Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 – An Impressive Digital Camera
Introduction
Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 is one of the cheapest and lates t members of the Cybershot family with 14.1 megapixel resolution, wide 4x zoom lens, 2.7 inch LCD display, 720p high definition video, iAuto mode, sweep panorama mode up to 360 degrees, face priority function, natural flash mode and smile/anti-blink/soft skin modes. It is one of the company’s new digital cameras revealed at 2012 Consumer Electronics Show with the price tag of $109. It is also one of the most affordable cameras in the market with color shades including green, silver, black, blue or pink.
Handling
The Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 is a compact, small camcorder, so it shouldn’t look overwhelming when they get their hands on it. The intuitive menu system is another great feature for those who don’t want to deal with complicated menu system. Its menu system is pretty good as its large icons and text are easy to read. As a small, affordable camera, it handles well like the large brother DSC-W650 or DSC-W620. All three models are similar in size, weight and shape, and you would perhaps have a tough time telling them apart except for several paint jobs offered for all devices.
Modes
Once you get inside the menu system of Sony Cybershot DSC-W610, you will find the first option, which involves switching camera between dedicated auto mode, Scene modes, Program Auto and Picture Effects. All these modes have their own benefits such as iAuto model allows the device to handle all controls automatically, while Program Auto provides access to plenty of manual controls, while preserving shutter speed adjustment and automatic aperture. The Picture Effects mode offers you with set of digital effects to play with, while Scene mode allows you to select specific shooting option for matching the condition your capturing images of.
Picture Quality & Size Options
The Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 shoots JPEG images at maximum resolution of 14 megapixels (4320 × 3240), which is the same maximum image size as DSC-W620, is a notch lower as compared to 16-megapixel size option available on DSC-W650 camera. Other photo size options include four 4:3 options (4320 × 3240, 3648 × 2736, 2592 × 1944, and VGA) and two 16:9 photo settings (4302 × 2432 and 1920 × 1080). You will also find five different size options to take panorama images with its Sweep Panorama setting.
Controls
Like other affordable cameras, the Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 doesn’t have any option to control focus manually and there is nor manual lens rings, no focus dials on the camera and no buttons on back to pull focus. Instead, it has three autofocus modes, including Multi Point that uses variety of focus points for focusing on the image; Sport focus, which enables you to select spot in the frame for using as focal point and Center Weighted that changes focus depending mainly on the frame’s center. Like most Cybershot models, it features 6 white balance presets (Cloudy, Daylight, Incandescent light, Flash and 3 Fluorescent settings). Nevertheless, it doesn’t have manual white balance setting, which is something you do get on high performance models like DSC-W650.
Hardware
Bizarrely, the company uses three different lenses on Sony Cybershot DSC-W610. It has f/2.8 lens with 5x optical zoom and 4.7–18.8mm focal length. The DSC-W650 and DSC-W620 provide 5x zoom lenses, but focal length ranges are tiny bit different on both. The 1/2.3-inch CCD image sensor with 14.5 megapixel count and effective pixel count of just more than 14 megapixels. The W650 uses sensor with 16 million effective pixels and works with SD-type or Memory Stick memory cards. The card slot is situated inside battery compartment and W610 functions with higher-capacity, new SDXC memory cards.
Conclusion
With Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 everything comes down to price. It costs just over $100, making it one of the most reasonable cameras in the market, and definitely one of the cheapest new models Sony announced at Consumer Electronics Show.
Specifications
The Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 comes with 35mm Focal Length Minimum: 28.0 mm; 35mm Focal Length Maximum: 114.0 mm; Optical Zoom: 4x; CCD Sensor; Aspect Ratios: 16:9 and 4:3; Resolution: 14.10 Megapixels; Viewfinder: LCD; LCD Size: 2.7 inch; Model Colors: green, black, blue, silver and pink; Image Capture: 4320 x 3240 (14.0 MP, 4:3), 4320 x 2432 (10.5 MP, 16:9), 3648 x 2736 (10.0 MP, 4:3), 2592 x 1944 (5.0 MP, 4:3), 1920 x 1080 (2.1 MP, 16:9), 640 x 480 (0.3 MP, 4:3), 11520 x 1080 (12.4 MP, Other), 7152 x 1080 (7.7 MP, Other), 4912 x 1920 (9.4 MP, Other), 4912 x 1080 (5.3 MP, Other) and 3424 x 1920 (6.6 MP, Other); Movie Resolution: 640×480, 320×240; Digital Zoom Values: 2x Precision, up to 27x Smart Zoom; ISO Settings: Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 1600, 3200; White Balance Settings: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1/2/3, Incandescent, Flash; Metering Modes: Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot; Program AE; Creative Exposure Modes: Panorama, High Sensitivity, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Landscape, Soft Snap, Beach, Snow, Gourmet, Pet Mode; Flash Modes: Auto / Flash On / Slow Synchro / Flash Off; Usable Memory Types: MS Duo / MS PRO Duo / SD / SDHC / SDXC; Video Out; Video Mode; External Connections: USB 2.0 High Speed; Notes & Features: New 360 degree Sweep Panorama mode and Intelligent Auto and Colors: silver, black, pink, green and blue.
