UK Digital Cameras Blog

A new digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera from Sony has been launched that uses the manufacturer’s Bionz processing technology.

According the Smarthouse website, the Sony A300 builds on the company’s existing models and incorporates features Bionz image processing to enhance response times and image quality.

In addition, the 10.2-megapixel model will feature Live View technology and Quick Auto Focus - which one spokesman states has already benefited a number of other cameras in the Sony range.

Business development manager for Sony Australia’s DSLR division, John Wallace, said that by equipping the camera with these features users would be able to make the leap to more professional photography.

“Incorporating the extremely popular Auto Focus Live View that has been highly successful on the A350, the A300 makes it easy for digital still camera users to promote themselves to DSLR and get better results,” he said.

The Sony Cybershot H50 is another model which benefits from the inclusion of the Bionz processor to enhance image quality and response times.

Sony’s latest digital SLR model offers something the manufacturer has not had before, a truly “professional model”, according to a new review.

Computer Active reports the addition of the Sony A350 to the company’s range is welcome as it gives those looking to take their digital photography more seriously an extra option.

It is suggested that Sony has been slow to come to the digital SLR market with an impressive model and states that this 14-megapixel model addresses this concern.

With light sensitivity extending from ISO100 to ISO3200, a 2.5 fps continuous image capture and Super Steadyshot technology the review states that the Sony A350 comes “highly recommended”.

“In terms of the images produced, colours are warm without being unrealistic, white balance is more accurate than that from Olympus’s range and noise is well controlled up to and including the highest ISO setting,” the site concludes.

For those looking for a point-and-shoot model the manufacturer offers the 7.2-megapixel
Sony Cybershot W120 and Sony Cybershot 8.1-megapixel T70, among others.

The Sony DSC W110 is a simple camera to use but is equipped with all the features required, according to a review for cameras. co. uk.

The site states that the camera is not only “straightforward” but is also “able to take a decent photo in most situations and is perfect for those looking to buy their first point and shoot model.

In a range of outdoor and indoor tests it was noted that the Sony DSC W110 scores well both with and without the zoom lens and the camera’s flash was also praised for its ability to spread evenly.

“As with other Sony digital cameras, the DSC W110 produces vivid colours in all areas of my tests,” the reviewer added.

Although the Sony DSC W110 has a seven-megapixel resolution the manufacturer does have a number of other models available, including the 7.2-megapixel Sony Cybershot W120 - which is available in a range of colours.

Photographers looking for a camera that combines advanced features with a lightweight design may be interested in the
Sony Cybershot T2, after a recent review praised the model for its “innovative” feature set and compact construction.

Trusted Reviews said the camera’s design gives it a “really stylish and attractive” appearance in a 156-gram body that measures 86.8mm by 56.8mm by 20.2mm.

The Sony Cybershot T2 also trumps a number of similar-sized compacts on the market with its feature set, the review adds, boasting a 2.7-inch touch screen LCD monitor, a 4mb internal memory than can store over 1,200 pictures and Sony’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation system.

It also has an “excellent” touch-select focus and Sony’s Smile Shutter application, which delays the firing of the camera’s shutter until its subjects are displaying an adequate grin.

With an 8.1-mgepixel resolution and 3x zoom lens equal to a 38mm to 114mm lens on traditional 35mm camera, the Sony Cybershot T2 amounts to an “excellent camera” for those who want a compact yet sophisticated model for social snapshots.

Other models in the Sony Cybershot range include the Sony Cybershot W120, the Sony Cybershot T70 and the Sony Cybershot H10.

The Sony Cybershot W120 offers quick performance, crisp picture quality and a “surprisingly robust” set of features, making it a “solid choice” for shoppers looking to buy a budget digital compact, a reviewer has said.

Writing on CNET.co.uk, Will Greenwald said the camera has the functions and features to mark it out as a model not designed specifically for the budget market or “gadget hounds” but as camera able to “stand on its own” merit.

The seven megapixel Sony Cybershot W120 includes a 32mm to 128mm equivalent zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen and optical viewfinder.

It also comes with Sony’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation, a nine-point autofocus system and face detection that can be configured to prioritise either adults’ or children’s faces in a crowd.

Furthermore, the camera comes with Photo Music, Sony’s in-camera slideshow programme that allows users to upload their own soundtrack and view pictures on either the camera’s screen or a high definition TV via an AV cable.

Available in silver, black, blue and pink, the Sony Cybershot W120 is available in the UK from around £125.99.

A review of the Sony Cybershot W120 has praised the camera for its “contemporary styling, powerful in-camera technology and ease of use”, adding that its features make it an “ideal choice” for those looking to get into digital photography.

The camera comes with an “impressive” 7.2 effective megapixel resolution, gadgetheaven. com said, with a “high quality” 4x Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens. This allows it to take pictures of both close-up and distant objects “effortlessly”.

Meanwhile, Sony’s face detection technology picks out and tracks faces in the frame, while also adjusting for their distance from the camera, the site added.

The Sony Cybershot W120’s face detection can also distinguish children’s and adult’s faces - and it adjusts exposure, skin tone and red eye reduction accordingly.

Furthermore, the Smile Shutter feature means the camera waits until its subject is smiling before the shutter fires. The “smile level” can even be adjusted to guarantee that everything from gentle smiles to ear-to-ear grins are caught every time, the review says.

An HD output means that the Sony Cybershot W120 can be connected to HD-ready display to allow the viewing of images in high-definition.

The Sony Cybershot W120 is available from around £125.99.

A review of the Sony CyberShot DSC-T2 has detailed the camera’s key features and praised its design as having an “aura of techno chic”.

Writing in infosyncworls. com, the reviewer said the overall design of the camera is minimalist and almost appears other-worldly, mainly due to the lack of buttons: the Sony CyberShot DSC-T2 is controlled almost entirely via its touch-screen.

It sports D-Range Optimization, which Sony says expands the visual information in very dark and light image areas, and optical image-stabilization, plus a standard macro-range and “extremely cool close focus”.

“The Cybershot DSC-T2 boasts all around great image-quality, with an astounding macro-range, sharp edges, and accurate colour-reproduction,” the review concluded, and listed a few minor drawbacks, such as a flimsy lens cap and the lack of a power lead.

Overall however the camera had a positive review, especially regarding its 4GB of memory and its image quality.

The camera will retail in the UK at around £200.

Function and style combine in the Sony Cybershot T300, a reviewer has asserted.

Arnold Zafra wrote on Photo.Blorge that the camera was designed with the stylish photography enthusiast in mind, particularly as it features an ultra-compact design and a number of intelligent functions.

The Sony T300, which makes use of new intelligent scene recognition (iSCN) developed by Sony, can automatically select optimal settings based on analysis of shooting conditions.

In iSCN mode, the review claims the camera can automatically detect from up to five scenes and use this function to determine which setting is best for the conditions.

According to the manufacturer, the 10.1-megapixel camera is available in a choice of silver, red or black and features a 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen.

The Sony Cybershot T300 also features a smile shutter function as part of its improved face detection, which can distinguish between adults and children and can wait until the subject smiles before the shutter is fired.

Sony T300 Black / Sony T300 Silver

The Sony DSC S730 is a simple and straightforward camera that does not break the bank, a recent review has asserted.

According to Cameras.co.uk, the 7.2-megapixel camera “does a decent job” in performance tests and is “a bit ahead of many cameras in this price bracket”.

The reviewer claimed the camera is “on the large side” but is compact enough to fit into a pocket.

It is powered by two AA batteries that are rumoured to last for up to 440 shots before they need replacing, the manufacturer has claimed.

The reviewer particularly praised the camera’s ease of use, stating that “digital cameras do not come much easier than this one” and added that both simplicity and a reasonable price make the camera stand out when compared to models such as the Canon Powershot S560 and the Panasonic DMC LS75.

Sony has claimed the camera is “a great value-entry model” and asserts it is simple to use with high sensitivity, which can assist people in taking photos in low lighting conditions.

The 8.1-megapixel Sony DSC H7 boasts “a number of advanced features”, Cameras.co.uk has claimed.

Applauded for its selection of manual exposure modes, quick shutter lag times and colour production, the camera described as “the right side of being over-strong” with “impressive” photo quality and an “above average” ease-of-use rating, particularly when compared with other super-zoom cameras of its class.

With a “toughened finish”, the camera is available in black and is a “fairly solid offering”, the reviewer claimed.

According to Sony, the camera features a full 1080p high definition (HD) output so still images can be displayed on HD television screens, as well as 15x optical zoom.

In addition, the camera is easily operated through its on-screen function guide and features a menu with 17 language choices including English, French, Finnish, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Spanish and Greek.

The Sony DSC H7 comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger, a remote control, shoulder strap and software - and is compatible with a range of optional accessories also available from Sony