Sony Cybershot W80 Review

Sony announced the arrival of their latest digital camera, the Cybershot DSC-W80, specifically designed to improve clarity for photo viewing activities via a high-definition component output. This camera can be directly connected to an HDTV, thereby integrating a full 1080 HD photo-viewing function into a home theater.

In recent times, HDTV is increasingly becoming a standard in more and more American households. The trend is leading to an increasing demand to view all content – including photos –in high definition. This is exactly what the Cybershot W80 digital camera seeks to support. It is facilitating a trend, from viewing digital pictures on the computer, to enjoying them in entertainment mode through the living room TV.

This 7.2-megapixel digital camera features an eye-level viewfinder, a 2.5-inch LCD screen, and a Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens. Designs come in cold metal, pink, white, black and silver. What makes the DSC-W80 special is that it is compatible with the Sony VMC-MHC1 high-definition component cable so that you can use your camera on an HDTV set. It is likewise compatible with the Sony CSS-HD1 high-definition Cybershot Station, with connections via a component cable. It works as a charger for the camera at the same time.

On the other hand, the DSC-W80HDPR kit bundles the DSC-W80 camera and Sony’s DPP-FPHD1 printer package in one home theater experience. You can get the package with a a Cybershot cradle, a VMC-MHC1 high-definition component cable, a digital photo printer with high-definition component output, and a remote commander. The printer is pretty fast; you can see your photos in less than a minute (approximately 45 seconds). The printer is adaptable to most spaces since it can be placed anywhere horizontally or vertically.

Picture viewing becomes pure entertainment when you use the DSC-W80’s slide show function. The fun part is editing the slide shows so that images can pan out, fade, or wipe transition in tandem with your music clips.

The DSC-W80 has a great AF feature with nine points in the camera frame, letting you include other elements in your picture composition. The in-camera editing function saves you valuable post-editing time at the computer so you can fix your pics on the spot. The camera’s Dynamic Range Optimizer can analyze captured image data to determine what works best in terms of tonality exposure before it compresses the image in JPEG format.

Other helpful functions include retouching and red-eye correction. The soft edge filter blurs the background of your picture so you can emphasize the subject. You can also make highlights by using the partial color filter – you can wash the subject in color while keeping the background in black and white. The cross filter adds a four-point star effect to the lighting in the image. It also has a built in fish-eye filter, in case you want to create a fishbowl effect in your photo.

Pros: Just like the latest Sony outings, the DSC-W80 has the anti-shake mechanism branded as Super Steady Shot optical to stabiliaze your image and avoid blurs usually due to camera shake. The camera also has high sensitivity settings, reaching up to ISO 3200 so you can capture subjects in motion as clearly as possible. What’s great about this is you can likewise minimize picture noise commonly associated with high ISO levels through the Clear RAW noise reduction technology.

Cons: Low-light conditions can be a challenge, and may produce blurry photos, whether you like it or not.

Overall: Fun, capable and affordable, the Sony Cybershot DSC-W80 was designed to first and foremost entertain, and to bring the digital images right into the center of the family entertainment in the living room. It’s not just an SLR camera system, it’s on SLR camera with an edge, and one that you’ll enjoy using, for any occasion. The package includes travel chargers, batteries, filters, sports, packs lenses, and cases.

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