Sony readies anti-shake digicam duo

Sony will next month ship two new compact digital cameras with anti-blur technology to compensate for users' shaky hands, subjects on the move, and the effects of dim lighting conditions. The result: digicams that "reduce the risk" of indistinct picture misery.

The aluminium-clad Cyber-shot DSC-W30 and DSC-W50 both sport six megapixel image capture devices behind Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lenses with a 3x optical zoom. On-board image processing circuitry provides a high quality 6x "precision" digital zoom plus a presumably less precise 13x digital zoom.

The anti-blur system provides sensitivity of up to ISO-1000, Sony said. It claims the camera's noise-reduction system reduces the colour and luminance noise often associated with high-sensitivity digital cameras, particularly in low-light conditions.

The W30 has a 2in LCD, the W50 a 2.5in screen. Both have a TV-out port, too, and support USB 2.0 and PictBridge for data transfer and direct printing. Picture storage comes courtesy of a built-in 32MB memory, but more space can be added by inserting a MemoryStick Duo or Pro Duo card, though that's a separate purchase.

The cameras ship with a lithium-ion battery capable of delivering 400 shots per charge, Sony said.

Both cameras are due to ship across Europe next month. Sony did not provide pricing, but the W30 and W50 will retail for $230 and $250, respectively, when they ship in the US shortly. ®

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