Electronics giant Sony has taken the wraps off four new Cyber-Shot cameras, each offering 7.2 megapixel resolutions, 3× optical zooms, and enough internal memory to actually be useful if you find yourself without a media card—although Sony doesn’t actually say how much memory that might be. All four cameras also offer anti-blur technologies, sensitivities up to ISO 1000 (enabling decent shows in low-light conditions), short start-up times and long battery life.
“Now that digital cameras are personal items, it’s common to have more than one camera per household,” said Phil Lubell, Sony Electronics’ director of marketing for digital cameras, in a release. “Our new models are solid performers that will be easy for novices to digital photography to use and at the same time meet the needs of more advanced users.”
The DSC-W35 and DSC-W55 offer a 2.5-inch LCD viewfinder and an AF Illuminator to further enhance low-light capabilities—basically, it lights the subject before taking the picture to better detect areas of contrast, than snaps the pic after the illuminator using the information it gleaned from the light-up. (Not subtle for your subjects, but better than the red-eye-and-lurking shadow effect from a traditional flash.) The rechargeable batteries are supposed to power the W55 and W35 for up to 380 shots, and the cameras take optional 8 GB Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick Pro Duo flash media cards. The W55 and W35 are due to hit retailers in February for about $200 and $180, respectively in Caribbean blue, pale pink, straight black, and silver.
The DSC-S650 and DSC-S700 will only come in silver; the S650 will have a 2-inch LCD display while the S700 kicks that out to 2.4 inches, and handle memory storage via Memory Stick Duo flash media cards with capacities up to 4 GB; rechargable AA batteries can power the cameras through up to 460 shots. The S650 will be priced around $150 when it lands at retailers in February; the S700 is due in march for about $180.
