Testing / Performance

For those photographers who are slightly colorblind, but still want their pictures to be perfect, the same information is displayed below. This graph shows the color error as a line that connects the ideal GretagMacbeth color (square) to the Sony W30’s produced color (circle).

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 produced fairly accurate colors with a 6.58 mean color error in the Normal color mode. Saturation, at 99.9 percent, was almost perfect. For these results, the W30 received an overall color score of 7.61, better than that of previous W-series digital cameras. The Sony W1 scored a 7.51, and the W7 did slightly better with a 7.53. We also tested the Sony W30 in Rich and Natural color modes. The first over-saturates colors quite a bit – by 14.3 percent, to be exact, while the latter under-saturates colors by 18 percent. While the actual saturation percentages vary, the mean color scores remain in the same ballpark. Rich mode had a mean color error of 6.66, while the Natural garnered a 6.81 result. Overall, the Sony W30 produces fairly accurate colors, and the saturation is best in the Normal mode.

**Still Life Scene **

Below are three shots of our elegant still life scene, captured by the Sony W30 in its Normal, Natural, and Rich color modes.

*Normal Color *

*
Natural Color *

*Rich Color*

Click on any of the images above to view the full resolution files.

Resolution / Sharpness* (3.78)
*With its 1/2.5-inch, 6-megapixel Super HAD CCD and Real Imaging Processor, the Sony W30 is equipped to take great shots suitable for large prints. To see if the equipment functions as it should, we shot several exposures of the ISO 12233 resolution chart. Many imaging organizations use this chart to test imaging sensors’ abilities to handle certain amounts of megapixels.

Once we took several images, we uploaded them into Imatest Imaging Software, which analyzed the data and output results in terms of line widths per picture height (lw/ph). This measurement tells us how many alternating black and white lines could theoretically fit across the frame, horizontally and vertically, without blending together.

Click on the chart above to view the full resolution image

The above image is the sharpest one we could extract from the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30. It was taken using a focal length of 14.3 mm and an aperture of f/4.5. Imatest determined that the W30 can resolve 1684 lw/ph horizontally and over-sharpened by 22.8 percent in this direction. In the vertical plane, the W30 can fit 1015 lw/ph and under-sharpened by 12.8 percent. Unfortunately, these figures only give us an idea of the overall camera resolution. Taking a closer look at the resolution chart reveals that the outer edges are quite blurry and out of focus, while the center of the frame is perfectly focused. Although the Sony Cyber-shot W30’s resolution results were average among point-and-shoot camera designs, the edge falloff is much more exaggerated than most and will ultimately prove detrimental to overall image quality.

Noise - Auto ISO* (2.39)
*Because the target audience of the Sony W30 is largely point-and-shooters, it is important to determine if the automatic ISO setting can effectively control noise. We tested the camera in nearly ideal lighting conditions, and the W30 automatically chose an ISO rating much too high. The resultant noise levels matched those found at ISO 380. For this, the Sony W30 received a poor 2.39 automatic ISO noise score. This is quite a departure from earlier W-series models, which did much better at this test.

Noise - Manual ISO* (7.88)
*One of the Sony W30’s best traits is its expansive ISO range. The following manual ISO ratings are available: 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1000. A High Sensitivity scene mode

automatically uses the ISO 1000 rating. We tested the noise levels at each step and created a chart that shows the ISO ratings on the horizontal plane and the noise levels on the vertical plane.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30’s noise levels begin very low at the ISO 80 setting and steadily increased until the latter half of the ratings, where they increase almost exponentially. Still, the overall noise suppression is impressive for such an inexpensive camera. For this, the W30 received a 7.88 overall manual ISO score.

Low Light Performance* (4.5)
*We tested the Sony W30 in less than perfect lighting conditions as well without the use of the flash. First we tested it at 60 lux, which resembles two soft lamps in a living room after dusk. Next, we tested the W30 at 30 lux, which is about the same lighting found in a basement lit by a single 40-watt bulb. Our next test involved shooting at 15 lux, where the light is hardly there at all. We tested the camera at 5 lux as well, even though this is uncommonly dark.

We tested the W30’s low light capabilities using the camera’s Program, High-sensitivity, and Night Scene modes. We found the camera performed best in its Program mode.

The Sony Cyber-shot W30 did not perform very well in low light. Even the image at 60 lux is noisy and under-saturated. The darkest three tests were horribly discolored and leaned toward a warmer hue than was natural.

The chart below shows the amount of noise in the low-light exposures, which are longer than exposures in our other tests. Shutter speeds are shown across the horizontal axis, with the accompanying noise on the vertical axis.

As seen in the chart, there is a steady rise in noise as the exposure lengthens. Still, the shutter speeds did not vary as much as in some other compact models, where the slope is more dramatic. Overall, the low-light pictures from the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 were poorly illuminated and disappointingly noisy.

Dynamic Range* (5.5)
*Dynamic range measures the spread of light and dark that a camera can record with detail. We use a standardized test to measure cameras' performance, photographing an industrial target that ranges more than 13 EV in brightness. Imatest software analysis yields two results: a "Low Quality" score and a more important "High Quality" assessment.

The Sony W30 has a bit better dynamic range than typical compact cameras, retaining highlight and shadow details well up to ISO 200 and delivering diminished but respectable performance at ISO 400. ISO 800 and 1000 show considerable deterioration, but are far from the worst performances we've seen from this category.

**Speed / Timing **
*Startup to First Shot (7.48)
*It took the Sony W30 2.5 seconds to start up and take a picture when we turned it on in our tests. On occasions when a candid shot might pop up any time, it's best to keep the W30 turned on – 2.5 seconds is too long to wait for action shots.

*Shot to Shot (9.57)
*In regular burst mode, the W30 delivered 3 shots in 1.3 seconds for 2.3 frames per second. At highest resolution and quality, it took almost 12 seconds to write those images to memory, though. In Multi-burst mode, the W30 shot 16 1-megapixel images in 0.6 seconds, a speed worthy of a (low-res) flip book.

*Shutter to shot (8.62)
*The Sony W30 delayed about 0.2 seconds between the time we pressed its shutter and the time when it took an image. This is pretty good for a compact camera, but not great for action photography. Users will have to anticipate the action a bit and press the shutter slightly before the perfect moment.

Physical Tour

Front* (7.0)
*Sony revamped their W-series to look more attractive, and the W30’s flat front face shows the fruit of their efforts. A textured Sony logo sits in the top left corner, a matching Cyber-Shot logo in the bottom left. Between them is the finger grip, its shiny chrome finish attractive but not providing much grip at all, especially on sweaty August days. In the top right corner is a skinny, horizontal oval-shaped flash; below it is a small circular auto focus illuminator.

On the right side of the camera is a small telescoping 3x optical zoom lens, with two plastic doors that snap shut to protect it when off. Tiny textured lines have been engraved into the lens’s rim, as have the lens specs: "Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, 2.8-5.2/ 6.3-18.9."  At the top left of the rim, almost in the center of the W30, is a small circular window that resembles an LED. This window, however, is in reality possibly the smallest optical viewfinder ever included on a digital camera.

Back* (6.5)
*While the back of the camera isn’t overwhelmingly confusing, it isn’t as organized as that of some other models out this year. A raised platform around the LCD screen extends around the viewfinder and playback button. The 2-inch LCD monitor has the Sony logo at its bottom and an unlabeled door below the screen which opens to reveal the AV-out and USB jacks. In the top left corner of the camera, above the LCD screen, is the built-in speaker, comprised of three holes. Above the top right corner is a small, square optical viewfinder, with two LEDs to its right. Even farther to the right is the playback button.

The right half of the Sony W30 is a mess of controls. At the top is the round circular mode dial, with two vertically-aligned oval buttons below it to the left. The top button cycles through display modes and the bottom accesses the menu system. To the right of these buttons, a set of bumps help the user’s thumb stay put on the camera’s back.

Below the buttons and bumps, a ring surrounding a central button forms the W30’s multi-selector. The top accesses flash modes, while the right activates the macro mode, the bottom chooses the self-timer, and the left adjusts the exposure compensation. Arrows point out the four directions to scroll and icons on each axis explain their effects.

At the very bottom of the right side is an oval button with dual functionality; it selects the image size in recording mode and deletes pictures in playback mode.

**Left Side ***(7.0)
*The left side of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 is as populated as the desert. Its center boasts its 3x optical zoom capabilities and that’s about it.

Right Side* (7.0)
*A tiny door at the right side covers the W30’s DC-in jack. In the center, toward the rear of the camera, is an eyelet for attaching the wrist strap.

Top* (7.5)
*A chrome plate runs across the top of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30. The left side has "MPEG Movie VX" engraved into it, and a bumpy microphone below it. To the right is a tiny circular power button in the middle of by a green LED. A zoom switch surrounds a shutter release button to the right.

Bottom* (3.0)
*The left side of the bottom opens to reveal the battery compartment, which also houses the Memory Stick slot. On the bottom right corner of the W30 is a standard tripod mount, although its positioning and design cause the camera to tilt unfavorably when locked onto the tripod.

Components

Viewfinder*(4.0) *
**

**For Sony, an optical viewfinder is a blast from the past: a traditional hallmark of the W-series that Sony decided to keep while adding digital essentials like the enlarged LCD screen. The viewfinder itself can’t really be seen from the front, as its small size and circular shape make it resemble an auto focus lamp. While it’s not completely accurate, the viewfinder is far better than that in most compact models. It shows more on the bottom and left sides of the frame, which photographers may have to crop later, but won’t cut off people’s heads in portraits. The viewfinder zooms with the camera, retaining similar accuracy in telephoto and wide shots. While it’s difficult to locate and the LCD screen is more convenient, the optical viewfinder is a good option for low-battery moments.

LCD Screen* (4.5)
*One of the sacrifices Sony made to ensure the W30’s low price is the LCD screen. It is only 2 inches in size and has a measly 85,000 pixels of resolution; its refresh rate is slow enough to look like a live flip-book, and solarizes when above, below, or at the side of the viewer.

Nonetheless, the LCD screen provides a more accurate view of the subject than the optical viewfinder and gives the user more options. A display button next to the LCD screen can be used to turn the screen off, view only the live image, overlay the shooting information, or add a histogram. Overall, the LCD’s screen quality is poor, but fair at the price, and the shooting options are useful.

Flash* (7.0)
*Although the flash’s poor location in the top right corner makes it vulnerable to stray fingers, it works well when not blocked. When the ISO is set to auto, the flash is functional from 6 inches to 13 feet 8 inches wide. At the top ISO 1000 setting, the flash is effective from 2 ft. 7 in. to 24 ft. at the lens’s widest focal length.

An option in the recording mode lets users adjust the flash’s output one step up or down. The top of the multi-selector scrolls through the following flash modes: Auto, On, Off, and Slow Sync. The red-eye reduction, which triggers four or five smaller flashes before the main one, can work in any of these modes via the option in the setup menu.

**

Zoom Lens*** (6.0)
*The redesigned W-series has the lens surrounded by a large, shiny flat rim, which is much more attractive than the design of previous models. Along with the upgraded look, the lens technology retains the same high quality. The W30 has a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar telescoping lens that extends from 6.3-18.9mm – the equivalent of 38-114mm in the more traditional 35mm format. 6 elements in 5 groups, with 3 aspheric elements, form the 3x optical zoom lens, which has a wide aperture of f/2.8 at the 6.3mm focal length and f/5.2 in telephoto. It is impossible to manually select the aperture; the camera selects from f/2.8-f/7.1 in wide and f/5.2-f/13 in telephoto. Sony also sells a VAD-WB adaptor ring with a 30 mm filter diameter that fits onto the W30. No Sony conversion lenses are on the market yet, but they’re undoubtedly on the way: where there is a lens adaptor, there must be something to adapt to.

Design / Layout

Model Design / Appearance* (7.0)
*The Sony W-series of point-and-shoot cameras aims at capturing both traditional elements and new technology. In that regard, the W30 does very well. With a flat front and a few chrome highlights, it resembles a swanky new digital camera and looks much trendier than it actually is. From the back, the merger of old and new is more apparent, with the traditional optical viewfinder having its place above the modern LCD screen. The aesthetic appearance of the Sony W30 is much improved over last year’s models, although the build quality is not nearly as strong.

Size / Portability* (7.5)
*With compact 3.5 x 2.32 x 0.91-inch measurements, the Sony W30 can almost compete with trendier ultra-slim cameras. Its tiny, mostly plastic body and lightweight design allow the W30 to be stashed in a pocket or purse and remain easily available for sudden action. The W30 weighs 4.5 oz without the card or battery, 6.8 oz when fully loaded.

Handling Ability* (6.0)
*The W30 was meant for occasional pointing and shooting rather than a continuous photo session. Its design, while attractive and portable, is not entirely comfortable. The camera’s almost completely flat body provides no right hand grip for support. A few subtle aids exist for the user, such as a shiny chrome finger grip on the front left side and bumps on the back to hold the camera in place. While these features are worth mentioning, the overall handling is still cramped.

**

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size*** (6.5)
*As stated previously, the camera’s design is geared more toward portability than handling. The compact size of the camera leaves little room for control buttons, which are all crammed on the back, to the right of the LCD screen. Placing the mode dial a little higher would have been helpful; as it is, the dial’s placement and stiffness make it hard to turn and the tiny lines on its edges for gripping aren’t really effective. Three buttons on the camera’s back are all nearly flush with the housing and almost the same color, rendering them difficult to find when in need of a quick ISO setting change. Perhaps the best control is the multi-selector, which, while on the small side, does its job well.

**Menu ***(6.5)
*Sony didn’t redesign the menu system for the W30; it kept the old gray Cyber-shot menus intact. As in previous models, pressing the menu button brings up a flat gray icon at the bottom of the screen. Scrolling on the icon produces an option box above it and shows the function’s text title in a lighter gray color. For instance, when users scroll on the "WB" icon, the light gray box above it reads, "White Balance, while options on a darker gray box read, "Flash, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Daylight, Auto." Occasionally, a live view appears behind the icons, showing users the real-time effects of various options.

The recording menu has the most options available in Program mode. In Auto mode, it’s limited to the burst mode options and setup.  The following menu is from the Program mode.

 

 From the far right of the recording and playback menus, users can access the dreary grey-and-black setup menu. Four icons appear at the left side of the menu, their options to the right. The camera icon pulls up the following menu page.    The Memory Stick icon brings up this menu.    The Setup 1 icon has a camera shape with a line through it. When selected, it brings up the following short menu.  

 

 The Setup 2 menu is equally as exciting.    The nice thing about the recording and setup menus is that there is always a way out. When users select Cancel on an option, the camera takes them back a step instead of throwing them out of the menu system entirely. This is particularly useful for changing several settings at a time.  In the playback menu, scrolling on an icon doesn’t bring up its options; an icon has to be selected to see more. The following menu is from the playback mode.  

Overall, the menu system is intuitive and organized. The pages in the setup menu make it easy to find options for quickly.

Ease of Use* (7.0)
*A point-and-shoot digital camera without many fancy manual options, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 is quite easy to use. Users can also allow the camera to automatically choose all of the options it does have. If they want to choose modes themselves, the W30’s Function Guide, available in the startup menu, shows enlarged icons with text titles and explanations. For example, when users scroll to the snowman icon on the dial, the following appears: "Snow: Shoot whitish scene brightly."

The only drawbacks to the Sony W30’s usability are the miniscule buttons and overall handling. For a photographer with Shaq-sized hands, the W30 would be nearly impossible to use. However, for the average shooter who needs an easy interface to work with, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 delivers.

Modes

Auto Mode (7.0)

Auto mode turns the W30 into a full point-and-shoot digital camera, limiting the menu to setup and burst mode. All of the features on the multi-selector are available, though, so users can change the exposure compensation or flash mode. The auto mode remembers these settings rather than returning to default, making customization easy.

Movie Mode* (7.0)
*A little filmstrip icon designates the movie mode on the dial, an option which will appeal to many users familiar with Sony’s impressive camcorder technology. While neither optical zoom nor image stabilization is available, making smooth transition footage almost impossible to obtain, the video quality is pretty good.

The W30 focuses well and stays sharp, even when the subject is moving, and records either an email-friendly 160 x 112 pixels at 8 fps or 640 x 480 pixels at two frame rates: 30 and 16.6 frames per second. 30 fps is only accessible with a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo card, though, and 16.6 fps is choppy.

All video options record audio, and the built-in microphone and speaker features provide reasonably clear sound. Additional good news: the W30’s movie mode has more options than most. Users can shoot movies in black and white or sepia, select the auto focus and metering modes, and even adjust the white balance, giving their movie clips accurate colors and decent exposure.

Drive / Burst Mode* (6.0)
*Many compact models disable the burst mode in the full auto mode, but the W30 allows access to it, via the recording menu of every mode except night scene, even when automating everything else.

However, the burst mode on the W30 isn’t that impressive; it lasts for only 3 shots and shoots 1.4 frames per second at full resolution. At lower resolutions, while the speed remains the same, the camera can shoot longer. The W30 takes 98 shots at 1.4 fps when at the smallest resolution. A multi-burst mode in the recording menu shoots 16 frames very quickly at VGA resolution, then automatically plays them back like a choppy movie, a useful tool for sports analysis or whimsical action pictures of oneself. A self-timer, available at the bottom of the multi-selector, facilitates this with 2 and 10-second options.

**

Playback Mode*** (6.75)
*Pressing the designated button to the right of the optical viewfinder enters or exits playback mode. This handy button can also turn the camera on when pressed down for a second or two; the W30 wakes up already in the playback mode. In this mode, users can order prints, see pictures individually or in index frames of 9 images each, delete them one at a time or all at once, resize them, rotate them, play them in slide shows, and add them to folders. Movies can be divided into two separate clips as well, separating ten minutes of dead air from the four seconds of actual content. Viewing pictures on the 2-inch screen isn’t quite as glorious as it is on bigger screens with higher resolution, but the W30 can zoom in on individual pictures, so all is not lost.

Custom Image Presets* (6.0)
*At a time when compact digital cameras are adding more and more scene modes, it is almost refreshing to come across a model that sticks to the essentials. Rather than offering a menu of 30 plus presets, many redundant or useless, the W30 has 7 basic scene modes located directly on the mode dial: Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, and High Sensitivity. The in-camera function guide explains each one, clarifying, for example, that the ambiguously-named Soft Snap mode shoots the subject with a soft background.

The High Sensitivity mode is a new one to the W-series this year. It disables the flash so that users can capture ambient light in relatively dim places. Want to get a shot of the cute baby sleeping? Don’t even try it with a flash; that’ll wake him up faster than the vacuum cleaner. Go for the High Sensitivity mode instead. It shoots at full resolution, unlike many comparable modes from different manufacturers. However, it does use higher ISO settings, which garner more noise than usual. Check out our low light test section to see how the Sony W30’s high sensitivity mode handled dim light.

Control Options

Manual Control Options

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 doesn’t offer serious manual control; it gives users just enough to manipulate the exposure easily. Instead of shutter speed and aperture settings, the W30 has an exposure compensation adjustment accessible from the left side of the multi-selector. Users who need to take pictures in less than optimal lighting (high school drama plays, night clubs, and conference rooms) can also manually select ISO settings, as well as auto focus, white balance, metering, and flash mode.

**Focus
***Auto Focus (7.0)
*

The Sony W30 focuses from 0.74 inches in macro and 19.7 inches normally, and has two auto focus modes: center and multi. Multi doesn’t allow users to choose the exact focus spot, but the 5-point option did well in testing. Almost all of the pictures were in focus; there were a few that had a blurred hand or leg because of movement. The camera did well in low light, largely impart to the orange assist lamp that fired up when the lights were down.. Best of all, the W30’s focus was fast, so shutter lag shouldn’t be a major issue.

*Manual Focus (1.0)
*There is no true manual focus on the W30, but the recording menu does offer focus selection. Five options are grouped with the auto focus modes: 0.5m, 1.0m, 3.0m, 7.0, and infinity. Users can guess where their subjects are and make the selection.

Exposure* (7.0)
*Shutter speed and aperture cannot be manually selected, but it’s possible to control and adjust the exposure in other ways. Users can push the display button a few times to access the live histogram, which shows just how well the scene is exposed. Pressing the left side of the multi-selector also calls up an exposure compensation scale, with a typical +/- 2 EV range in 1/3-stop steps, and corresponding live view.

Metering* (7.0)
*Like many other compact digital cameras, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 has three metering modes: Multi, Center, and Spot. The Multi option, the W30’s default, takes the average of 49 points in the picture to measure the lighting. This is fine for most situations, but can be tricky in high contrast scenes. For the ballerina in the spotlight, users are better off using the Center or Spot metering options; the Center metering option shows brackets around the metering point, while the Spot setting displays a tiny cross in the center of the exact metered area. When users scroll through the metering options, a live view makes it easy to figure out the best option for any situation.

ISO* (7.75)
*The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 offers 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1000 ISO options, a variety above and beyond that on previous W-series cameras and slightly above average for other compact models this year. Many new cameras are including higher ISO sensitivities, but at this price point, the majority still only extends to ISO 400. Users can manually select the ISO setting or choose Auto and let the camera take over. There is even a High Sensitivity scene mode, which uses the ISO 1000 setting and Sony’s Clear RAW Noise Reduction system, for users who want to shoot in low light without the flash. To see how well it performs, check out our noise sections in the Testing/Performance tab.

White Balance* (5.5)
*White balance options, complete with a live view, can be found in the recording menu. Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, and Flash settings are available. The automatic white balance mode seemed to be pretty accurate, as did the others in their respective situations. Even the flash color balance looked good, preserving natural skin tones instead of producing the glaring white forehead that happens with some cameras. However, the W30 unfortunately lacks a manual white balance setting; a substantial omission when shooting is tough mixed light conditions.

Shutter Speed* (0.0)
*Shutter speeds on the Sony W30 cannot be manually adjusted. Instead, the camera chooses from a 1/8-1/2000th of a second range for every mode except Program, where the W30’s slowest shutter speed is 1 second.

**Aperture ***(0.0)
*The camera also automatically selects the aperture from a nice range. At the lens’s widest focal length, the aperture can come from an f/2.8-f/7.1 range. In telephoto, the range moves to f/5.2-f/13. However, again, users can not manually control the aperture.

Image Parameters

Picture Quality / Size Options* (7.0)
*The Sony W30 captures JPEG images in either Fine or Standard compression. The compression can be chosen from the recording menu, but the image sizes themselves must be selected from the designated button at the bottom of the camera (it doubles as a delete button in the playback mode). The following sizes appear: 16:9, VGA, 2M, 3M, 3:2, and 6M. This menu shows that there is a variety of shooting formats – 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9. With the latter, users can flaunt their photos on the widescreen. The 3:2 mode captures pictures perfectly cropped for 4 x 6-inch prints and the remaining image sizes are captured in standard 4:3.

When users scroll through the image size options, the in-camera function guide provides some handy info. It displays how large users can print with each image size and how many pictures they can take on the loaded card or internal memory. For example, when the full resolution choice is selected, the function guide reads: "Up to A4/8 x 10" print. Appx. Image capacity xx pics." This is handy for users just getting the hang of digital photography and memory; this is perfect for the W30’s audience.

Picture Effects Mode* (7.0)
*A few picture effects are possible via the recording menu. Normal, Natural, Rich, Sepia, and Black & White are all available with live views. We found that Natural makes the photo look bland, while the Rich oversaturates colors, and the Black & White and Sepia modes both look reasonably good for an in-camera effect. If, for some reason, users want to tweak the contrast anyway, the option is in the recording menu.. All of these effects are only accessible before taking the pictures; they cannot be added afterwards.

Connectivity / Extras

**Connectivity
***Software (4.0)
*Extremely basic Cyber-shot Viewer v1.0 software comes with the Sony W30. This software allows the user to view files from a Folder view, which either displays adjustable-size thumbnail pictures or detailed shooting information, or a Calendar view. Calendar mode allows users find pictures by dates and times, a method which works best if they remember to set the camera’s clock.

Double-clicking on an image makes it appear in a separate View/Edit window. From here, users can rotate the image and adjust the following options: automatic correction, brightness correction, saturation, sharpness, red-eye reduction, and trimming. Users can also email and print their photos. While the Cyber-shot Viewer software is very low-end, even prompting users to register folders for loading rather than automatically loading pictures, it is about what one should expect with a $229 digital camera.  

*Jacks, ports, plugs (6.0)
*Two rubber doors on the camera body house separate jacks: the DC-in power adaptor on the right side and the AV-out and USB jacks below the LCD screen. The AV is NTSC and PAL selectable; users can play slide shows whether they’re in Paris or New York. The USB jack is 2.0 Hi-speed, so downloading photos to the computer shouldn’t take long at all.

*Direct Print Options (6.0)
*The PictBridge-compatible Sony W30 has a DPOF system that shines in playback mode. When users view nine images at a time, they can quickly select which pictures to print or, with one click, choose to print them all. Printing options are limited to a date stamp, however, and users have no choice about the number of prints or paper size. There is no designated print button on the W30, so users must select the Print option from the playback menu when the order is finalized and the USB cable connected to the printer.

Battery (7.25)
*

*A skinny NP-BG1 lithium-ion battery powers the Sony W30. The tiny battery comes with a separate wall-mount charger which does its duty, and lasts for 400 shots between charges. Users can stretch battery life even further by using the optical viewfinder and turning off the LCD screen.

*Memory (5.0)
*The Sony Cyber-shot W30 comes with 32 MB of internal memory, but that isn’t enough to capture an entire three-day vacation. Users will have to invest in a Sony Memory Stick of some sort, preferably a Pro Duo card, which ensures the faster frame rate on the movie mode. Sony tested cards up to 2 GB for this digital camera, and found that the W30 does not support the Access Control security function found on higher end Memory Stick media. Since W30 users are unlikely to own a Memory Stick that costs more than the camera, however, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Other features* (2.5)

Digital zoom –* Users can select Precision zoom if they want to see unflattering jagged stair-step lines. The Smart Zoom feature, which works in lower resolutions, avoids that problem by using the whole image sensor to zoom rather than a cropped portion. When users shoot at 3-megapixels, they can zoom to 4.1x. At 2 megapixels, they can zoom to 5.2x, and at VGA resolution, the zoom is a long 13x.

Power Save Mode – This mode, which shuts the W30 off after 3 minutes of activity, is for people who have left their car lights on at night only to come out in the morning and find their battery dead. It is relatively easy to find in the setup menu.

Overall Impressions

Value* (6.75)
*The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30, priced at the bottom of the entry-level W-series of digital cameras, has basic compact features: 6 megapixels, 3x optical zoom lens, and a 2-inch LCD screen. While these specs can be found in many budget-priced models, the W30 also includes ISO 1000 illumination in low light, which can’t be found in any other model at this low price. Also, the Sony W30’s movie mode beats that of cheaper models, which often have poor resolution and slow frame rates. Even without a Memory Stick Pro Duo card, the W30’s 16.6 fps rate is faster than some other entry-level models. At $229, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 is a good value.

**Comparisons **
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50 – If you love the W30’s features, but can’t stand its relatively small LCD screen, the Sony W50 has a more competitively sized view, with a 2.5-inch LCD screen and 115,000 pixels of resolution.. This does significantly enhance the view, and only costs twenty dollars more. Otherwise, the cameras are almost exactly the same - 3x optical zoom lens, small optical viewfinders, and the same automatic modes, including High Sensitivity - though the W50 gets 390 shots per charge instead of the W30’s 400. The W50 retails for $249.

*Canon PowerShot A530 –*The 5-megapixel A530 is part of the incredibly popular A-series of Canon digital cameras and, at $229, is quite affordable. While the PowerShot has one less megapixel on its 1/2.5-inch CCD, its 4x Canon lens gives it more optical zoom. Like the Sony W-series cameras, the Canon A530 has an optical viewfinder that is a throwback to the glory days of film. With 12 scene modes and a simple interface, this model is also easy to use, and an interesting My Colors mode allows users to add color filters and effects within the camera. The A530 runs on 2 AA batteries and is compatible with optional conversion lenses. It has a 1.8-inch LCD screen, with a measly 77,000 pixels, on a chunky 3.6 x 2.6 x 1.7 inch body. However, a slight hand grip makes the A530 more comfortable to handle.

*Fujifilm FinePix A600 –*Fuji’s version of the entry-level model, the 6-megapixel A600 comes with Fujifilm’s Super CCD technology, which has produced impressive results in previous FinePix digital cameras. It has a 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.4-inch LCD screen. The two camera bodies are similar in size; the A600 measures 3.7 x 2.4 x 1.2 inches and weighs 5.1 oz.. The FinePix digital camera is simple to use and runs on convenient AA batteries. Its movie mode is a bit disappointing, however, as its finest recording still only collects 320 x 240 pixels at 10 fps. No optical viewfinder exists on the A600 either, and only four scene modes are available. At $249, it costs $20 more than the Sony W30, but doesn’t offer much more functionality. The A600 will debut on store shelves in June.

HP Photosmart M527 – At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, HP unveiled a slew of digital cameras, including the 6-megapixel M527. This model looks similar to its other Photosmart siblings: its metal body is silver, rectangular, and, at 1.4 inches thick, slightly chunky. It has a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2-inch LCD screen, and a help guide, complete with text and illustrations, to rescue the technologically disadvantaged. In-camera editing features let users add borders and effects within the camera body as well as fixing red-eye. The HP M527 has six scene modes and a movie mode that records 320 x 240-pixel video at 30 fps. It runs on AA batteries and has 16 MB of internal memory. The HP Photosmart retails for $199.

Kodak EasyShare C643 – This EasyShare isn’t especially attractive, but its components are similar to those of the W30. The Kodak C643 has a chunky 3.6 x 2.6 x 1.3-inch silver body with a 2.4-inch LCD screen and tiny optical viewfinder, a 3x optical zoom lens, and 6.1 megapixels. None of its 12 screen modes have anything comparable to the W30’s High Sensitivity mode; instead, Kodak has an automatic ISO setting that only covers 80-160 and manual adjustments that extend the range to 400. The movie mode on this EasyShare records a full 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps, using only a regular SD card, instead of the Memory Stick Pro card that the Sony W30 requires, or 32 MB of internal memory. A ruby-colored Share button on theC643 has a ruby-colored Share button transfers files to computers or directly to printers with one touch. The Kodak EasyShare C643 retails for $229.

**Who It’s For
***Point-and-Shooters – *With automatic modes and a compact body, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 is built for the point-and-shoot market. Consumers who don’t want to select a metering mode or manually focus the lens will be satisfied with the W30.

Budget Consumers – At $229, the 6-megapixel Sony W30 is priced to lure in consumers who want to buy their first digital camera but don’t want to spend $349 or more for it. Even when an extra Memory Stick is included in the price, the Sony W30 is quite competitive in the entry-level compact market.

*Gadget Freaks – *These consumers will be totally bored by the prospect of spending an afternoon with the W30. After all, it doesn’t have a folding LCD monitor or wireless connectivity or anything. Its most interesting gadget is probably the optical viewfinder – and that is only of interest because of its miniscule size, not its technical prowess.

*Manual Control Freaks – *Manual control is not important to the W30, which was built for pointing, shooting, and making simple selections like image size. If photographers want to change the shutter speed and aperture, they’ll have to find another digital camera.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – This category of users won’t even glance at the Sony W30 once. Not even for vacation. The images from a 6-megapixel 1/2.5-inch CCD sensor combined with the lack of manual control just won’t suit this audience.

Conclusion

**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.

Specs / Ratings

**Specs Table
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