Overview
The Sony Cybershot DSC S950 is an entry level digital camera. It is easy to use. Key features include a 10 megapixel sensor and a 4x optical zoom lens.
Why Buy The Sony DSC S950
The Cybershot DSC S950 is relatively cheap for a digital camera from a known brand. It has a good sized LCD screen and you can increase the amount of zoom available when shooting at low resolutions.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
4x
2.7 inches
93.1 x 55.7 x 23.8mm
135g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
Lithium ion
Memory Stick™ Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo™
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
The sharpness of the picture is about average for a camera in this price bracket. One problem is the lack of detail the Cybershot DSC S950 is able to capture in the brightest areas of the photo. An example of this can be seen in the white, wooden slats under the roof of the building.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
This is the most challenging test shot when it comes to sharpness. The Cybershot DSC S950 handles in well enough. As long as you do not have exceptionally high expectations for landscape shots you should be happy with simple snapshots of scenes like this one.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
Using full zoom the Cybershot DSC S950 finds focusing harder. Even with a camera in this price bracket a camera should be able to add greater clarity to the shot.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
Focusing improves with the zoom less than fully extended. It is true that focusing is not perfect with the Cybershot DSC S950, but it is inline with many other entry level models.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
There are no issues with focusing, but one or two areas of the photo could do with a bit of extra light. This issue is likely to be related to the problem of the very light areas in other shots. The range of dark and light areas the Cybershot DSC S950 is able to capture is limited.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
Apart from a slight orange colour caste I am very happy with this picture. The lighting provided by the flash is even and almost all areas of the photo are lit correctly.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
This is another good effort, especially when taking into account the low price tag of the camera. There is better definition showing in this photo than many more expensive digital cameras manage.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
The macro shot is o.k., but it has picked up a blue colour caste. This suggests the Cybershot DSC S950 has a problem with the artificial lighting I have used. This is quite easy to put right with some image editing software. You can also try different white balance settings to improve results. This should not be a problem when taking close up shots in natural light.
Colours:
The colours are perhaps a touch stronger than many digital cameras produce. This is a matter of personal taste and you may like photos with a bit more punch to them.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600:
I have detected some extra noise showing in my test photos than is normal. It is not a major issue, especially on snapshot sized photos.
Summary
I am happy with the test pictures I have taken. They may not be perfect, but for this level of camera they are acceptable.
Style
The Cybershot DSC S950 looks similar to so many digital cameras. It has a typically rectangular shape. It is available in black, pink and silver.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.45 seconds
13.86 seconds
1.8 seconds
18.46 seconds
5.45 seconds
Ease of Use
There are a fairly standard set of controls and it should not take you long to understand how to access the key features.
Points I Like
Ease of use
Where it Could Improve
Turn on time - shutter delay - dark LCD screen - pictures with a lot of contrast - limited movie mode
Verdict
It is easy to expect too much from a cheaper digital camera, but I was left disappointed by the slow turn on times and the dark LCD screen. Picture quality from the Sony Cybershot DSC S950 is o.k., but there are better cameras around selling for a similar price.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Sony DSC S950 Review Sony DSC S950 Specification Sony DSC S950 Sample Images Sony DSC S950 Features Canon Powershot A480 vs Sony Cybershot DSC S950
Review Date
March 2009
