Monday, October 29, 2012

Sony CyberShot DSC-WX150 First Look Review


Sony's Cyber-Shot WX150 is advertised as a slim, fast, and versatile camera. Its specifications are certainly impressive: 18 megapixels. 10x zoom. It has a thin design and high-speed auto focus. Does the CyberShot WX150 deliver in real life? Read my review to find out!


Note: This a "mini" review. I have had a short time to test out the WX150 and won't be able to cover every detail of the WX150.

Design
Let's look around the WX150's exterior. A zoom lever, shutter button, and power button are on the top of the device. (The shutter button is quite sensitive. The first time I picked it up, I took a picture instead of focusing, as I had intended.)


The bulk of the controls are on the back. Located from the top down and left to right are: the picture/panorama/movie switch, movie record button, the scroll wheel that doubles as display, burst shot, self timer, and flash controls, the menu button, the delete/Info button, and the review button. Whew! The screen displays photos with accurate colors and detail.

Overall, I think the WX150 is a very attractive little camera. Its beautiful, clean design and metallic finish have won me over.

The WX150 isn't just pretty. It's portable, too. At 7/8ths of an inch thick and 4.7 ounces, it can fit into almost any pocket. Since the WX150 has a 10x zoom lens, I think its thinness is amazing.

Features
If you enjoy experimenting with your camera, there are plenty of settings for you to tinker with. Here are some of the modes and features that stand out:

  • Fifteen SCN modes such as Pet, Soft Skin, and Landscape optimize for their namesake scenes
  • fun Picture Effects apply filters like Toy Camera, Pop, and Watercolor 
  • Intelligent Auto automatically sets the correct scene mode
  • Superior Auto automatically sets the correct scene mode, takes several pictures, and combines them for optimum picture quality
  • Program mode lets you manually expose the photo
  • 3D and Background Defocus are both self-explanatory

Click on this picture to view it in a larger size.

Performance
During my time with the WX150, it proved responsive and speedy. It turns on very quickly and barely pauses between shots.

The WX150 produces very detailed, correctly-colored pictures. Low light, indoor, and outdoor situations are all handled well, with minimal noise. Auto white balance occasionally made an indoor scene a little blueish, but it is usually right-on.

Although most users would be just as well off if this camera had twelve megapixels, the WX150's eighteen megapixel resolution provides exceptional detail. This is true especially in close-ups and landscapes.

Ease of Use
I have no complaints under this heading. Setting basic things (like flash or self timer) or advanced features (such as selecting white balance) can be accomplished quickly and easily. Even specific SCN modes can be accessed in three moves or less. Should you have questions, the WX150 has an in-camera guide, too.

Conclusion
Overall, I think Sony has delivered on its promises. The Sony CyberShot DSC-WX150 provides excellent photo quality, responsive performance, an attractive design, and plenty of features.


Product Info

MSRP:$250 from Sony
Manufacturer:Sony
Pros:
    Premium design, very thin, plenty of features, fast performance, detailed and accurate photos, simple navigation 
Cons:
  • Auto white balance can be slightly off when indoors

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