Sony Cybershot DSCW150/R 8.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot (Red)

I do not like returning items, I hardly ever do it. I prefer investing time researching reviews & comparing products before committing 2 buy. This camera was an exception. I ended up returning it 2 Amazon. This was my first venture into Cybershot point-and-shoot cameras. This camera is very attractive, it looks really good in paper & given the features provided (e.g. 5x optical zoom & nice display size) it beats similar cameras in price by far. However in practice I have 2 agree with several other reviews, the quality of pictures from this camera is very inconsistent. I understand if quality is inconsistent taken in low light pictures, that is expected from most point & shoot cameras. But the inconsistency is noticeable in pictures taken in good lighting. On average only 2 out of 5 pictures taken were worth keeping, the remaining 3 were either blurred or with a lot of noise.

I upgraded from a Canon A530, even comparing several shots from that camera, the quality of that old Canon beat this Sony; most of the Sony pictures had noise in it. I tried really hard 2 keep this camera, I tried several different setting with no success. In the end I ended up settling 4 the Canon SD1100IS, which only has a 3x optical zoom, but the picture quality is far better & very consistent. I was not surprised 2 see the DSCW150 camera as low as $170 in brick & mortar stores such as Target. The launching price was $249. This was a very poor first impression of Cybershot cameras 4 me. Hopefully the inconsistency of quality is limited 2 this model. I am really surprised that at the time of this writing this camera was rated at 4 stars.

Pros: - Clear detail & high quality in both photos & videos
- Good battery endurance
- Helpful onboard Menu Guide & Menu System
- Facilitates Automation well (No knowledge of how 2 set up your shots necessary)
- Compact size
- Feature loaded! Great onboard interactive & PC features...

Cons: - Small onboard memory. It IS necessary 2 purchase a Memory Stick 2 coulpe with the Camera

- The sometimes grainy look of the LCD Display (though this is not an indication of how the shots/videos look)

Hope this helps!!!

We have had this camera 4 about a month & really love it. It's super fast, really small, & has a nice view screen. I like the fun slide show option where you can download your own songs & play the pictures 2 music. How fun. It takes wonderful pictures too. We took it 2 the beach & got some wonderful sunset pics. It has a nice zoom too. The only thing we don't like is it doesn't take double a batteries, & the place 2 plug it into the computer is on the bottom which isn't very convienient. I would highly reccomend this camera 2 anyone who wants a really nice point & shoot camera with lots of fun features.

I got this 4 my husband & 4 work. We needed a wide angle lens & this one was the biggest I could find in a camera this size. It's working great & we're totally pleased. You will definately need a memory card 4 taking lots of pictures, but that's with any camera. The only thing 2 be aware of - the "Red" camera was a little cheaper, so I went 4 that - but my husband & everyone says it looks like a dark pink. Luckily my husband is secure! So, if you're getting it 4 a man, be aware that the red is pink.

I've owned this camera 4 several months now. It's mainly my wife's camera. She carries it in her purse most days.

I'll start with the negatives & then get 2 the positives:

The charger requires you 2 remove the battery 2 charge it. You cannot operate the camera from any power supply in the meantime. Rarely did I ever do this with my old Sony, but I did do it a few times. This gives you no option other than buying more accessories from Sony, which is where they always get you.

The charger is unreliable. If you put the battery in & you walk away, there's probably a 30% chance that it won't charge. Rather the light will blink identifying some problem. I jiggle the battery in & out, & it starts working again. This has left us with a dead battery on more than one occasion.

The lens cover that automatically closes 2 protect it - very flimsy. Ours broke after a short time of my wife carrying this in her purse. I'm sure it had makeup & stuff bouncing off of it, but the old Sony stood the test of time 4 3 years of the same abuse. In fact, that camera still works if you're careful 2 make sure the shots are in focus (remember I mentioned half the shots are bad these days - thats if you don't concentrate)

We asked someone 2 take a picture of us & they dug their fingernail tip into the button. The silver covered plastic is now permanently dented. Again, I know this isn't regular usage, but the old Sony has had dozens of random people snap our picture without fail.

The size of the camera - 4 a really compact camera, this is not very compact. It's actually larger than our older Sony (which had almost all the same features). I expected in three years of development that they'd miniaturize more of it, or at least reduce its weight. It's actually heavier, too. This need 4 more space may have led 2 the off-board charger.

Classic Sony accessories game - The Memory Stick required 4 this always costs more than the comparable SD cards used in many other brands. If it wasn't 4 the overall quality & features of Sony stuff, I'd avoid it due 2 the ridiculous accessory prices.

And now what I actually like about this camera:

5x Optical Zoom! Wow, that's a lot in the world of compact cameras. I never turn on digital zoom (as that's just a waste of pixels) so this 5x was a major selling point 4 me. It is noticeably different than 4x.

It takes great pictures most of the time. With my last camera, I started getting bad shots about every other pic.. so we upgraded & that problem is gone.

The features are easy 2 handle. Any moron could operate this camera in Easy Mode. Even the same person could handle the auto modes with a little light reading. This camera is easy 2 use.

Looks - It looks really good. A lot of people have complimented us 4 having a cool looking camera. (I believe the black helps that) I realize the point is not the looks, but these colors sure seem 2 influence sales.


Summary: This is a nice camera. Take care of it, & it should serve you well 4 a while. I will have 2 send mine in 4 repair, & then it will be treated as a fragile item 4 the rest of its service life. I can't assume that this camera will be nearly as tough as the old Sony I had. In this age of Chinese produced crap, this camera is a shining example of lack of durability. You're working backwards, Sony.

Take stunning shots in a variety of conditions. The Sony DSC-W150 Cyber-shot(R) 8.1-Megapixel Digital Camera features an Intelligent Scene mode, which automatically selects the right settings 4 your environment. Smile Shutter technology lets you instantly capture smiles the moment they happen. A Carl Zeiss 5x optical zoom lens & Sony's Double Anti-Blur solution provide crisp, clear images. Because an off-center subject can make your shot more interesting, a 9-point auto-focus measures the focus at 9 precision points instead of 5 4 a greater creative freedom 2 compose your image. A large, bright 2.7" Clear Photo LCD display includes an anti-reflective coating that provides 4 excellent visibility 2 help you compose, view, & share photos with superb clarity & color reproduction, even in bright sunlight. Face Detection technology automatically controls focus, exposure, color, & flash 2 help reveal faces in shadows, make skin tones look more natural, reduce red-eye, & eliminate harsh facial glare, so your photos bring out every expression on every face in every shot. A built-in optical viewfinder lets you compose your photos in traditional rangefinder camera style & helps save battery power by turning off your LCD display. Shutter Speed - Auto (1/4 - 1/1,600) / Program Auto (1 - 1/1,600) ISO - Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, & 3200 Flash Modes - Auto, Flash On, Slow Syncro, & Flash Off Scene Modes - Auto, Easy Shooting, Program Auto, Movie, High Sensitivity, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter, & Underwater Movie Modes - MPEG VX Fine with Audio (640x480 at 30fps), MPEG VX Standard with Audio (640x480 at 16fps), 320 (QVGA, 320 x 240, Approx.8.3fps) Operating System - Microsoft 2000 Professional, Me, XP Home & Professional, Macintosh OS 9.1, 9.2, & OS X (10.0-10.4)