Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W180

BACK in the day, keen photographers were forced to choose between investing in a big-screen TV and a 3-megapixel digital camera.

So cutting-edge was the technology, you'd have to pay through the nose for a device you could barely fit in a carry bag and photos you could barely print.

Now, as proof of how far the devices have come, Sony has released a super-slim 10-megapixel shooter with some of the latest technology that will give you change from $300.

Up close, the Cyber-shot W180 does not look like a cheap camera.

Its silver, red or black metal form is sophisticated, minimalist and improbably small. At just 1.8cm thin, this camera will slip into the tightest of jeans pockets and at 118g it won't make a big impact on your carry bag either.

While this camera does not feature every mod con, it fits several inside its modest body.

That includes a 3x optical zoom that will get you a little closer to faraway objects or landmarks and a 6x digital zoom that magnifies the image even more.

Given that this is a 10-megapixel camera, photographers are safe to use this additional magnification without fearing poor photo quality.
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Sony has also added its SteadyShot image stabilisation to the camera to keep blur out of your photos and this can be aided by a light sensitivity rating of up to 3200 ISO. Naturally, photos get very grainy at the highest setting but it's better than missing a photo altogether.

Sony has thrown Face Detection into this camera, so it can correctly identify and light human faces, and has also added its gimmicky Smile Shutter feature.

When engaged, this determines whether a photo's subjects are smiling and won't capture a shot until all faces oblige.

Thankfully, users can alter the feature's sensitivity, so your friends won't have to bare all their teeth. Even so, Smile Shutter's practical use is limited.

Given its price, this camera is designed for happy snaps and simple settings. But it does boast some options in addition to Auto mode.

These include Program Auto mode that offers the flexibility to change settings such as white balance, its flash power, photo colour and light sensitivity.

Dedicated scene modes such as Landscape, Twilight, Beach and Snow also feature for more specific environments and these are easy to select from the camera's unfussy on-screen menu, accessed with one touch of its Menu button.

This camera also captures video, recording it in AVI files, though the zoom is not available when recording.

Read more from the Gadget Girl Though the Cyber-shot W180 has a lot, it lacks plenty too. There is no Intelligent Auto mode on this camera, nor is there any Shadow Adjustment for dealing with highlights and lowlights.

The camera's Macro setting for close-ups requires a few attempts to attain a crisp focus, time-lapse night photography options are limited and the camera takes 2.5 seconds to start and will only capture one photo per second.

This camera also comes without a memory card, so you'll have to add that cost to its price. The Sony Cyber-shot W180 camera gives users plenty for its price, however, and should be a boon to for those who want simple snaps while saving on bulk.