Product Description

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 is W-Series opening price point camera, and combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with a host of advanced features in a sophisticated, compact body. A 12.1 megapixel image sensor and Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens offer crisp, clear images at high resolution. Intelligent Scene Recognition automatically detects scene conditions and adjust for best camera settings. Face Detection capture faces with natural skin tones, while Smile Shutter technology capture a smile the moment it happens. In addition, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization helps prevent blur without affecting image quality, and HDTV compatibility offers a great way to view and share photos in high definition.The DSC-W230 offers a step up in features and capabilities from the Cyber-shot S-Series models, with a professional-quality lens, optical image stabilization, and a powerful BIONZ image processor that allows for advanced Face Detection, Smile Shutter technology, Dynamic Range Optimizer, and Intelligence Scene Recognition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #251 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Silver
• Brand: Sony
• Model: DSC-W230
• Dimensions: 7.40" h x 2.10" w x 6.60" l, 1.10 pounds
• Display size: 3
• Included Software: Yes

Features

• 12.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
• 4x optical zoom, 30mm wide-angle Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
• 3.0-inch LCD display; Face Detection and Smile Shutter technology
• MPEG Movie VX Fine Mode
• 15MB built-in memory; capture images to Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo Media (not included)

From the Manufacturer

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with advanced features in a sophisticated, compact design. Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) can recognize five different scene conditions and automatically adjust camera settings, and Face Detection technology detects up to eight faces and captures them naturally. In addition, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization helps to reduce blur for crisp, clear images.

Cyber-shot DSC-W230 Highlights

12.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD Image Sensor
A powerful 12.1-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch Super HAD CCD image sensor helps you capture gorgeous images with superb contrast and clarity down to the finest detail. With 12.1 megapixels, you can create stunning, photo-quality prints up to A3+ (13 x 19-inch) size, or crop your images and still come away with high resolution shots.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens with 4x Optical Zoom
The professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 4x optical zoom lens brings distant subjects closer for great outdoor, sports, and travel photos.

30mm wide-angle lens
A wide angle lens (30mm-120mm) shows more of the scene you're shooting, helping you capture more complete images when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes, or architectural scenes.

3.0-inch Clear Photo LCD display (230k pixels)
Generous 3.0-inch (230K pixels) Clear Photo LCD display features sharp, natural color that makes it easy to compose shots, read menus, and view photos, even in bright sunlight.

BIONZ image processor
The BIONZ image processor delivers the high resolution and fast performance you expect from a Sony digital camera.

Auto Mode
Auto Mode automatically adjusts exposure and white balance settings for better pictures, and can be enhanced further with a simple change in the settings menu. When Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) and Face Detection are activated in Auto Mode, the camera goes a step further, automatically adjusting to scene conditions and capturing faces naturally. Whether you’re shooting landscapes, capturing playground action, or taking pictures at a birthday party or wedding shower, the intuitive Auto Mode will optimize your camera’s settings to help ensure you come away with a great shot.

Intelligent Scene Recognition
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) Mode automatically detects five different types of scenes conditions (Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, and Twilight using a Tripod ) and within 1/30th of a second selects the appropriate camera settings. iSCN has 2 modes: Auto and Advanced. In Auto Mode, the camera takes a single shot using the optimal settings. In Advance Mode, the camera takes a photo with the standard automatic settings and, in difficult lighting (low light or back light) immediately takes a second photo with optimized setting so you can chose which to keep.

Face Detection technology
Face Detection technology detects up to eight individual faces and controls flash, focus, exposure, and white balance to deliver accurate, natural skin tones with reduced red-eye for beautiful images of family and friends. Face Detection technology can even distinguish between children and adults, so you can prioritize the camera’s focus on children in the scene for clear images of their memorable moments.

Smile Shutter technology
The popular Smile Shutter technology automatically detects and captures smiling faces. Simply choose the Smiley Face feature and the camera will capture a smile the moment it happens. You can also select subject priority (Adult or Child Priority) and indicate the degree of Smile Detection Sensitivity to high (small smile), medium (laugh), or low (grin). Great substitute of self timer, smile once all are ready and the camera will capture the smile.

Double Anti-blur Solution
The combination of Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and High ISO sensitivity helps compensate for shaky hands, minimizes blur, and allows flash-free shooting to preserve the mood.

Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
Optical SteadyShot image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help prevent blur without sacrificing image quality.

High Sensitivity Mode (ISO 3200)
High ISO allows for faster shutter speed, so you can take photos indoors or in low light without the need for a flash. In addition to High Sensitivity Mode (ISO), you can select up to eight ISO settings (Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) when shooting in Program Auto Mode to adjust sensitivity to your shooting conditions.

Convenient Photo Modes
Choose from 14 convenient photo modes to quickly adjust for specific shooting conditions. Photo modes include Auto, Program Auto, Easy Shooting, and Scene Selection such as Smile Shutter, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Soft Snap, Twilight Portrait, Twilight, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Underwater and Gourmet Mode. Gourmet Mode lets you capture mouth-watering culinary creations with all the color and clarity of images you see in gourmet magazines.

Easy Shooting Mode
With Easy Shooting Mode, even beginners can take great photos. In Easy Shooting Mode, easy-to-understand basic instructions are displayed on the LCD screen and the camera switches to all automatic settings so you can just take the photo without worrying about settings.

Dynamic Range Optimizer Standard and Plus
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) Standard and Plus uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine the best exposure and contrast settings for almost any shooting environment. The result is more natural images with clearer details that more closely match what your naked eye sees. DRO is particularly effective when shooting backlit portraits or any scene with a dramatic contrast between background and foreground lighting. DRO Plus allows for even greater optimization by analyzing each region of an image and performing additional image processing.

Function Guide
This beginner-friendly optional function helps navigate through the various functions and settings displaying the description of chosen functions or settings on the LCD screen.

MPEG Movie VX Fine Mode
Capture VX Fine (640x480) audio/video clips at a high frame rate (up to 30 frames per second). The maximum length of time you can shoot continuously is approximately 25 minutes in VXFine format (or up to 2GB file size)

16:9 High Resolution Mode
Using the 16:9 High Resolution Mode, you can record high resolution images in the 16:9 aspect ratio favored by HDTVs. This setting is ideal if you plan to view your images on a compatible HDTV and invite friends and family members over for a slideshow.

Memory Stick Duo Media Convenience
The Cyber-shot DSC-W230 accepts Memory Stick PRO Duo media (sold separately).

Stamina Battery Power
Provides extended battery life and shooting capacity when using a fully-charged lithium-ion battery. The included battery supports up to 370 shots.

In-Camera Retouching Tools
Retouch and enhance your pictures on the go with 10 in-camera editing functions: Trimming, Red-Eye Correction, Soft Focus, Partial Color, Fisheye Lens, Cross Filter, Radial Blur, Retro, Happy Face and Unsharp Masking effects.

HDTV Compatibility
View your photos and videos in glorious high definition on a Sony BRAVIA or similar HDTV using the optional VMC-MHC2 HD output adapter cable (sold separately).

PhotoTV HD
Bring your photos to life and enjoy highly detailed, high definition images with PhotoTV HD-capable Sony BRAVIA HDTVs. PhotoTV HD fine tunes settings on your HDTV, such as sharpness, gradation, and color to display images that look more like actual printed photos.

PHOTOMUSIC feature
PHOTOMUSIC combines images with music to produce fun and entertaining slide shows. The five standard visual effects (Simple, Basic, Nostalgic, Active, and Stylish) are supplemented with three face priority effects: Face1 (Basic), Face2 (Nostalgic), and Face3 (Stylish). Select from eight pre-loaded tracks on camera or transfer your own from your PC (sold separately).

Wide Zoom display
To use the entire image area of the compatible HDTV screen (sold separately), Wide Zoom display automatically expands standard 4:3 and 3:2 images to 16:9.

Multi-purpose Resize function
The Multi-purpose Resize function lets you change the aspect ratio of an image right in the camera, so you can adjust images as necessary, whether you want to display them on a compatible HDTV, or e-mail them/upload them to a blog.

Picture Motion Browser ver. 4.2.02
Sony PMB (Picture Motion Browser ) software provides a simple, easy-to-use way to transfer video and still images to your PC, as well as sort, edit, and output to data disc and the Web. Finding your images with PMB is easy with Calendar view and Face Search. Face Search allows you to filter by faces (one or many) and also a specific person’s face. Share images and videos on popular sharing sites with Media Services function.

Customer Reviews

W230
Okay, so if you've read the reviews on other websites; yes, in flash mode the images can get blurry if you don't hold the camera absolutely still. But in every other setting, the camera does deliver. The quality is crystal clear - even in the 8MP mode, though, of course not as good as the 12MP mode. Another thing, videos are not high def but are not grainy either at best quality and zoom is respectable for a digicam. All in all, for this price I don't think there is a better camera on the market.

Absolutely Fabulous!
I needed a second still image camera for business since we share a single one in the office, which often results in delays. I was so happy with the Sony Cybershot DSCW80 that I bought about two or three years ago, that it was a no-brainer to upgrade to this newer, higher megapixel version. This is my fourth Sony digital camera, and I'm loving it.

I can't stress enough how wonderful the anti-blur technology on the camera is. While these newer, lightweight cameras are much more portable than their predecessors, it's also hard to hold them steady without a little of that extra weight. I don't have Parkinson's, but I don't have a steady surgical hand either, and this camera totally makes up for it. I don't like using the zoom feature without a tripod, but the more you zoom in on any camera, the shakier you get if you don't have it on a steady surface. It just goes with the territory.

I am an amateur photographer--I use this for just regular photographs of everyday things. I need something simple to point and shoot. It has the same basic controls that my other Sonys have had, with the bonus of a slightly larger screen on the back. Most users will probably have little trouble using the dials and menu on the back to try different settings and to view the pictures you've already taken. I doubt if you'll have to consult the manual if you've had any experience with digital cameras before.

I have video cameras and image editing software, so I didn't use the video function and did not install or use Sony's software on my computer, so I can't comment on either of those functions. The battery charges more quickly than previous models, and seems to have longer life for my still image shooting. The images are just fantastic--I could wave it around while taking a shot and still get a crisp, clean picture.

Some people don't like the fact that the lens extends out when you turn it on, but I think it's a small price to pay for such quality images. My only other gripe about this camera, as with all Sony cameras, is the fact that it does not take a standard SD card and you must use Sony's Memory Stick Pro Duo. This isn't necessary, it is slightly irritating, and if it took a standard SD card I would have given it 5 stars.

If you can get past the fact that you'll need to purchase a special memory card for this camera (and it's such a great camera that it's not hard to make that leap), you'll be very happy with this for years to come. I highly recommend this camera for anyone, advanced users and beginners alike. It's a fantastic value that will preserve your memories and take great pictures for your business for years to come.

Great Camera
I purchased this camera for my daughter to replace one that a small child dropped. The Image Stabilization and face recognition is great because she has small children she tries to capture with it. She really enjoys it and gets a lot of beautiful pictures. I have found that Sony makes a great camera. I have a small one I carry with me at all times (DSC-N1)which I think is great, plus a Sony digital SLR.