Overview

Finding a camera takes time and energy. The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 is a 14,1 megapixel sensor, which uses a 3-inch LCD screen to preview. Like the more expensive Sony W350, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 works best with a lot of light. This review will simply discuss the different aspects of the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330, to hopefully help you identify whether it is the kind of camera you wish to purchase.

Construction / Look And Feel

The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 has a solid metal construction, but is still surprisingly lightweight and easy to carry. The dimensions are 95,9 ? 56,8 ? 17,3mm. It weighs 112g without the battery and 128g with the battery. It a simple but not unattractive camera, with the Sony logo embossed on the front.

There is a 3-inch LCD screen, which works well under most circumstances, although it does face slightly in the light.

For those of you who like a choice it comes in 4 different colours: silver, black, red and blue. Some users complained that it did feel a bit ?chunky and cheap?. Although in most cases this can be overlooked because it fits into an affordable price range. And if it does not blow you away with its physical look and feel, it does take good pictures.

Lens

The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 is targeted ar casual and novice photographers, with the lens being more then suitable for these types of users.

iAuto (Intelligent Auto) is the default setting on the lens when taking images with the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330. Some users prefer the Smile Shutter, but most do not as it automatically take an image whenever it detects a smile.

Another great feature is the Face Detection, because everybody wants properly exposed and focused images, this feature can however be set to OFF or AUTO.

Controls

Since the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 is a compact digital camera the controls are simple and kept to a minimum. All adjustments are made via the on-screen menu, which is controlled by a four way controller with a center button. On the top right corner you will find a wide-tale toggle switch, there are also a Playback, Menu, and Delete buttons around the four-way controller. Many users commented that the menu system is both straightforward and easy to use.

Shooting

The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 has a wide-angle lens of 26mm and offers a 4 ? zoom. The macro function is generally good, although this setting cannot be set manually, it switches automatically when the subject gets closer. Also it is only sharply focused in the center, with the focus getting softer around the sides.

The colours are accurate when shooting outdoor, as well as during the evening. But while shooting indoor the colours tend to be warmer.

Video

The quality of the video recording on the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 is adequate on a small pc monitor or for YouTube, but not for larger screens. The maximum movie quality is VGA, (640 ? 480 at 30 frames per second) and it also records in QVGA, both of which will become fast updated in today?s technological age. The sound in both recordings in mono, but there is a 3-pinhole speaker on the bottom bezel for you to use to hear if you have recorded audio for your movie.

Storage And Batteries

There is a 28MB of internal memory space and a lithium-ion N-type 3,6V battery. When the battery was tested it doesn?t last nearly as long as Samsung claims, so a spare one is definitely needed. The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 also accepts not only the Memory Stick Pro Duo cards, but also the affordable SD/SDHC cards.

Conclusion

In conclusion the most recognized cons of the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 are that the Shot Stabilization doesn’t work with iAuto. It is not a high definition camera, and the auto white balance does not work well indoors. The video recording quality could be better, but is adequate for the novice videographer, and you will need extra batteries.

However the pro’s are that Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W330 is compact digital camera, which comes in four different colours, and has a small body, which is easy to handle. It has a simple control layout and menu. It takes great photos when shooting with adequate natural lighting, and the colours are generally accurate. It is also affordable and good for the everyday point and shoot photographer.