Sony Cybershot DSCW300 13.6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot

Captures great images, easy to operate and offers the convenience of pocket camera. Over comes many of the limitations I experienced with an older model compact camera.

I did a lot of research before purchasing this point and shoot camera and definitely made the right choice. I love the burst mode. It's like using a DSLR camera. The pictures are beautiful. Much better than my older camera as far as blur and clarity. This camera also takes faster pictures than my older camera, both for the first picture and subsequent pictures. I am extremely happy with my purchase. I love this camera!

I have the DSC-N1 and I just got this camera (DSCW300). The N1 is wonderful with the touch screen and all but I wanted something that takes better pictures. The N1 is only 8MP while the W300 is 13MP. Additionally, the W300 has so many features you will wonder if you will ever buy another camera. The only GRIPE I have, and I can't believe no one else mentions this, is the on/off/power button on top of the camera is so small and burried in the camera - anyone with large fingers may struggle with turing the camera on. Outside of that, everything positive that every user lists here in the comments about this camera are true. WHat a nice looking camera it is too - WOW!

Sony has been around for a long time,and they have a great reputation,all
my stereo components are Sony.This Sony camera is compact,lightweight,and takes great photos.Great zoom,much better than most cameras,the overall performance is awsome!

Great camera. There is even a mode for VGA pictures. Don't buy into the hype that more is better. My wife could have gotten away with a 90 dollars Sony instead of this one. All she does is take pictures and email them. What a waste of money. However this camera when I use it is great. When you take photos of mountains in the distance they disappear in your photo. Probably due the small lens. Not enough light. Anyway this is a great camera for all around pictures. Distance shots? Get an SLR or something with a lens bigger than a dime. Don't get me wrong ALL compact cameras are gonna have pretty much the same quality with a tiny lens. Just remember what you buy it for. My Panasonic sub SLR 5MP takes better pictures outdoors.

Sony Cybershot DSCW300 13.6MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot

This is a great camera. It does so much. Most people who write reviews for say, cameras, haven't taken the time to read the manuel. This camera
does everything it promises and more. The only draw back at all is in the movie mode you can't zoom in and out while your filming.

Given the list of criteria that matter most to me for a point and shoot digital camera, I seem to keep coming back to a Sony model as much as I try to explore the field when I'm in the market for a new camera. This time around as I was preparing to update from the Sony dsc-p200 I've had for 3-4 yrs, I wanted a more pocketable formfactor, optical image stabilization, closer macro focus, higher MP rating while maintaining at least the level of image quality I get from my current P&S, continued access to manual control of shutter and aperture and, finally, a wider angle + longer telephoto range.

Tall order it seems in the P&S category. At first I rejected the w300 because of its pedestrian 35-105 mm focal length, though it had everything else I was looking for, but subsequent investigation didn't turn up many other options that didn't offer some other tradeoff. When it came to evaluating the relative merits of the various tradeoffs I determined that the focal length wasn't my greatest concern, based on my photography habits. And where there are not remedies for the shortcomings of the other cameras I considered, Sony does offer the option of wider angle and telephoto lenses for the w300.

So the w300 it is and what a camera it turned out to be. Nearly doubling the the maximum resolution of my current P&S camera while not introducing any more noise to the picture, the image quality is superb. Fine details come through in lower light conditions where other 10+ MP cameras I tested would lose those details in aggressive noise. Color temperature is perhaps a little warm by default but easily manageable while framing the picture or in post-processing and isn't generally displeasing by any means. I wouldn't claim a trained eye for objective image quality but I know what I like and this represents the single most important factor in a camera purchase for me and the w300 puts a lot of others to shame in this regard. I've seen others mention that the w300 experiences some noticeable color fringing but I haven't seen it in the shots I've taken so far (600+).

I make heavy use of the burst function on my P&S cameras, so it's nice to have the expanded options the w300 has over the p200 - not that the newer options are out of the ordinary now in newer P&S cameras. In particular, the infinite burst shoot mode is fun although, besides needing to drop resolution to 3 MP for each shot, it also seems to degrade image quality. The burst modes generally perform well but occasionally stutter and seem a little less reliable than the burst mode on the p200 in that regard. Of course, this may have something to do with a higher volume of data overall while writing to the standard MS pro duo card I currently have (as opposed to one of the "Extreme" cards with higher transfer rate).

I also use the Macro focus capability of my camera heavily and I appreciate the ability to now focus as close as 5 cm. That would seem to be as close as I'll need to get to most subjects and any further cropping around the image subject in postprocessing will retain a picture with enough resolution to still make the picture suitable for larger printed shots, thanks to that 13 MP sensor.

I can't speak to the stuff like facial recognition and smile shutter as they aren't of primary interest to me and I haven't really used them other than in an in-store demo for my wife. It certainly handled a transition from a feigned grimace to a slight smile in smile shutter mode but that's all I can offer here.

I prefer the minimalist menu UI of my p200 and the other Sony cameras of the time, but the w300 is not alone among new Sony models or among other camera brands in bringing more flash and better than 8-bit iconography to the menu navigation system. There's simply going to be some adjustment required, so not a knock against the camera, since everything seems to be organized logically enough.

As much as I tried to make a break from Sony's digital cameras this time around, it still ended up being a Sony model that had the best combination of features that appealed to my photography tastes. I think the w300 more than holds its own among the top competitors in this class. This also seems like a respectably future-proof P&S camera unless something remarkable happens in optics in the next few years.

I got this camera just in time for my vacation and I can say that I am very pleased with this camera.

I wanted a camera that can produce good image quality for both outdoor landscape and indoor low light. And so far the W300 does not disappoint. I used Sony DSC V1 before. Although the V1 can capture good image quality, taking shots in low light produces shaky images most of the time. The anti blur feature of the W300 solves this problem.

Browsing the menu and manipulating the parameters (aperture and shutter speed) are a breeze. This is useful for amateur photographer like me to play around and experiment with different settings.

If there is anything that I really wish it has, is the wide shot (16 x 9) capability.

People that downgrade this camera don't know how to use it. Read the manual -it may take a few hours of your time,but it is worth it. It's pretty much scratch proof. It takes great pics in low light-and I had the model that was out a year before that this came out-this is MUCH better. This has steady shot so you don't have to worry about a shaky hand. This is the kind of high-end item that could actually be a classic and sell for more in the future. I don't know how Sony can top this! Loaded with features (that you actually can use). Extremely light!!

I compared both the Canon SD 870IS and the Sony DSCW300. I chose the Sony over the Canon primarily based on Sony's SUPERIOR image quality.

However, Canon did excel over Sony in the following areas:
1. Canon's instruction manual is included in the box. Sony provides a brief instruction manual in the box which covers the basics. If you want the whole instruction manual you must download it from a cd which is in the box. Canon's instruction manual comes in a small book-form which is easy to take along on trips.

2. Canon's software (on the camera) is easier to use.

3. Canon's instruction manual is easier to understand.

I have finally had this camera longer than a week and feel I can make a solid assessment of how I feel now.
To put it lightly, I have been less than impressed with Sony P&S cameras over the last say 3-4 generations. Not since the 2 W series ago (The W5 and W7) have I truly been happy with their compact series.
I think the new line of W cameras, including the cheaper lower MP ones, has brought Sony back into the battle for top spot. I have been using Canon Elph cameras for awhile and this camera with its fairly small size, huge feature set and great picture quality is awesome.

I would rec this to anyone who takes photos seriously. I would say though that it is at the higher end and the cost shows that. Maybe this IS NOT the camera for you if you just need something for your family shots and a few days outside every other week. BUT the lower end W150, W130 and W120 are great alternatives at a much lower cost. All you really lose is some resolution and a few of the features most of which are not totally needed.

Hope I help in your search..cheers

This is my third Sony digital camera. I started off with a Sony DSC P72, a 3.2 megapixel workhorse that used 2 AA batteries (that unfortunately drained pretty quickly...). That's when my love affair with Sony digital began. That camera provided me with some really memorable pictures and it's still gong strong. Currently being used by my daughter, but now that I've picked up the W300 my daughter stands to inherit my 2nd Sony digital a DSC W50, a 6.0 megapixel gem that I've had for several years and has given me so much pleasure. So when I started thinking about upgrading I started checking out other brands such a Nikon and Canon. I was primarily looking for another point & shoot because that is what I love...the convenience of a small camera that can be readily available to shoot my pictures. Now I'm not a professional wannabe in any way...and the Nikon Coolpix S600 was a camera I seriously considered but after laying my eyes on the Sony DSC W300 and that "beautiful" titanium finish it was all over. Now this 13.6 megapixel monster with all of the amazng features crammed into a svelte looking design was too good to be true! Now my brother-in-law had shown me his Canon Powershot G9 which I thought was a really fine camera but then again...I like slim and compact and especially Sony so when I saw this gem it was pretty much all over for me.

Now to what I like about the camera... for one thing this camera is good looking! It caught my eye right away and the titanium finish which is advertised as being scratch free is pretty awesome looking! This camera
is very similar to my W50 in a lot of ways so the learning curve was fairly minimal although I am still learning new things about it every day! The feature I really like is the "face detection technology" and the unique "smile" feature which works great!

Now the output of the pictures I've taken so far have been phenomenal! Like I said I'm not too keen on photography related terminology but I know what my eyes tell me and when I load these pictures onto my Macbook Pro they look fabulous!

Now this review is not as technical as what you would read on cnet or some of the other sites where this camera is featured and if you're looking for that type of review I would say go and visit those sites but if you're looking for an individual's assessment of his experience with this camera keep reading.

This camera takes great photos! It's feature laden...and looks great! It is fairly compact and in my opinion is a pretty decent value for what you get. Now with all the cameras out there sometimes it may feel really overwhelming to try to make a choice but because of my experience with past Sony digital products I knew that I could count on an overall fulfilling experience!

The colors are rich and true and the addition of face detection technology and smile have definitely made photographing people more satisfying.

As a recap, this camera is definitely a nice piece of work from Sony..

And as my daughter will be inheriting my W50..my dad will be getting my P72 which wlll definitely be a step up from his 10+ year old Epson digital....

We are a Sony famly...the products are top of the line and well thought out...you can't lose getting this great camera!

I just want to say, that everyone who had a Sony before, knows very well what does Sony matter! It's high quality, strong, precision built, fast working, ultra intuitive, high performance device, which cannot be compared to any other!
DSCW300 is just a Sony! If somebody wants something better... hmm... may be needs to try on a different planet. :)
Sony is the world leader in the Audio/Video industry. They had the best professional Audio/Video equipment and of course use these technologies in their everyday-life products.
I had 3 Sony camcorders for the years now and would never buy anoder but Sony. My friend Filip have a Sony DSCP200 camera with over of 40,000(!) pictures taken for 3 years and is still working like new.

100% satisfied with the Sony DSCW300 and would buy Sony again!

Of all digicams I have used, including Canon DSLRs, this little Sony did the best job at retaining highlights at standard auto-exposure settings in contrasty sunlight shooting situations. I don't agree with others' comments that the lens is "poor." The lens at mid-zoom and telephoto is fine. At wide-angle, though, the edges are noticeably soft; the center is okay. 13.6 megapixel is really overkill in this kind of camera. You can use the 8 mpixel resolution setting, have plenty of resolution for prints up to 11x14 inches, and get lower noise.

I am disturbed that one of the poor reviews was from a person who reviewed the camera before it was even released. He gave the camera three stars. Official camera reviewing sites on the web have rated this camera one of the top compacts. There are a lot of Canon camera lovers (aka Canon fanboys) who post negative reviews of other brands, giving low scores to cameras they have never even held. Take one or two highly negative views with a grain of salt when the vast majority are positive...

Pros: small and easily trasportable, compact. Nice options for settings, but not extensive for a camera of this price. Tough, neat-looking camera.

Cons: make sure you buy extra (at least one if not more) backup batteries. This camera will go through a battery in record time. And, it will stop functioning even before the camera icon indicates that it is totally discharged. The only warning you get is that it will stop focusing, and audible tones are not heard.

I like Sony and this is a great camera, but for the price I would have expected more. The pictures are good, but I was expecting much higher quality due to the advertized high pixels. My Canon Powershot A700, 6.0 mega pixel, takes the same quality picture for a lot less cost.

To start things off, please. Do not listen to the reviewers who said that the lens is poor. The lens on this camera, when compared to the lens on the Canon Sd790IS, Sd1100IS, and SD770IS, simply trumps them in every way - from middle to the extreme corners of the image. The canon, however, becomes very blury toward the edges giving a kind of "motion" feeling - not the sony.

Some say the canon shots look for colorful and eye-popping. To achieve shots like this, simply go into program mode, adjust the image sharpness to "+" and the color mode to "vivid" and the pictures are the same, if not better. The sony outdoes canon here by adding in a Dynamic range optimization in three steps: off, normal, or extra. With this, the camera can achieve a great range of colors in both the highlights and shadows of a shot.

Where as the sony doesn't have the "color-swap" wiz-bang functions, it does have more usefull settings like the Extra High Speed Burst setting, which can take 5 Frames per second! I tested this with my dog rolling around in the yard, and at each frame the camera had shot at such a high shutter speed my dog was stopped in time with out any blur. These pictures are only at 3MP, but are still very respectable for a camera that can fit in your shirt pocket. Also, the camera has program settings to bring out different colors in an image to achieve a certain look. Either Blue, Red, Green, or your can change the image to warmer or color depending on the shot you want to take. The green mode is very usefull for macro nature shots.

Also - 13.6 megapixels may be to big for some people (roughly 5-5.5 MB's per image), however when you turn the notch down to 8M, Bayer Interpolation goes away on the sensor, and the picture quality, in good light, starts to approach starter level SLR's, when the noise reduction is set right. Simple do a search on Flickr for "W300" to see what i mean.

One small gripe though - you cannot zoom while recording video. You CAN zoom before starting the video, but once the camera starts recording you cannot zoom in or out any further.

I also purchased Soft Carrying Case (Genuine Leather) LCS-TWB for DSC-T100,T75 T70,T25,T20, W90,W85,W80,W55,W35 black with this camera, and although the case doesn't even mention this camera in the compatibility list (I believe this camera came out AFTER this case) the case works wonderfully with the camera, and makes the already exuding quality of this product feel even more classy.

P.S. -> Nikon Is going to use the Sony developed sensor in this camera on their upcoming "P6000" flagship advanced P&S, adding to the credibility of this camera.

To those that are blaming the lack of sharpness on lens quality... I think the lens is phenomenal considering the size of the sensor.

I myself personally own a canon 700 IS, and this camera as well. I have spent ample time framing the same shot with both cameras and changing settings on both cameras.

In my opinion the sony IS capable of creating very sharp pictures superior in both color saturation and exposure then the canon series. It just isn't as obvious to do it as the canon as the canons don't offer near the amount of manual options that the sony offers. They pretty much lock the consumer into making good pictures and the consumers think they're the greatest.

That said, even a digital SLR can take very poor/soft pictures if you don't focus correctly. Spot, scene, average focusing can cause lots of problems with sharpness.

To make the sony perform as a Canon series camera would, place the camera into the auto mode, enable the iSCN option (not iSCN+). No muss no fuss sharp pictures just like Canons with in my opinion more vivid pictures and realistic colors. At least compared to my canon 700IS.

Either way, both cameras are great, both cameras have their shortcomings as they are compact cameras, but every digital camera is capable of taking great pictures. Just have to spend more time learning about it and trying to get the best performance out of them.

It's a good little pocket camera and meets my needs for an easy-to-carry camera with lots of features. I mainly bought it based on reviews from Amazon and have been satisfied so far. However, the usual description of "What's in the Box" was not there, so I unnecessarily ordered a charger for $44 just to be sure. There is one included with the camera. Maybe I can use the extra one when I leave the first one in a motel room somewhere.

This is one sweet looking camera. The design is excellent. The built quality is very high. I have only taken a few shots with it so far, but they look very good, colorful and sharp. Image size is about 5MB at full resolution so you get about 800 images on a 4GB card. I am using the Sandisk Ultra II 15MB/s card which works great. Recommended.

This camera is so easy to use. I love the smile option. I get great pictures without having to do much!!!