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-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from CNET Asia. --------------------------------------------------------------
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How to select a Sony Cyber-shot camera
By Leonard Goh
12/02/2009 URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39001469,62043652,00.htm  The first Cyber-shot: DSC-F1. "Cyber" means digital, and the "shot" stands for photography. Put it together and it aptly represents a family of devices meant for digital image capturing. To Sony, Cyber-shot is and will continue to be an important lineup in the company's gadget profile. For a relatively young camera manufacturer, this series has already garnered its share of followers with its sleek style and respectable performance.  The Cyber-shot DSC-F505K. Each lineup has its pros and cons with a different target audience in mind. It can be baffling to flip through catalogs so we split them up for your reference. Click on the images to find out more about the series.
Click on the brand names to find out more about their cameras.
The S-series Sony told us the S-series in the Cybershot lineup consists of "all-round cameras" that meet the basic demands of its customer. We think this translates to non-fussy consumers who just want something that snaps and captures a picture. Also, this series doesn't have Carl Zeiss optics or fancy features like Smile Shutter. But Sony has recently incorporated face detection into the latest S-series shooter. The affordable price tag is its selling point. Price range: S$249 to S$299 In this series
DSC-S950 Although this shooter doesn't ooze style and class like its siblings in the T- and W-series, it still scores in the design department. The brushed-metal casing is a nice touch, but it doesn't pack any fancy features. An upgraded version of its predecessor, the S950 will come with 4x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch LCD. Other related models: DSC-S780 and DSC-S750 The T-series It is not just glam and fashion for the T-series. For Sony, this lineup is to allow the company to display its stylish and chic designs. Underlying the exterior is the latest technology in digital imaging such as a full touchscreen-operated system, HD video-recording function and gigabytes of onboard memory which do away with external storage media. It is targeted at the fashionable, fun-loving crowd who do not want to compromise on the functionalities of a good-looking shooter. Price range: S$399 to S$699 In this series
DSC-T700 The T700 melds some of the best features of the Cyber-shot cameras. Not only does it have a 3.5-inch touchscreen, it offers 4GB of internal memory, too. This is reminiscent of the T2 which has similar hardware except that the T700 looks a lot more stylish. The slide-down lens cover is a trademark of the T-series camera and the design of the lens elements helps slim down the shooter significantly. Other related models: DSC-T300, DSC-T200 and DSC-T100 
DSC-T500 It's easy to confuse the T500 with the T700 because not only do they both have almost similar names, the design for the two snappers looks pretty much the same. What separates the T500 from its siblings would be its HD video capture and stereo-audio recording capability. This should appeal to shutterbugs looking to record more videos with their point-and-shoot. 
This double-digit shooter can be seen as the epitome of style in the Cyber-shot lineup. The T77 is possibly the slimmest point-and-shoot on the market now and it manages to squeeze in a 3-inch touchscreen. This series of cameras is generally more affordable than the company's three-digit lineup (T500 and T700). If you are looking for a cheaper point-and-shoot with touchscreen function, the T77 and its predecessors should satisfy. Other related models: DSC-T77 and DSC-T20 
DSC-T2 Although the single-digit T-series has been around the longest, its latest baby is a far cry from what was first introduced. The T2 not only features a touchscreen, the onboard 4GB memory sweetens the deal. If that is not enough, you can further expand the storage with a flash card. There are five shades to choose from, keeping all ye colorful shutterbugs happy. The G-series Sony's G-series began with the Wi-Fi-enabled Cyber-shot DSC-G1 in 2007. At that time, the wireless connectivity option offered by this shooter was unlike most other cameras on the market. That said, the G1 was met with lukewarm response and we thought Sony had canned this series. Well, we were wrong, because its successor, the Cyber-shot DSC-G3, made its debut earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Sony told us the G-series is positioned differently from its other point-and-shoots because of its wireless capability. It is targeted at shutterbugs who are more tech-savvy and looking to upload to the Web with their snappers. Price range: Unavailable In this series
DSC-G3 The G3 is probably the only camera with a full-fledged HTML Web browser. The 3.5mm screen is handy for surfing the Internet, and there is also security encryption should you need to enter sensitive information such as credit card details. Although the G3 is retailing in the US now, Sony told us it won't be available in Asia until further notice. Check with your local stores to find out if the camera is on sale in your country. Other related model: DSC-G1 The W-series Sony calls this lineup the closest it has to offer for a conventional camera. We think it does more than that with precise Carl Zeiss lens, and a suite of features (like full manual exposure) that defines its performance from other shooters in its class. As usual, the design department worked their magic and churned out masculine-looking point-and-shoots in a stylish, retro form that edge out the competition. Price range: S$349 to S$799 In this series
DSC-W300 This shooter challenged the megapixel limit and squeezed in 13.6 megapixels into a form petite enough to slip into a pocket. Despite its size, the slews of features are enough to put this point-and-shoot into a professional photographer's bag of arsenal. Other related models: DSC-W170, DSC-W150, DSC-W130, DSC-W120, DSC-W110 The H-series It's easy to be intimidated by shooters from the H-series and difficult to classify it as a point-and-shoot. The extensive controls are an appeal to semi-professional shutterbugs whom Sony is targeting with this lineup. Long zoom range is a characteristic of the H-series, and we think travelers will like it. The relatively compact size with power-packed features mean you won't have to lug around different lenses or a heavy camera body on vacation. Price range: S$549 to S$799 In this series
DSC-H50 Without dispute, the DSC-H50 is the most powerful shooter in the Cyber-shot lineup. The 15x optical zoom lens gives this shooter the most reach and it is shipped with a slew of features like face detection, intelligent scene recognition and even an infrared night mode for snapping in total darkness. Recent models: DSC-H10 |
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