Review posted 3/21/2012

Quick Take

Pros

Ultra-Compact body is always easy to carry with you at all times Easy to use controls and menu system Captures nice 16-megapixel photos when using auto or program modes Convenient control to quickly switch between Still, Panorama, or Video Panorama technology is easy to use Short descriptions of each exposure setting In-camera photo editing such as crop, rotate, sharpening, and red eye correction Available in silver, red and black In-camera guide if you lose or forget the manual, or if you prefer hands-on learning

Cons

Weak built-in flash (typical for camera of this size however) High levels of noise at all ISO settings over ISO 400; can be seen indoors and out when pixel peeping Lacking a little in the performance area No mode button to take you directly to scene modes No way to manually go into macro mode Good battery life for the battery size, but the battery size (630mAh) is very small

Bottom Line

An affordable and competent ultra-compact digicam, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W650 has excellent quality and performs on par with other cameras in its class. It's price tag of under $140 makes it a great candidate for anyone on a budget. Read more in our Full Conclusion.

For 2012, Sony has released three new Cyber-Shot W-series cameras; the DSC-W650, DSC-W620, DSC-W610. These ultra-compact models build upon the popular features of past cameras, with various 2012 upgrades. The most appealing feature of these new cameras is the price; each are under $140 USD!

The Cyber-Shot DSC-W650 boasts a 16-megapixel SUPER HAD CCD image sensor, a 5x optical zoom lens, 3.0-inc LCD screen, Intelligent Auto exposure controls, 360 Sweep Panorama, Optical Steady Shot image stabilization, and much more. This is all stuffed inside a petite metal frame that comes in three stylish colors; Red, Black, and Silver.


Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W650 main features:

• 16-megapixel SUPER HAD CCD image sensor
• Carl Zeiss wide view (25mm) 5x optical zoom lens
• Optical SteadyShot image stabilization
• Intelligent Auto exposure control
• Intelligent Scene Recognition mode (iSCN)
• Dynamic Range Optimizer
• Focus Tracking
• Blink Detection
• Smile Capture
• In-Camera Editing and Picture Effects
• Sweep Panorama up to 360 degrees
• 3.0-inch LCD screen with 230k pixels
• 720p HD video recording with sound
• Li-ion battery pack
• Memory card slot that accepts MS Duo and SD/SDHC/SDXC type cards

The W650 is available now with a suggested retail price of just $139.99 USD. Check our buy box below for the most current pricing at various online vendors.

What's in the box?:

• W650 Body
• Battery
• Charger
• Multi USB Cable
• Wrist Strap
• Instruction Manual