Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver)

  • B&H # SODSCW290
  • Mfr# DSC-W290

Product Highlights

  • 12.1 Megapixels
  • 5x Optical Zoom Carl Zeiss Lens
  • 3.0" LCD
  • Intelligent Scene Recognition
  • Face Detection
  • Smile Shutter
  • Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization
  • 720p HD Video
  • PHOTOMUSIC Feature

Protect Your Purchase

 

What item is right for you?

Ask our Experts!

866.276.1435
Live Chat

Remember the Essentials

Sufficient memory is not included. Don't get caught without memory, get a high-capacity memory card.

The Sony Cyber-shot W290 contains a whole lot of neat technologies in a sleek, brushed-aluminum package. Designed around a 12.1 megapixel (1/2.3") Super HAD CCD sensor, the W290 features a Carl Zeiss-designed 5x (5 - 25mm) power zoom that covers the equivalent field-of-view of a wide 28mm to semi-long 140mm lens. Despite its compact size, the W290 can capture up to 100 continuous exposures at speeds up to 1.8fps thanks in part to its Sony BIONZ image processor. Along with vibrant still images, the W290 can also capture vivid 720p HD video clips.

For easy composing, viewing and editing your still and video imagery, the Cyber-shot W290 features a 3" 230,400-dot Photo Clear LCD. For capturing stills, the W290 offers an immense selection of exposure and scene mode selections including an Easy Shooting Mode for those wishing to keep things nice and simple. There are also 10 in-camera retouching tools available for enhancing your pictures post-capture.

Still images can be captured at 8 levels of JPEG compression and video with sound (mono) at 3 levels of image compression to best fit your needs. To further enhance your pictures, the Cyber-shot W290 has a PHOTOMUSIC feature, which combines music and a selection of visual effects into your still image slideshows and video clips.

For admiring your pictures on a grander scale, you can output images at sizes up to and exceeding 13x19", or view them in high-definition on a Sony BRAVIA or similarly compatible HDTV using the optional VMC-MHC2 HD output adapter cable.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which is good for about 300 images (or 150 minutes of video), and along with 11MB of internal memory records images onto Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick DUO PRO (up to 16GB) media.

12.1 Megapixel Super HAD CCD Imaging Sensor
Capture brilliantly sharp images for print sizes of up Super A3 and still have ample wiggle room to crop into your image files when you need to get in tighter than the zoom lens allowed at the time of image capture
Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 5x Power Zoom
The Cyber-shot W290 features a 28 - 140 mm equivalent Carl Zeiss-designed power zoom lens. Containing 9 elements in 7 groups (with 3 aspheric surfaces), the W290 should prove to be ideal for capturing everything from landscapes to tight portraits
3" Clear View LCD Display
A bright 3" 230,400-dot LCD display enables you to easily compose, review, and edit your pictures as you take them
BIONZ Image Processor
A Sony BIONZ image processor guarantees life-like color, improved shadow and highlight detail, along with quick start-up times and quick-to-respond camera performance
Intelligent Auto Mode (iAuto)
iAuto takes all of the guesswork out of selecting the best shooting mode by analyzing the scene and making all appropriate adjustments required to capture an optimized image, and it performs this little trick in less than 1/30th of a second. To accomplish this feat iAuto takes advantage of other W290 features including Scene Recognition, Face Recognition, and Optical SteadyShot
Shoot Stills and Video
The Cyber-shot W290 captures JPEG still images at 8 levels of compression and video clips with sound (mono) at 3 levels of MPEG4 compression. In video mode you can capture up to 29 minutes (or up to 2GB) of 720p-format video
Automatic or Manual Scene Selections
For choosing the best exposure parameters for each scene you capture the W290 offers you a choice of manually choosing from a selection of 10 Scene modes or set the camera to Intelligent Scene mode (iSCN) and the camera will automatically select the best out of 8 auto Scene modes
Face Detection and Smile Shutter
To better guarantee optimized portraits the Cyber-shot W290 can detect up to 8 faces in a scene and program the camera to produce exposures optimized for clean skin tones and contrast levels. The camera's Smile Shutter feature prevents the camera from taking an exposure until it detects a smile on the primary face(s). There's also an Anti-Blink function that detects eyes that seem to blink every time you press the shutter button
Sharp Images Even Under Low-light Conditions
The W290 combines dual image stabilization technologies to better ensure sharp images. When set to SteadyShot mode, the camera quickly captures 2 images and combines the best elements of each into a single optimized photograph. When shooting under low-light conditions, the camera's High Sensitivity Mode boosts the sensor's ISO sensitivity levels up to 3200 to further guarantee sharp images regardless of lighting conditions
In-Camera Retouching and Re-Sizing Tools
The Cyber-shot W290 features a selection of retouching tools that allow you to perform a variety of post-capture image improvements including Trimming, Red-eye reduction, Soft-focus, Fisheye, Partial Color, Cross Filter, Radial blur, Retro, Happy Face, and Unsharp Masking
Easy Image Management
EIM enables you edit images and sort them by a variety of categories in order to make it easy to retrieve them at a later date with a minimum of fuss and bother
Stamina Battery
The camera's lithium-ion battery allows for up to 150 minutes of extended video capture or over 300 exposures-per-charge
Camera Type Point-and-shoot Digital Camera
Imaging
Resolution Effective: 12.1MP, Recorded: 12.4MP
Sensor 1/2.3" CCD
Bit Depth Not Specified By Manufacturer
File Formats JPEG, MPEG-4
File Size Not Specified by Manufacturer
Color Spaces Not Specified by Manufacturer
Creative Color Modes Normal, Vivid, Sepia & B&W
Image Stabilization Yes
Crop Factor N/A
Optics
Lens 5.0-25.0mm f/3.3-5.2 (35mm film equivalent: 28-140mm)
Zoom Optical: 5x, Digital: 10x
Lens Mount N/A
Focus Type Autofocus & semi-manual
Focus Range Normal: 3.3' (1 m) - infinity
Accessory Lens/Filter Mount 46mm (with optional Lens Adapter)
Shooting Controls
Sensitivity ISO 80-3200
Shutter Speeds Auto: 2 - 1/1,600 sec
Program Auto: 1 - 1/1,600 sec
Metering 9-Point Evaluative, Center-weighted Average, Spot
Exposure Modes Intelligent Auto, Easy Shooting, Program Auto, Movie (Auto Adjustment, High Sensitivity, Underwater), Custom Scenes (High Sensitivity, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Hi-speed Shutter, Underwater, Gourmet)
White Balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent (1, 2, 3), Flash, Underwater White Balance Mode (Auto, Underwater 1, Underwater 2)
Mirror Lock-Up N/A
Burst Capability 1.8fps continuous shooting (max 100 shots)
Self Timer 10 & 2 seconds
Interval Recording No
Remote Control No
Flash
Built-in Flash Yes
Effective Flash Range Wide: 7.8" - 9.8' (0.2 - 3.0 m)
Tele: 1.7" - 6.2' (0.5 - 1.9 m)
External Flash Connection No
Dedicated Flash System N/A
Max Sync Speed N/A
Memory
Built-in Memory Yes (approx. 11MB)
Memory Card Type Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Still Images per GB 173 @ max resolution
A/V Recording
Video Recording Video with mono Audio, NTSC & PAL Output
Video Resolution 1280 x 720 @ 30fps (Fine), 1280 x 720 30fps (Standard), 640 x 480 @ 30fps (VGA VX Fine)
Video Clip Length Limited by card size, 10min. max continuous shooting
Audio Recording Not Specified by Manufacturer
Viewfinder/Display
Viewfinder Type Not Specified by Manufacturer
Viewfinder Coverage Not Specified by Manufacturer
Display 3.0" LCD
Connectivity/System Requirements
Connectivity USB 2, A/V Out
System & Software Requirements Windows XP, Vista
Mac OS X (10.2 or later)
Environmental
Operating/Storage Temperature Operating Temperature:32-104°F/0-40°C
Humidity: Less than 90%
Weatherproofing Not Specified By Manufacturer
Durability Not Specified By Manufacturer
Power
Battery Type Lithium-ion "G" type rechargeable battery (NP-BG1 included)
Power Adapter AC-LS5K AC Adapter (optional)
Physical
Dimensions 3.8 x 2.25 x 0.8" (98 x 57 x 22mm)
Weight 6.1 oz (174g) (incl. battery & memory)

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver)
 
4.6

(based on 9 reviews)

Ratings Distribution

  • 5 Stars

     

    (5)

  • 4 Stars

     

    (4)

  • 3 Stars

     

    (0)

  • 2 Stars

     

    (0)

  • 1 Stars

     

    (0)

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Easy to use (8)
  • Large clear LCD (6)
  • Good image quality (4)
  • Image stabilization (4)
  • Simple controls (4)

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Family photos (7)
    • Travel (6)
    • Low light (3)
      • Reviewer Profile:
      • Casual photographer (6)

    REVIEWS

    Reviewed by 9 customers

    Sort by

    Displaying reviews 1-9

    Back to top

     
    5.0

    DSC-W290 Cybershot camera

    By Inspector Mike

    from Powell, WY

    About Me Casual Photographer

    Verified Buyer

    Pros

    • Good Image Stabilization
    • Good in Low Light
    • Great Zoom
    • Nice Body Color
    • Short Lag Time

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Family Photos
      • Indoors/Low Light
      • Sports/Action
      • Video

      Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

      Controls are easy to use. In automatic mode, it is a point and shoot dream, but it also has sufficient manual controls for my needs. The initial pictures I have taken have been impressive.

      Comment on this review

       
      4.0

      Great features, for a good price.

      By Labudism

      from Buffalo, NY

      About Me Casual Photographer

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Easy To Use
      • Good Image Quality
      • Good Image Stabilization
      • Large Clear LCD

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • Family Photos
        • Travel
        • Weddings/Events

        Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

        Overall, a great buy for the price.

        I was very impressed with the features included in this camera. The anti-shake, face recognition, and especially the smile-recognition features were a great plus. Picture quality is great. The battery life seems average. The software bundled with the camera is quite good, although I would have liked to see more functionality in the map viewing function.

        Comment on this review

         
        5.0

        Great ,Easy to Use Camera LOVE IT

        By Larry

        from Macomb Michigan

        About Me Casual Photographer

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Easy To Use
        • Good Image Quality
        • Good Image Stabilization
        • Good in Low Light
        • Great Zoom
        • Large Clear LCD
        • Nice Body Color
        • Short Lag Time
        • Small / Compact

        Cons

          Best Uses

          • Family Photos
          • Indoors/Low Light
          • Landscape/Scenery
          • Travel

          Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

          Great view finder
          Love the face finder, all around great and easy to use

          Comment on this review

           
          4.0

          Nice pictures, easy to use, low price

          By Barbara

          from Orange County, CA

          About Me Casual Photographer

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Easy To Use
          • Good Image Quality
          • Good Image Stabilization
          • Good in fluorescent light
          • Good in Low Light
          • Great Zoom
          • Large Clear LCD
          • Nice Body Color
          • Short Lag Time
          • Small / Compact

          Cons

          • No charging dock
          • No cord on charger
          • No strap on camera bag
          • Short Battery Life

          Best Uses

          • Family Photos
          • Indoors/Low Light

          Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

          I bought this camera on sale and consider it an exceptional value. I got it to replace a similar Sony camera I had for about 4 years before it broke, and buying this new camera was less expensive than repairing my old camera.

          Primarily it's used to take pictures of pieces of furniture that I put on my web site and on signs in my furniture store. So far I have only used the standard settings and the photos make the the furniture pieces look better than they do in person. Most of my photos have been taken outside in natural light, but it does a pretty good job inside with fluorescent lighting too.

          The image stabilization feature works very well. I have taken only a few pictures of people, but when the smile feature is turned on you need to keep the camera still because the camera decides when to take the picture, and that can take an extra second or two. My pictures of people certainly look better than they used to, since most everyone is smiling.

          Transferring the images from the camera to a computer is very fast using the provided USB cable. My previous Sony camera had a dock I could put it on to transfer the pictures and charge the battery, and I really miss that. I always put that camera on the dock when I was done using it, so it was always charged and I always knew where it was.

          To charge the battery on this camera, the battery has to be removed from the camera and put in a small charger that sticks out of a wall plug (no cord). All of the electrical outlets in my home are behind furniture except the ones in the kitchen and the bathroom, so this has not been very convenient. The battery only lasts for about 150 shots. I bought an accessory kit that includes an extra battery, but I can't leave that in the charger given the location of my wall outlets. I would prefer a dock with this camera, but given that it doesn't have one, a battery charger with a cord would have been nice.

          When I transfer the pictures to my computer I use the USB cable, and the camera must be "on". When it's first turned on the lens comes out, so it had better not be sitting lens side down on a table. The images transfer very fast, so I hold the camera in my hand.

          The accessory kit I bought includes a camera bag that is so small that only the camera plus an extra battery and media card fit in it. So I have to carry the USB cable (this cable connects to the camera on one end, and has many plugs including a USB on the other end, so it's big) and the battery charger in a separate bag. The camera bag hooks on a belt, but has no shoulder strap or wrist strap, which would have been nice. The camera by itself easily fits in my pocket.

          The really nice picture quality, the huge screen that takes up most of the back of the camera, and the low price make this camera a winner.

          Comment on this review

           
          4.0

          excellent camera

          By joe the plumber lol

          from florisa

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Easy To Use
          • Good Image Quality
          • Small / Compact

          Cons

            Best Uses

              Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

              great clarity beautiful pics
              no internal memory though

              Comment on this review

              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

               
              5.0

              Good Camera at grater price

              By MANJU AL

              from EAST HARTFROD,CT

              About Me Casual Photographer

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Comfortable Controls
              • Easy To Use
              • Great Picture Quality

              Cons

              • No zoom in Vedio Mode

              Best Uses

              • Family Photos
              • Travel

              Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

              I have brought this camera for personal use.This is very good with lot of features. When compared to all other deals B&H has a the lowest one. [...] I will definitely recommend this camera and buying from B&H.

              Comment on this review

              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

               
              4.0

              Not bad; good value for the price

              By Max

              from Miami, FL

              About Me Photo Enthusiast

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Bright LCD
              • Comfortable Controls
              • Easy Setup
              • Easy To Use
              • Great Picture Quality

              Cons

              • Poor Operation in Low Light

              Best Uses

              • Family Photos
              • Fun
              • Travel

              Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

              This is a pretty capable point-and-shoot. The features seem geared toward allowing people who are not generally interested in technical photography to expand their creativity and get shots they normally wouldn't get. So there are basic flash controls, a smile detector, a good range of exposure programs for fun shots, etc, and all of them are very easy to access. The screen is bright and, like other cybershots I've owend, excellent.

              The controls are as simple as possible and the camera processes pictures and commands pretty flawlessly; there's little lag. The optics are great and the pictures I've taken have been quite sharp.

              However, the autofocus is still point-and-shoot slow, and it's not easy to control the camera in basic ways that are familiar to most long time SLR users. Accessing ISO, white balance, shutter speed & aperture can be more annoying than necessary.

              Overall, it's a pretty neat little point-and-shoot, but I'd still prefer more emphasis on quick access to basic controls and faster autofocus.

              Comment on this review

              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

               
              5.0

              A great point & shoot camera

              By Corinna

              from Vancouver, BC

              About Me Photo Enthusiast

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Bright LCD
              • Comfortable Controls
              • Easy To Use
              • Strong Construction

              Cons

              • Short Battery Life

              Best Uses

              • Travel

              Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

              Although I prefer Canon over most, I chose this Sony Cybershot because of its quick shot-to-shot time (with or without flash). I did quite a bit of research to find out which digital camera had the fastest shot-to-shot time, and Sony seemed to have the best reviews. The 28mm wide angle lens and the affordable price of this camera finalized my decision! Just make sure you choose the 4:3 option for maximum megapixel resolution. The camera is a bit small to hold and the buttons are tiny, but it does have some weight and durability to it. The 3" LCD screen is fabulous. The -only- downside to this camera is that there is no optical zoom while recording video. Also, I find that the photo quality is a bit too soft, especially when zooming into pictures. I bought the Ikelite underwater housing for this camera, but I'm afraid that the underwater macro shots will not turn out as detailed as compared to my Canon Powershot A720. We have to see!

              If you travel a lot and like to take lots of pictures in a small amount of time, I suggest for you to purchase 2 extra Sony NP-FG1 InfoLITHIUM Type G Rechargeable Li-Ion batteries.

              I have also bought a 8GB MEMORY STICK PRO DUO 40x PLTNM II from B&H.

              Comment on this review

               
              5.0

              very good camera

              By jane the traveller

              from Eskişehir, Turkey

              About Me Casual Photographer

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Bright LCD
              • Comfortable Controls
              • Easy Setup
              • Easy to Keep Clean
              • Easy To Use
              • Great Picture Quality
              • Strong Construction

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • Family Photos
                • Fun
                • Travel

                Comments about Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver):

                big screen,hd video recording and intelligent auto program are only some of the great qualities of this camera,you feel like you have a camcorder.ı like it,it's the best digitial camera for this price...

                Comment on this review

                Displaying reviews 1-9

                Back to top

                Batteries & Power

                Always keep a spare battery handy so you won't get caught without power.

                Sony -  NP-FG1 (G-Series) Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery
                • Price: $28.21
                 
                Pearstone -  NP-FG1 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 925mAh)
                  • Original: $19.95
                  • Save: $1.99
                • Price: $17.96
                 

                Bags & Cases

                Carry, store, and protect all your equipment with a bag or a case.

                Pearstone -  Onyx 160 Camera Pouch
                  • Original: $16.95
                  • Save: $1.69
                • Price: $15.26
                 
                Lowepro -  Varia 10 Camera Pouch (Black)
                  • Original: $8.25
                  • Save: $0.41
                • Price: $7.84
                 

                Screen Protectors

                Protect your LCD screen from scratches and finger prints.

                GGI -  Digital Screen Care Kit
                • Price: $7.49
                 
                Flipbac -  Angle Viewfinder (Black)
                • Price: $14.95
                 
                View all Accessories

                What's in the Box

                Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver)
                 
                 
                See any errors on this page? Let us know.

                Close

                Close

                Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Black)

                • Discontinued
                • B&H # SODSCW290B
                • Mfr# DSC-W290/B

                Protect Your Purchase

                 

                What item is right for you?

                Ask our Experts!

                866.276.1435
                Live Chat

                Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Blue)

                • Discontinued
                • B&H # SODSCW290L
                • Mfr# DSC-W290/L

                Protect Your Purchase

                 

                What item is right for you?

                Ask our Experts!

                866.276.1435
                Live Chat

                Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Silver)

                • Discontinued
                • B&H # SODSCW290
                • Mfr# DSC-W290

                Protect Your Purchase

                 

                What item is right for you?

                Ask our Experts!

                866.276.1435
                Live Chat

                Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot Digital Camera (Titanium)

                • Discontinued
                • B&H # SODSCW290T
                • Mfr# DSC-W290/T

                Protect Your Purchase

                 

                What item is right for you?

                Ask our Experts!

                866.276.1435
                Live Chat