Sony Announces Cyber-shot DSC-S800 Digital Camera for Europe

Sony Europe announced the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S800 digital camera that will be available in May 2007. The feature that will catch the most interest is the 6x optical zoom in the camera. It's interesting since the S series of cameras is typically considered to be entry-level, so its nice to see something other than your standard 3x optical zoom. The camera takes 8.1 megapixel shots and has a 2.5 inch LCD with 230K pixels of resolution.

(view large image)

The Sony S800 is definitely targeted at entry level users, especially ones looking for a solid, more expensive looking camera. The metal body looks very stylish (similar to other recent S models). A built-in Function Guide and on-screen guidance provide help with the camera's settings and functions. Another useful feature for beginning users, in this category of camera, is the 30 frames per second movie capture mode.

The 2.5 inch LCD provides a high-resolution image with it's 230K pixels. There is no type of optical viewfinder on the camera.

(view large image)

The 6x optical zoom lens can also take macro shots with subjects as close as 2cm. A capability to shoot at sensitivities up to ISO 1250 can come in handy for fast-moving subjects or places where you don't want to use the built-in flash.

An included NiMH AA battery pack provides enough for 390 shots per charge. 56MB of internal memory are available for when your Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick Pro Duo runs out of space.

Sony Europe press release