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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230

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By Irene Mickaiel, CNET.com.au
Jul 20, 2009

Editors' note:

This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com.au. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia.

Design And Features

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 is an average-sized compact camera measuring 95.2 x 56.5 x 21.8mm and weighing 127g. However, with the 3-inch LCD screen taking up most of the back of the shooter, the control button and mode dial along the right side are much smaller.

In fact, all the buttons were too small. The on/off button, recessed at the top of the W230, and the buttons beside the LCD panel needed a very precise press to get them working. Thankfully, the long capsule-shaped shutter button is of a reasonable size.

The lens trembles out of the snapper's body and it feels flimsy and weak as if it might break easily with just one knock.

The W230 is a 12.1-megapixel camera with a wide-angle lens and 4x optical zoom. The point-and-shoot also gives you the option to output still images in full HD for people who like to display their photos on an HDTV. Unfortunately, video resolution is only at 640 x 480 pixels.

There are quite a few modes to choose from: Auto, High Sensitivity (ISO), Landscape, Easy (more on this later), Smile Shutter, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap (which is like portrait but softens the image), Movie and Program Auto. Those is also SCN, a scene mode that lets you choose between Twilight, Gourmet, Beach, Snow, Fireworks and Underwater. Last but not least is intelligent scene recognition (iSCN) which recognizes objects, faces and lighting conditions, then snaps a photo based on what scene mode will best suit it.

With all the modes to choose from there is also exposure bracketing where the W230 will take three photos, one at the exposure you've chosen and then two more at plus and minus 0.3EV, 0.7EV or 1.0EV. It's a nifty feature for when you're taking a picture in a challenging lighting situation.

The menu setup is a bit convoluted. At times, you have to dip into its murky depths to brighten the flash or turn on image stabilization. What would normally take only two button presses to delete an image, Sony has made it three presses. Perhaps this is to ensure that no images are accidentally deleted.

Easy mode is great for people who want to snap away without having to think about camera settings. The only choice given to users is to decide whether they want to use the flash and file sizes.



Tags: Optical Zoom, Mode, Image, Sony Corp., Camera
 
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