Sony Cybershot camera (Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W170)

Member Name: becky92

Product:	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W170
Date:	22/12/08 (223 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very good stability- very little blur.

Disadvantages: sometimes difficult to take pictures clearly on night mode.

I bought this camera before going on a trip to Paris, and have found very few faults with it. The main qualities I want of a camera are a big screen, a fast reload after pictures are taken and brilliant quality photos which won't blur. And that's exactly what I got and more. Even in museums with dim lights the photos came out perfectly.

Technical details:

*10.1 effective megapixels resolution for clear enlargements up to A3 size

*5x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 30mm wide angle for panoramic landscapes and large group
shots

*Smile Shutter waits until the subject smiles before firing the shutter with adjustable smile threshold setting

*Enhanced Face Detection with high-speed subject tracking for clearer portraits

*Intelligent Scene Recognition automatically selects correct shooting mode depending on subject

*Large 2.7-inch (230K dot) Clear Photo LCD

*BIONZ processor for enhanced image quality and fast response

*Double Anti-blur with Super SteadyShot image stabilisation and High Sensitivity ISO 3200 for clearer handheld shooting in low light

*D-Range Optimiser adjusts exposure and contrast in high contrast and backlit scenes

There is a film mode with sound on the camera, and the quality is very good, both of the sound and the picture. I haven't used it a huge amount, but when I have I wasn't disappointed.

I would say the worst feature of the camera is the night mode, as it is difficult to take the photos without blurring, due to the multiple flash, however, I think this is the same for a lot of cameras, and you need a tripod if you want perfect photos in the night mode, so I wouldn't let this put you off the camera.

The smile shutter is one of those things which is a nice idea, a bit of a novelty, but slightly pointless really; for one thing, you it only takes the photo if the subject has a huge, toothy grin, and, to be honest, it's just as easy taking the photo yourself. It's a nice idea, and fun to play around with but not a particularly useful trait.

It has a rechargeable battery which lasts a fair time, however, if you use it a lot it won't last you an entire holiday. The charger is very small and light though so it's not a problem so long as there's access to a plug.

This camera is not as slim as some, as the smaller the camera, the worse the quality tends to be, and this camera is a really good middle ground between stylish and sleek, and brilliant quality. It is easily small and light enough to fit into a bag without any bother, but has enough substance to take really good photos.

Overall I am really pleased with this camera, and for around £130 it's pretty good value for what you get. It's very easy to use and I've had nothing but brilliant photos!

Summary: Wonderful camera, Looks great and also takes amazing photos.

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