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Note: this camera was first sold in Feb 2008. There may be newer versions available.

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Sony Cybershot W170

HQ Grade: B

A	is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras.
B	means they are good, with some standout features.
C	means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth.
D & F	mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs.

4 out of 5

"Great"

4 out of 5

"small and easy to use"

See rating based on 182 user reviews
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This camera is ranked

53rd of 175 in Ultra Compact
50th of 102 in 9 and 10 Megapixels
8th of 41 in Sony
19th of 77 in $150 - $200

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Answered!

amira11 (amira11) 1 pts

June 20, 2008 1:48 PM

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which camera is generally better in the sense that the money spent was "worth it"- DSC-W170 or DSC-T300?

I'm about to buy a new camera, I'm not exactly a professional photographer however I love looking at pictures that have good quality, lighting and have a great appearance. I'm stuck between two different cameras
DSC-W170 and DSC-T300

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by James DeRuvo (byjamesderuvo) 58446 pts

June 23, 2008 3:26 PM

To be honest. NEITHER, IMHO. Not that Sony isn't a bad brand. They have some nice cameras. But Sony overburdens their cameras with an obsession with proprietary technologies that force their customers into the SONY revenue stream with accesories like the memory stick, their own spin on formatting, cables and a host of others which the other camera companies won't do. Sure, you can get third party memory sticks, but they're still more expensive and by and large slower than their SD/xD equivalents.

Additionally, there can be no denying that users tend to pay a premium for the SONY nameplate. Great cameras, don't get wrong. But is it worth the extra baggage? So far, I haven't bought one.

But personal prejudices aside, I do think the flash is underpowered. But since they're primarily designed around portait and small group shots, what point and shoot flash isn't? Colors and clarity are rather nice until you reach ISOs above 400, and then alot of noise gets invited to the party.

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Gene Alan 0 pts

April 29, 2009 10:15 PM

What is an updated version of Sony's W170?
I need a small camera with a view finder!

Side Note:
Friend bought a W170 in Jan 2008 = I'm looking for the latest version of W170?

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thar5740 0 pts

May 16, 2009 10:03 AM

I just want to add that ALL of Sony cameras are overrated and overpriced! The only one I owned that was half-way decent was the W80, which I decided to sale on Ebay to get the Fujii Finepix f40, which by the way is underrated! I previously owned the Sony T100 which received CNET's covenant "Editor's Choice Award" Personally I think they are partner up with Sony because that camera did not perform as well as they stated. Sony cameras cannot handle ISO pass 200!!. My Fuji kicks butt at 800!!! So my advise, by Sony upon a lot of research and testing!!!!!

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PringlesCan 0 pts

October 11, 2009 9:20 PM

This is a great camera. I don't understand why people with no background in photography are so quick to blame the camera. If you bought the camera at a reputable dealer instead of reading biased reviews and ordering at the cheapest place online, you could return with questions and troubleshooting when you obtain unfavorable results.

QUICK TIP: If you're shooting in full auto modes Sony is VERY aggressive in upping the ISO to the point where photos have an almost cartoonish appearance. Just to point this out, ISO 3200 is going to be extremely grainy regardless of vendors, and Sony smooths it out to make a suitable 4x6 print in low-light, not for you to zoom all the way in. Never use the High ISO mode unless you absolutely have to.

This camera works best in P mode setting the ISO manually. I have blown up macro shots to 24x36 I took with this camera at 80 ISO. You have a point and shoot with a 5x optical, 28mm wide, Carl Zeiss lens, with an amazing ISO 80-3200 range. You can make it work, dummy settings are for dummies. High ISO, is for LOW-LIGHT, in an otherwise impossible situation, not an excuse not to use the flash.

Most of the good photos you see, are being taken with an SLR, not a point-and-shoot. So you have to adjust your expectations accordingly.

DISCLOSURE: I work in a camera store (that sells all brands) and also prints photos and enlargements. I can attest to the quality of this camera, because I own it (out of all the cameras on the market at the time of purchase, I chose this one.) I also know that prints are excellent and you can make beautiful enlargements.

CONS: This camera's major flaw is overly aggressive ISO.

NOW WHAT??? Check out Sony's new cameras with CMOS sensors [the type used in high-end SLRs], there has never been a series of point and shoot cameras worth being excited about in years. Forget about face detection; how about performance in low-light, 10 frames a second, and seamless panoramic. You can't read about some things, you need to experience it, find a Sony dealer and be wowed. DSC-WX1 DSC-TX-1 are amazing.

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which camera is generally better in the sense that the money spent was "worth it"- DSC-W170 or DSC-T300?

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