Overview
The Sony DSC W130 is a simple, pocket sized digital camera. It has 8 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens.
Why Buy The Sony DSC W130
Some of the more sleek and elegant digital cameras come with a hefty price tag. The DSC W130 fits into a pocket, but is available for a more reasonable price. The camera also scores highly for ease of use.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
8
4x
2.5 inches
88.2 x 57.2 x 22.9mm
123g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
4cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
I like the colours in this first outdoor shot. The camera also handles any glare from the sun. This leads to plenty of detail being captured in the photo.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
This is a bright photo with plenty of colour, especially in the sky. Focusing is o.k., but tends to soften towards the edges of the photo.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
With the lens zoomed into its full capacity I think the DSC W130 does not produce photos that are as sharp as those produced by a lot of the other cameras I have tested recently.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
With all the brickwork in this shot it gives us a big clue as to the quality of the lens when it comes to focusing. I am a bit disappointed. Although there is not likely to be too much difference between this camera and others on small prints, once you start to blow up the photos and make larger prints the loss of sharpness towards the edges will become more apparent.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
This is a pleasant photo. I like the colours in the shot and this Sony digital camera finds it easier to focus with the subject a lot nearer to it.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
Compared with other cameras using a flash this shot sits somewhere in the middle rank. Focusing is again better with the subject closer, but a bit more brightness would have helped.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
The definition in this photo is good, but it is a bit darker than many I have taken with other cameras. My overall feeling is that the DSC W130 needs bright daylight conditions to perform at its best.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
This is a decent macro shot for a small, compact digital camera. The definition levels are good. There is a touch of purple fringing around the edges of the watch face where the lighting reflects back into the camera lens.
Colours:
Colours are accurate in most situations, although the background in my indoor portrait shots has a greenish tinge and is not quite right. Colours work well for the outdoor scenic type shots.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600:
At ISO 400 picture quality is still acceptable, although a lot of cameras manage to do a bit better. At ISO 1600 picture quality is poor. Luckily you are unlikely to use this setting or the even higher ISO 3200 very often.
Summary
Looking through all my test shots they are quite run of the mill. The one area where I think this part of the Sony digital cameras range could improve is with focusing. For the scenic shots it slides away more than I would like to see as you move towards the edges of the shot.
Style
The DSC W130 looks like a regulation digital camera. It is a simple and fairly plain rectangular box shape. It is available in two colours, black and silver.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.34 seconds
8.01 seconds
0.42 seconds
16.12 seconds
Ease of Use
This is a straightforward digital camera. Ease of use is helped by a control dial on the back of the camera. This helps to place some of the key controls at your fingertips.
Points I Like
Ease of use - price tag - viewfinder
Where it Could Improve
Sharpness of distant subjects
Verdict
It's not easy to sum up the Sony DSC W130. This really is quite a typical camera. There is nothing about it that screams don't buy me, but at the same time it is difficult to come up with reasons why you really should buy this camera over a lot of the other models in the shops.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Sony DSC W130 Review Sony DSC W130 Specification Sony DSC W130 Sample Images Sony DSC W130 Features
Review Date
May 2008
