Samsung's Best HDTV's - Click HereSony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 (silver)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: DSCW90
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Bottom Line:
- Quick shooting and generally good picture quality make the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 a solid choice.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 (silver) price range: $409.11
- Reviewed by: Will Greenwald
- Reviewed on: 02/15/2008
The good: Quick performance; good pictures at lower sensitivity settings.
The bad: Small buttons feel awkward.
The bottom line: Quick shooting and generally good picture quality make the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 a solid choice.
Sony pushes its Cyber-shot W-series forward by inches, not miles, with the DSC-W90. This 8-megapixel point-and-shoot camera offers a higher resolution than its predecessor, the Cyber-shot DSC-W80, but otherwise doesn't change much of anything.
From the outside, the W90 looks almost indistinguishable from its 7-megapixel little brother. Its slim metal body measures less than 0.9 inch thick and weighs only 5.3 ounces with battery and Memory Stick Duo. Unfortunately, just like the W80, its small, flat buttons can feel uncomfortable to large-thumbed users.
Along with the same design, the W90 shares a nearly identical feature set with the W80. The 8-megapixel camera uses a 35mm-105mm equivalent, f/2.8-5.2 lens, giving it a standard 3x zoom range. Its 2.5-inch LCD screen isn't huge by today's standards, but it offers a decent view and leaves enough room on the camera for an optical viewfinder. Despite being part of Sony's budget line, the W90 incorporates a 9-point autofocus system and a face detection mode, both useful when your subject is not in the center of the frame. The W90 also includes 31 megabytes of internal memory, enough to hold a few dozen photos or about a minute and a half of fair-quality VGA footage. Invest in a Memory Stick Duo to get any shooting longevity out of this camera.
As with the W80, a generous suite of onboard retouching options help offset the W90's cookie-cutter feature set. Once you've taken a picture, you can crop it, rotate it (in 90-degree increments), or remove red eyes from portraits taken with the camera's flash. It even offers a handful of picture effects, like soft focus, fisheye, and cross filter. Most of these retouches feel more like gimmicks than actual useful features, but they can still be fun to play with.
In our lab tests, the W90 fared similar to the W80, with a quicker shutter but otherwise slightly slower performance. After a 1.7-second wait from power-on to first shot, the W90 could capture a new picture every 1.3 seconds with the onboard flash disabled. With the flash turned on, that wait more than doubled to 3 seconds. That's slower than we like to see, even for a budget point-and-shoot. The shutter lagged a scant 0.4 second with our high-contrast target, and a respectable 1.1 seconds with our low-contrast target. In burst mode, the camera captured 15 full-resolution shots in 7.4 seconds for an average rate of 2 frames per second.
The W90's photos generally look pretty good, save for a few quirks. On the review unit we acquired, the left third of the camera's photos appear distinctly softer and out-of-focus compared with the rest of the frame. It looks a lot like what happens when a lens is out of alignment, which isn't all that uncommon for budget cameras. It's likely you won't see an identical problem, though you may see something similar or your unit may have no such problem. Outside of the softened area, details appear clear and crisp at the camera's lowest ISO settings. Extremely subtle noise creeps in at ISO 200, but definitely won't show up in prints. At ISO 400, noise becomes more prominent, may show up in prints, and ever so slightly eats up some finer detail, such as hair or the texture of objects. At ISO 800, grain causes more damage to finer textures, but enough detail remains for respectable 4x6 prints. ISO 1,600 pictures get far too noisy for prints, though enough detail remains for e-mailing them or posting them to the Web. Photos taken at the camera's maximum sensitivity of ISO 3,200 are nearly unusable, becoming so covered in noise that they look like they were drawn on shag carpeting with spray paint.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 adds a slight resolution bump to an already good snapshot camera. If you're looking for a simple, modestly priced pocket camera that shoots quickly and produces good pictures, the W90 makes a nice choice. If you already have a Cyber-shot DSC-W80, you don't need to give the W90 much consideration; the minor increase in picture size doesn't justify getting an entirely new camera.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Typical shot-to-shot time | |
Time to first shot | |
Shutter lag (typical) |
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User reviews
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Superb Piece of Technology
by wobannon on May 11, 2007
Pros: Fast, Easy to Manipulate Menus, Lots of Options for shooting environments and easy to adjust. Burst Mode is Super Fun and useful in more situations than I would have figured.
Cons: Proprietary Cable for connecting to computer. I've always bought the other camera whose name starts with a "C" and I could use any standard USB/Camera cable to connect .
Summary: I love this camera so far and would have rated it a 10 if it wasn't for the Sony cable you must use to connect to a device. I ...
Summary: I love this camera so far and would have rated it a 10 if it wasn't for the Sony cable you must use to connect to a device. I know, I know, sounds a little persnickety.
8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Perfect camera for pocket
by r0ss0w on May 30, 2007
Pros: fast, battery life is excellent, makes cool sounds(u can turn them off if u want to though), lightweight, easy to use
Cons: only 3x optical zoom(megapixels and my dsc-h2) make up for it
Summary: This is a great camera. I bought an Olympus the day before i got this and was dissatisfied, so i returned it. the sony is 300x better. I would recommend ...
Summary: This is a great camera. I bought an Olympus the day before i got this and was dissatisfied, so i returned it. the sony is 300x better. I would recommend this camera to anyone who is an average photographer!
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent point and shoot camera with extras
by rlteders on April 25, 2007
Pros: speed, simple to use, HD output
Cons: tiny buttons
Summary: Great camera thus far. Burst mode is impressive for an 8MP point and shoot digital camera.
Summary: Great camera thus far. Burst mode is impressive for an 8MP point and shoot digital camera.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent Camera
by zr600mn on April 8, 2007
Pros: Fast, Clear Pictures, Size
Cons: Menu Structure
Summary: This is a very good camera for the money. It is very fast and takes good pictures in a lot of different types of light.
Summary: This is a very good camera for the money. It is very fast and takes good pictures in a lot of different types of light.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Small, but not great pictures
by Blargosaurus on February 20, 2008
Pros: Easy to use, easy to carry
Cons: Picture quality leaves much to be desired
Summary: My wife wanted a smaller camera than our older 3MP Olympus which was also showing its age and the DSC-W90 was well rated so I bought it for her for ...
Summary: My wife wanted a smaller camera than our older 3MP Olympus which was also showing its age and the DSC-W90 was well rated so I bought it for her for her birthday in December.
We have taken between 2000 and 3000 photos with it so far and have been generally unimpressed.
In anything but bright, direct light it seems to have focus issues. Even when face detection is working or the autofocus correctly identifies the subject matter most of my pictures are at least slightly out of focus. If the subject is more than three feet away the possibility of having an in-focus image are even worse.
Granted, I am using the point and shoot mode, and am not a great photographer, but our older camera consistently took good quality pictures at any focal distance even with motion. On this camera though, indirect light or motion seem to prevent a good picture. Daytime, outdoor pictures on the other hand turn out uniformly well.
The movie mode, small size, quick focus speed (relative to our old camera), and daytime shooting are all positives, but I definitely wouldn't recommend this camera and will be purchasing something else soon and relegating this camera to a secondary.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Small, compact, fast. So-so image quality.
by drpete177 on December 8, 2009
Pros: Small
Fast
Nice menusCons: LOTS of noise at even low ISO
Summary: All in all this is an OK camera, but the performance indoors without a flash is poor. For some reason I've even had issues with noise on outdoor shots. ...
Summary: All in all this is an OK camera, but the performance indoors without a flash is poor. For some reason I've even had issues with noise on outdoor shots. And this isn't limited to very high ISO settings--even at ISO 200 the noise becomes apparent.
A nice package overall, but not much of a performer under anything other than perfect conditions. -
Nothing to get wild about.
Pros: It makes decent video and is good for low light photographs, but that's all. Screen is nice.
Cons: This camera makes pictures. Period. The quality is mediocre, the sharpness less than that. Rotating wheel has a tendency to move if you don't pay attention. I eventually used tape to keep it in place. Battery life is nothing to right home about.
Summary: My previous Sony was the DSC-P43 and I went straight back to that darling after shooting a disappointing 3000 pictures with the DCS-W90. Comparing pictures from both cameras, the latter'...
Summary: My previous Sony was the DSC-P43 and I went straight back to that darling after shooting a disappointing 3000 pictures with the DCS-W90. Comparing pictures from both cameras, the latter's look blah.
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Great value, nice features and design
by kurtthewurt on February 20, 2008
Pros: great price , big LCD, good battery life
Cons: sometimes slow, terrible playback speaker, VERY expensive accessories
Summary: The DSC-W90 is by far the best value for a point and shoot camera i've ever had! The camera takes great pictures, almost as good in 8x10's as ...
Summary: The DSC-W90 is by far the best value for a point and shoot camera i've ever had! The camera takes great pictures, almost as good in 8x10's as my Nikon D40X DSLR! The stainless steel body is beautiful and it has a nice 2.5 inch LCD. I purchased mine at Costco for only $275 with the software and USB and AV connect cables. The battery lasts hours and is great for long day-trips. The camera fits easily in your pocket (as long as you're not wearing really tight pants), and doesn't scratch easily. I also really like the built in cropping, rotationg, and picture effects as well as the ability to make beautiful slideshows with your own music and separate albums of photos.
Here are the bad things about the DSC-W90. Although you can upload your very own music to play during slideshows, the onboard speaker is TERRIBLE. You can't even hear it unless you are in a VERY quiet environment. The music slideshows are definitely meant to be played on a TV with the included cables. Also, the Sony accesories for the camera are EXTREMELY expensive. I have never paid FORTY dollars for one simple leather case before. An additional battery costs about 20-30, cables are 20-30, and a simple waterproof casing is TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS!!! I will compensate for the unnecessary costs witht the fact that Memory Stick Pro Duos are very good deals, with 2GB around only $35.
Overall, I would recommend the DSC-W90 to anyone looking for a simple, easy to use pint and shoot with good resolution, features, and a great price. -
Awesome For Price!
by nowruss94 on January 5, 2008
Pros: High Def. Quality
Cons: Short Optical Zoom!
Summary: I love this camera. I got it for $279.00 at Costco and still have it. Optional cradle for High Def. is a must have. It can be better but ...
Summary: I love this camera. I got it for $279.00 at Costco and still have it. Optional cradle for High Def. is a must have. It can be better but it is a good camera.
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Excellent Camera
by sudeepthegreat2000 on October 28, 2007
Pros: Good Quality
Cons: Yet to find one...
Summary: Excellent camera with good quality and yet very slim.
Summary: Excellent camera with good quality and yet very slim.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: DSCW90
- Description: The DSC-W90 combines the power of 8.1 megapixel resolution and the precision of a Carl Zeiss 3X optical zoom lens with powerful, advanced features. Face Detection makes skin tones appear more natural, D-range optimization provides greater detail in highlights and shadows and in-camera retouching and red-eye reduction quickly improves shots you've already taken. And the Double Anti-Blur Solution lets you snap beautiful, clear photos in low light without flash to preserve the mood. For simple sharing with family and friends, HD (high definition) output makes photos look spectacular on compatible HDTV screens.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Width 3.6 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 2.3 in
- Weight 4.4 oz
- Enclosure Color Silver
- Body Material Metal
Main Features
- Resolution 8.1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type Super HAD CCD
- Effective Sensor Resolution 8,100,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.5 in
- Light Sensitivity ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200, ISO auto
- Digital Zoom 2 x
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode
- Shooting Programs Snow, Beach, Landscape, Soft snap, Twilight mode, High sensitivity, Twilight portrait
- Special Effects Sepia, Vivid, Black & White
- Image Stabilizer Optical (Super Steady Shot)
- Max Shutter Speed 1/1600 sec
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom. This camera utilizes built-in Super SteadyShot stabilization to assist in taking sharper pictures.
- Min Shutter Speed 1 sec
- Exposure Metering Spot, Multi-segment, Center-weighted
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Face Detection Yes
- White Balance Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Flash, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Incandescent
- Digital Video Format MPEG VX
- Still Image Format JPEG
- Continuous Shooting Speed 2.2 frames per second
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture MPEG - 640 x 480, MPEG - 640 x 480, MPEG - 320 x 240
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory 31 MB Flash - Integrated
- Supported Flash Memory Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
- Integrated Memory 31 MB
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage JPEG 3264 x 2448, JPEG 2592 x 1944, JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 1920 x 1080, JPEG 3264 x 2176
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Effective Flash Range 8 in - 11 ft
- Features AF illuminator
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 5.8 mm - 17.4 mm - F/2.8-5.2
- Focal Length 5.8 mm - 17.4 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 35 - 105 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 9
- Min Focus Range 19.7 in
- Macro Focus Range 4cm
- Lens Aperture F/2.8-5.2
- Optical Zoom 3 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Lens Construction 5 group(s) / 6 element(s)
- Lens Manufacturer Carl Zeiss
- Features Aspherical lens, Built-in lens shield
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 10 sec
- Additional Features DPOF support, Direct print, Face detection, Audio recording, Auto power save, Built-in speaker, Histogram display, PictBridge support, PRINT Image Matching, USB 2.0 compatibility, Digital noise reduction, In-camera red-eye removal
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Optical - Real-image zoom
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.5 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 115,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x Memory Stick PRO Duo
Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities, Sony Picture Motion Browser
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows ME, MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000, Apple Mac OS 9.1, Apple Mac OS 9.2, Apple Mac OS X 10.0 - 10.4
- Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Wrist strap
- Cables Included 1, 1 x A/V cable, USB cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-BG1
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 960 mAh ( Included )
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year parts and labor warranty
Product series
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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 (silver)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Ultracompact, 8.1 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 31 MB - Integrated
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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90 (black)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: 8.1 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 31 MB - Integrated
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