Stefan Mileschin

Yup, Sony's still in the business of making sub-$100 pocketable shooters. The Cyber-shot W710 is set to retail for a mere 99 bucks this month, while its similarly-specced W730 counterpart will carry a list price of $139. Both cameras offer 16.1-megapixel sensors, 2.7-inch LCDs, 720p HD video modes, a 1 frame-per-second burst option and a top sensitivity of ISO 3200. You'll also find software consistencies, with Intelligent Auto, Picture Effect and Sweep Panorama modes available on both versions. The bargain-basement W710 includes a 28mm 5x optical zoom lens, while the pricier W730 model packs a 25mm 8x lens with optical SteadyShot on board. Both offerings will ship later this month in silver and pink, with the W710 also available in black and the W730 being sold in blue.

We briefly tested both versions, and while neither offered a top-of-the-line shooting experience, they did seem to be perfectly sufficient given the price. We could see the W710 and W730 being a solid fit for younger photographers who don't necessarily treat all of their electronics with the care required to justify a higher-end model, for example. The displays were bright, though the resolution is clearly in line with the MSRPs. Both cameras were very compact and lightweight, so you shouldn't have any problem tucking one into your jeans pocket and carrying it around on a regular basis. Neither of these models would necessarily be the best fit for experienced photographers, however casual their craft, but beginners with a tight budget will likely find them to be perfectly adequate. You can see them in action in the gallery just below.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/s...w730-hands-on/