As well as a 4x zoom, the MINOCTAR lens is multi-coated with a 42mm fixed focal length, allowing for macro shots as close as 24 inches. There's a two-inch TFT color screen, built-in flash and, as well as an internal memory of 16MB, there's a slot for an SD memory card up to 2GB. Running on two AA batteries, the DC6033 WP will be available for $299. [Aving USA]

SONY HELPS FAMILIES CAPTURE THE ACTION WITH NEW COMPACT HIGH-ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 23, 2008 - Sony today unveiled its high-zoom Cyber-shot® DSC-H10 digital camera, a compact model that is ideal for parents looking to capture their families' memories.
With its small dimensions (only 4-1/4-inches wide by 2-3/4-inches tall by 2-inches deep), the new model combines the performance of much larger cameras in a more convenient size. Small enough for a pocket or purse, the 8-megapixel camera is perfect for sporting events, school recitals and vacations, helping you easily capture close-ups, even from a distance.
Designed to replace the current DSC-H3 model, the DSC-H10 camera features a wider 3-inch Clear Photo LCD PlusTM screen for easy playback viewing and menu navigation.
Great Photos Made Easy
The new model has a powerful Carl Zeiss® 10x optical zoom lens and a long-range flash to help you capture details from afar. Its face detection technology can identify and focus on up to eight faces in a frame, and automatically adjusts the focus for correctly exposed photos.
The high-zoom camera includes Sony's advanced sports shooting mode, which combines high shutter speed and continuous auto-focusing to help you capture fast-action shots. This intelligent technology allows the camera to quickly focus on fast-moving subjects by predicting where they will be in the frame - and ultimately reducing shutter lag.
To help you capture well-exposed, natural-looking photos - even in challenging low-light conditions - the new model features high sensitivity shooting (up to ISO 3200). It also incorporates Super Steady Shot® optical image stabilization to reduce blur caused by shaky hands.
The DSC-H10 camera incorporates Sony's D-Range Optimizer (DRO) to help you capture balanced images when shooting in high-contrast or backlit scenes. DRO modifies the range from highlights to shadows through its in-camera hardware processing - ultimately producing more natural, evenly exposed images.
The camera also has helpful functions to manually correct images immediately after capturing them, including in-camera red-eye correction and photo retouching.
Fast and Fun Playback
For fun playback of family photos, the unit's built-in slideshow function helps create slideshows set to your favorite music choices. Up to eight songs can be uploaded via the camera's USB port. To view your favorite images and slideshows just like you view your favorite TV shows - in full 1080 high definition resolution - you can connect the camera to a compatible HDTV set.
Pricing and Availability
The Cyber-Shot DSC-H10 digital camera will ship in May for about $300. Additional accessories will include wide and telephoto conversion lenses, filters, batteries, travel chargers, sports packs and cases. The new model and accessories can be purchased online at www.sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores, at military base exchanges, and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders begin on Jan. 31 a

SONY'S CYBER-SHOT DSC-T300 CAMERA COMBINES FUNCTION WITH STYLE

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 23, 2008 - Sony is taking the wraps off a new 10.1-megapixel Cyber-shot® DSC-T300 digital camera, featuring a stylish, ultra-compact design and intelligent functionality to help reduce the risk of taking a bad photo.
The new model incorporates Sony's new intelligent scene recognition (iSCN), a technology that allows the camera to analyze shooting conditions and automatically select the optimal settings for the best photo results. In iSCN mode, the camera can automatically detect up to five scenes, and choose the best setting for the situation.
In advanced iSCN mode, the camera will shoot using the user's settings and then will automatically step in and take a second shot with optimized settings. If the camera determines that the user's settings are best, then a second photo is not taken.
"We're aiming to make cameras smarter," said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics. "The T300 camera shows goes beyond face detection to other functions that help customers capture their best photos automatically."
The unit integrates a wide (16:9), 3.5-inch touch screen Clear Photo LCD PlusTM LCD screen for easy navigation and framing; a Carl Zeiss® 5x optical zoom lens; Super SteadyShot® image stabilization and high sensitivity settings up to ISO3200 to help combat blurry photos; and a powerful Bionz™ processing engine.
More Intelligent Features
The camera's updated face detection technology can differentiate between the faces of children and adults. Simply select "child priority" or "adult priority," and the camera will automatically detect up to eight faces in the camera frame, adjusting focus, exposure, white balance and flash for the subjects that matter most.
Lubell said Sony has applied a similar advancement to its "smile shutter" technology, an intelligent camera function that captures smiles automatically by searching for facial movements related to smiles and laughs. Capable of detecting multiple smiles instead of only one, users can apply "child priority" or "adult priority" in smile shutter mode to capture photos only when the intended subjects smile.
New controls on this model include: semi-manual focus, which lets the user set the focus range; improved auto focusing system to cover macro ranges in auto mode; and the addition of Sony's D-Range Optimizer Plus mode that uses a higher image correction algorithm to retrieve more picture detail in bright highlights and dark shadows caused by high-contrast shooting.
Organize and Playback Images in Style
As storage capacities on Memory StickDuo™ and Memory Stick PRO Duo media cards increase, Lubell said, options for easily organizing, accessing and playing back photos is more of a priority. The new camera's internal database allows for advanced filtering to later search for photos by date and smile. Images can be viewed in chronological order or displayed in a helpful calendar view, and organized in the camera's "favorites" folder.
To view your images in stunning 1080 HD resolution slide shows, just connect the DSC-T300 camera to a compatible HDTV set. Slide show includes your choice of background music, including up to eight tracks (a total of five minutes in length) you can upload via USB, and use multiple tracks to create longer slideshows set to music.
The DSC-T300 camera replaces the DSC-T200 model. It will be available in red, black and silver in March for about $400. The camera, as well as a range of accessories, 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.

At $180, this is not a lot of camera. For a little more, a gadget freak could hit up any other model in the line and do with a better feature set.

They've got 8.1 and 7.2 MP ratings, 3x lenses equivalent to 35-105mm and 2.5-inch screens. They do basic face recognition, have lithium ion batteries and a 1-inch profile.

SONY ADDS PERFORMANCE AND REFINES DESIGN ON ENTRY-LEVEL CYBER-SHOT CAMERAS

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 23, 2008 - Sony has enhanced the features and updated the design of its new Cyber-shot® DSC-S750 and DSC-S780 digital still camera models.
Both of the new entry-level digital still cameras feature Sony's face detection technology, which identifies up to three faces in the camera's LCD frame and automatically adjusts focus and exposure for well-exposed, natural-looking photos.
Sony has also upgraded the two models' power source to Lithium Ion batteries, instead of AA batteries, to extend battery life and allow for a body design that is just 1-inch slim. The DSC-S780 and DSC-S750 cameras can capture up to 270 and 280 shots on a single full charge, respectively.
"Face detection is just one of the technologies we're introducing to help customers take better photos more easily," said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics.
The 8.1-megapixel DSC-S780 and the 7.2-megapixel DSC-S750 models incorporate CCD imagers, 3x optical zoom lenses, and 2.5-inch LCD screens for easy framing and viewing of photos.
Higher sensitivity settings up to IS01250 have been added to both models to help reduce the risk of blurry photos when shooting in low-light conditions.
Seven convenient scene selections, including twilight, twilight portrait, landscape, soft snap, beach, snow and high sensitivity, allow you to adjust quickly for specific shooting conditions.
The cameras' five-point autofocus system helps take the guesswork out of picture taking by intelligently selecting the best focus for the subject. This helps to ensure that the subject is in focus, even if they are not in the center of the frame.
The cameras are equipped with 22MB of internal memory so you can start shooting as soon as the camera is out of the box. Their capacities can be expanded easily with an optional Memory Stick Duo™ or Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media card, now available in capacities up to 16 gigabytes.
Price and Availability
Available in classic silver, the DSC-S750 model ships in March for about $150, and the DSC-S780 will be available in April for about $180. Options will include travel chargers, batteries, carrying cases, sports packs and other accessories, all sold separately.
The 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.

The W150 has an 8.1MP rating and a 30-150mm lens. Both have a 2.7-inch screen. The W120 has a 4x optical zoom (no Zeiss), 7.2MPs, and a 2.5-inch screen.

Each have ISOs of 3200, and steady shot. They're available in a few colors, too. Respectively, they are priced at $300, $230, and $200. The W170/150 have iSCN tech for automatically switching between scene modes.

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.