Product Description

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with advanced features in a sophisticated, compact body. Smile Shutter technology allows you to capture a smile the moment it happens, and the Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, and 12.1 megapixel resolution deliver crisp, clear images.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Sony
• Model: DSC-W220/B
• Dimensions: 3.75" h x .88" w x 2.25" l, 1.10 pounds
• Display size: 2.7

Features

• 12.1-megapixel Super HAD CCD image sensor
• Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
• BIONZ image processor delivers speed and precision
• Face Detection; Smile Shutter technology
• 15MB built-in memory; capture images to Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo Media (not included)

From the Manufacturer

This one's got it all. The Cyber-shot DSC-W220 combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with advanced features in a sophisticated, compact body. Smile Shutter technology allows you to capture a smile the moment it happens, and the Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, and 12.1-megapixel resolution deliver crisp, clear images.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 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 size, or crop your images and still come away with high resolution shots.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens with 4x Optical Zoom
4x optical zoom lens captures sharp images, even from a distance.

2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD display (230k pixels)
Generous 2.7-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.

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 a smiling face. 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 or touch subject on screen) and indicate the degree of Smile Detection Sensitivity to high (small smile), medium (laugh), or low (grin).

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.

SteadyShot image stabilization

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, Smile Shutter technology, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Soft Snap, Twilight Portrait and scene selections such as 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.

Intelligent Scene Recognition in action

Intelligent Scene Recognition
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) Mode automatically detects five different types of scenes and selects the appropriate camera settings: Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, and Twilight using a Tripod. 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 only if necessary takes a second photo with optimized setting.

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.

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.

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 10 minutes.

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-W220 camera accepts Memory Stick Duo media or Memory Stick PRO Duo media (both 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 photos on the go with in-camera Trimming and Red-Eye Correction functions.

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

PhotoTV HD
Bring your photos to life and enjoy highly detailed, Full HD 1920x1080 images with PhotoTV HD-capable Sony BRAVIA HDTVs (HDTV sold separately). 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 compatible 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, e-mail them, or upload them to a blog (compatible PC with internet connection required).

Picture Motion Browser ver. 4.2
Sony PMB (Picture Motion Browser ) software7 provides a simple, easy-to-use way to transfer video and still images to your compatible 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 (internet connection required).

What's in the Box

• NP-BG1 rechargeable battery
• BC-CSG battery charger
• A/V and USB multi-connector cables
• Wrist strap
• Picture Motion Browser ver. 4.2
• Note: No Memory Stick DUO Media or adaptors are included.

Customer Reviews

Great so far
I bought the Cybershot DSC-W220 for my mom's birthday. She is by no means an enthusiast. It's purpose is going to be primarily for family photos. We had a HP camera before and decided it was time to upgrade. She has sight problems and had trouble seeing pictures on the tiny Hp screen, but this 2.7" LCD screen on the W220 helps her a lot.

The controls are easy enough that anyone in my family can use it, from a preteen to a grandfather. Most of the time, you can just leave it on the Auto setting and the camera will adjust settings automatically. There are separate buttons for Playback/Review, Menu, and Home next to the LCD screen. The On/Off button on the top of the camera is a bit hard to press (sometimes you have to use your nail), but it's understandable because otherwise it'd be easy to accidentally turn the camera on/off. There is a light that comes on from the front so the subjects know when the picture is about to be taken. The Smile Detection automatically takes up to 6 photos, and has a smile meter showing scale of smile(s). Scene Detection detects scenes such as snow, beach, etc automatically and adjusts settings accordingly.

I was debating on whether to get this, the W230, or the Nikon Coolpix. The Nikon seems great but in-store testing demonstrated the quality of the pictures-they were too soft. The touchscreen feature was nice, but not nice enough for a sacrifice in quality. I was short on time, so I grabbed the W220 from BestBuy because the W230 was almost $100 more. After doing some research, and talking to a Sony rep, the only noticeable difference between the W220 and the W230 is the larger screen (2.7" vs 3.0", respectively). I wish now I had more time so that I could've gotten the W230 from the Sony website-it's only $20 more!

There are a TON of features in this camera such as Smile Detection, Facial Recognition, and technology to reduce blur caused by shaky hands. This is by far the most bang for the buck for me.

Pros:
Sharp, clear pictures
The HD Video it records in 1080 is excellent
4x optical zoom
scene recognition pics the adjustments for the scene
smile detection automatically takes up to 6 shots when subject(s) are smiling
countless others

Cons:
The only two things I could find so far were that the Smile Detection feature doesn't work with small smiles, and in some cases, one of the subjects had to smile very wide to activate it.

Also, the camera uses the Memory Stick system (like most of Sony's products), not SD Cards like most other cameras, so if you're thinking about purchasing this, be sure to get the Memory Stick (they're cheap on amazon, but expensive on Sony's website. Don't even think about ebay-some are cheap chinese knockoffs that quit working within a few months and all your data is erased-I bought one for my PSP and this is what happened!)

I've only owned for a day, so I'll update this in a few weeks. Oh, and be sure to read the manual for some great tips or charging, photo quality, etc. Most manuals are a drag to read but this has got to be one of the few manuals that is well written. If there are questions anyone has before purchasing, don't hesitate to leave a comment and I'll get back ASAP.

Shoots like it's 3x its size
I bought this last month to replace my older cybershot, and am impressed with the upgrades Sony has made to this line.

What I love:
* The automatic "Easy" mode is quite good, great for those times when you need a quick shot of something you weren't expecting, or for beginners who don't like playing with settings.

* Wide angle zoom

* indoor shots look great, even under incandescent bulbs

* Closeups give good detail. Flowers and insects make good models.

* Connects to my HDTV to show off photos

* Ultra compact, easy to carry

* Great battery life


What I hated:

* No SD card support, this is a Sony product so it will only use Sony's proprietary media, which is more expensive.

* While the battery is great, I'd still prefer AA rechargables, since buying an AA battery is easier than finding an outlet while traveling.

* Lens has some color issues in the wide angle end, as well as soft corners

* Zoom moves in large steps, what if I want in-between?

* Menu system is confusing

* No optical viewfinder, meaning I always have to use LCD. Would be nice to save on batteries sometimes.

This little camera suits me well, and I've been using it over my canon elph. I have nicer cameras, but I never seem to have them when the most interesting things in my life happen. Compatcs, like this guy, are with me all the time. And with 12P to work with, I can still make large prints like I would with my better cameras.

Value for the money
I have had this camera for more than a month, if you want a basic digital camera that is not confusing and takes great pictures this is an ideal camera. If you want good movie capture than stay away, this is for taking photos not video although the video can be good if indoors and good lighting. I like the ability to choose between HD and SD easily and has the ability to take HD photos in 16:9 format for viewing on wide screen HD tv's I have done that a bit and found the pictures to be crystal clear, I have a 55" sony HDTV and if you are concerned about your pictures looking grainy when blown up, Don't.
I feel very happy with this purchase and would recommend to anyone looking for digital camera for under $200. I have no regrets. I wanted a camera to take great HD photos, quality optics, 4x optical zoom and compatible with my other media. I would rate this camera above average in photo quality and speed of use. I did not give this a five star rating because the burst mode is not very fast and I would have liked a few more features like more complex settings for iso and focus adjustments but then again I was not expecting a full feature set for a non SLR under $200. Very strong Value for the dollar you will enjoy, PS, I am using sandisk pro duo memory sticks and works just fine, Sandisk is so much less expensive than the actual sony pro duo's