Having written a review on the Sony DSC-T70 and mentioned that my love of the Cybershot range started with this camera, I thought it only fair to justify this statement with a review. Behold the Sony Cybershot DSC-U30, successor to the U10 and U20. I actually bought this camera off a friend ... Read review
Advantages: Small, great pics, easy to use Disadvantages: No zoom, AA Batteries
...written a review on the Sony DSC-T70 and mentioned that my love of the Cybershot range started with this camera, I thought it only fair to justify this statement with a review. Behold the Sony Cybershot DSC-U30, successor to the U10 and U20. I actually bought this camera off a friend in June 2004 and paid him £80 plus a chauffeured journey from London to Gatwick (so about the equivalent of £100). This was one of the finest £100 I ever spent. The ... ...I had a grey one.
I was off travelling round the world and needed a camera to capture my memories. This camera was perfect for this exercise as it was so small and compact. I was able to take it with me to places that I simply could not have used a bigger camera. I know cameras are small these days but this 2.5(w)x1(d)x1(h) inches which is really tiny and it only weighs 4.3 ounces! It is also great therefore for taking on nights out ... more
Having written a review on the Sony DSC-T70 and mentioned that my love of the Cybershot range started with this camera, I thought it only fair to justify this statement with a review. Behold the Sony Cybershot DSC-U30, successor to the U10 and U20. I actually bought this camera off a friend in June 2004 and paid him £80 plus a chauffeured journey from London to Gatwick (so about the equivalent of £100). This was one of the finest £100 I ever spent. The model is available in Silver, grey, blue or gold. I had a grey one.
I was off travelling round the world and needed a camera to capture my memories. This camera was perfect for this exercise as it was so small and compact. I was able to take it with me to places that I simply could not have used a bigger camera. I know cameras are small these days but this 2.5(w)x1(d)x1(h) inches which is really tiny and it only weighs 4.3 ounces! It is also great therefore for taking on nights out when you don't want to carry round a bulky camera….this little lad fits perfectly in a pocket even in a case or you could hook it on a belt loop. The camera is extremely sturdy (aluminium shell) and took a lot of knocks and bumps as it was going round the world with me. It did almost fall off the Sky Tower in New Zealand which sturdy as it is, I don't think it would have survived! The design is simple and it has a sliding lens cover which acts as the on/off as well. It is so easy to use, slide point and click literally and then enjoy the great pictures it takes. That's the beauty of this camera, it is designed for impulsive picture taking.
Lets have a look at the specs. There is plenty crammed in, it has a 2.0 megapixel CCD. Now I know that we are looking at cameras today with 8+ megapixels but a 2.0 is fine as long as you don't plan to blow up the resulting pictures as you may find the quality compromised. This camera will take crisp, clear pictures and has a built in auto focus. One of the best pictures I took on my whole trip was from a moving rickety bus in the Cook Islands and everyone comments on what a great picture it is.
There is an LCD screen (about an inch in diameter) on the back to help you focus you shots. Like many of the models in the Cybershot range the DSC-U30 offers good pictures at low light levels without using the flash function. The flash itself when used is not to sharp and the resulting pictures are soft and full of colour. The flash actually fires twice, the first time illuminates the image and allows the camera to set the correct exposure and the second captures the shot.
There is the capability to take videos although as I mentioned in my other review, digital cameras are not the best vehicle for this exercise and the videos on this camera do not have any sound. Other capabilities include a little mirror on the front that allows self portraits, there is a timer which allows you to set up and run around to get in the shot and the camera also offers pictures in colour, black and white, sepia or negative. Memory is in the form of a memory stick, so you can purchase whatever you require in terms of memory. I had a 1g stick and I think I got 300+ pictures with this.
I hate to say it, but there are a couple of downsides to the camera. Firstly, the camera is powered by 2AA batteries (rechargeable ones provided with the unit). I am not a huge fan of this and prefer the newer rechargeable lithium batteries that come with cameras on the market today as they last longer. The camera also does not have a zoom. I have to say that this did not pose a problem when I was travelling and I got some great pictures without using a zoom. However, with this function being a standard with newer cameras you may find that this could be a deal breaker.
My story does have a sad ending however. Having arrived at a hotel in NYC I took the camera out and realised that there was no longer a display on the LCD screen. Being in impatient chump I chucked it back in the bag and bought a new camera while in the Big Apple. When I got home I couldn't be bothered to find out what was wrong with it and sold it on eBay (as a faulty item) for £30. My friend bought it in 2002 and this was December 2005 that is broke and it had been round the world, so it had a good innings in my view and it was probably a really quick fix so someone got a bargain.
I would absolutely recommend this camera even as a spare for parties, nights out etc. The picture quality is great for such a small camera and it is so easy to carry round. I'm not sure where you can buy them from now, probably eBay or I did see one on Amazon for £65 recently.
Accessories that come with the camera are: AA rechargeable batteries, Charger, USB Cable, 8mb Memory stick, Neck Strap and CD ROM with Sony's image transfer software.
Advantages: super-compact, hardwearing, clear pics, easy use Disadvantages: no zoom, only 2megapix
...don't want to pay for sony price there are plenty of other brands that are compatible with this model.
BATTERY - The rechargable battery life is quite good (i'm useless at remembering to recharge and this has lasted me a fair few days). What is useful is that it takes 2 AAA batteries which means that if you're abroad and have forgotton your charger you can easily replace them (although as a rule standard batteries don't last half as long)
PICTURE ... ...quality but 2mega pixels is fine and the camera takes crisp pictures with automatic focus. You can also use the macro feature for close ups. I also found that this camera takes surprisingly good shots in low lighting which avoids the unnatural glare you get when you use a flash. The camera doesn't have a zoom but I would say that for such a small camera this really wouldn't be an expectation. If you want close up pics you can always use a computer ...
pollybeanuk 04.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U30
This tiny camera is ideal for popping into your pocket or handbag (for the girls)!! The removable memory stick enables you to easily store large numbers of photos. Comes with an 8mb memory stick, but if you're after taking a large number of pictures, a larger one is always a good idea and readily available.
The main disadvantage I have found with this camera is the battery life. It takes two AAA batteries, but uses them up usually within the day, ... ...a charger and a battery case, so you can easly buy a second set to carry around with you!
The picture quality is usually very good, just ensure you let it focus before taking the picture. The camera has a variety of useful functions such as landscape mode, night mode and red eye remover. Pictures can be taken with two different quality levels, obviously the poorer quality enable more to be stored ont he memory stick. Pictures can also be taken in ...
phich_23 21.11.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U30
Advantages: Size, size, size! Great outdoor shots too Disadvantages: takes shockingly poor indoor shots, no zoom.
...I decided to purchase the Sony Cybershot, it was purely based on size - it really does matter! I wanted something that would slip easily into a pocket and that I could take out and about without loading myself down.
Strictly speaking this is a 'gadget' camera and as such performs its function well. It fits into the palm of your hand, it's light, and if your eyesight is good enough to make out the image on the small screen (approximately postage-stamp ... ...I have taken plenty of great photos out in the garden, at weddings, barbecues etc in this manner.
The real let down comes when you get inside, or the light drops. The flash on this camera packs too little a punch, and the photos that result are often blurred or poorly-lit. I have spent entire evenings out at balls and parties and taken not a single usable picture. A real shame when friends with clunkier cameras have come away with handfuls of great ...
deetee42 16.07.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U30
Advantages: Extremely small for taking anywhere Disadvantages: poor pictures and oor battery life
...hoping that with it been Sony it wouldn't let me down... unfortunately however it did.
The first problem with this camera is that you take it out to take snaps so you can preserve the memories of your nights out etc... unfortunately however the ISO equivalent rating this camera has even when in great conditions is so poor that almost every single photo I ever took with it was badly blurred. The only way around this was to force people to pose perfectly ... ...which isn't what you want when you're trying to capture life.
The other major problem I had was battery life - to be frank - this sucked!!! Though it may have been a fault with my camera by the end but I could get no more than 5 pictures out of a fresh set of batteries if I was using the flash and barely more than 20 if I wasn't It was truly dire - and the extra modes we're both useless and over ambitious in such a small and limited camera.
If ...
ojollands 21.02.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U30
Advantages: Very small, quick to start up, automatic settings Disadvantages: No zoom.
...The camera can also take Sony memery stick pro, which can be up to 1GB in size. If you had one of those you could take about 2500 pictures.
Because of it's size Sony had to trim down on extra freatures that you would usually expect from a digital camera, such as eye piece, being able to plug it into your TV, resize and rotate the pictures on your camera etc.
It may not be a top digital camera with loads of extras, but if you want a portable point ...
huzi8 04.11.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U30
Picture Quality
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Advantages: hardwearing, little pocket for spare memory card Disadvantages: expensive and quite bulky
When I went out on the hunt for a case for my SonyCyber-shotUDSC-U30/S camera, I was looking for a few basic things:
1. The camera had to fit snugly into the case
2. The case couldn't be too bulky (there's no point in a tiny camera if the case is going to be huge!)
3. The case had to be sturdy enough to withstand being chucked in a rucksack and carted round for a few weeks.
4. A small storage place for spare batteries and memory cards would be useful
5. Perhaps most importantly, the case needed to be a reasonable price.
With these ideas in mind I went off to investigate all the usual camera/electornics shops nearby. I soon began to realise that I has little chance of getting everything I was after.
On the up side, all the cases were fairly sturdy, had storage pockets and were in gerneral within a reasonable price range ...
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Product Information for "Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U30" »
Connections
Connector Type
1 x USB
Expansion Slot(s)
1 x Memory Stick
Manufacturer's product description
The DSC-U30 is one of the most compact digital still cameras available in its class and the successor to the popular DSC-U20, a model which introduced the concept of the digital still camera as a pocket accessory. The DSC-U30 is ultra-compact and ultra-stylish. A reflective disc on the sliding lens cover is cleverly designed to act as a mirror, helping you to easily frame self-portraits. New features make it easy to take great shots in challenging conditions. For example in Playback Mode, Enlarged Playback allows you to check the focus of a shot immediately after it has been taken by enlarging the center of the image to either 2.5 or 5 times its actual size, a feature which is particularly useful in low light conditions. New scene settings, Twilight and Active Outdoor, add to the existing Soft Snap, Illumination Snap and Vivid Nature. Sony has applied ingenious technology to create a new Hybrid LCD screen that performs as well in bright, outdoor conditions as in indoor or lower light environments. The one-inch, 64, 000 pixel screen has a smart way of using both transmitted and reflected light to maintain clarity, thus eliminating the need to switch between viewing modes. The camera provides impressive storage capabilities and image transfer is easy, making them an ideal accessory for the connected lifestyle. It is Memory Stick PRO compatible, giving up to 1GB storage and cable-free transfer to other Memory Stick PRO compatible devices. It is also USB-equipped and is supplied with software that provides direct image transfer to a PC; this can be done even when the camera batteries are empty as the USB cable provides power for the transfer. Image transfer software, which is supplied and easily installed in a PC, automatically downloads the images and sorts them by date to user specified folders.
compact, efficient, powerful 
