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Sony

  • Nikon D80 10 Megapixel dSLR Camera Announced

    Nikon D80 10 Megapixel dSLR Camera AnnouncedNikon has announced their new ten megapixel D80 digital SLR, the company’s successor to the trailblazing D70/D70s cameras.

    Along with the beefed up megapixel count, the D80 sports an updated body design with some softening of lines and a slight slimming down of the overall size.

    There’s also a new image processing engine, improved menu interface, 3D Colour Matrix Metering II, 11-area AF system and configurable Auto ISO (selectable maximum ISO, minimum shutter speed) and configurable high ISO and long exposure noise reduction.

    On the back of the camera, there’s a larger and brighter viewfinder and the welcome addition of a bigger 2.5″ LCD TFT LCD screen offering improved resolution (230k) and a 170 degree viewing angle.

    Nikon D80 10 Megapixel dSLR Camera AnnouncedThe D80 also offers a suite of in-camera retouching tools including shadow / highlight enhancement, red-eye reduction, trimming and monochrome and filter effects.

    Upgraders may not be so chuffed with Nikon’s decision to switch from the chunky Compact Flash format to SD cards, but new users will appreciate the adoption of the far more popular storage medium.

    Sitting between the entry-level Nikon D50 and the semi-professional / professional D200, the D80 looks a wallet tempting proposition, and should provide fierce competition for Sony’s Alpha 100 SLR.

    The D80 will be hitting the shelves in September with a keen body-only price of in £699 ($999), or £949 ($1299) for the kit including the 18-135 mm DX lens.

    Nikon D80 10 Megapixel dSLR Camera AnnouncedNikon D80 specs Sensor 10.2 million effective pixels
    Image sizes 3872 x 2592 (10.0 MP), 2896 x 1944, 1936 x 1296, 2240 x 1488, 1504 x 1000
    Autofocus 11 area TTL, Nikon Multi-CAM1000
    Lens servo Single-servo AF (AF-S), Continuous-servo AF (AF-C), Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A), Manual focus (M)
    Metering 420 pixel RGB sensor, 3D color matrix metering II
    Metering range EV 0 to 20 (3D color matrix / CW), EV 2 to 20 (Spot)
    Meter coupling CPU and AI CPU
    Sensitivity ISO 100 – 1600, Up to ISO 3200 with boost
    Auto ISO Selectable maximum ISO, Selectable minimum shutter speed
    Shutter Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal plane shutter Shutter speed 30 to 1/4000 sec, Bulb
    Flash sync 1/200 sec
    Built-in flash Guide number 13 (ISO 100)
    Wireless flash Nikon i-TTL, can act as commander
    Continuous 3 fps, 23 / 6 frames (JPEG / RAW)
    White balance Auto, 6 presets, Kelvin colour temperature, Manual preset (
    Image presets Normal, Softer, Vivid, More Vivid, Portrait, B&W
    High ISO NR Normal, Low, High, Off
    Multiple exposures Yes
    Viewfinder Eyepoint: 19.5 mm (at -1.0 m-1), Frame coverage 95% (approx.), Magnification approx. 0.94x, B-type Bright View Clear Matte II
    LCD monitor 2.5″ TFT LCD, 230,000 pixel TFT, 170 degree viewing angle
    Histogram Luminance & RGB histogram
    USB USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (480 Mbps max.)
    Storage SD / SD-HC card
    Battery Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e (7.4 V, 1500 mAh)
    Battery status Remaining charge (%), No. of shots taken since last charge, Battery life (5 stage) 3
    Dimensions 132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)
    Weight No battery: 585 g (1.3 lb)

    Nikon

  • Sony Ericsson K618 3G Phone Announced

    Sony Ericsson K618 3G Phone AnnouncedSony Ericsson has announced the latest addition to its popular ‘K’ series, with the ‘candybar’ shaped Sony K618 promising super fast video, music streaming and Web browsing.

    Claiming to offer a “perfect mix of mobile phone, multimedia applications and business solutions,” the K618 mobile phone is a slim, lightweight 3G phone, sporting a 176×220 pixels, TFT 1.9″ 262k colour display, 2 MegaPixel camera (plus 2.5x digital zoom) and QCIF video recording & streaming.

    The onboard music player supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ playbacks with the bundled 256MB Memory Stick Micro (M2) able to store up to 230 (highly compressed, natch) music tracks and over 700 photos.

    Sony Ericsson K618 3G Phone AnnouncedThe memory card can be upgraded up to a maximum of 1GB of storage.

    Connectivity
    The handset offers tri-band (900/1800/1900 MHz) and UMTS(2100) and 3G connectivity, with Bluetooth Streaming letting users send full-length music tracks (or video clips) to compatible Bluetooth enabled devices, like such as Sony’s Stereo Bluetooth Headset HBH-DS970.

    Also bundled with the phone is a full HTML browser with RSS and comes with support for push email, enabling messages to be sent directly to the phone.

    Sony Ericsson K618 3G Phone AnnouncedFor keen bloggers who like to update their personal diaries when you’re on the move, the K618 can send images direct to their own blog via Mobile Blogger.

    Decked out in Vibrant Black or Bright White, the K618 will be available in selected markets from Q3 2006, but Sony hasn’t made a peep about pricing yet.

    K618 – key specifications:

    Entertainment
    Music player (with MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ support)
    OMA DRM phase 1
    Phone speaker
    Full streaming Audio/Video
    Polyphonic >64 ring tones
    Java MIDP 2.0
    3D games
    Music DJ
    Video DJ
    Photo DJ
    PlayNow
    Disc2Phone computer ripping software
    Stereo headset
    256MB M2 card

    Imaging & Messaging
    176×220 pixels, TFT 1.9″ 262k colour display
    2.0 Megapixel camera
    2.5x digital zoom for still images
    QCIF video recording & streaming
    QVGA video playback
    VGA Video Telephony camera
    Consumer push email
    SMS and MMS
    Instant Messaging
    Mobile Blogger – Picture blog application

    Connectivity
    UMTS 2100
    Bluetooth EDR
    PC Tools & Software
    USB 2.0 Mass storage FS
    USB charging
    USB cable
    Fast port connector
    External antenna connector
    Flight mode
    HTML Full Browser with RSS

    Core Accessories
    Stereo Bluetooth™ Headset HBH-DS970
    Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-65
    Flash MXE-60
    Music Cable MMC-60
    Music Desk Stand MDS-60

    Other Accessories:
    Desk Stand CDS- 60
    Travel charger CMT-60
    Bluetooth Headset HBH-GV435
    Bluetooth Headset HBH- IV835
    Bluetooth Car Speakerphone HCB-100

    Sony Ericsson.com

  • Sony Alpha A100 dSLR: Brief Look

    Sony Alpha A100 dSLR: Brief LookWe had our hands on the Sony Alpha A100 last week, Sony’s first step into the Digital SLR (dSLR) market.

    We’ve known for a while that Sony and Konika/Minolta would be producing a dSLR, following Sony’s purchase of the traditional SLR company. The A100 is the first product of the deal.

    Sony tell us that they see the market for dSLR’s growing by 30% over the next year, which is lucky as the compact digital market appears to be stagnating. They’ve got grand plans for this market, with their stated ambition to be ‘challenging for the top position’ by 2008.

    The key message from Sony with the whole of the Alpha range is “We want to make you a better photographer.” Highly appealing to those who may be scared off by crossing over from a compact camera to the SLR world.

    Sony Alpha A100 dSLR: Brief LookWhat’s Hot
    Sony have brought their own CCD technology to the party, giving a 10Mpx image, but it’s not full-frame (the sensor isn’t the size of a full 35mm film frame). They’ve combined this new CCD with anti-shake features seen on the Konica Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 5D, which stabilises the sensor instead of the lens element. Sony have labeled this Super SteadyShot.

    The new Bionz image processor also adds a lot like the Dynamic Range Optimiser, which balances light levels between subject and background when taking photos into the light from a dark place.

    A feature brought over from the Konika/Minolta includes EyeStart. Two sensors just below the viewfinder detects when the camera is brought to the eye and prepare the camera to start shooting.

    As with previous cameras, Sony are working with Carl ZeissThe SLR lenses from Konika/Minolta will fit the A100, so the brave might be able to pick up a bargain or two buying them second-hand, quite likely when there have been 16 million of them sold worldwide.

    Sony Alpha A100 dSLR: Brief LookFirst impressions
    These are all based on the brief time we had with it. We plan to do a more in-depth review in a few weeks time.

    First impressions are that of a quality camera. The battery grip is solid and comfortable, giving the impression that handling it over an extended period wouldn’t be tiresome.

    The materials used vary over the body depending on the function and need. It’s with interest that we saw that the material around the shutter button was highly reflective providing a good feel, and we assume, reducing the risk of the area wearing excessively.

    Sony Alpha A100 Initial Test Shots
    Sony Alpha A100 test shot – See the whole set at original resolution

    When taking photos, small things like the solid sound that the shutter makes after you press the shutter button, as it raises out of the way to expose the CCD, also reassures you that it’s quality.

    On the back of the body is a 2.5″ Clear Photo LCD which provides a very wide viewing angle, useful for showing off your recently taken shots. We can also confirm that Sony’s efforts to make the screen viewable in sunlight have been successful.

    Sony claim that all of the commonly used functions are placed on dials, close to hand on the body, rather than burying it within on-screen menus.

    Showing that the camera is a transition between Konika/Minolta and Sony, the storage on the camera is the size of compact flash. Not wanting to appear lacking in their support for their own format, Sony provide a converter to support Memory Stick.

    Sony Alpha A100 Initial Test Shots
    Sony Alpha A100 test shot – See the whole set at original resolution

    The lenses that come with it, especially when the two pack is considered, give good value, but as is so often the case with bundled lenses, we wonder if these will be cast aside after a short time. Although appearing to be competent, small differences from after-market lenses like the mountings being plastic, not metal, give pointers to the build quality.

    Our only reservation is over the quality of the photos taken. Initially they looked great, but when zoomed to full screen we were alarmed to see the pixilation of the image. We’re not sure if this was down to the camera we used being on some strange settings or if the camera has a problem. We’ll know more when we get our hands on it for a longer period.

    Sony Alpha A100 Initial Test Shots
    Sony Alpha A100 test shot – See the whole set at original resolution

    Pricing and availability
    The Alpha A100 is keenly priced

    £599.99 – Body only
    £699.99 – Body and 18-70 Lens
    £849.99 – Body,18-70 and 75-300 Lenses

    Sony are quoting that the whole kit and caboodle will be available in July 2006.

  • Sony Alpha 100 SLR Camera Specs Leaked

    Sony Alpha 100 SLR Camera Specs LeakedSome details of Sony’s eagerly-awaited debut into the dSLR market have begun to emerge online.

    The Australian Digital Photography Blog website has revealed that Sony’s new Alpha 100 dDSLR will offer 10.2 million effective megapixels and be fitted with an APS-C size CCD sensor.

    As previously announced, Sony’s first dSLR camera will use an updated lens mount compatible with Konica-Minolta Alpha/Maxxum/Dynax lenses, with Sony expected to reveal a slew of new Sony G lens using the highly regarded Carl Zeiss optics.

    The camera is expected to carry a large 2.5 inch format Clear Photo LCD Plus Screen with AR coating and a resolution of 230,000 pixels.

    The bright optical viewfinder comes with a Spherical Acute Matte screen, 20mm eye relief, 0.83x magnification, dioptre adjustment and an interesting EyeStart Auto focus.

    Sony Alpha 100 SLR Camera Specs LeakedThis feature – inherited from Minolta -begins autofocus and auto-exposure as soon as it detects your peeper gazing through the viewfinder. Neat

    The camera is also rumoured to be incorporating Sony’s Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilisation technology, which employs horizontal and vertical motion sensors located inside the lens assembly area.

    Although there’s no firm details of pricing yet, some pundits are estimating a street price of $1,000 (body only) which places it in the highly competitive enthusiast market.

    Other leaked details include an Anti-dust protection system (We like these – a lot!), 1600 ISO equivalent, Burst shooting, advanced flash modes and BIONZ Image Processing Engine.

    Sony Alpha 100 SLR Camera Specs LeakedThe onboard high-speed autofocus is said to sport 4 focus modes – Single-shot AF; Direct Manual Focus; AF Automatic; AF Continuous – with centre-weighted, spot and 40-segment honeycomb pattern metering modes.

    The Sony Alpha 100 looks to weigh in at 545g without battery, with dimensions of 94.7 x 133.1 x 71.3 mm (L x W x D).

    We should point out that Sony don’t actually call it the ‘Alpha’ in print, preferring to use the arty squiggly symbol (a bit like popstar Prince and long forgotten 80s nobby band Freur), but we couldn’t be arsed to try and find that on our keyboards.

    Sony is expected to make an official announcement about the Alpha 100 later this month, but if these tempting specs are on the money, Sony could be set to make a big splash in a market currently dominated by Canon and Nikon.

    Digital Photography Blog
    Sony dSLR

  • Japan Gets Sony Ericsson W42S 3G Walkman Phone

    Japan Gets Sony Ericsson W42S 3G Walkman PhoneSony Ericsson has announced its first Walkman phone for Japan today and it looks like a beaut.

    Due to be launched by Japanese wireless carrier KDDI in June, the W42S 3G packs a hefty 1GB of internal memory backed up by a Memory Stick Pro DUO expansion slot offering up to 4GB of storage.

    The new Walkman phone comes with a power saving mode to keep the tunes pumping for up to 30 hours of playback, with the onboard player supporting MP3, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+ music format files.

    As a result of a partnership with KDDI, owners can gorge themselves on a feast of top tunes when they’re on the move, thanks to their LISMO music service which currently boasts a mighty 5 million downloads per month.

    Japan Gets Sony Ericsson W42S 3G Walkman PhoneTrue to its Walkman heritage, the slide-out phone has a smorgasbord of built-in dedicated music controls, including a natty new mechanical navigation wotsit bolted on to the bottom of the phone.

    Although it look a bit odd stuck on the phone, anyone who’s used the similar controls on Sony’s minidisk and MP3 players will now how easy they are to use.

    The phone also comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera, a 2.2-inch, 240 x 320 pixels, 262k colour LCD screen, an FM radio and an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) to keep punters well-fed with programming schedules.

    Japan Gets Sony Ericsson W42S 3G Walkman PhoneThere’s been no firm announcement of the retail price yet, although it’s hotly rumoured to be around the $180 mark, and no announcement of a UK release yet, natch.

    Sony Ericsson W42S [Japanese]

  • Sony HDR-HC3: Hands On With HC1 Successor

    Sony HDR-HC3 Hands On With Their First HDD CamcorderThe HC3 has a tough act to follow – its own big brother, the HC1. Last year’s HC1 brought High Definition recording within the budget of almost any home movie-maker for the first time, and did it with assurance and style. Luckily, Sony hasn’t rested on its laurels, and the HC3 feels very much like a replacement for the HC1 rather than a mere upgrade.

    For a start, the HC3 is 30% smaller and lighter than its predecessor, giving it the size and heft of a traditional MiniDV palmcorder. It shares the 2.7-inch touchscreen of the SR90, as well as a generous 123,000-pixel wide viewfinder if you need to save power. Like the HC1, it records 1080i High Def footage onto MiniDV tapes in the HDV format, although the HC3 has a brand new 1/3-inch 2MP CMOS sensor that Sony suggests will match the 3MP chip in the HC1. We didn’t have the opportunity to see full quality footage from the HC3 on a HD display.

    Sony HDR-HC3 Hands On With Their First HDD CamcorderChanges to the imaging pipeline have enabled Sony to offer a couple of new features in the HC3. The first is the ability to capture up to three 2MP still photos while filming (the images buffer until you stop recording). The second is Smooth Slow capture, where the capture rate increases from 50 to 200 fields per second for three seconds. Audio recording and the Super SteadyShot audio are disabled while you shoot. You can then play back this footage at a normal frame rate, giving 12 seconds of smooth slow motion footage.

    The HC3 has an HDMI output (no cable supplied) and should manage around 105 minutes of recording using the supplied battery. Like the SR90, the HC3 has a flash unit rather than a video light, but a hot-shoe for accessories. But some of the HC1’s more advanced features are missing: manual shutter speeds, zoom ring and external microphone input among them.

    The HC3 seems to be a worthy successor to the HC1: smaller, lighter and cheaper (£1,000). Our only concerns would be that the reduction in size of the CMOS sensor has affected image quality and that Sony is dumbing down its High Def offering for a mass audience. Despite these worries, the HC3 will almost certainly spearhead the assault of HD into the mainstream and that can be no bad thing.

  • Sony DCR-SR90: Hands On With Their First HDD Camcorder

    Sony DCR-SR90: Hands On With Their First HDD CamcorderJust when you thought Sony couldn’t add any more formats to its camcorder range (the electronics giant already carries MiniDV, MicroMV, Hi8, Digital 8 and DVD models), along comes a new hard disc camcorder (the DCR-SR90) and a re-vamped Hi Def pro-sumer shooter (HDR-HC3). We caught up with both at an exclusive hands- on presentation in London. Details of the Sony HDR-HC3 will follow tomorrow.

    Sony DCR-SR90
    The SR90 is going head-to-head with JVC’s well-established Everio range of hard disc camcorders, with which it shares many things in common. A 30Gb disc can store around seven hours of top quality MPEG-2 footage, although not, as yet, in High Defintion. The Sony’s 9Mbps maximum bit-rate just pips JVC’s 8.5Mbps, although we wouldn’t expect that to affect video quality noticeably. Both have hard drive drop protection and traditional palmcorder designs, although the SR90 is heavier and chunkier than JVC’s Everios – and even many of Sony’s MiniDV models.

    Build quality is good, and is reflected in a specification that includes a Carl Zeiss T* 10x zoom, which zips between extremes silently and quickly, and a 3.3 megapixel CCD sensor (against the Everio’s 2MP chip). Although it’s a pity Sony opted for a photo flash rather than a video LED, there is at least a hot-shoe for adding a decent external light.

    Sony DCR-SR90: Hands On With Their First HDD CamcorderThe interface is generally very good, with a 2.7-inch folding touchscreen ported straight from Sony’s MiniDV range, giving access to a good range of creative features, including true 16:9 recording.

    Sony has also borrowed from its DVD camcorders, nicking a built-in microphone that encodes audio in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound (although we didn’t get a chance to test this properly). Super SteadyShot is one of the industry’s better digital image stabilisers, and there are some digital effects on offer, too.

    Sony DCR-SR90: Hands On With Their First HDD CamcorderPlayback features include basic editing tools that let you move scenes around but not cut or join them. Ease of use is emphasized with a One Touch DVD burn button for Windows computers with a DVD writer – just plug in via USB, slip in a disc and away you go.

    Utilising the strengths of its traditional camcorders has helped Sony avoid the SR90 feeling like a ‘me too’ product. It might be priced a little higher (£850) than similar Everios but it offers a little more, too – if not yet the High Def recording that would have made it a must-have. A solid hard drive debut then, and it’s great to finally have some competition for JVC.

  • Whee! Here Comes Nintendo’s Wii!

    Whee! Here Comes Nintendo's Wii!Video game kings Nintendo have opened hostilities with arch-rivals Microsoft and Sony with the unveiling of its new “Wii” console.

    The Japanese game maker launched their new console at the E3 show in Los Angeles, claiming that it will “revolutionise” gaming just as soon as it’s unleashed on the public, sometime during the last quarter of 2006.

    Pricing, details and specifications of the Wii are still a bit thin on the ground, but Nintendo are insisting that “You’ll get more fun for less money” when the product finally launches.

    Whee! Here Comes Nintendo's Wii!The Wii will certainly be considerably cheaper that its rivals when it goes on sale later this year, with pundits predicting a price around the $250 mark – cheaper than the Xbox 360 and around half the price of the top-of-the-range PS3.

    With the Wii console being cheaper to produce (Sony’s new PS3 will be a loss leader with the company clawing back profits from software sales), Nintendo are expected to turn a profit on their console far quicker than their rivals.

    Whee! Here Comes Nintendo's Wii!Sporting an unusual, one-handed wireless controller, the remote control-shaped Wii handset comes with motion sensors and speakers, letting users interact with games by waving their arms about and looking like a bit of a nutter.

    The built-in speakers should add extra realism, with, for example, sound travelling from the controller to the TV when you blast your turbo space gun at an onscreen evil Thatch-monster from Granthaxia.

    Whee! Here Comes Nintendo's Wii!Nintendo reckon that users will find their one-hand, noise-making controller more fun and intuitive: “Our goal is to expand the total number of people playing games,” said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata

    “To do this, we needed to target gamers who played and had lost interest, as well as those who have never played,” he commented, adding that the one-handed design, “breaks down the barrier for non-gamers. The most difficult job is to approach people who have never played before.”

    Whee! Here Comes Nintendo's Wii!Reggie Fils-Aime, chief marketing officer at Nintendo, was even more enthusiastic, insisting that the Wii was designed so “even your mother could use it.”

    If she’s not dribbling over her blanket in an old folk’s home, of course.

    Nintendo Wii

  • Sony PS3: Prices And Release Dates

    Sony PS3: Prices And Release DatesSony has announced the pricing for its eagerly anticipated next generation PS3 console at a pre-E3 conference in Los Angeles.

    With a scheduled US release date of November 17, the PS3 will be available in 20GB and 60GB configurations, priced at $499 and $599 respectively (the same cost in Euros), making the unit at least $100 more costly than its main rival, the Microsoft XBox.

    Sony have some catching up to do with their main rival Microsoft, whose Xbox-360 console has already shifted some 3.2 million units since its launch last November.

    The higher price and inclusion of the brand new, high-def Blu-Ray disc drive is something of a gamble for Sony, but some analysts believe that the package – and particularly the Bluetooth wireless controller – may prove simply irresistible to gamers.

    Sony PS3: Prices And Release DatesThere’s certainly a lot at stake for Sony, with the company expected to lose several hundred dollars per unit – while hoping to rake in fat profits from software sales over the life of the console.

    Kaz Hirai, head of Sony’s US gaming business was confident, “We must take risks to reap the reward. We’re not interested in conventional thinking.”

    “The next generation doesn’t start until we say it does. Today the PlayStation 3 is real,” he added.

    Sony PS3: Prices And Release DatesThe company expects two million of the puppies to have shunted off their production line and into the shops during the ‘launch window,’ four million by the end of the year and six million worldwide by March 31, 2007.

    Japan is set to get the machines a week earlier – November 11 – while we assume that Europe will get deliveries the same time as America (a slide at the conference proclaimed, “Worldwide Launch, Early November 2006”).

    Pricing for Europe will be €499 for the 20GB model and €599 (£410) for the 60GB big boy. Sony haven’t released UK pricing as yet

    Playstation

  • Sony Launches Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital Camera

    Sony Launches Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital CameraSony America has launched a new digital camera today for the trendy party crowd, the 7.2-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-T30.

    Featuring Sony’s familiar sliding lens cover, the T30 measures a designer suit untroubling 90 x 54.8 x 20.2mm, with the 159g mass unlikely to add much bulk to the Gucci handbag.

    Sony’s Super Steady Shot optical image stabilisation lets the camera keep on working late into the party, with a high ISO 1000 light sensitivity (coupled with Sony’s Clear RAW noise reduction system), allowing more natural, flash-less pics.

    Sony Launches Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital CameraIntroduced to the T-Series is a set of selectable colour modes allowing users to choose ‘natural mode’ for subtle colour variations or ‘vivid mode’ for more intense colours – great for reproducing the full range of hues of the pavement pizza at the end of the night.

    Shutter lag with AF/AE is rated at a nippy 0.28 of a second, with the burst mode offering 5 shots at 1.1 frames per second – enough to capture a dramatic, alcohol-fuelled dance floor collapse.

    Shot-to-shot interval is up on its predecessor, the T9, with the camera taking 1.4 seconds – the slower time a result of the larger files being saved.

    Sony Launches Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital CameraOther features include a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom (f3.5-4.5), a hefty 3 inch “Clear Photo LCD Plus screen” and 58MB of internal memory.

    Images can be played back as a slide show option with music function, with the Memory Stick Duo offering up to two gigabytes of additional storage.

    Powered by an InfoLithium battery, Sony are claiming up to 420 shots per full charge – nearly double the performance of previous T-series models.

    The Cyber-shot DSC-T30 camera will be landing on store shelves in the US next month for around $500. There’s no news about the UK launch and price yet.

    Sony Launches Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital CameraSpecifications
    Dimensions 3.7 x 2.2 x 0.9″, 95.0 x 56.5 x 23.3mm
    Weight 169.0 g, 5.9 oz
    Sensor Type 1/2.5″ CCD, 7.20 megapixels (effective)
    Aspect Ratio 4:3, 3:2
    Image Dimensions 3072 x 2304 (7.1 megapixels), 3072 x 2048 (6.3 megapixels), 2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels), 2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels), 1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels), 1632 x 1224 (2.0 megapixels), 640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
    Capture Speed Continuous: 0.8 frames per second
    Image Quality 2 levels
    Viewfinder No
    LCD 3.0″, 230,000 pixels
    Playback Zoom 5.0x max
    Lens Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, 3x optical zoom
    Image Stabilization Yes
    Focal Length 6.3 – 19.0mm (actual), 38 – 114mm (35mm equivalent)
    Aperture Range f/3.5 (wide) / f/4.3 (tele)
    Focusing System 5-area Contrast detect with AF assist lamp
    Manual Focus possible (5) steps
    Focusing Range Normal: 20″ – infinity (50 cm – infinity)
    Macro: 0.4″
    ISO Sensitivity Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000
    Shutter Speed 30 – 1/1000 second
    Metering Modes Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
    Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
    White Balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash
    Internal Flash Modes: Auto, Auto w/ Red-Eye Reduction, On, On w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Synch, Slow Synch w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Off
    Range: 0.3 – 11.2 ft, (0.1 – 3.4m)
    Creative Scene Modes Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, High-Speed Shutter, Candle, Magnifying Glass (Super Macro), Soft Snap
    Digital Zoom Precision 2x
    Self Timer Yes, 2 or 10 seconds
    Storage Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
    File Format JPEG
    Connectivity USB 1.1
    Battery Type Lithium Ion rechargeable, Proprietary NP-FR1 InfoLITHIUM