Sony DSC-WX300/B 18.2 MP Digital Camera with 20x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black)

This was my first upgrade as far as cameras are concerned. I am not a photographer by any means, but I was interested in getting a camera that is a step above a simple point and shoot. While I originally looked at digital SLR cameras, I was put off by the price and since I do not have the knowledge base in this area I decided to stay away from them. A staff member at my local electronics retailer showed me this camera and I was very impressed. I purchased it here as the price was better than in the store. This camera takes incredible pictures, at least in my opinion as a typical user and not a professional. I took it to the arboretum to photograph wildlife and flowers the first weekend after I received it. The zoom allows for great pictures from a distance. In fact, I caught a great shot of a hummingbird on approach to a flower from about 15 feet away. The image came out like something from a National Geographic magazine. The camera's operation is simple and intuitive. I found the features that allow for color enhancement to be not only a fun addition but also very easily accessed. The camera's start up time is fast so you can quickly start taking pictures after turning it on, which is a huge difference from my last camera. There is one criticism, but this may be more due to my lack of experience using a Mac than anything else. For some reason I cannot figure out how to watch the high-definition videos on my computer. The camera records them in a format with which I (and apparently my MacBook) are not familiar. I imagine this is a simple fix, so I plan to check the forums online to get some direction. As I said, this is probably due more to my limited knowledge rather than a true problem with the camera itself. I am still experimenting with the other features, so I imagine I may be updating this review as I get more acquainted with the camera. That said, I only expect more positive attributes at this point. Lastly, battery life is worth mentioning. I was skeptical at first but the battery actually lasted longer than anticipated. I have only charged the camera twice since I bought it and I got about four days of heavy use out of it before I had to charge each time. While I expect this to go down with age as most batteries lose their ability to hold a charge over time, I was favorably impressed with the life of the battery. This is particularly impressive since the camera does not have a viewfinder and you must use the screen. Overall, this is a great camera to get your feet wet if you are moving in the direction of taking more artistic photos or just want a solid camera that captures fantastic images. Though the price was on the higher end for me, I have found it to be worth all of what I paid.

It does NOT come with a battery wall charger. It comes with a USB charger that connects to the camera via micro-USB cable. Not the standard micro USB that works with a phone or other Sony cameras, but an extra small, mini micro cable connection that is very touchy. Now after two chargings, the USB connection no longer works. The computer recognizes it as a device, but it won't charge through the computer or USB wall charger. I had to order a battery wall charger for $10. What a pain in the butt. The camera takes nice photos, but what does it matter if you can't charge it?

Got this for my wife who needed an inexpensive compact pocket camera. I'm very impressed with it's abilities although, as expected, the tiny image sensor limits the maximum picture quality. I wasn't expecting much for this price range but this camera far exceeds other cameras I've tried, at least in its major features. The stabilization works amazingly well. I can take handheld pictures at full optical zoom with no blur. In fact it is so steady I found myself using the camera as a "spotting scope" to get a closer look at wildlife on a recent outing. Since this camera is going to be used mainly by someone with little photography experience I did most of my testing in Enhanced Superior Auto mode. In this mode the camera is taking multiple burst exposures and then averaging them to get the best picture. The results are very acceptable. I found it hard to take a bad picture with it. Focusing is very quick and accurate. MUCH faster than either of my much more expensive Canon cameras! The smart phone camera link is easy to set up and seems to work well for basic camera control. It will NOT download Sony apps which was disappointing. Some negatives - One thing I don't like at all is the lack of any exposure or flash adjustments. I find the flash is too harsh most of the time resulting is slight over exposures. It's very irritating to not be able to correct this. I have read several reviews of this camera stating it has 1080p video. It does not. The video is 1080i (as stated in the specs) which makes a difference. The interlacing is definitely noticeable when viewing video on a big screen TV. As far as the actual picture quality goes - don't expect miracles since the sensor is only 1/2.3". Don't plan on making prints over 4 x 6 inches or viewing at 100% on your TV screen. The fine details are just not there. I'd prefer a good image sensor over more bells and whistles but at this price I guess that's too much to ask. Overall it's a good camera and quickly nails the focusing every time and that's the most important thing for catching pictures of the grandkids!

Photos are good, but unless on rapid shoot it takes seconds to process. And I haven't (to date) found a way to control how to choose the focus options. For extended zoom (as expected) you will need a steady rest. Small enough to fit in a pocket and light enough to not be bulky. If I had known of the processing issue, I would not have purchased. I use it for quick nature shots and nature won't always hold the pose.

I had several criteria when upgrading my 2009 model Panasonic camera: a) The new camera must be small and light - my Panasonic was just too large and heavy and I was no longer willing to take it anywhere. The WX300 is PERFECT for carrying in your pocket. It's very small and very light b) The zoom must be greater than 12x - in this case, a huge 20x c) It must be optically stabilized - The WX300 uses a lens mechanism to stabilize the video, not just image sensor shift d) The battery life must be reasonable - The WX300 has AMAZING battery life. Even though I bought a spare battery, I have never needed it e) Video must be up to 1920x1080 - my old camera was 1280x720 max f) The audio must be stereo with auto gain control - I go to a lot of concerts and the audio just gets blown out when using my smartphone - the WX300 has this and also a wind noise cut, although I don't have that enabled There is only one thing that I was disappointed with and that's 3D photos. They just don't have any depth when viewed on my 3D TV. However, I didn't buy the camera for that, plus I had low expectations with a single lens device anyway. On the other hand, the panoramic pictures are VERY good once you get the hang of taking them. I took the WX300 to Mexico on vacation and shot more than an hour of video of a bay cruise. The video is BREATHTAKING when viewed on a large LCD TV. The quality has FAR exceeded my expectations and for this alone, I highly recommend the camera. I needed a decent point and shoot camera and have found it all in the WX300.

I first bought the Samsung WB150F...but was very quickly disappointed with it. I was then looking at a few Canon models, especially because Canon always seemed to be at the top for point and shoot cameras. But after trying this Sony out in the store, there really is no comparison. Pros: It has an extremely quick focusing time. Even when taking videos, I don't lose my focus. With other models it takes time to refocus, as you zoom in or out, but not this one!! The clarity of the pictures and videos is really amazing. The effects that the camera offer are really great too! The camera offers an "advanced flash" that reaches farther than the normal flash - and I was very surprised with how well it worked. Incredible battery life. I really could keep going on in this section! Cons: Be careful when shooting really close macro pictures. If the flash is on, and you try to get really close, you could find a dark spot on the corner of the picture when the flash hits the extended lens. There is no way to manually change - as far as my knowledge - the shutter speed. But with the Intelligent and Superior functions, they do a really good job at trying to make it right. If you use Mac computers, you can't get the PlayMemories for your desktop. You can still use iPhoto for your pictures, but if you want to record your videos in high quality, you have to use iMovie to import them. Not a bad thing, but for people like me, I like to keep all my things in the same place (which means I then export my iMovie recordings to iTunes, then import that file into iPhoto and delete the others). If you're looking for the best point and shoot camera for $300 or less, this is it. If you want to spend more, then you might as well move out of point and shoot models.

I'm convinced that a lot of awesome reviews on cameras out there are paid propaganda. I'm not a photographer but I couldn't manage to have one single good photo out of this camera. The ones that could have been great shots were actually all shaken with no focus at all. I want to register the birthday of my baby but unfortunately I lost most of photos because the quality of the images and the same thing happened during our Christmas vacation. Another thing that really annoys me is that some of my photos were really bright, then I modified the setting, turned off the flash, and reduced the exposure levels. However every time I turn off the camera all my settings were gone, and then I had to modify the settings every single time I would take a photo because once you turn it off is doesn't save your settings. If you have a child you probably know how hard it is to capture a good pose, but with this camera was really impossible because I couldn't capture the perfect light, or the perfect focus, and by the time I would finish modifying the camera settings the baby was gone. I am used to Panasonic, and the Leica lenses but I wanted to try the Sony camera after seeing so many good reviews. I don't like this camera at all and I will try to return it if it's possible.

Arrived on time as stated. Looks as expected. Lot's of good things about the camera, the features are much easier to use on this camera (built right into the dial on the top) than other similar cameras. Battery life is outstanding. Maybe almost a 4 rating really, except, after using it a while I think its not a great 18 mp lens. It's good but not great. I formerly had a 16 mp lens Olympus point & shoot camera and it's about the same, the auto setting never seems to use 18mp.. I was hoping it would perform better in low light than it truly does based on some of the reviews it's slightly better than my last camera but many low light shots come out grainy. . Some reviews said it performed well hand held in full zoom, it even has a setting for zoom with no tripod. Yet if I zoom past the mid-point it is blurred no matter how steady I try to hold it. I have not tried with a tripod yet because in situations I would like a zoom, I wouldn't want to bother with one. I would say over all it's a solid camera for a snap & shoot, it seems like a good quality build but it not outstanding. I guess I wanted more but you get what you pay for: Lesson learned. .

Great camera! We are point and click people who don't know much about photography or camera settings, nor care to. We just wanted something that was easy to use and took a good photo. We were very surprised with it's ease of use and impressed with it's performance. It automatically adjusts it's settings to the conditions in which it is being used. For example, if you go in for a close up, it automatically switches to macro mode for a clear and detailed close up. Picture quality is fantastic, even with not so steady hands or fast paced children's activities. Small footprint is also nice, this thing is small enough to slip into your pocket. Highly recommend for anyone looking for something simple to use that takes a great picture!

Tres satixfait de l article et de la rapidite de l appareil.

great camera!