Sony · Cyber-shot
Cyber-shot DSC-W290
A twelve-megapixel pocket compact with a stabilised 28–140 mm equivalent zoom, three-inch screen and 720p video.
- Type
- Compact
- Sensor
- 1/2.3-type
- Megapixels
- 12.1
- Lens
- 28–140 mm equivalent
- Video
- 1280 × 720 at 30 fps
- Body weight
- 145 g
What reviewers say
Both reviews liked the large screen, straightforward controls and useful automatic features. Macworld praised battery life and editing tools but found sharpness, distortion and stronger-shake stabilisation disappointing. What Digital Camera was more positive about the lens and low-light autofocus, while noticing fine noise even at the lowest sensitivity. Both noted the lack of shutter and aperture control.
From macworld.com and whatdigitalcamera.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specImage and sensor
- Camera type
- Compact
- Sensor format
- 1/2.3-type
- Sensor type
- Super HAD CCD
- Effective resolution
- 12.1 MP
- Largest image
- 4000 × 3000
- RAW recording
- No
- Standard ISO range
- 80–3200
- Sensor detail
- 1/2.3-type primary-colour Super HAD CCD, approximately 12.1 million effective and 12.4 million total photosites; optical format is not physical dimensions
- Image formats
- JPEG, maximum 4000 × 3000 pixels; 4000 × 2672 in 3:2 or 4000 × 2248/1920 × 1080 in 16:9
- ISO detail
- Auto or ISO 80–3200
- Image processor
- BIONZ with standard and Plus D-range optimisation and Clear RAW NR; photographs recorded as JPEG rather than RAW
Lens and shooting
- Built-in lens
- 28–140 mm equivalent
- Maximum aperture
- f/3.3–5.2
- Optical zoom
- 5×
- Stabilisation
- Optical lens stabilisation
- Lens detail
- Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, actual 5–25 mm, equivalent to 28–140 mm for photographs; movie field of view equivalent to 31–155 mm in 16:9 or 37–185 mm in 4:3. Conversion lenses/46 mm filters require an optional adapter
- Autofocus
- Nine-area Multipoint, centre or spot AF with illuminator; semi-manual presets 0.5/1/3/7 m or infinity. Auto/macro focus approximately 10 cm wide or 50 cm telephoto. Face detection up to eight people with child/adult priority, selected-face memory, motion detection and Smile Shutter
- Shutter
- Sony Germany specifies automatic shutter approximately 2–1/1600 second; preliminary Hong Kong sheet lists Auto 1/4–1/1600 and Program 1–1/1600
- Burst detail
- Maker specifies up to 100 photographs. Sony Germany gives approximately 0.57-second burst intervals, while the English manual specifies approximately 1.8 seconds; What Digital Camera measured nearly 2 fps. Main frame rate omitted because published maker intervals conflict
- Stabilisation detail
- Optical SteadyShot
- Flash
- Built-in flash with Auto, forced, off, slow-sync and red-eye reduction; final manual ISO Auto range approximately 0.2–3 m wide or 0.5–1.9 m telephoto
- Exposure controls
- Intelligent Auto, Easy, Program and scene selections; ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps and exposure bracketing. iSCN recognises eight scene types and Advanced mode can capture two alternative exposures
Video
- Highest video resolution
- 1280 × 720 at 30 fps
- Video detail
- MPEG-4 Visual 1280 × 720 Fine 9 Mbps or Standard 6 Mbps, or 640 × 480 VGA 3 Mbps; Sony US launch specifies 30 fps. Manual limits continuous movies to approximately 29 minutes; 720p requires Memory Stick PRO Duo. Optical zoom unavailable during recording (What Digital Camera)
- Audio
- Built-in mono microphone and speaker; multi-connector supports stereo audio output
Screen and viewfinder
- Viewfinder
- None
- Screen size
- 3″
- Screen dots
- 230,400
- Touchscreen
- No
- Tilting screen
- No
- Display detail
- Fixed 3.0-type TFT LCD, 230400 dots; no optical or electronic viewfinder
Connections and design
- Bluetooth
- No
- Battery life (maker's claim)
- 300 photographs
- Body weight
- 145 g
- Release detail
- Released in 2009. Sony Hong Kong scheduled availability for the end of March 2009; Sony US scheduled April purchase availability with March pre-orders. These announcements establish planned months rather than confirming the actual first retail month
- Recording media
- Approximately 11 MB internal memory; Memory Stick Duo, PRO Duo or PRO-HG Duo. No SD card slot
- Ports
- Type2b multi-use connector for USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, AV and DC input; HD component output needs optional adapter cable, rather than an HDMI socket
- Battery life detail
- Supplied NP-BG1, typical 3.4 Wh/960 mAh and minimum 3.3 Wh/910 mAh; optional NP-FG1 supported. Exact W290 manual CIPA claim approximately 300 photographs/150 minutes with supplied fully charged battery
- Charging
- External BC-CSGD/BC-CSGE charger, approximately 330 minutes full or 270 minutes normal charge at 25°C; optional AC-LS5K adapter
- Dimensions
- 97.6 × 57.4 × 22.6 mm (width × height × depth), excluding protrusions, in final manual
- Weight detail
- 145 g body-only in Sony Germany specifications; approximately 174 g including NP-BG1 and Memory Stick Duo in the exact W290 manual entry
- Materials
- Metal body
- Colours
- Silver, black, blue or bronze
- In the box
- NP-BG1, external battery charger, multi-use USB/AV cable, wrist strap, software/handbook CD-ROM and instructions; memory card not supplied
Pros and cons
Pros
- Optical lens stabilisation
- Five-times zoom starting at 28 mm equivalent
- 720p movie recording
Cons
- No optical or electronic viewfinder
- No manual shutter or aperture settings
- 720p video requires Memory Stick PRO Duo
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Sensor | Megapixels | Lens | Video | Body weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact | 1/2.3-type | 10.1 | 36–108 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 at 30 fps | 118 g | 2009 | |
| Compact | 1/2.3-type | 10.1 | 33–132 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 at 30 fps | 135 g | 2009 | |
| Compact | 1/2.3-type | 12.1 | 33–132 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 at 30 fps | 135 g | 2009 |
Sources
- sony.de/electronics/support/compact-cameras-dscw-series/dsc-w290/specifications
- sony.jp/cyber-shot/emdown/data/W270_im_GB.pdf
- sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20090303_01e.pdf
- sony.mediaroom.com/2009-02-17-Sony-Adds-Intelligent-Auto-Technology-to-Cyber-sh…
- macworld.com/article/195805/sony_dscw290.html
- whatdigitalcamera.com/reviews/sony-cyber-shot-w290
