Is this Sony Cybershot camera any good?

hock79

My fiance recently bought me a new camera, I'm not sure if I'm not using it right, but the pictures are coming out rubbish! Some are ok, but most, even in normal everyday situations are out of focus.

It's a Sony Cybershot DSC-W570, he bought it because my old camera's battery was dying. I had a Canon Ixus which was only 6MP, and 3x Optical zoom, but all the photos came out in focus. It was only low light situations that let it down, but I think that's normal with compact cameras isn't it? Anyway, the battery would only last about half an hour in the end and so my partner bought me the Cybershot because he has an old fashioned view that Sony are the best at everything!

I don't want to seem ungrateful, could someone who knows something about cameras have a look at the specs and see if it sounds like it's any good? Maybe I'm just not using it correctly, I only use the auto function, as I did with the Ixus, it's just a point and shoot camera to me, I don't expect amazing photos, but I do expect most to be in focus. The Cybershot does have great reviews on Amazon.

Here are the two cameras to compare:
Sony Cybershot on Amazon
Sony Cybershot technical specs
Canon Ixus 65 on Amazon
Canon Ixus technical specs

Hope someone can help with a technical opinion!

cracklepop

Often you have to press the shutter button half way down to get the subject in focus. Are you doing this?

If not, go outdoors or somewhere well lit, chose a subject (flower or something,) press down the shutter button halfway (at which point the camera may beep or do something else) and see if that helps.

Are they blurry too or just out of focus?

hock79

I think that may be part of the problem cracklepop. It's a funny button and you can't tell if you're pressing it halfway or not. It might well be that though, because all the photos I have where other people have used the camera, are out of focus, so obviously they won't know to do this. It's a bit annoying. They aren't blurry really, just out of focus, and the low light ones have a lot of 'noise'.

cracklepop

Ah, so annoying when someone takes an out of focus photo for you. Hard to complain when they are doing you a favour!

I'd guess that's what it is though, most cameras have some sort of focus control. You'll probably get used to it quickly enough.

Strangely you will find that low light pictures are probably noisier than with your previous camera. Assuming the sensors are reasonably similar, more megapixels will mean more noise. All I can say is that your new camera wont be any worse than a similar priced alternative.

hock79

Gosh, I never knew that about more megapixels making it noisier! Can you recommend a good compact camera for low light?

usignuolo

Someone stopped me in the park the other day and asked me to photograph them with their camera. They said I had to press the button once to get it in focus and then press it again to take the image. Does the Sony work the same way?

Usually, in my experience, most point and shoot digital cameras have problems in low light when used on auto focus. This can make the images underexposed or slightly shakey where the exposure has been lengthened to accomodate the lack of light. So if it is a bit blurred it is because it is often caused either by hand shake or it is a bit dark where you take it.

The camera you have should be fine for taking middle of the road, auto focus images. Have you tried taking images in daylight outside? Are they still blurred?. Is it possible you have nudged one of the buttons and changed a default setting? Have you looked in the manual or on the net for user guides.

Another option is to go into your local Currys or Jessops and ask them for advice.

hock79

It does work the same way, but it's not as easy to operate as my old Canon. Even in bright sunlight some of the pics are out of focus, but maybe this is to do with not pressing the button properly. It was set on 'intelligent auto', I've changed it to normal auto which seems to help in the low light situations.

It's just annoying to have a new camera that is not as good as the old one, technology is supposed to improve!

cracklepop

Yes, there's lots of myths about megapixels, they all basically boil down to the fact you don't need as many as you think you do! Truth is that for a normal sized point and shoot camera 6 or 7 megapixels is enough.

So here's the bad news. Unless you want to buy a completely different type of camera (DSLR for example) or spend quite a bit more money, low light is where entry point and shoot cameras struggle.

Something like the Canon S95 reviews well for low light as does the Olympus XZ-1. They are both about £300 though. (Although they are both quite new and both quite expensive they are "only" 10MP!)

I've never used either but I think you'd need to look at spending that sort of money to see a noticeable difference.