture details in highlights and shadow, the Sony tends to blow out the highlights or will transform shadows into a sea of black. Again, this is really normal for cameras with small image sensors - the Sony's performance is very good indeed considering the small form factor and product price point.

The camera's built-in software is also very good, helping to capture lots of detail even as images are compressed to manageable sized JPG files. In Photoshop, I compared a Sony-compressed image to a similar image taken by a pro grade DSLR, and there are few if any differences due to the image processing. Noise reduction and sharpening is handled well, and there are few digital artifacts visible. This is really the best performance I've seen for a camera in this price range.

In terms of construction quality, the camera is solid and seems to be well built. Most of the controls are easy to use, and you don't get the sense of "fighting" against it. The 2.7" LCD display is sharp and easy to use, although it can be a bit difficult in bright sunlight or for those like me with aging eyes that struggle with small text on the screen. Performance is generally quick, and you're not waiting for the camera to figure out what to do next. The camera is small, and one thing that helps me is Sony's well-designed image stabilization feature. I tend to have a hard time holding small cameras steady, and image stabilization helps me get sharp photos in most conditions.

Sony adds a number of cool features, such as Sweep Panorama, that allows you to take multiple pictures of a scene, and then have them "stitched" together in the camera for a wide panorama view. I have similar software in Photoshop to do this, but it's cool to see it implemented right in the camera. Sony also provides a workable HDR (High Dynamic Range) capability in the camera, giving you a way to handle certain otherwise difficult scenes. Both of these features make up for camera limitations, such as low dynamic range capabilities of small sensors and the limited zoom range. Sony also makes it easy to upload photos and videos to popular sharing sites, saving you a few steps from doing this on the computer.

The camera can also record HD (720p) video clips up to half an hour long. I rarely use this feature, so other than to say it works, I'll leave that one to other reviewers.

I considered several other choices from Nikon, Canon, Pentax and even the new Leica X1. I like Nikon because the software and menus are the same as my DSLR (also a Nikon). Canon seemed to produce slightly better image quality. I've owned several Pentax point-and-shoot digital cameras and found them rugged and long lasting. And of course, the Leica is in a class by itself in terms of quality. Still, while all of these competitors offered unique advantages, the overall package of price and performance seemed to be best with the Sony - at least today.

Overall, considering the price, I'm happy with the Sony DSC-W350 and would recommend it to anyone wanting a low-cost, easy to use digital camera that gives good quality images under a wide variety of conditions.


Rating :

Excellent piece ....

I bought this camera recently as I found my old one not upto the mark from sony itself. This camera is really amazing with its features, image qualities under various conditions and pricing. I will vote 10/10 for this awesome item from Sony.

Rating :

Better than my DSC 200

This is better then the DSC W200 i currently own which I bought at about the same price. Pictures are better. No blur. Faster recovery after every shot. The panoramic option is a premium.

Rating :

Pleasantly surprised

Took a chance on this camera as it was just released by SONY and no reviews were available. But I really like this camera. The pictures are sharp. Color reproduction and exposure is accurate and all of this is done automatically. This camera has 14 mega pixels but I shoot with an aspect ratio of 16 X 9 which uses 10.5 mega pixels. The camera has a panorama feature that with a little practice takes cool panoramas that could definitely come in handy for some landscape shots. This camera has a 26mm wide angle lens with 4X zoom. I love the wide angle which works beautifully with the 16 X 9 aspect ratio. Indoor low light performance has been very good. In bright rooms with the camera on auto flash it often chose not to flash and still the pictures were very good. My other cameras always flash indoors no matter how brightly lit the room was. Indoor shots without a flash create more natural colors. Of course this is probably only possible due to the really good anti shake technology built into the camera. The camera can also shoot hi def movies but I haven't taken any movies yet. One other thing that I like is that this camera can easily fit into any pocket. It is slim and light.

Rating :