Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

Apr 27, 2006 - By Emily Raymond
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 was introduced at the Photo Marketing Association Trade Show in February 2006. Marketed as an entry-level digital camera with its simplified modes and control systems, the W30 even has a function guide for users who are only now dipping their toes into digital photography. For a relatively low price, this point-and-shoot model offers basic features, such as a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens and a 2-inch LCD screen, as well as a few interesting settings like the High Sensitivity Mode. This mode offers an ISO 1000 setting so users can snap shots in low light; higher ISO settings on consumer digital cameras are becoming hot items this year. At $229, the thin Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W30 offers consumers a basic medium to snap digital photos on the fly.
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Likes
- Remarkably fast startup time
- Slim camera at slim price
- Optical viewfinder is more accurate than most
- Plenty of movie mode options
- Nice 80-1000 ISO range
- Good battery life
- Function guide explains modes and image sizes      
Dislikes
- Optical viewfinder is tiny
- Poor quality LCD
- Tiny buttons
- Short burst mode
- Very noisy High Sensitivity mode      

Conclusion
The W30, a fairly fresh release from Sony’s redesigned point-and-shoot series,
packs 6 megapixels in a housing that is flat, thin, and almost trendy. Its design merges the film camera-inspired optical viewfinder with digital technology like the 2-inch LCD screen, and includes a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens on its basic feature set. Indeed, the W30 is the bottom feeder of its W-series.

Built with the technologically disadvantaged in mind, the W30 comes with a function guide that explains what each mode is for and how to make large prints from each image size. A High Sensitivity mode also allows entry-level photographers to grab a low-light shot without the flash. This mode utilizes the high end of the wide 80-1000 ISO range included on the Cyber-shot W30. While its inclusion is a bonus for such an affordably priced digital camera, the mode itself yields less than lovely pictures. Even with Sony’s noise reduction system at full throttle, a lot of noise comes through.

Still, some drawbacks should be expected on a $229 digital camera, and, overall, the W30 is a great value. It is easy to use, its other modes produce decent pictures, and the camera body is attractive and thin, which makes it comfortably portable. The Sony W30 provides a good package and basic features, as well as a few bonuses such as the wide ISO range and function guide, at a great price.

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