Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S80

...you might also see a Sony S60. This is identical to the S80 but produced for the US market, and only lacks the bundled rechargeable batteries and charger. Any S60s available in Europe are likely to be grey imports and thus not covered by Sony's own warranty.

So what of the S80's features? Most are available from the Mode Dial, which surrounds the shutter button. There are so many that it's hard to remember them all! As well as a standard ...
...settings suitable for various conditions such as candle-lit, snowy or scenic. There's also a manual mode. While this doesn't give all the options of an SLR, you have a choice of several fixed focal lengths (as well as centre and multi point autofocus), two apertures, various white balance modes including automatic, a large range of exposures up to 30 seconds, contrast, saturation, sharpness, spot and multi exposure metering, and four pseudo-ISO settings. ... more

The S80 is Sony's mid-range 4 megapixel digital camera for 2005. It offers a large range of features that will suit both point and shoot photographers and those who prefer more control, although it is not a substitute for a professional camera. Like most cameras it takes good pictures outside, but it also performs well in poor light conditions and indoors. The short videos eat memory but are good quality on the highest settings, and the supplied rechargeable batteries last for ages.

Four megapixels is a good compromise resolution for most users. For print use, pictures can be blown up to 7x5 inches without becoming blocky, and for on-screen use there's plenty of opportunity for zooming and trimming while still looking good.

Sony's 2005 four megapixel model range consists of three cameras: the S40, with a 1.5" screen and a less blocky shape, and the S80 and S90, identical apart from their screen sizes. The S80 has a 2" screen, and the S90 has a 2.5" screen - it may not seem much difference, but that's over 50% more screen area on the S90. Or, if you prefer, the S80 has about 33% less screen area. Compare the prices and pick the one for you - I'm happy with the S80.

All three have a 3x optical zoom, can shoot movies at 640x480 resolution, and have 32MB built in memory, to which you can add a memory card, although both kinds of memory can't be used at the same time.

The S40 also lacks a few features of its squarer cousins: video output, and the potential to add different lenses with an adaptor. Video output may not seem that important, but I've found it really useful. For example, I recently went on holiday with my S80 but without a computer. Thanks to the video out, I was able to review my pictures on a television each evening and show them to my friends. Then once I returned I was able to show them to my family on their televisions without worrying about CD burning, getting prints or computer capability. As for lenses, they're expensive and you already have from wide-angle to 3x zoom, but you can add a fish-eye or increased zoom lens if you wish.

Incidentally, you might also see a Sony S60. This is identical to the S80 but produced for the US market, and only lacks the bundled rechargeable batteries and charger. Any S60s available in Europe are likely to be grey imports and thus not covered by Sony's own warranty.

So what of the S80's features? Most are available from the Mode Dial, which surrounds the shutter button. There are so many that it's hard to remember them all! As well as a standard point and shoot mode, there are a number of individual settings suitable for various conditions such as candle-lit, snowy or scenic. There's also a manual mode. While this doesn't give all the options of an SLR, you have a choice of several fixed focal lengths (as well as centre and multi point autofocus), two apertures, various white balance modes including automatic, a large range of exposures up to 30 seconds, contrast, saturation, sharpness, spot and multi exposure metering, and four pseudo-ISO settings. There are also burst modes.

If all that sounds very complicated, don't worry - these settings are normally done automatically, but there's the option in various modes to change the automatic settings to get even better results.

When in shooting mode, there are buttons to change the flash options (red-eye reduction, or turn the flash off), use a macro mode for close-ups, use a self-timer, or review your latest shot without having to change to gallery mode.

The pictures the S80 produces are good, but show some of the limitations of all but the most expensive digital cameras. High contrast areas tend to have a white/blue shadow noticeable when zooming in later, but this is currently normal for all amateur/semi-pro digital cameras. Altering settings can produce excellent results in more difficult situations, and even on the standard setting, this camera retains Sony's traditionally excellent performance in low light situations.

The screen is clear and bright, and the menus are mostly easy to use. The video mode is remarkably good on its highest quality settings, although you can't zoom while filming. You can zoom beforehand though. The built-in microphone picks up sound well, although its proximity to the shutter button means that each clip begins and ends with a click. You'll need a large Memory Stick Pro to do much video though - on the highest quality setting, video is about a megabyte a second. In fact, the built-in 32MB doesn't go far on pictures either unless you reduce the resolution, so budget for a Memory Stick Pro as well.

Battery life is very good, and the supplied charger is a nice touch. The batteries and memory stick share one cover, so you have to watch for the batteries falling out if you change sticks. The single proprietary connector which turns into a USB and video cable is rather inconveniently located on the bottom of the camera, where without a cover it's likely to get dirty and you can't put the camera flat while it's plugged in. There's a tripod mount on the base - essential for those long exposures.

The most disappointing thing about this camera is the supplied software, which does very little of use - if you want to edit your photos or videos, budget for suitable programs as well if you don't have them already.

So in summary, an excellent package for most people's needs, but you'll need a Memory Stick Pro and your own software to get the most out of it. 

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