Product Description

The DSC-S730 is a great value entry model to the exciting world of Cyber-shot photography. It is asy to use with high sensitivity for clearer pictures in low light.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3040 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Sony
• Model: DSCS730
• Released on: 2008-01-01
• Dimensions: 1.13" h x 2.38" w x 3.63" l, .42 pounds
• Display size: 2.4

Features

• 7.2-megapixel Super HAD CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 14 x 19-inch prints
• 3x optical zoom; 2.4-inch LCD display
• Smart Zoom feature; 5-point auto focus
• High Sensitivity (ISO 1250) mode
• 22 MB internal memory; capture images to Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo media

Manufacturer Description

User-friendly controls and highly detailed photos are available at an incredible value in the Cyber-shot DSC-S730. The compact body features 7.2-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom lens, and a bright, 2.4-inch LCD screen for reviewing your photos with ease. The DSC-S730 rounds out the package with high ISO sensitivity that helps reduce blur when shooting indoors or at twilight, even without using the flash.

Cyber-shot S730 Highlights

7.2-megapixel Super HAD CCD
More megapixels give you more detail and definition when you make big prints or crop in tight on your subject. The advanced Sony Super HAD (Hole Accumulated Diode) CCD design allows more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise.

3x Optical Zoom Lens
3x optical zoom brings distant subjects closer to help you capture sharp, detailed long shots and quickly frame images for better composition -- great for family sports, outdoor fun, and travel photos.

2.4-inch LCD Display
The bright 2.4-inch LCD display makes it easy to compose shots, check results, share your photos, and read camera menus, even in full sunlight.

5-Point Auto Focus
A five-point auto focus evaluates your shot at 5 points on your screen -- so you’ll get great results even with off-center subjects that make interesting photo compositions.

High Sensitivity (ISO 1250) Mode
For sharp, flash-free photos without blur, high sensitivity (ISO 1250) allows shooting at higher shutter speeds for better pictures in low-light conditions -- great for birthday parties, indoor gatherings, and candid portraits.

Convenient Photo Modes
To adjust quickly for specific shooting situations, you can choose from several convenient photo modes, including Auto, Program Auto, and Scene Selections such as Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Soft Snap, Snow, High Sensitivity, and Beach environments.

QVGA Movie Mode
Capture 320 x 240 audio/video clips at high frame rate (up to 30 frames per second). The maximum length of time you can shoot continuously is about 10 minutes.

Smart Zoom Feature
The Sony Smart Zoom feature intelligently "crops into" the central portion of interest in your photo, helping avoid the image degradation of other digital zooms.

Burst Mode
You can fire off up to 3 shots at approx. 1.2-second intervals at any resolution (VGA to full) -- a great way to capture a child’s first steps or a pet’s best tricks.(Approx. 0.8fps (3 shots))

Histogram
Histogram display gives you more control over your images with the ability to optimize exposure adjustments for better detail in both light and dark areas of a photo.

22 MB Internal Memory
Even if you forget your flash memory card, you can get the shot because 22 MB internal memory lets you capture a limited number of shots with in-camera convenience, then easily transfer your shots to a PC or optional Memory Stick Duo media.

Memory Stick Duo Media Convenience
A built-in slot accepts optional Memory Stick Duo media or Memory Stick PRO Duo media -- the compact, high-capacity storage media that make it easily to upload photos to your PC and are compatible with millions of devices worldwide.

Direct Playback button
Direct Playback Button provides one-touch ability to review images while shooting, or quickly start up Playback Mode from power-off status.

Picture Motion Browser Software
Supplied software makes it easier to upload, organize, and search photos on your PC. When shooting photos using your camera and an optional GPS unit, the software even provides a convenient map view function that lets you sort photos by location and display their origin on a world map.

What's in the Box

• Battery (AA Alkaline x2)
• Dedicated AV cable
• Dedicated USB cable
• Wrist strap
• Software CD-ROM
• Note: Memory Stick PRO Duo Media or adaptors are note included.

Customer Reviews

Taking great pictures! If not fabulous for movies...
This is our latest in a loong series of digital cameras. The last two have been Nikons that I thought were pretty decent, but it turns out I've been missing a LOT. This Sony is a good size (I have small hands, though), with a bit of weight to it that convinces me it's more solidly made than some others out there. Our Nikons died because the LCD screens cracked under very little pressure - this one feels a bit more substantial, though I still won't be tossing it around.

But the best part about this camera is that it takes great pictures, right out of the box. The included AA batteries don't last long, but once we switched to rechargeables, there has been no issue. And choosing a camera that uses standard size-and-shape batteries was VERY important, since we do sometimes need to buy & use AA's when we're on the go.

It only includes 22mb of memory, which will only hold 8-10 pictures on the medium-quality mode, but I found a 4Gb card for not too much money that will hold over 1000 more. Just plan on adding the cost of memory to the camera purchase, because the built-in memory simply is not enough.

In general, I'm thrilled. With significantly less shutter delay, I can finally take the pictures I've been WANTING to take all along - spontaneous, cute, funny pictures of my kids in less-than-ideal conditions: low lighting, moving targets, etc (when are ANY kids ever in an ideal pose for more than a millisecond???).

*** UPDATE November 19, 2008

Wanted to update this in response to a question. It has been a bit of a peeve over the last few months that the DSC730 doesn't seem to be able to zoom when you're shooting a video. You can zoom before, but once you click the shutter button to start shooting, you're stuck with the level of zoom you established beforehand. Mighty annoying. My husband's slightly higher-end Sony has this feature, as did my daughter's much cheaper camera... so I have no clue why they'd leave it out of this one. Drat. Just a little fly in the otherwise great ointment. :-)
NOTE: this camera has taken several lickings and still ticking... so I guess my bad "luck" was only with Nikons.

Great Camera!!! Horrible Zoom!
This camera has an amazing picture...though its lacking in the zoom category.

It can take a beautiful picture, though it says 3x optical...more like .5 optical.

Don't expect anything spectacular out of the zoom feature of this camera. Though if most of your pictures are close up, or within 12 feet, you should have no problem with it.

Kodak has a better zoom feature, even on the 3x optical. I own the Kodak Z710, 10x optical zoom for my personal pictures, this camera was for my fiancee.

Overall: Great camera, great features...not too happy with any ability it has to zoom.

Price Point Keeps This From Getting A Five-Star...
As the title says, this camera should be a Five-Star, but the price keeps it down. This should be a less than $[...] Point&Shoot camera.

Other than that, a pretty remarkable camera. Below is a link to a picture that was "purely accidental."

I was using this camera and set it down next to my Trackball. I saw the image in the view screen and I had to select the Macro setting to get this image. The camera was less than two inches from the Trackball. I just hit the shutter button and let it focus and this is the resulting image.

I did "work" the image a bit in Paint Shop Pro, but not much. Mostly resizing and added a bit of contrast.

There does seem to be some JPG artifacts in the lower right of the image. I guess I could have worked those out, but then there wouldn't be any need to write this review. If I worked this image for all its worth then this wouldn't be a true representation of the camera's abilities.

This camera replaces a very old Sony point and shoot. The camera was well over seven years old. And of course, at the time, it was a very expensive point and shoot. Well above $[...]. So I got my money's worth out of that one. I expect this one to perform as well.

I did do a bit of research and decided that this was a good choice. I do wish that I had looked a bit further. I have seen a couple Sony P&S that are now able to "write" on the screen. Just a fun function, yeah, but that would come in handy if, say, you were selling something on eBay and you wanted to point out a particular "something." You could use the stylus to circle that feature you wanted to point out. But, I didn't see those cameras or maybe I overlooked them because they were just more than I wanted to spend.

I did notice that the camera was a 7.2 mega pixel camera, but that didn't really register. I have a 512 MP Memory Stick Pro and just decided that I could use that. Big mistake...

if you set the camera on the highest/finest settings, then the 512 MB memory stick gets filled up in a hurry.

So I had to buy the two gig MS outlined below. Much better. If you do not have a "large" MS, then be sure to include that in your purchase with this camera, or any camera that has a large mega pixel capability.

If the link to the picture I took of the Trackball does not work just copy and paste into a new browser window.

I am satisfied with this camera. It works well and takes sharp, clear pictures.

Yes, a "Buy!"

[...]

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