Sony DSC-W30 Review



Review posted 4/21/2006
Click on the W30 for a 360° QTVR tour The Cyber-shot DSC-W30 is an affordable yet high-performance 6-megapixel digital camera that offers a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens, large 2.0-inch color LCD, automatic simplicity and advanced features that you can "grow into" later, housed in a very compact, stylish and durable metal body about the size of a deck of playing cards. Sony has re-engineered its W-series of top-performing Cyber-shot digital still cameras to embody the virtues of a traditional camera style and satisfy modern tastes for sleek, compact design. In addition to sporting eye-level viewfinders in the fashion of traditional cameras, the new DSC-W50 and DSC-W30 models have large LCD screens and are significantly more compact than previous W-series models. Both new cameras offer six-megapixel image resolution for high-quality prints, high-light sensitivity for fast-action shooting and more natural-looking pictures in low-light conditions, precision Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lenses, and MPEG1 movie recording.
![]() Anyone who has ever found menu icons on a digital still camera mysterious will appreciate the new function guide on the latest W-series models. When menu icons are selected, such as a specific shooting function or scene mode, a text explanation is displayed on the LCD making it easier to take a great shot. This function guide can be turned off once the user becomes more familiar with the camera. Both new models include high light-sensitivity settings up to ISO 1000, which allow for shooting at higher shutter speeds to capture fast-moving subjects with less blur. With higher light sensitivity at your fingertips, you can shoot in available light without a flash for more naturally-exposed, "true-to-life" pictures. With Sony's Clear RAW imaging technology, you can up the camera's sensitivity without dramatically increasing picture noise, which makes pictures look blurry and grainy. Sony's ultra-fast Real Imaging Processor circuit delivers quick start-up, fast shot-to-shot times, and long battery life -- up to 400 shots on a single charge for the DSC-W30 model. It also speeds up the cameras' sophisticated auto-exposure and multi-point, auto-focus features so that users get the picture right the first time. Both cameras have 32MB of internal memory, which can be expanded further with an optional Memory Stick Duo media card or Memory Stick PRO Duo card, now offered in capacities up to two gigabytes. And high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity with Windows and Mac computers for fast transfers of images and movies. You can make high-quality prints by simply connecting these models to a Sony DPP-FP50 digital photo printer. You can even create postcards or calendars using the printer's supplied software.
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Physical Views









The Cyber-shot W50 and the Cyber-shot W30.

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Sony DSC-W30 Specifications
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