Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #343 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Blue
• Brand: Sony
• Model: DSC-W290/L
• Dimensions: 7.40" h x 2.20" w x 6.70" l, 1.10 pounds
• Display size: 3
• Included Software: Yes

Features

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

From the Manufacturer

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 digital camera features Intelligent Auto mode, a 28mm wide-angle lens, automatically detects 8 scene conditions and selects the appropriate camera settings. Face Detection captures faces more naturally and helps prevent blur. Also, now record high-definition videos in 720p HD and enjoy your memories on your HDTV.

Cyber-shot DSC-W290 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+ (13x19-inch) size, or crop your images and still come away with high-resolution shots.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens with 5x Optical Zoom
The professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 5x optical zoom lens brings distant subjects closer for great outdoor, sports, and travel photos.

Wide-angle lens
A 28mm wide angle lens 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.

Intelligent Auto Mode
Unlike traditional auto mode, Intelligent Auto (iAuto) thinks for you, recognizing scenes, lighting conditions, faces, and adjusts settings resulting clear images, faces with natural skin tone and less blur. Take advantage of all the technology without leaving Auto mode. Take a picture from a kid on the playground, to landscape shots, to a beautiful flower or an indoor birthday party.

HD Movie
Capture more of your memories in high definition (720p) video. Record HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format for stunning large-screen home movie playback. Record up to 29 min in 720p format (or up to 2GB) per movie.

Intelligent Scene Recognition
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) Mode automatically detects eight different types of scenes conditions (Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight using a Tripod, Portrait, Landscape, and Macro) 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 choose 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. It can also give priority to children or adults. Newly added Face Motion Detection adjusts ISO sensitivity and accelerates the shutter speed when facial movement is detected, reducing blur in the subjects face.

Priority Face Selection
Optimizing focus, exposure, and white balance for a specific face is easier now with selectable facial memory, even when the subject leaves the frame. This feature is perfect at weddings and other events the goal is always to focus on a certain person.

Anti-blink Function
It's frustrating to think you've captured that perfect shot, only to review it later and discover one of your subjects blinked just as you pressed the shutter. The Anti-blink function works to help counter blinking and squinting. When the camera is set to Soft Snap, the Anti-blink function captures two images, recording only the photo with less squinting. If a blink is detected in other shooting modes, a warning will be displayed after you take the shot.

Red-eye Reductions
Helps reduce common red-eye problems.

Smile Shutter Technology
The popular Smile Shutter technology automatically detects and captures a smiling face. Simply activate by pressing the Smile Shutter button and the camera will capture a smile the moment it happens. You can also select subject priority (Adult or Child Priority or using the cross key buttons on the camera) 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, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) when shooting in Program Auto Mode to adjust sensitivity to your shooting conditions.

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.

Convenient Photo Modes
Choose from 13 convenient photo modes to quickly adjust for specific shooting conditions. Photo modes include iAuto, Easy, Program, and Scene Selection such as 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.

9-Point Auto Focus
Because an off-centered subject can make your shot more interesting, a 9-point auto focus system measures nine precision focus points, giving you greater creative freedom to compose your images.

Burst Mode
You can fire up to 100 shots at approximately 0.62 second intervals (at any resolution; VGA to high resolution mode. Results may vary based on settings and Memory Stick media being used).

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.

Simplified Buttons
Buttons and menus have been simplified to get the fastest and easiest customer experience. Shooting dial focus on the type of customer: Easy, intelligent Auto, Scene, Program and Movie. Also most common used functions such as Zoom, Play and Delete are handy in hard buttons. All other functions can be found under one menu button.

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 with iSCN so you can just take the photo without worrying about settings. The menu is also simplified on playback to provide limited but straight forward operating functions for those afraid of choosing wrong settings.

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 under for a slideshow.

Memory Stick Duo Media Convenience
The Cyber-shot DSC-W290 camera 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 220 shots.

Easy Image Management
Easy Image Management takes the hassle out of sorting through large volumes of image data, so you can quickly select and view your desired photos. Photos can be browsed in four convenient ways: by Standard Folder view, Date view, Event view, and Favorites showing only user-selected images. You can also harness the power of Face Detection technology to filter by face type (choices include All People, Children, Infants, and Smiles).

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.

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.

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.

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.

PHOTOMUSIC feature
PHOTOMUSIC combines images with music (5 minutes per track) to produce fun and entertaining slide shows. The standard visual effects (Simple, Nostalgic, Active, and Stylish). Select from pre-loaded tracks on camera or transfer your own from your compatible PC (sold separately).

Picture Motion Browser ver. 4.2.02
Sony PMB (Picture Motion Browser ) PC 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 (compatible PC with internet connection required). 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

Comparing the Sony DSC-W290 to the Canon SX110IS.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING THIS PRODUCT, SEE WARNING BELOW!

My wife and I are planning a long vacation trip and needed a compact, but versatile, alternative to a full blown DSLR. I've owned this little camera for just 20 hours, but can offer some first impressions. We bought a Canon SX110IS at Christmas for our daughter. Compared to the jewel-like Sony, the Canon's build quality seems substantially less. However, it has a 10X optical zoom compared to Sony's 5x, but 9 mega pixel resolution compared to 12.1 on the Sony. I doubt that the image quality difference will be notable, but I will update this when I can make a valid comparison.

One of the main reasons I picked the Sony over the Canon is that it is truly compact. While the Canon is small, the Sony is flat - less than 1" thick - and hardly shows in a pocket (although I have ordered a case). Comparatively speaking, its LCD screen is huge and bright (but does not swivel like some Canons). BTW, neither camera has a viewfinder, so I am not confident that either will be easy to see in bright sunlight.

This model does NOT employ a touch screen (which I did not value), but the controls (though small) are simple and generally intuitive once you learn Sony's ops language (different from Canon's). I will admit, if you happen to be a bit ham-fisted, you may not be willing to struggle with such tiny controls which are suited more to a child's hand than an adults. Also, because they are so small, the two adjustable dials are hard to read - not so handy when your eyes start to fail as are mine.

The special features (many on this camera) all seem like they may be useful, but the "smile" feature seems a bit useless to me. The facial recognition works great - even when I pointed it at a TV image. It takes longer than I am used to to auto focus (I normally shoot with a Canon full frame 5D that uses focus motors in the lenses - hardly a fair comparison).

Also, if you plan to use this camera to record full 12.1 mega pixel images, you will have to buy plenty of Memory Stick storage, although it will shoot at much lower resolutions, it has limited internal memory. I bought two 16GB Sony brand Pro Duo sticks on eBay for $21 each to be able to do so. BTW, that is much cheaper than Amazon, say. Also, since this camera shoots HD (720P) video in MPEG4 format - one of the features I plan to exploit - you'll want plenty of extra storage anyhow.

I'll have to reserve my opinions on picture quality until I can do a real world test, but the images I shot indoors with the built-in flash were crisp and noiseless at 12.1 mega pixels, less so, of course as I tried lower resolutions.

And did I mention that the Sony's "anodized" blue finish trimmed in "black chrome" is elegant and stunning?

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

Shortly after writing this review, I decided to double-check my "cheap" memory purchase. What I found was disturbing. It is very likely that the Pro Duo memory sticks I bought on eBay are FAKES! I'm telling you this so you won't make the same mistake I probably did (my Memory Sticks have not yet been delivered). If you will check out this eBay link BEFORE you buy memory for your new camera (or other Sony device), you may be able to save yourself a lot of trouble (and $$$).

http://reviews.ebay.com/FAKE-Sony-Memory-Stick-Pro-Duo-MagicGate-Cards-Exposed_W0QQugidZ10000000001236041

Like they say, "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is". I know better, and now, so do you. I will confirm the results after I have had a chance to try them out. Incidentally, just shot some outside images of our flowering crabapple blossoms. Pictures look great and I could see the LCD in "cloudy bright" afternoon sunlight.

4-28-09

As promised, an update. The Memory Sticks from Hong Kong did indeed turn out to be bogus. They look exactly like Sony products, including the very detailed packaging, but they simply didn't work. The Sandisk Ultra 4GB version I bought at Staples works great, even when recording "HD fine" video. Playback looks beautiful (considering the source) on the computer, but not nearly as sharp on an HDTV when using the composite cable that came with the camera. I now have no qualms about substituting this for my miniDV camcorder on the next trip, however.

The "smile" function actually works, but I could live without it. The camera makes it really difficult to mess up exposure. I've even tried fooling it with extremely harsh back lighting and it still exposed faces properly. 12.1GB images are not as sharp as I'd like when I carefully examine the detail, and there is some noise present. Keep in mind, however, that I typically shoot with a Canon full frame DSLR. I will, however, compare it to a Nikon Coolpix I used a couple of years ago. The Nikon was substantially sharper in similar situations. If the ultimate picture quality is high on your priority list, look at the comparably priced Nikons and Canons. For the features I wanted, this Sony remains the best choice for me. Finally, Sony make two affordable underwater housings for this camera. One for snorkeling and one for diving.

Impressed
I had just purchased the new Canon 880is, ive always owned Canon cameras,
and was not that impressed. My Canon 710 was much better. Anyways, thought I would try this new Sony 290. I am pretty impressed. The few photos I have taken, indoor and outdoor, have been really good. The colors and clarity are nice. Low light were consistently still (not blurred). The 880is blurred in the low light occasionally. The face and smile recognition works very well.
I never write reviews but after all the slamming Sony gets, as far as point and shoot cameras, I felt that this camera is as good or better than the Canon 880is and Im the first to defend Canon.

One Camera does it all
I bought a a DSC-W290 several weeks ago here in Europe. While European prices are consistently about 25% higher than in the US I went ahead and bought the unit. I have had three prior versions of the Cyber-shot and have found them to be sturdy, reliable and easy to use. The DSC 290 with its 12.1 MP clarity really is first rate. I have now started leaving my Cannon SLR and my Cannon Video Cam at home. I get all the still picture quality one needs plus the movie resolution is considerably higher than most competitors at any price. I was starting to look for a HD Movie cam but decided that the near HD quality of the movies produced by the DSC 290 are more than I could have imagined and instead spent a fraction of the cost of a new camera on 16G Memory Sticks to hand my movies. I like the camera so much I ordered two more on Amazon today to be shipped in the US for graduation gifts.