2008 Photo Marketing Association Tradeshow
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Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W150 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Sony: Four new W-series digicams
By Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - 13:01 EST)

Continuing its pre-PMA announcements, Sony has today taken the wraps off four new digital camera models in its Cyber-shot W-series.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W120 starts things off with a $200 pricetag, and includes a seven megapixel imager coupled to a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar branded 4x optical zoom lens. The Sony W120 also includes a 2.5" LCD display, saves images and movies on Memory Stick Duo storage plus 15MB of built-in memory, and draws power from a proprietary NP-BG1 Lithium Ion battery. The Sony DSC-W130 bumps the price up just a touch to $230, and includes a slightly higher-res eight megapixel imager. The W130 also adds auto exposure bracketing, as well as some in-camera retouching functions such as unsharp masking and red-eye correction, amongst others.

Next up the line is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150, priced at $250. The W150 has a slightly larger, heavier body which provides the room to fit a more powerful Carl Zeiss-branded 5x optical zoom lens, as well as a slightly roomier 2.7" LCD display. As compared to the W120 and W130, the Sony W150 adds the "Plus" version of Sony's Dynamic Range Optimizer, as well as intelligent scene recognition, and a playback-mode "face search" function. It also adds an underwater shooting mode, suggesting that an underwater housing will be released to accomodate this body design. Finally, the Sony W170 tops out the group, with a $300 pricetag and a ten megapixel image sensor. In other respects, this model appears similar to the W150.

The Sony W120 and W130 will ship first from March, with both models available in black, silver or pink, and the W120 additionally available in blue. The Sony W150 and W170 will follow from April, with color choices being black, silver, red, or champagne.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W120
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W120 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera Type Ultra Compact
Manufacturer Sony
Model Number DSC-W120
Dimensions 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.9"
88.2 x 57.2 x 22.9mm
Weight 123.0 g
4.3 oz
Planned Price $200.00
Planned Availability 2008
Image Capture
Sensor Type 1/2.5" Sony Super HAD CCD
7.40 megapixels (total)
7.20 megapixels (effective)
Filter Type RGBG
Aspect Ratio 4:3, 3:2
Image Dimensions 3072 x 2304 (7.1 megapixels)
3072 x 2048 (6.3 megapixels)
3072 x 1728 (5.3 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels)
640 x 380 (0.2 megapixels)
Image Preview / Review
Viewfinder Yes, Real-image optical zoom
LCD 2.5", 115,000 pixels
Playback Zoom 8.0x max
Lens
Lens Type Carl Zeiss lens, 6 elements in 5 groups including 3 aspherical elements
4x optical zoom
Image Stabilization Yes
Focal Length 5.4 - 21.4mm (actual)
32 - 128mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range f/2.8 (wide) / f/5.8 (tele) - ???
Focusing System 9-point Contrast Detection with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (0) steps
Focusing Range Normal: 2" - infinity (4 cm - infinity)
Exposure
ISO Sensitivity Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Shutter Speed 1 - 1/1600 second
Exposure Modes Program
Metering Modes Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance Image Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1/2/3, Incandescent, Flash WB
Internal Flash Modes: Auto, On, Slow Synch, Off
Range: Auto ISO: Wide: 0.2 - 3.9m; Tele: 0.5 - 1.9m
Creative
Scene Modes Easy, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter, High Sensitivity
Digital Zoom 2x Precision, up to 19x Smart Zoom
Self Timer Yes, 10 or 2 seconds
Movie Format MPEG-1 with audio
Storage
Recording Medium Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
File System FAT16, FAT32, complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File Format JPEG
Connectivity
Video Yes, NTSC / PAL switchable
Computer USB 2.0 High Speed
Other Multi-jack, DC-Input
Power
Battery Type Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Form Factor Proprietary NP-BG1
Product Bundle
Software Sony CD-ROM
Battery / Charger 1 x Proprietary NP-BG1 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and charger
Flash Memory 15.0MB Internal
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant Yes
PictBridge Compliant Yes
Internal Microphone Yes
Internal Speaker Yes
Tripod Mount Yes
Remote Control No
More Photos
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W120 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W120 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W130
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W130 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera Type Ultra Compact
Manufacturer Sony
Model Number DSC-W130
Dimensions 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.9"
88.2 x 57.2 x 22.9mm
Weight 123.0 g
4.3 oz
Planned Price $230.00
Planned Availability 2008
Image Capture
Sensor Type 1/2.5" Sony Super HAD CCD
8.30 megapixels (total)
8.10 megapixels (effective)
Filter Type RGBG
Aspect Ratio 4:3, 3:2
Image Dimensions 3264 x 2448 (8.0 megapixels)
3264 x 2176 (7.1 megapixels)
3264 x 1840 (6.0 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels)
640 x 380 (0.2 megapixels)
Image Preview / Review
Viewfinder Yes, Real-image optical zoom
LCD 2.5", 115,000 pixels
Playback Zoom 8.0x max
Lens
Lens Type Carl Zeiss lens, 6 elements in 5 groups including 3 aspherical elements
4x optical zoom
Image Stabilization Yes
Focal Length 5.4 - 21.4mm (actual)
32 - 128mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range f/2.8 (wide) / f/5.8 (tele) - ???
Focusing System 9-point Contrast Detection with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (0) steps
Focusing Range Normal: 2" - infinity (4 cm - infinity)
Exposure
ISO Sensitivity Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Shutter Speed 1 - 1/1600 second
Exposure Modes Program
Metering Modes Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance Image Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1/2/3, Incandescent, Flash WB
Internal Flash Modes: Auto, On, Slow Synch, Off
Range: Auto ISO: Wide: 0.2 - 3.9m; Tele: 0.5 - 1.9m
Creative
Scene Modes Easy, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter, High Sensitivity
Digital Zoom 2x Precision, up to 19x Smart Zoom
Self Timer Yes, 10 or 2 seconds
Movie Format MPEG-1 with audio
Storage
Recording Medium Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
File System FAT16, FAT32, complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File Format JPEG
Connectivity
Video Yes, NTSC / PAL switchable
Computer USB 2.0 High Speed
Other Multi-jack, DC-Input
Power
Battery Type Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Form Factor Proprietary NP-BG1
Product Bundle
Software Sony CD-ROM
Battery / Charger 1 x Proprietary NP-BG1 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and charger
Flash Memory 15.0MB Internal
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant Yes
PictBridge Compliant Yes
Internal Microphone Yes
Internal Speaker Yes
Tripod Mount Yes
Remote Control No
More Photos
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W130 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W150 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera Type Ultra Compact
Manufacturer Sony
Model Number DSC-W150
Dimensions 3.7 x 2.3 x 0.9"
93.7 x 58.0 x 24.0mm
Weight 142.0 g
5.0 oz
Planned Price $250.00
Planned Availability 2008
Image Capture
Sensor Type 1/2.5" Sony Super HAD CCD
8.30 megapixels (total)
8.10 megapixels (effective)
Filter Type RGBG
Aspect Ratio 4:3, 3:2
Image Dimensions 3264 x 2448 (8.0 megapixels)
3264 x 2176 (7.1 megapixels)
3264 x 1840 (6.0 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels)
640 x 380 (0.2 megapixels)
Image Preview / Review
Viewfinder Yes, Real-image optical zoom
LCD 2.7", 230,000 pixels
Playback Zoom 8.0x max
Lens
Lens Type Carl Zeiss, 9 elements in 7 groups including 1 ED, 3 aspherical elements
5x optical zoom
Image Stabilization Yes
Focal Length 5.0 - 25.0mm (actual)
30 - 150mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range f/3.3 (wide) / f/5.2 (tele) - ???
Focusing System 9-point Contrast Detection with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (0) steps
Focusing Range Normal: 4" - infinity (10 cm - infinity)
Exposure
ISO Sensitivity Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Shutter Speed 1 - 1/1600 second
Exposure Modes Program
Metering Modes Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance Image Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1/2/3, Incandescent, Flash, Underwater (4)
Internal Flash Modes: Auto, On, Slow Synch, Off
Range: Auto ISO: Wide: 0.1 - 4.2m; Tele: 0.5 - 2.7m
Creative
Scene Modes Easy, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter, Underwater, High Sensitivity
Digital Zoom 2x Precision, up to 25x Smart Zoom
Self Timer Yes, 10 or 2 seconds
Movie Format MPEG-1 with audio
Storage
Recording Medium Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
File System FAT16, FAT32, complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File Format JPEG
Connectivity
Video Yes, NTSC / PAL switchable
Computer USB 2.0 High Speed
Other Multi-jack, DC-Input
Power
Battery Type Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Form Factor Proprietary NP-BG1
Product Bundle
Software Sony CD-ROM
Battery / Charger 1 x Proprietary NP-BG1 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and charger
Flash Memory 15.0MB Internal
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant Yes
PictBridge Compliant Yes
Internal Micro phone Yes
Internal Speaker Yes
Tripod Mount Yes
Remote Control No
More Photos
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W150 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W170
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W170 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera Type Ultra Compact
Manufacturer Sony
Model Number DSC-W170
Dimensions 3.7 x 2.3 x 0.9"
93.7 x 58.0 x 24.0mm
Weight 142.0 g
5.0 oz
Planned Price $300.00
Planned Availability 2008
Image Capture
Sensor Type 1/2.3" Sony Super HAD CCD
10.30 megapixels (total)
10.10 megapixels (effective)
Filter Type RGBG
Aspect Ratio 4:3, 3:2
Image Dimensions 3648 x 2736 (10.0 megapixels)
3648 x 2432 (8.9 megapixels)
3648 x 2056 (7.5 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels)
640 x 380 (0.2 megapixels)
Image Preview / Review
Viewfinder Yes, Real-image optical zoom
LCD 2.7", 230,000 pixels
Playback Zoom 8.0x max
Lens
Lens Type Carl Zeiss, 9 elements in 7 groups including 1 ED, 3 aspherical elements
5x optical zoom
Image Stabilization Yes
Focal Length 5.0 - 25.0mm (actual)
28 - 140mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range f/3.3 (wide) / f/5.2 (tele) - ???
Focusing System 9-point Contrast Detection with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (0) steps
Focusing Range Normal: 4" - infinity (10 cm - infinity)
Exposure
ISO Sensitivity Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Shutter Speed 1 - 1/1600 second
Exposure Modes Program
Metering Modes Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance Image Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1/2/3, Incandescent, Flash, Underwater (4)
Internal Flash Modes: Auto, On, Slow Synch, Off
Range: Auto ISO: Wide: 0.1 - 4.2m; Tele: 0.5 - 2.7m
Creative
Scene Modes Easy, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter, Underwater, High Sensitivity
Digital Zoom 2x Precision, up to 25x Smart Zoom
Self Timer Yes, 10 or 2 seconds
Movie Format MPEG-1 with audio
Storage
Recording Medium Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
File System FAT16, FAT32, complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File Format JPEG
Connectivity
Video Yes, NTSC / PAL switchable
Computer USB 2.0 High Speed
Other Multi-jack, DC-Input
Power
Battery Type Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Form Factor Proprietary NP-BG1
Product Bundle
Software Sony CD-ROM
Battery / Charger 1 x Proprietary NP-BG1 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and charger
Flash Memory 15.0MB Internal
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant Yes
PictBridge Compliant Yes
Internal Mi crophone Yes
Internal Speaker Yes
Tripod Mount Yes
Remote Control No
More Photos
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W170 digital camera. Courtesy of Sony, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Original Source Press Release:

SONY ADDS �SMILE SHUTTER� FUNCTION TO CYBER-SHOT W-SERIES DIGITAL CAMERAS

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 23, 2008 – Sony is introducing a line of colorful W-series Cyber-shot® digital cameras with new imaging technologies for easier photo capture.

The 10.1-megapixel DSC-W170 and 8.1-megapixel DSC-W150 models feature Carl Zeiss® 5x optical zoom lenses with wide angles of view, 28 mm – 140 mm and 30 mm – 150 mm, respectively, and 2.7-inch LCD screens along with eye-level viewfinders. Rounding out the series are the 8.1-megapixel DSC-W130 models and 7.2-megapixel DSC-W120 units with 4x optical zoom and 2.5 inch LCD screens.

The lineup features a wider range of color choices than previous models – from playful pink and blue to sophisticated champagne gold and red.

Newly-available on the W-series cameras is Sony’s “smile shutter” mode, which automatically captures an image when your subject smiles – without having to press the shutter. This function even lets you prioritize adult or child faces to capture photos only when the intended subjects smile.

Smart Technology to Capture Better Photos
Each of the new W series models includes Sony’s improved face detection technology, which, like the smile shutter technology, can now distinguish between the faces of children and adults. You can select “child priority” or “adult priority” and the camera will detect up to eight faces in the camera frame and optimize focus, exposure, white balance, and flash control.

The W170 and W150 cameras feature new intelligent scene recognition (iSCN) technology, which allows the camera to automatically select the optimal scene mode for a variety shooting situations. In advanced iSCN mode, the camera will take a photo based on the user’s settings. If the camera determines that another setting would yield better exposure, it will automatically take a second photo with that setting. The user ultimately has two images to choose from.

Powerful Features for Outstanding Images
The series features a number of powerful features, including: Sony’s D-Range Optimizer to retrieve picture detail in photos with harsh highlights or dark shadows; semi-manual focus that allows you to select the focusing distance based on your subject’s location; an improved auto focus system that includes macro ranges; Super SteadyShot image stabilization; high sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200; and in-camera editing functions such as “unsharp mask” to sharpen images.

Enhanced Playback Options
The W170 and W150 units are equipped with advanced image management functionality. Filtering options allow you to search for photos by date and smile. Images can be viewed by date or in a helpful calendar view, and organized in the cameras’ “favorites” folder for quick retrieval of beloved images.

The slideshow function of W170 and W150 has also been upgraded. Photos can be selected using the same advanced filtering options available in playback mode and transitions have been improved through the application of face detection technology. Now your subjects can take center stage as the slideshow moves through sophisticated pans, fades and wipes. Improvements to the background music function include a choice of more tracks, longer tracks, and multiple tracks for longer slideshows.

To view your images in 1080 high-definition resolution, you can connect each of the cameras to a compatible HDTV sets via HD component cable or Sony’s HD Cyber-shot Station® cradle (both sold separately).

Price and Availability
In pink, blue, black and silver, the DSC-W120 camera will be available for about $200 in March. The DSC-W130 model will be offered in pink, black and silver for about $230 that same month. The DSC-W150 model will hit retail in sophisticated champagne, red, black and silver for about $250 in April. The DSC-W170 model will also be available then in those same colors for about $300.

The new models can be purchased online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), at military base exchanges, and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders begin on Jan. 31 at www.sonystyle.com.

# # #

Editor’s Note: The viewable area of LCD displays is measured diagonally. For additional information about Sony products, your readers can call toll-free (888) 222-SONY, or visit Sony's web site at www.sonystyle.com. Press releases and digital images are available for the news media at Sony Electronics’ news and information web site at www.sony.com/news.

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