Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (bronze)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: DSC-W290/T
- CNET Editor rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
- Design: 9.0
Features: 8.0
Performance: 7.0
Image quality: 7.0
Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars) - Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
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- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is an excellent, well-balanced compact camera.
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CNET editors' review
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (bronze) price range: $197.95 - $319.95
- Reviewed by: Joshua Goldman
- Reviewed on: 05/19/2009
- Released on: 04/01/2009
The good: Terrific design, interface, and controls; wide-angle, 5x zoom lens; excellent price-to-feature ratio.
The bad: No optical zoom while recording video; soft photos.
The bottom line: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is an excellent, well-balanced compact camera.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 seemed too good to be true when it was announced in February 2009. For less than $250 you get a wide-angle lens with a 5x zoom, 12-megapixel resolution, some of Sony's advanced automatic shooting options, HD video capture, and a 3-inch LCD all packed into a nice-looking body roughly the size of a deck of cards. Sounds pretty great, right? There had to be something wrong.
Well, as with most point-and-shoot cameras of its caliber, the photo quality from the W290 could be a little better and the performance a touch faster. In the end, though, neither was disappointing from this camera (better than expected actually), and if you take into account its attractive price tag, the W290 is tough to beat.
| Key specs | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 |
| Price (MSRP) | $249 |
| Dimensions | 3.9 inches wide by 2.4 inches high by 0.9 inch deep |
| Weight (with battery and media) | 6.1 ounces |
| Megapixels, image sensor size, type | 12 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD |
| LCD size, resolution; Viewfinder | 3-inch LCD, 230K dots; No |
| Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) | 5x, f3.8-8, 28-140mm (35mm equivalent) |
| File format (still/video) | JPEG/MP4 (MPEG-4) |
| Highest resolution size (still/video) | 4,000x3,000 pixels/1,280x720 at 30fps |
| Image stabilization type | Mechanical and electronic |
| Battery type, rated life | Lithium ion rechargeable, 300 shots |
Available in silver, black, blue, and bronze, the W290 doesn't stray from Sony's typical W-series Cyber-shot appearances. It's an attractive camera in a pocketable body, but with some weight to it, so you likely won't forget it's on you. The silver model we tested noticeably retains fingerprints all over the body, something to keep in mind if that sort of thing bugs you. Actually, if there's one minor nitpick with the body design it's that the W290's front has concentric ridges adding a slight texture that improves grip, but unfortunately also traps grease and dirt so your fingerprints are embedded as soon as you touch the camera and they aren't easily wiped off. A lock on the all-too-easily-opened battery/Memory Stick compartment would be nice, too, so I guess that's two minor complaints.
Sony managed to get almost all of the controls on to the back of the camera without making it feel cramped and confusing and while allowing for a secure one-handed grip that doesn't result in accidental button presses or mode dial changes. This is even with a 3-inch LCD on back. There are just three buttons on top: the usual power and shutter-release buttons and a Smile Shutter button for instantly activating Sony's have-smile-will-shoot feature.
Gone from this model is Sony's confusing Home and Menu buttons setup from previous models. That relied on the user remembering which to press to access context-sensitive shooting controls and which got you to the menu for all settings. Now there's just one Menu button giving you access to shooting controls as well as a selection for seeing all settings. What's also nice is the camera's ability to warn you about adjusting certain settings. For example, if you set the W290 to spot meter light you won't be able to turn on Face Detection. The W290 tells you onscreen that Face Detection is not available because of Spot metering being selected. Cameras from other vendors generally make you guess what needs to be shut off in order to turn on a blacked-out option.
| General shooting options | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 |
| ISO sensitivity (full resolution) | Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600, 3,200 |
| White balance | Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1, 2, and 3, Incandescent, Flash, Manual |
| Recording modes | Intelligent Auto, Easy, Program Auto, Movie, Scenes |
| Focus | 9 points, Center-weighted AF, Spot AF, Semi-manual (1.0m, 3.0m, 7.0m, unlimited distance) |
| Metering | Multi, Center-weighted, Spot |
| Color effects | Normal, Vivid, Sepia, Black & White |
| Burst mode shot limit (full resolution) | 100 photos |
Sony kept shooting options reasonably basic on the W290. Though you won't find full control over aperture or shutter speed, you do get something on the Mode dial for just about every point-and-shoot user. Going from top to bottom on the dial, you have a Movie mode capable of 720p HD-quality video (no use of the optical zoom while recording, however); Program Auto with access to ISO, exposure, white balance, focus, and metering; Sony's Intelligent Auto; Easy mode that takes away all but a couple basic shooting options; and SCN, which lets you select from 10 scene situations, but automatically handles all other settings. If you tend to leave it in Auto mode, Sony's Intelligent Auto turned in reliable results as it picks from eight scene types (branded iSCN) and turns on face detection and image stabilization. Sony's iSCN can be set to Auto or Advanced, the difference being that in difficult lighting the camera will automatically take two shots with different settings so you have a better chance of getting a usable photo. Also worth mentioning is that the W290 has exposure bracketing that'll take three photos, one at the exposure you select and then two more at plus and minus 0.3EV, 0.7EV, or 1.0EV.
Overall performance of the W290 is very good. Startup to first shot is a relatively brisk 1.3 seconds. Shutter lag in good lighting was a fairly average 0.4 second; in more difficult dim lighting, it went up to 0.7 second. Without the flash on you'll be waiting an average of 2.3 seconds between shots, which only jumps up to 2.7 seconds with the flash on. Lastly, the W290 turned in an impressive burst speed of 2.1 frames per second.
With such a good package for less than $250, expectations for photo quality were low going into testing, but the W290 far surpassed those expectations. Color and exposure were particularly pleasing and accurate. The camera goes from ISO 80 up to ISO 3,200, but usability drops off significantly above ISO 400 (typical of cameras in its class). However, even at ISO 80 photos viewed at full size have a grain to them that only gets more pronounced as sensitivities get higher. It had little to no impact on large prints (13x19 and below) made from test shots taken up to IS0 400. If you're planning to make prints that large, just keep the ISO as low as possible. (Click to see a photo comparison of ISO sensitivities.) More of an issue was overall softness of photos, especially subjects off to the left in shots.
Video quality was good, too, but again you don't get use of the 5x zoom while you're recording. Also, if you want to view it on an HDTV, you'll need to pony up for a proprietary component cable that connects to the multi-use terminal on the camera's bottom.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is a compelling package. Unless you're extraordinarily picky about your photo quality, it's a great pocket camera at a reasonable price with a solid combination of features, usability, and design.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Find out more about how we test digital cameras.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: DSC-W290/T
- Description: Taking great pictures is easier than ever with the DSC-W290 Cyber-shot digital camera. The iAuto mode adjusts the settings for you based on your surroundings, so all you have to do is press a button to capture shots with the right amount of light and beautiful clarity. And with the ingenious Face Detection mode, faces in your photos will look more realistic with natural skin tones and sharp details. Tired of blurry photos? Optical SteadyShot image stabilization minimizes blur for better results. You can also connect your camera to a compatible HDTV and show off your shots on the big screen in high definition.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Width 3.9 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 2.2 in
- Weight 5.1 oz
- Enclosure Color Bronze
Main Features
- Resolution 12.1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type Super HAD CCD
- Effective Sensor Resolution 12,100,000 pixels
- Light Sensitivity ISO 80, 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, Gourmet, Fireworks, Landscape, Soft snap, Underwater, Twilight mode, Hi-speed shutter, High sensitivity, Twilight portrait
- Special Effects Retro, Sepia, Vivid, Fisheye, Happy face, Soft Focus, Radial blur, Cross filter, Black & White, Partial color, Unsharp masking
- Image Stabilizer Optical (Super Steady Shot)
- Max Shutter Speed 1/1000 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 Multi-segment
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Auto Exposure Bracketing 3 steps in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 EV steps
- Face Detection Yes
- White Balance Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Flash, Cloudy, Daylight, Underwater, Incandescent, Fluorescent light (daylight), Fluorescent light (cool white), Fluorescent light (warm white)
- Still Image Format JPEG
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture 1280 x 720, 640 x 480
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory 11 MB Flash - Integrated
- Supported Flash Memory Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
- Integrated Memory 11 MB
- Floppy Drive None
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Effective Flash Range 3 in - 14 ft
- Features AF illuminator
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 5 mm - 25 mm - F/3.3-5.2
- Focal Length 5 mm - 25 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 28 - 140 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 9
- Lens Aperture F/3.3-5.2
- Optical Zoom 5 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Lens Construction 10 group(s) / 12 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 Direct print, Face detection, Auto power save, Built-in speaker, Cropping an image, Histogram display, Resizing an image, PictBridge support, Built-in help guide, 16:9 widescreen mode, In-camera red-eye fix, USB 2.0 compatibility, Digital noise reduction, Dynamic Range Optimizer, Blink Detection technology, Smile Detection technology
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 3 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x Component video 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 XP, MS Windows 2000, Apple Mac OS 9.1, Apple Mac OS 9.2, Apple Mac OS X 10.1 - 10.5
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Wrist strap
- Cables Included 1, A/V cable, USB cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-BG1
- Supported Battery 1 x Sony NP-BG1 Li-ion rechargeable battery - 960 mAh ( Included )
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year parts and labor warranty
Product series
-
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (blue)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, 11 MB - Integrated
-
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (silver)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, 11 MB - Integrated
-
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (bronze)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, 11 MB - Integrated
-
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 (black)
Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Ultracompact, 12.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display, 11 MB - Integrated
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Sony
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.sonystyle.com
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
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