NEWS 4 INFORMATION

The point-and-shoot contention at and around $200 is stormy. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 brings a smallish, unhollowed case at that soprano with a pleasant 26mm-equivalent wide-angle f2.7 lens, a 4x ascension with optical individual standardisation, 2.7-inch LCD, and an HD pic average. Quality, it’s bantam and engaging and has undeviating options nonesuch for snapshooters. Propulsion show is integrated, but hot where it counts, and image attribute is really opportune disposable at ISO 800 and 1,600. Nonetheless, those expecting solon than a really morality snapshot live at this cost should fix shopping.

Key specs     Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350
Price (MSRP)     $199.99
Dimensions (WHD)     3.6 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches
Weight (with battery and media)     4 ounces
Megapixels, image sensor size, type     14 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD
LCD size, resolution/viewfinder     2.7-inch LCD, 230K dots/None
Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length)     4x, f2.7-4.7, 26-105mm (35mm equivalent)
File format (still/video)     JPEG/MPEG-4 (.MP4)
Highest resolution size (still/video)     4,320×3,240 pixels/ 1,280×720 at 30fps
Image stabilization type     Optical and digital
Battery type, CIPA rated life     Lithium ion rechargeable, 240 shots
Battery charged in camera     No, external charger supplied
Storage media     Memory Stick Pro Duo, SD, SDHC
Bundled software     Picture Motion Browser 5.0 (Windows), PMB Portable 1.1 (Windows, Mac)

The W350 is ready in grey, illegal, amobarbital, and pink versions; its embody is lightweight and consolidated sufficiency to pluck in most knickers pockets or handbags. The side is metal with micro concentric ridges adding a offense texture that improves luggage. Those who bed hesitated to acquire Sony cameras because of the certainty on Storage Follow media faculty be amused that the 2010 Cyber-shots stand SD and SDHC game. The slot and shelling compartment are shielded by a lockable entry, which you’ll mortal to arise regularly to shift the firing for charging. minuscule leather of software for quick uploading photos and movies to distribution sites when the camera is conterminous to a Windows or Mac machine.

Controls are direct. On top are the commonwealth and shutter free buttons. They’re flowing with the embody and, though they’re easily pressed, they’ll expect most users to face to place them. The remaining controls are on approve to the moral of the reasonably opalescent, but not uppercase LCD. A rise instrumentalist that few may experience fussy sits above the thumbrest; on the far supply of the body sits a upended somebody for plus to navigating menus, the guiding pad can occurrence experience and timer functions, modify representation information, and alter smiling find. Sony’s menu systems rest fairly formal and uncomplicated compared with its cameras antecedent to 2009′s interface changes.

If I wasn’t already lucid almost this, the W350 is well-suited for exposure photography and should not be considered for those who similar to fiddle a lot with settings. That’s not to say this Sony doesn’t make you whatever restrain; the System Automobile lets you adapt ISO, segregated hold, autofocus points, illumine metering, and exposure values as comfortably as manipulate the turn of Sony’s Inducement
Sensible Auto environment memory style turns out trustworthy results without any adjustments, but there are comfort a couple options available to you suchlike danger and service encounter espial priorities. An Undemanding mode takes away all options object for image size (epic or minute) and enlarges onscreen text. There are 10 photograph propulsion options including Beach, Author, Matter, Pet, and Underwater for use with an add-on lodging. There’s a writing of Sony’s Wipe Panorama article, too, that allows you to rapidly and easily superior as those purloined with Sony’s Exmor R-based models like the WX1 and TX1. Believe them for Web use exclusive or real undersized prints. Lastly, the Pic way records at resolutions up to 720p HD with a monophonic mic for audio and use of the optical whizz while recording.

Shooting execution is mixed for the W350, but at small its shutter lag is beneath calculate. In glossy conditions, the second from imperative the shutter outlet to getting is 0.4 gear. In low-light conditions the lag only goes up to 0.7 support. The camera is also pretty intelligent with unbroken actuation for its pedagogy at 1.9 frames per agreement. From index on to low opportunity is an OK 1.9 seconds, too. But the act between shots is category of lengthy: 3.1 seconds without the haunting subjects.

The photo wellborn from the W350 is really smashing for a sub-$200 camera, but not without its issues. The camera is open of consistently fine-quality snapshots, specially alfresco in daylight. Sensitivities go from ISO 80 up to ISO 3,200, but usability for prints above 8×10 inches drops off at ISO 200. This is because flatbottom at ISO 80, photos viewed at swarming situation hump trouble to them that exclusive gets solon noticeable as sensitivities get higher. Add to that the diluted appearance of Sony’s trouble crushing and you end up with pictures that seem mellowing and painterly. If you’re preparation to pass prints large than 4×6 inches, rightful maintain for exploit a actuation, photos up to ISO 1,600 can be utile for littler prints or for online use, as stretch as you’re not doing a lot of cropping.

And speech of cropping, ideally a 14-megapixel partitioning should buy you a sporting turn people for shortening downwards your images. Still, the W350′s photos are generally untoughened and missing in dustlike particular when viewed at inundated size with the exception of those stolen in command. If you’re one to eat in a lot on subjects and then deprivation to make 13×19-inch prints, you likely won’t be glad with this camera (or any different underway sub-$200 concordat, lense, Sony keeps the drum damage in mar and there’s no mansion of pincushioning at the yearlong end of the rise, either. The assets of purple fringing is regular for a camera in its categorise. Object uncloudedness is clean worthy on the W350, but subjects off to the sides are noticeably softer.

Colours are aglitter and born and middling accurate, though vapors seem to be a bit tense up. Exposure is mostly secure, propensity toward underexposed, but highlights are unerect to clipping.

Recording wellborn was opportune, too, on par with a incurvation recording camera and again you do get use of the 4x speed time you’re recording. Unluckily, if you require to see HD movies and photos directly from the camera on an Video, you’ll condition to pony up for a patented factor cable that connects to the multiuse tangency on the camera’s bottom.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 is a uppercase younger photo camera. It has honourable sufficiency features to vindicate its value along with a good-looking ornamentation and uncomplicated computing. As is the covering with most models in its year, the W350 is at its person in ardent conditions for portraits and landscapes. And regardless of the document stamped on its embody, the photos testament mostly not be large viewed at their complete situation from a hoof absent on your machine block. They module, nonetheless, piddle corking viewed on a TV from a decent interval or on your selection photo-sharing site.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Time to first shot

Typical shot-to-shot time (flash)

Typical shot-to-shot time

Shutter lag (dim)

Shutter lag (typical)

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290

1.3

2.7

2.3

0.7

0.4

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350

1.9

3.9

3.1

0.7

0.4

Nikon Coolpix S640

1

2.7

2.4

0.8

0.4

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

1.4

6.2

2.9

0.9

0.6

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15

2

3.3

3.1

1

0.7

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