Overview
The Sony Cybershot DSC W270 has 12 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom lens. The lens has wide angle capabilities and zoom can be increased when shooting at lower resolutions. Sony has also included High Definition movies, image stabilisation and a 2.7 inch LCD screen.
Why Buy The Sony DSC W270
This is a reasonably priced digital camera. It has some useful features and takes a decent snapshot.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
5x
2.7 inches
97.6 x 56.5 x 22.6mm
135g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
10cm
Yes
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):
With the lens zoomed in to around two thirds of its capacity the Cybershot DSC W270 handles the scene well. The sky looks a little grainy on super sized prints, but anything below that looks good.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
As I see with so many digital cameras with a wide angle lens a compromise is made when it comes to the overall sharpness of the photos when zoom is not being used. How much of a problem this will be to you depends on the size of the prints you plan to make. The softness of the shots is only likely to become an issue if you blow the photos up to a larger size.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
With the zoom fully extended focusing also falls below what I like to see. In this case the whole shot lacks that extra bit of crispness.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
Based on my tests the Cybershot DSC W270 produces its best results when the zoom is either not fully zoomed in or out. My first test shot and this one are much sharper than the second and third test shots. As with the first shot I am happy with the level of sharpness in this shot.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
You should have no problem producing sharp portrait shots from close in. The camera is able to handle this challenge well.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
Flash is handled well by the camera. The level of light emitted by the flash is about right and the picture is lit evenly. The picture is also pleasingly sharp.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
This picture is dark considering the lighting levels. It suggests to me that you are likely to have to resort to using flash with the Cybershot DSC W270 as soon as the lighting is anything less than perfect.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro
The Cybershot DSC W270 needs to be 10cm away from the subject before it is able to focus. This can be a little limiting if you are looking to take lots of really close in shots. The quality of my test shot is o.k., but there are a lot of cameras out there that are better for close up shots.
Colours
I like the colours produced by this camera. They are well balanced and do not overpower the pictures.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600
Even at ISO 400 photos can struggle a lot in darker areas of a shot. Looking at these tests and my indoor portrait without flash I can see this is really a camera for bright conditions or for when you are within the range of the flash unit.
Summary
The pictures I have taken with the Cybershot DSC W270 fit somewhere in the middle when it comes to picture quality. There are one or two areas where I think the camera could do better.
Style
This is an unfussy digital camera. It has a typical rectangular look. It is available in red, silver, black and gold.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.27 seconds
12.62 seconds
0.4 seconds
12.75 seconds
2.8 seconds
Ease of Use
There are a few extra features to find out about, but all in all you should find the Cybershot DSC W270 easy enough to use.
Points I Like
Ease of use - shutter lag times with flash
Where it Could Improve
Macro mode could get in closer - one or two of my test shots were soft
Verdict
There is not a lot wrong with the Sony Cybershot DSC W270, although one or two of my shots could have been sharper. It puts in a fair performance and has some useful features. Even so it is difficult for me to come up with reasons to buy this camera over and above other models.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
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I really like this camera. It offers some extra zoom and takes excellent snaps. I found it easy to use and struggled to find anything I did not like about it. If you are looking for a smaller compact camera with some extra zoom then this one is a good choice.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS30 Review
Pentax Optio i-10 Rating 79/100
The Optio i-10 looks radically different to other digital cameras. It has a design based on vintage SLRs. In my tests I found more distant shots lacked sharpness. Aside from the design the features included in this camera are fairly standard.
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Related Pages
Sony DSC W270 Review Sony DSC W270 Specification Sony DSC W270 Sample Images Sony DSC W270 Features
Review Date
May 2009
