I had my choices narrowed down between a Canon and the Sony W90. My daughter has an older P200 Sony and it takes fantastic pictures so I opted for the W90. The first few daylight pictures I took showed color blotching (not noisy or grainy) when viewed at actual size on the computer. Low light photos also had MUCH more noise visible than the P200 even at ISO 200. I have now taken ~1000 pictures in all lighting conditions and would rate the camera as follows:

Bright light/ daylight outside: Excellent pictures
Medium light /clouds: Very good to excellent
Dusk and night shots: Amazing! especially with high ISO setting
Medium/Low indoor lighting: good (with post processing)
Indoor lighting with flash: Good to very good

I was initially disappointed that the picture quality with indoor lighting without flash was not as good as my daughters P200. However after many test shots comparing the two, I believe the major difference is that the W90 takes a lighter picture with more detail while the P200 is darker with more noise reduction done inside the camera. Any simple photo program can remove the noise and make the pictures as good with at least as much (or more) detail than the P200. Note that these pictures were taken at a low room light level that would normally require flash so this will likely rarely or never be an issue for most users.

Although I have not taken many pictures with flash, all I have taken have turned out very crisp and well lit with no noticeable noise. The noise issue above is ONLY with low light and no flash.

The dusk and night shots were what really impress. I took about a dozen hand-held shots after sunset. Although about 1/2 of the shots were blurry due to my hands shaking, the other 1/2 were excellent with good exposure and excellent detail and no detectable blurring. Obviously the image stabilization can only do so much. The pictures were obviously grainy (ISO1600) at actual size zoom on the computer, but looked good when viewing the whole picture. I emphasize that these were taken in lighting that my daughter's ISO400 camera just would not have been able to take at all.

Several of the options are also very handy. The ability to select the light metering point is extremely useful when shooting at sunset or with lighted objects at night. The camera allows either full frame, center frame, or center point metering. Similar options are available for focus.

Continual burst mode was actually useful as the camera takes pictures quickly. I was able to capture a bird from perched to about 5' in the air using the burst mode (~4 pictures)all with excellent clarity and capturing the birds wings without blur.

If it were not for the color blotching at ISOs from 125 to 400 I would give this 5 stars. I have decided to exchange this camera for another to see if I just have one that is defective. It is such an obvious problem that others would have certainly mentioned it if it was a design flaw.

I am interested in this camera but it seems like it blurs a lot when the subject is moving or the camera is shaking.

I am having doubts about its anti-blur technology.

Is anyone having some issues with blur?

I shoot professionally and this is camera I use when I don't want to tote my giant one around. It's very easy to use. The pictures are great. It shoots very quickly (not a lot of shutter lag), which is a big thing when you are shooting kids. You miss it in one second.

I have this camera for a few weeks now. I first bought it without any reviews, I was afraid, but now I know that it was not a bad decision for me to purchase this camera.

I like the super steadyshot, slideshow with music - I think this is great. The photos are clear and nice.

When I first hold this camera, I wish it could have been nicer design and thinner in size. But I dont take it a big deal, as long as it takes good pictures. The photo were not blurry at all when I took them while driving.

Overall, it is a good nice camera.

And great and little it is.
After taking more pictures I have raised it from 4 stars to 5 stars!
Razor sharp photos - great color.
The ldc screen explains all the setting and what they do, great aid for us novices.
Takes clearer, with more depth perception, photos than my older Canon Digital Rebel!
And all the new bells and whistles - face recognition - image stablization - in camera editing.
We love it!

I just got my digital camera last friday and I must say, after trying out all the features, I was impressed. I love the in-camera retouching feature because I love to add something creative or cute on my pictures and it proved to be very convenient for me. In this feature you can either add a little burst on the pix, fish eye or blur out some of the parts pix..also, what I love about this camera is that I could reduce the red-eye in just one push of a button and I could do it IN the camera itself..unlike other cameras where I should upload it first on my PC and retouch it..You could also crop the pix in the camera too..isn't that fantastic??!!! Another thing that I love about this camera is that it has a burst mode so if I feel like taking a lot of pictures in just one press of the shutter, I could do it! That means, no missed moments here!!!

At first I was kind of hesistant in buying this digital camera because my first choice is a canon but believe me, you won't go wrong with this camera..The style is slim and simple but you will be impressed with what this camera has to offer..It has so much features in a tiny camera...Don't think twice about this camera! It is THE best!!!

I noticed that at certain angles the light reflected off the anti-reflective coating of the lens shows up on the display as purple bars of light that extend up and down the screen. It doesn't seem to show up in the photos but do show up when composing the shots.

Someone else I know that owns a W80 said that he has also seen the purple light bars. I just want to let everyone know before buying that this is a flaw of this camera.

It can be a bit annoying seeing it when composing a shot. That's why I'm not giving it 5 stars.

I've had this camera for 3 weeks now. I love it. It turns on and is ready to shoot very quickly. Much faster than my Canon G2. After reading the manual, I found it very easy to use. It does remarkably well in ambient light. The steady shot feature seems to really work well. The camera is so small yet feels good to hold. I especially like the menu that shows up on the screen which is easy to read and tells you what the setting does. I don't have to remember everything. The larger screen is great for viewing plus it has a view finder for shooting outside in the bright sunshine. Two weeks ago I shot nearly 500 pictures at an art show. Only one was not in focus. I started shooting with the flash on, but then tried several with ambient indoor lighting and finished the show with mostly natural light shots. This last weekend I used it at my class reunion shooting people. The face recognition did a good job. On shots of 10 ft. or more the flash was weak. I don't expect the flash in a shirt pocket camera to be very strong. So far I have not used the movie feature. I am surprised at how long that small battery lasts. It is good to have the battery indicator showing the remaining charge.
One feature I wish the W90 had is the ability to turn off the screen and have it show the picture just taken briefly and then shut off again. That probably would save on the battery. Also, if shooting every few minutes, one could disable the auto shut off and leave the camera on for the duration instead of turning it off and on frequently.
This is the first time I have bought a camera without a card. Usually there is some small useless card with the camera and you have to run out and buy a larger one. This camera does not come with a card so I ordered the 2 gig memory stick along with it as a package.

UPDATE: 5/5/07 As mentioned below, my original W90 had some issues. After exchanging the camera, I can verify that my original was bad and the new one performed much better. However, even the new one had serious grain issues in all but the brightest light in "AUTO" mode. In program mode, flash pictures also looked flat and grainy unless you manually reduced the ISO to 200. I really wanted to like this camera, but after struggling with the second camera for a week, I decided to return it and bought a Canon 800IS. In my opinion, the Canon is significantly better in all but near dark conditions. The image stabilization on the Canon is also significantly better.

I had my choices narrowed down between a Canon and the Sony W90. My daughter has an older P200 Sony and it takes fantastic pictures so I opted for the W90. The first few daylight pictures I took showed color blotching (not noisy or grainy) when viewed at actual size on the computer. Low light photos also had MUCH more noise visible than the P200 even at ISO 200. I have now taken ~1000 pictures in all lighting conditions and would rate the camera as follows:

Bright light/ daylight outside: Excellent pictures
Medium light /clouds: Very good to excellent
Dusk and night shots: Amazing! especially with high ISO setting
Medium/Low indoor lighting: good (with post processing)
Indoor lighting with flash: Grainy with auto setting, Good with 200ISO

I was initially disappointed that the picture quality with indoor lighting without flash was not as good as my daughters P200. However after many test shots comparing the two, I believe the major difference is that the W90 takes a lighter picture with more detail while the P200 is darker with more noise reduction done inside the camera. Any simple photo program can remove the noise and make the pictures as good with at least as much (or more) detail than the P200. Note that these pictures were taken at a low room light level that would normally require flash so this will likely rarely or never be an issue for most users.

Although I have not taken many pictures with flash, all I have taken have turned out very crisp and well lit with no noticeable noise. The noise issue above is ONLY with low light and no flash.

The dusk and night shots were what really impress. I took about a dozen hand-held shots after sunset. Although about 1/2 of the shots were blurry due to my hands shaking, the other 1/2 were excellent with good exposure and excellent detail and no detectable blurring. Obviously the image stabilization can only do so much. The pictures were obviously grainy (ISO1600) at actual size zoom on the computer, but looked good when viewing the whole picture. I emphasize that these were taken in lighting that my daughter's ISO400 camera just would not have been able to take at all.

Several of the options are also very handy. The ability to select the light metering point is extremely useful when shooting at sunset or with lighted objects at night. The camera allows either full frame, center frame, or center point metering. Similar options are available for focus.

Continual burst mode was actually useful as the camera takes pictures quickly. I was able to capture a bird from perched to about 5' in the air using the burst mode (~4 pictures)all with excellent clarity and capturing the birds wings without blur.

If it were not for the color blotching at ISOs from 125 to 400 I would give this 5 stars. I have decided to exchange this camera for another to see if I just have one that is defective. It is such an obvious problem that others would have certainly mentioned it if it was a design flaw.

To be honest, I never much cared for Sony products before now. This little camera is just what I needed and wanted. It takes really nice pictures and most importantly, its a snap to use. I ended purchasing an extra battery, but to my surprise, the standard battery is capable of taking over 200 shots before needing a recharge. I'm impressed. The lcd screen is cystal clear and very bright. For the money, you just can't go wrong. I wanted a small point & shoot camera because I got tired of having to deal with large camera cases, lens covers and all of the gadgetry required to take picture with my other digital camera. This is small, very simple to use, takes great photos and fits in a shirt pocket. You just turn it on and go. You won't be disappointed.

I researched this camera and its competitors pretty well before pulling the trigger. I already own a Canon A640 which i have to say shoots great pics.

So what is it that i truly like about this camera!?. (played around with it a bit )

1) Well built and reasonably stylish. It has the heft of a metallic finish and with the black color its very sweet.

2) Interface and UI design. Kudos to Sony here, easy to use !!! pretty much went through a bunch of shooting options without even looking at Manual. Sp. Mention : the UI wheel with the description tags :))

3) Great audio alerts to enhance the user feedback.

4) Best of all GREAT PICS.

Overall its pretty versatile, though not as versatile as the A640 . But that is precisely why i choose this camera. I do not want a gazillion functions that i dont need. Its a snap shooter that i need to pull out and take a pic with real quick. Fast access to its capabilites along with great battery life and awesome pics.
Aditionally, its very well built and has a solid/high quality feel to it. I really appreciate that !!!
Reminds me of the first digital camera i got like 6 yrs ago ..(it was a Sony that lasted FOREVER(gave it to my dad as a gift))

The camera was received in time as promised and has all of the features that I was looking for. Low light sensitivity and compact size are the best qualities. It will provide me with sharp pictures for years to come.

I got this camera to replace my aging digital camera. I was shopping around for nice cameras at the stores, and I eventually decided upon this one. It's a pretty straightforward Camera. I wouldn't recommend this to hard-core camera enthusiasts as there are clearly better ones on the market. My only peeve with the camera is that sometimes certain things do end up a bit brighter than they should be, but most of the time the pictures come out nicely. It's pretty small too, so you can keep it in your pocket quite nicely (it's smaller than my wallet).

The camera has different modes, which may be a bit overwhelming to some users but a bit of experimentation with the modes will tell you which one to use for what occasion. You have an "auto" mode which will adjust the specifications for the best shot, but there are other modes for different specialties, such as long range shots, winter shots, etc.

It's a bit pricey, (I actually got this for about $230 at Circuit City since it was marked for an Owner's discount), and I feel that the camera is not worth it's $300 retail tag, so I suggest that you try to shop around or jump on the occasion if it's cheap.

Overall, if you just want to take some nice pictures but not professionally, this is a great camera.

Be sure to pick up a memory stick duo, preferably a 1 or 2 GB model as the camera doesn't come with one.

Sony Cybershot DSCW90 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and Super Steady Shot (Black)

I have not used all of the features yet, but just in the Auto mode it does great. The results are clear and colorful. The shutter lag time is short, and the boot up time is very quick. I never use flash, so I can't comment on that feature. It does have a tripod mount. I did purchase a high-speed memory stick which helps along the total capturing effort. Granted, it's not an SLR, but for it's size and intended purpose, you won't go wrong here.

Pros: nice user interface, features, form factor and overall build quality
Cons: image quality

I really wanted to like this camera but my old 2004 7MP Sony P150 (another compact point-and-shoot) took noticeably better pictures, probably because it had a larger image sensor. The new 1/2.5" sensors just don't capture as much light. Most shots had a hideous "watercolor" effect. Close-up shots looked decent though (as in shot from a foot away using a compact tripod). From 6 feet away, ugh, even with lots of light flooding in from the windows. I'm returning it, which Amazon makes surprisingly easy. The W200 has a larger sensor so I might give it a try, though cramming 12MP onto it might negate its size advantage.

Got this camera days ago. I have not used many features yet, but taking pictures outside has pretty good quality. The included 31MB memory can hold 13 pictures. However, there are two issues with the camera. One issue with this handy camera is it does not allow to put "date" on the picture when make shoots, while my old DSC 100 (only 5MB though) camera has this feautre. Using the software on CD (included in the package) can add "date", but you need to modify each picture which is not convinent. Another issue with this camera is it uses Memory Stick Pro Duo. I have 4 Pro cards with my old DSC 100, but they cannot be used on this W90 camera. Instead, I have to buy Pro Duo for the camera. But overall, this camera is slim, handy, and easy to use.

Over all, a great camera with an excellent (and sophisticated) design - with no complaints, well perhaps a few. Zoom (In/Out) function doesn't seem to work with movie mode. Takes great pictures, images are crisp, colors come out vibrant and there are many modes to meet most situations. The 1/2000 shutter time isn't as fast as I thought it would be or hoped for. So, if your planning on taking pictures of anything moving (even moving slowly) you may want to invest in an affordable SLR camera instead as most images that move will not come out the way you hoped. Also, and this is a big PLUS, if you take pictures often in near dark or poorly lit areas - this camera feature ISO 3200 which allows you to take pictures in very low light conditions. The feature is "NOT" night vision, so don't expect miracles if your in pitch black and so is your screen. :) Lastly, the zoom is a little quirky - it is an optical 3x zoom (blah, everyday common zooming power) but unlike other cameras that also have a digital zoom that will allow you to further zoom in, with this digital zoom after you have exhausted your 3x, this camera will only allow you to do 3x optical when viewfinding and the digital zoom can only seemingly be used AFTER you take the picture and begin to view and enhance it. *pretty crummy I thought* It also has a viewfinder screen that is pretty large and provides easy previewing of photos.

To summarize: If your looking for a sophisticatedly styled feature packed camera, this is for you. I've got alot of Ooooo's and Ahhhhh's from people who liked it very much. If you require more zooming power, faster shutter speed or movie mode where you can use your zoom while recording, investigate other options out there.

I like my Sony Cybershot W90 and will keep it and be satisfied, but now I know why people spend the extra money on SLR cameras and in the future will invest in one myself.

The extra features on this camera are great! I have enjoyed being able to do red eye correction and trimming directly on the camera, and the specials effects (partial color, soft focus, fisheye lens, and cross filter) are FUN! Being able to do a slide show directly on the camera and also while connected to a TV (haven't tried that yet) are great features! I had a cybershot 4.1 that I upgraded from, and the controls are similar enough that I could literally point and shoot immediately upon it's arrival (after charging the battery of course!). The battery charger that comes with it is nice and compact....just right for travel purposes! I got the camera with intentions of getting super great pictures on my trip to Hawaii later this summer, and I feel very comfortable that I will come back with a very nice collection of photos! Get a bigger memory stick, an extra battery, and a protective case and you will be set also!

The camera is great and does work very welll. Took it on vacation and shot were great. Just have to learn all the setting and use them correctly

This camera does everything I want. It is easy to move between settings for photos. The one and only con I found was that at the Atlanta Aquarium I was unable to take amazing HD quality pictures of the fish but I blame that on the camera having to go through glass and water. At the zoo the shots of the pandas (through glass) turned out amazing. Maybe I just had it on the wrong setting

I love this camera, you need to learn which setting to use for the type of environment...but once you know what one to use you are set

It is a very good camera, steady shot, good picture quality, versatile, and very small.

I dont know what the deal is with Sony these days. Quick summary the new W line offers some improved performance, lighter pictures (better flash performance) compared to the previous darker cybershots cameras. However in this new W line. The menu system is NOT simple but more complex and in addition Sony removed the battery time remaing!!! Pffft, that does the user alot of good. Again Sony's greed shows prompting the user to get a faster charger and buying an additional battery becuase the user can not rely and guess the time remaining. I will give this camera a try if picture quality is anything like the negative reviews I will return and settle with the tried and proven W55. If this does pan out, it could rilval my F828.

Camera does all that my 15 year OLD nikon does, and a lot more. The memory is a requirement, since it can only hold about 30 photos. Also a spare battery is good to have. A camera with 5mp or 6mp is sufficient for a good picture, but since I may want to blow up some of the good ones, I decided on 8MP. The face recognition system is mind boggling, it really recognizes faces and outlines them. I could go on and on with the many features, all very good.

This camera is the best camera i've used so far. I used previous models of cybershot, Canons, Nicon, but nothing compares to this one. For those of you who are shopping for a good camera for an excellant price, don't even think about buying one without Image Stabilization and Anti-Blur technology. And this camera does that perfectly. I used to have a Canon SD630, it was absolutly terrible. This camera is so easy to use, and has a lot of cool options too. If you are rich, get the T100 instead, its got all the features of this one, but it has a 3 inch screen which is really nice. But if you're on a budget and want all the bang for the money, you won't go wrong with this one.

Since purchasing the Sony DSC-W90, my family and I have taken over 500 photographs. All but a few turned out perfectly; those that didn't were due to excess movement on our part.

The image stabilization and face recognition features have worked flawlessly.

Family and friends have been extremely happy with the quality and sharpness of the photographs.

In addition, the camera is very easy to use and has an almost video game feel to the controls. My teenager son in particular loves to tinker with some of the special features.

An excellent camera for those looking for something inexpensive but capable of producing expensive results.

Easy to use Takes great pictures Light weight and will fit in shirt pocket

This camera takes really nice pictures. However, there are few small problems with this camera. Image stabilizer is lacking in this camera if you take pictures in motion it doesn't come all that well all the time. The battery life is a little limited. One more small peeve with the battery is that to charge the battery it has to be taken out of the camera and placed in a charger. I have another camera whose battery can be charged in the camera itself. Other than these minor shortcomings this is a great camera

I've been very happy with the camera. I've been wanting to go digital for quite some time, and my primary cameras in the past have been SLR. I LOVE the menu screen on this camera, where it gives you pop up word descriptions for each choice on your menu. I'm thinking of recommending this camera to my folks (who are NOT real literate when it comes to electronics.) Icons will mean nothing to them and it's very helpful to see actual words describe the functions.

The only semi-negative is I miss having the preset setting for fast action pictures like my SLR has (the little "running man" icon). It seems some of my shots are a bit blurred when there is fast action. But I've also not worked with changing the ISO settings at all, so perhaps there is a way to work with this that I haven't discovered yet.

Overall I'm very happy with my purchase, you can't beat a Sony digital!

I' am a longtime Canon fan. I have had 3 Canon digicams over the last 5 years and they have by far the best optics out there. I though I'd give the Sony a try since they have the Zeiss lenses now.

I have had this cam for about 4 weeks now. I have used it under many conditions and have used the various functions to full effect. Everything I threw at it came back with great results. I love the Sepia and B/W settings! Also, it does pretty good video and it will do quite a lot with 1GB card or more.

Style wise the cam is cool looking and pretty small. The screen is nice and big and gives great output. Overall a great point and shoot that is just a notch below the comparable Canons.

Wonderful product... Took to Vegas and pictures turned out amazing... Took to baseball game and video clips are flawless... Had some shipping problems, but still got product in great condition... Highly recommend this over the lower end cybershots, well worth the little extra $$$$$

its pretty good for a regular digital camera...

the battery life is pretty long..even with flashes...

I wish all the accessories for the HD hookup came included

I like the camera and the other reviews are pretty much correct. However I don't like the slow shutter speed. I think a SLR would be better. I'm used to my 35mm pentax and I have always been able to catch every picture taken, fast or slow. Even at a family get together it takes so long for the camera to take a picture, my images grow roots under their feet. Personally I think for the money it could be better. I guess I'm used to my Pentax. But I keep it to travel with sence I'm a truck driver.

Bought this to replace the older model that got stepped on. With the same megapixels the pictures turn out even clearer with this newer model. Same great features as previous model only a little more compact. Glad I went with the same camera. I love Sony's fast turn over rate for taking multiple pictures as well.

I primarily use this camera for siteseeing, climbing mountains and family photos/memories. We use the video a lot as well. Very easy to use.

I would recommend this camera to almost anyone looking for a great digital camera.

The camera is compact and easy to use. The picture quality is great. It is a good buy.

I bought this camera two months ago, so far it's been really good, I don't have any difficulties, everything works as it is, the picture is great. This is definetly a camera for a new generation who just love to have fun, point, and shoot. Nonetheless, thank you for always giving great service Amazon.

Arthur Schopenhauer once wrote: "Truth goes through 3 stages: First it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident truth."

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
- Francois Voltaire

UNLIKE YOUR AA BATTERIES, THE PROPRIETARY BATTERY MUST BE RECHARGED EVERY NIGHT OR YOU WILL END UP WITH .....A DEAD CAMERA!


What you'll read below is more than merely my opinion. What you'll read are factual statements about this camera.

This is a good camera except that it doesn't have a wide angle lens. You need a wide angle lens to take those beautiful shots of sky/land/clouds and photos of large buildings and monuments like The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. This camera also uses an expensive proprietary battery that is difficult to find at your local neighborhood drug and other stores. I suggest you also look at The Nikon Coolpix P50 which I found to be a "better choice" than this one.

So, why give it one star, you ask? I give it one star because, for me, I would NOT buy this camera in preference to the Nikon P50. Because I would not buy this camera, for me it only rates one star. That does not say that it is a "bad" camera regarding its picture taking capabilities. You may love the camera and if it were the only camera on the market I might also. But, for me and possibly for you, The Nikon P50 is a better choice. If you wanna see some photos I took with the P50, send me an email: boland7214@aol

Regarding the proprietary battery as compared with AA batteries, when you are out on safari in Africa living in a thatched hut or tent and your proprietary battery runs out of power, do you want to be running all over the jungle at night in a fruitless attempt to find a battery at a local "sari-sari" store while you hear lions and hei-enas roaring and sounding off all around you? With the Nikon P50, you can easily carry enough AA batteries with you on your trip so you won't have to risk your life searching for the proprietary battery all over the jungle on those cold nights with wild animals searching for YOU! Got it? :o)

PS: There is also a Canon SD800 which has a wide angle lens and an optical viewfinder. I like that one also. But the "killer" for me on that one is the proprietary battery necceary to operate the Canon SD800 over the use of AA batteries used in The Nikon P50 that are very cheap and you can find in almost any store in the world.

PPS: Why do you need an optical viewfinder when you have an LCD screen? The simple reason is that the LCD's SOMETIMES get "washed out" in bright sunlight. And, another reason, I think, is that the optical viewfinder is "faster to use" under "pressure circumstances" like when you want to "grab" that smile on your kids face. Why not have both is my opinion. If you disagree fine, but two ways to view and take photos seems better than one. It's just common sense. (Plus some people are "far sighted" and have difficulty clearly viewing a small LCD screen a few inches from their eyes.)

So, you ask, "who needs a 28mm ?" You do! Most people concern themselves with how LONG is their telephoto lens. But, most people who "know" know that it is the WIDE ANGLE lens that is most important---most of the "best shots" are made with a WIDE ANGLE lens. For example, you're in Europe and you are trying to "get a shot" of that Cathedral of Notre Dame over there. You NEED a WIDE ANGLE lens. You are in the California Poppy Fields and you want to get the expanse of the golden-yellow poppy flowers with the huge blue sky filled with white clouds above---you need a WIDE ANGLE lens. You are sitting at thanksgiving dinner and you want to take a photo from the foot of the table with everyone sitting on the left and right---you NEED a WIDE ANGLE lens. You are in the garden of the California Mission and you want to take a photo of the ENTIRE garden surrounded by the mission walls---you NEED a WIDE ANGLE lens. It's Christmas day and you want a photo of the ENTIRE GROUP of visitors in front of the Christmas Tree---you NEED a WIDE ANGLE lens. This is where the 28mm lens comes in! Otherwise you'll be cutting off heads and leaving Aunt Sylvia out of the "Christmas Group Photo" this year---and she'll disinherit you and you'll live a life of poverty and misery everafter! :o) If you agree or disagree or know of ANY other digital point and shoot camera that has a WIDE ANGLE lens please write, Email:boland7214@aol.

One more reason having an optical viewfinder is a good feature is that: If you don't have an optical viewfinder you'll have to use the LCD Screen ALL the time....thus using up more precious battery power--but with an optical viewfinder you can turn the LCD off and conserve battery power so you won't run out of electricity to power the camera.

First of all, I would like to announce that with this model, Sony started manufacturing their cameras in China. I had bought the DSC W5 for my father over a year ago and a DSC W80 for my sister 6 months ago, and both were made in Japan, and both have functioned flawlessly. Not the case with the DSC W90. If you don't believe that China's incredibly high acceptable defect rate doesn't affect Sony's quality, read on.

Keep in mind that I bought this camera new and have taken meticulous care of it, keeping it protected in a padded Sony case away from extremes of temperature or humidity. Within the first 2 months of ownership, I used the camera twice. The first time I used it was on a trip to Washington, DC, where it functioned well (I took 30 to 40 pictures). However, on my second trip, I went to Atlanta, and after taking about 20 pictures, the camera shut off with lens in full extension. It would never start up again, and the lens wouldn't retract. I fully charged the battery and again, it never would start up (the led would flash for a second and go off).

I called Sony Customer Service, and they determined that I needed to send it in for servicing to Sony's repair subcontractor, Precision Camera. I sent it in, and Precision Camera called me once to tell me that they received it. After that I heard nothing from them. Despite 3 calls to Precision Camera, (you automatically get voicemail, and they never return the call), they kept my camera a total of 30 days, yet they stated that they could not reproduce the problem that I had. Beware of Precision Camera's lies displayed on their website: "Our fast turnaround gets your camera returned to you quickly so you may once again digitally capture life's simple moments or videotape every momentous occasion."

Despite multiple calls to Sony Customer Service, I was unable to get my camera in time for 2 trips that I took during that month. Given that they manufactured a lemon that failed in the first two months of ownership, Sony should have bought the camera back or issued me a new one if it could not be repaired within one month. In total, I spoke with Sony's offshore customer service reps a total of 6 times. (Thanks a lot to Beej, Peggy, Sabrina, Sugar, Faith, and Robert, if these are their real names). Finally, today I received my camera. Although Prec. Camera said that there was nothing wrong with it, they managed to scratch the lens casing while performing whatever shady repair they did on the camera. Now it works, but because it is a lemon, and they didn't tell me what repair they did on it, I am quite concerned that it will fail when I go to Germany in January. Feel free to leave any comments on my review

Buying this camera I learned that ISO 3600 is more a con than a pro. Any picture with ISO superior than 400 or 800 is way too grainy. Also Super steady shot is just not enough, pictures with low light (not dark) do still look shaky. Sony should try harder.
One more thing, the edition effects that the cammera offers (i.e. colorizing) are much worst than in other brands (like cannon).

I upgraded to this from the Sony Cybershot DSC-W50. They have made some great improvements but they have made some changes that I don't like also, which is why I give this 4 stars and not 5.

If you're looking for a small point-and-shoot camera, this one is great, but it definitely has red eye issues for indoor pics with the flash, so be warned! The good news though is that this camera has red-eye removal software right in the camera. I would say it works about 80% of the time, which I think is very good. The rest I just remove in Photoshop or Shutterfly.

I did some research online and talked to some camera experts and I found out that red-eye is a very common problem with these small point-and-shoot cameras. It's unfortunately just the way this camera is designed - the lens is just so close to the flash.

If you buy this, definitely get a big 1 gig (or bigger) card so you can hold lots of pictures and video. Also I would recommend a 2nd battery so when 1 is charging in the wall, you can be using the other one.

PROS
- Small and compact
- Very slick design & very attractive (I have the black one)
- Good menu navigation
- Good photo quality, especially outdoors
- Red Eye Removal Software right in camera
- I love the Lithium Batteries - Great battery life
- Image Stabilizer and Face Detection - not as many blurry pics as the W50
- Decent Zoom
- 8 megapixels
- Video with sound
- Lots of different modes, although I never use them
- Timer

CONS
- Major red-eye issues
- Still some blurry photos with flash off
- I can't crop the videos!!! :( I could with my W50. I don't know why they removed this great feature. I am VERY disappointed.
- The video mic is in such a stupid spot - on the top right where your right finger sits - so if you don't think so move it, the sound on the video is muffled. It was on the top left on the W50 which was also stupid because that is where your left finger sits. WHY can't it just be on the front where your finger would never be?
- Why did they move the battery/card door to the side? I liked it much better on the bottom like the W50. On the side, I am always accidentally opening it up.
- The menu wheel is much better on this than the W50. They have it more embedded now so it can't move as easily on it's own. Thank goodness!

I really do love these Sony Cybershot cameras. I've tried Olympus, Canon, and Kodak and I just like Sony's better. ALL of these little cameras have red eye issues, no matter what brand.

(spanish) Al parecer no soy el único con un problema parecido, pero la verdad esperaba una super cámara, y aún no estoy seguro si mi camara tenia algun tipo de problema o todas son asi. El punto es que al comparar las fotos con otra cyber shot que tenia anteriormente de 6MP pues la de 6 saca mejores fotos que esta de 8MP, y la mayoria de fotos no son claras sino tienen muchos granos, yo esperaba que una camara de 8MP sacara fotos muy grandes y muy claras y no fue así, si la quieren para fotos pequeñas perfecto pero las grandes o el tamaño real se ven mal, muchos granos.

I love this Camera the only thing I wish was better is the zoom other than that I have taken pictures at dawn & dusk and the pics are great.

I have had this camera for about two weeks now and i have to admit when i first got it i was a little afraid that it wasnt going to live up to the standards of the camera i was replacing it with. My old camera was really bulky so that is why i purchased this cybershot. It fits just about anywhere and i love how lightweight it is also. Perfect for travel!

My old digital camera didnt have all these fancy features that this sony offers which is probably why most users arent getting the perfect photos on the first try. Its been two weeks and i have discovered exactly how to get the quality photos i am used to. Now that i know how to use the features properly i am extremely happy with my purchase. While there are many things that might contribute to the grainy photo issue that i have read from other reviewers, i think one solution might be to lower the photo size settings to the 4x7/5x7 setting (unless you are wanting to print out something larger).
Overall, very happy with this product.

I bought this camera as a replacement for my cybershot dsc-p200 which had broken due to a hard fall.

I love the size and the internal features of the camera (like the photo editing). The scene selection is also simplified making it easier to know when to change them for optimal results.

Although my previous camera had 7.2 megapixels, I feel the picture quality was better than this one which has 8.1 megapixels.

The shutter speed lags which makes it hard to capture those fast moments but the battery life is great. I have gone over a week without charging it and using it 5 days straight and the battery keeps going.

Overall, I am satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this camera to any fan of sony cameras. If youre looking to shutter speed though, I recommend you look elsewhere.

Granted, I am not really a photography aficionado, but this was a major upgrade from the HP Photosmart 735 I received as a gift several years ago... if nothing else then for a major improvement in battery life. It's really easy to use, and so far I have gotten nothing but great results from it. There are also some higher level features if you know anything about how to manually set a camera, but they are somewhat hidden in the program since I imagine that most people who chose a "point and shoot" aren't looking to get too manual with it. It also seems pretty durable. I spend a lot of time outdoors and in the woods, so my cameras take a beating in my backpack and so far this one has lived up to my expectations and more. If you're just looking for a really nice, solid point and shoot camera with a ton of features... you've found my recommendation right here. My only additional recommendation is that, if you purchase this camera, you should purchase an additional battery as well... especially if you are planning to travel with it. For many sony camera's (this one included) you need to remove the battery in order to charge it, and rather than lose precious photo time trying to find a wall outlet and waiting for it to recharge, it's nice to have a back-up ready and waiting.

This camera so far is the nicest one
But like all other the blurriness is an issue
And also slow
But it's very colorful and when the camera decided it takes nice great sharp pictures but not much only when the camera wants to.

I received this camera yesterday and I have been taking pictures ever since and they're all stunning how clear they all turn out . This camera is a far cry from my old 4 mega pixel canon (that ate batteries) that I have had for close to 4 years so it done it's job and then but earlier this week I focused on finding the right camera for me as a gift to myself (better to give then receive) and I searched and searched and finally this camera won me over on size , 199.99 price tag , size of screen , 8.1 mega pixels , capture videos 30fps and most importantly battery life and brand name . If you're someone who struggles with how to work your basic electronics then I would say give this camera a try , it's pretty straight forward on screen menus make it easy to use for anyone .

This camera was purchased to replace my sony that was recently stolen. It is an upgrade from my previous camera and does everthing I need it to do. I like the fact that it doesn't take very much to figure out and the result is great pics.

Thanks so much for your prompt delivery. This is a perfect Christmas gift for my son!!

Nice camera. In good lighting it produces high-quality pictures. Not perfect in low light with the settings I've used so far. I will have to try some different settings to see if I can improve them. The LCD is nice and large, and the camera has good battery life.

This is a great point and shoot camera. Great photos. Only negative is when light is shining on the lens at a certain angle you get blue streaks off the lens and have to adjust to get rid of.

Unbelieveable this Camera is just the best the production is fantastic could not of made a better choice.considering the Price and what this camera can do it is well worth purchasing.Very easy to handle ,very easy to understand. Battery life amazing . Very light and confortable to move around with.I am very happy I Purchase this Camera. Could not of made a better choice.

I tried like 20 differents cameras.( large & smalls ) When I saw this camera i said : '' This ***** will be like the others '', but my huspand buy it anyways. I dont use it until we go to Disney World. It tooks very amazings pictures. I told my huspand that i'm very thanksful. I tried like 20 freackings differents cameras and this is the most WANTED !!!

The camera is just perfect is Sony and the price is the best. Thanks Amazon you are great!

This camera is awesome. It will take pictures almost as fast as you can push the button. With the 2gig high speed card it will downloand to the computer in short order. The pictures are great with the 8.1 pixels. We made the right decision purchasing this camera.

I research a lot before buying this camera and I am very pleased with it. It doesn't have many features, but for a vacation picture for a reasonable price, it is a very good deal.
The best part is that it is very easy to use and all my pictures were very good.

Got this as a present for my boyfriend and he loves it. Won't stop taking pictures...and they come out great no matter what! Even during a party with no lighting and lots of movement the pics are still perfect. Oh and the service was great too. I got it before Christmas Eve and had only ordered it a few days before.

Excellent product meets my needs and my expectations, previously had a model cibershot of 4.1 megapixels.

I have always been a fan of the durability of the sony cybershot cameras.. I bought a 3.2mp camera 4 years ago... Must have dropped it more than 2 dozen times and still works like a charm so i bought this camera as a christmas present for my sister... After just messing around with it and testing it out I decided to buy one for my other sister... Great product just like everything sony makes..

Althought I bought it as a gift, the person who got it is very happy and told me the camera is awesome.

I bought this as a xmas gift for my girlfriend and we love it. This is the best point and shoot digital camera I ever used. Excellent battery life, shutter speed, and everything else. Highly recommended.

This camera is awesome...I can think of very few bad things to say about it. It takes great point and click pictures (which I do most of the time) and it seems to offer a good amount of adjustable settings if that's your style. The different preset settings you can choose on the little wheel (landscape, twilight, etc) work great and using them properly adds a lot to your pictures. The face recognition doesn't always seem to catch all the faces if you don't point it just right, which can be a little frustrating, but when it does work it makes the pictures look very nice and most of the time it seems to work pretty well. I would recommend that anyone who buys this just goes ahead and buys an extra battery as well...running out of battery is the one major issue I have had with this camera, but keeping an extra charged battery with the camera is an easy solution to that problem.

I would recommend this product for anyone looking for a high-quality, mid-priced, point and shoot camera. I have a friend who got the exact same camera for Christmas, too, and she loves it just as much as I do.

This camera met or exceeded all of my expectations. I had shopped around and visited stores that stocked this camera, so I was familiar with it and other models in this price range. I bought this camera for a Carribean cruise and loved the fact that the dial to change different light situations was so easy to use. I am a "digital camera dummy", but this camera made my pictures look as though they were taken by a pro. Loved the camera, loved the price (saved $60), and loved the service I got from the Amazon related store. I would definately buy from them again.

I got this camera and I am enjoying it, it was a very good deal.

I really liked this camera, but considering that it broke within the first six months, without being dropped and with no physical damage whatsoever. Furthermore, my experience got worse as SONY has refused to fix it or replace saying there's corrosion but not explaining what the damage was from or where in the camera it was found. The worst product and company I have ever had to deal with!!!

This is my first digital camera. I should have bought a simpler one to start with. It has many good features but I have not figured out how to use them so I put the camera on automatic. If you know what you are doing it's great, but otherwise start with one that is truly "point and shoot." Also, everything is very tiny and I need a magnifier to read the screen.
Angela McEwan

one of the top 5 point & shoot cameras (as reviewed by cnet), and a *very* reasonable price compared to their other top 5 picks.
it's apparently the best gift i've ever given my little sister (an aspiring photographer)

you might wanna look into its predecessor (DSCW80) as it doesnt differ much except for the higher resolution. Still, i found the sony cybershot well worth its price, as well as the effort i put in finding it.

GREAT CAMERA. I BOUGHT IT FOR MY BROTHER OVERSEAS AND HE LOVES IT. NO PROBLEM

I was looking for days for a camera that was easy to use, compact, and also with a decent price. I LOVE IT!! This fits all those categories. It takes beautiful pictures all the time, and the pictures are so clear! I have to be honest and say I was very nervous until this camera arrived at my home. Even with all the reviews I thought, "You don't really know what something is like until you get it." On top of that I bought a used one that said to be in "like new" condition. Let me tell you.....my camera came perfect. I love this camera so much and would tell anyone to get it! The only thing I wasn't use to was the camera came with a battery that you have to charge instead of using AA or AAA batteries. If charging a battery isnt a problem for you then get this item!! The battery last a good while unlike some batteries can so....I guess it has to be your personal preference, but I LOVE THIS!!!!!

read enough positive reviews that I switched from canon powershot. not happy with it. took decent enough pictures but still liked canon better. then, after 9 months, it just would not open. as long as sony fixes it without cost, my review might improve, but i have my doubts.

It is a great camera, i recomend to every one sony cyber-shot , realy not only does it make beautiful photos but also great vidios with DVD quality :)

its a really good camera.. very user friendly.. it light, small and practical

but when consider buying a camera you should think about the zoom it has thats the only thin i would actually upgrade.. i mean it has a good zoom but when comparing with another canon i have i would have gotten one with more

it really depends what your gonna use it for.. apart from that i higjly recomend it..

I've always bought sony products due to its great user interfaces, but I have been sorely disappointed by this product.

First off, I own the 3MP Sony Cypershot DSC-P72. I wanted to upgrade to get better video and better megapixel. And the camera does fine in those respect. I have no complaint in terms of its picture quality.

However, compared to the P72, this one is terrible in terms of user interface. Why?

1. It has a terrible menu navigation system. With the old one, I hit menu and everything is there, in a really understandable format. (This was one reason I always felt that my Sony was superior to the Canons out there. I've always found the Canon menu really hard to navigate.)

This new one has a "home" menu as well as menu button. It's very confusing and I can't find the things I want all the time because I don't know which menu I need to look under.

2. It doesn't allow you to print the date on the picture itself. I have the Sony digital printer and I had to manually set it there in order to see it. But this means that I can't see it when I just view the pictures.

3. Sony decided to go the route of Canon and added the wheel with preset shooting conditions. I was fine with the presents being right under the menu button before. This made for a very small navigation area.

4. For some reason, they didn't put the "view pics" under the wheel. So now there's one extra button crowding the navigation area.

5. You have to buy special batteries now. That was the one thing I *loved* about the old camera. It took regular rechargeable AA batteries. Sure, the batteries died fast, but I could recharge them or buy lots of AAs on the cheap. Now if I want extra batteries, I have to go buy an expensive one.

6. I had to buy a new memory stick. It's not sony's fault really that they came up w/ a better format. But I had lots of the old memory sticks and was indignant to find that I had to shell out more money now to buy new ones.

7. It no longer has an email format. Yet another GREAT thing about the old camera. You can choose email format and it'll save 2 pictures for every shot, one in regular size, and one for sending it through email. The DSC-W90 does not allow you to do this so I now have to shrink every picture that I send out manually.


All in all, I'm disappointed with the functionality of the camera. Sure, the picture qualities are fine. But I find that I don't take pictures as much because I get so frustrated when I try to use the navigation tools or try to find features that existed in my old camera but not my new one.

seems excellent; have not used in all settings yet, but once you adjust the light settings for varoius indoor lighting, excellent results.

This was my first purchase of a digital camera, I love this one..added 2 gig card...takes beautiful pctures (zeiss lens), highly recommend , very user friendly.

Bought this item for my wife who lost her sony w55 camera. I am happy with the price, timely delivery and packaging. Tested the unit and found that it shot good pictures. easy to operate and the recovery after each shot is very fast. That is why I am a sony loyalist when it comes to digital point and shoot cameras. I just wished it would come in pink so it would be feminine for her.

I bought this camera because of the great reviews and I was not disappointed after getting it. I recommend this to anyone.

I got this camera for a two month long trip around SE Asia and from what I can tell in the month that I have had it, it is going to be great for years to come. It takes beautiful pictures and is really easy to use. The delay between pictures is minimal; flash makes a great picture, very clear and precise. I love that it is not super-compact but still lightweight. I have dropped it a couple of times already :{ and it still doesn't have any scratches or show any problems in taking pictures! In short, if you want a reliable camera that is not too technical, this is it!

I sent it back twice to get repaired, each time they called me saying there was nothing wrong with the camera, but they agreed the indoors pictures were noisy... I ended up returning it

I like sony products, so I boght this camara.. I have 8,2 mp and can films in HD.

I have gone through a few digital cameras. My first was a Kodak. It took great pictures but was too big to just stick in my pocket. My next purchase was an Olympus. It was very compact with great feautres but took TERRIBLE pictures.
Then I purchased the Sony DSCW90B. I like the size, but that is about it. 90% of the pictures I take do not come out well at all. Also, the lag time between pictures seems to be forever. It is way too slow to capture small children playing and wildlife. Since I purchased it a few months ago, I am stuck.

Sony's has never failed to impress me. I recently owned the W70 and loved it and i love this.

The pictures are good and the in-camera features and modifications are well placed.

The pictures are great and video is great and the camera is pretty stylish.

Cons: You can't zoom in with the camera in video mode but it's alright since the last W70 didn't have that feature too but it would've been nicer if it did. The button lags a little bit when i try to view the picture but no big deal.

Great Camera and Great Deal.