Editorial Review:Product Description:Small enough to go anywhere! Introducing the new DSC-U30 Cyber-shot digital still camera for those on the go. The ultra compact design comes in three exciting colors (blue, silver and charcoal gray) to match any outfit or mood. Featuring 2.0 megapixel effective resolution, Fast Start up, 1.0 Reflective LCD Monitor, Memory Stick PRO Compatible and Selectable Picture Size. Small enough to wear and hip enough to flaunt!
Amazon.com Product Description:The Sony Cybershot DSC-U30 digital camera is small and light enough to slip in your pocket for snapping photos wherever you roam. It features a 2-megapixel resolution, fast start-up to capture shots almost instantaneously, and a movie mode. It comes in two other colors: blue and dark gray.
Optics and Resolution The Cybershot U30 features a 2-megapixel Super HAD (hole accumulation diod) CCD that captures excellent image quality by allowing more light to pass through to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing image noise. It has two resolution modes: high (1632 x 1224) for prints up to 8 x 10 inches, and low (640 x 480) for e-mailing to friends and family. A fixed-focus camera, the Cybershot U30 has no optical or digital zoom.
Movie Mode In addition to taking still photos, the Cybershot U30 can also record up to 15 seconds of 160 x 112 MPEG video (without audio). The QuickTime Motion JPEG format offers a limited resolution, which is great for capturing a short movie that can be e-mailed to friends and family, but is no replacement for a true camcorder.
More Features The Cybershot U30 has a fast start-up time of 0.9 seconds, enabling you to capture those important shots that other cameras might miss. The camera includes 5 scene modes (soft snap, illumination snap, twilight, active outdoor, and vivid nature) and pre-flash metering, which illuminates the subject and calculates exposure through the lens directly from the CCD for accurate calculation for a flash-lit shot.
Other features include:
- 1.0-inch LCD for reviewing shots
- VGA burst mode captures five 640 x 480 frames
- Built-in flash with auto, forced on, forced off, and red-eye reduction modes
- Shutter speed: 1/8 - 1/2000 seconds
- Picture effects: solarize, black and white, sepia, and negative art
- Automatic ISO and white balance settings
Storage and Transfer Images can be stored on the included 8 MB Memory Stick, which can store approximately 15 images at 1632 x 1224 pixels. The Cyber-shot DSC-P92 is also compatible with optional Memory Stick PRO media, which can extend data capacity up to 1 GB.
Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via ultrafast USB 2.0, which means it can be connected to any USB-compatible Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software. When used with USB 1.1 connection, transfer will slow to USB 1.1 rate.
Power and Size The camera is powered by 2 AAA batteries (rechargeable NiMH batteries included). It measures 3.3 by 1.6 by 1.1 inches and weighs 4.3 ounces (including batteries).
What's In The Box This package includes the Cybershot DSC-U30 digital camera, 8 MB Memory Stick, neck strap, 2 AAA rechargeable NiMH batteries, battery charger (BC-CS2), and USB cable. The included CD-ROM features Pixela Image Mixer for Sony v1.5 and USB drivers for Windows and Mac.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Awful camera
I got this camera 4 years ago to photograph my first children being born. I thought the pictures were good at the time, but now that I look back after getting a real camera, I can see how bad the pictures were.
All the pictures are grainy, even on a low ISO. Red-Eye is horrible since the flash is so close to the shutter. No Zoom either!
Not that anyone would really buy this camera these days, but don't buy this one!
Rating: 
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Tiny and fast
This camera and my U20 is a technological wonder. It is as small as a large pack of stick gum as everyone has stated, but it is also light and pretty tough as it has a completely aluminum shell. I dropped it a few times on industrial carpet (no padding) and its still kicking. All shots I took were razor sharp and the things that I really liked about this little camera were its speed to start up and the shutter lag. It takes about a second to boot up, great for impulse shots. Something happens and you are on it, a one handed operation to pull it out of your coat pocket, slide open the lens cover/power switch and hit the shutter release. It is small enough to just hold out and shoot, the LCD is TINY and is more of a review tool than a frame tool although it works fine for that too if your eyes are good enough. The shutter lag as about 1/2 second counting flash, a little less outside, not really good but deffinately better than some cameras. There are some functions that are useless, like the index function that shows 1/4 inch thumbnails of pictures on the memory stick, that is a small picture, large enough just to make out what the pic might be of. I wear glasses so this may be a little biased. It has a few modes, like sepia, black and white, scenic and close up, dont really see a diference in the scenic and close up, maybe an F-stop difference. All in all, I was REALLY impressed with my 20 dollar Ebay purchase, although they have really gone up in price on the popular auction site. I would imagine the CCD recall from Sony has really made these popular again as it is a VERY popular free service. I had my camera for little over a month when it started to show the signs of the CCD defect, Purple and green images, and the entire LCD image seems to melt befor your eyes like a watercolor picture put under a faucet. Very "trippy" looking image. I power cycled it a few times and it cleared up but it always came back, probably why it was 20 bucks! I stashed it broken for almost 1 year until I heard of the recall and promptly dug it out and sent it away to Sony after filling out the online repair request, they even sent me a pre paid UPS label, very accomidating of SONY as it was a real PR nightmare when over 100 models of cameras from 6 different manufacturers started to hear of the bad SONY made CCD going out. Excellent little impulse camera when it works, probably not the best for a scenic trip, but great at parties and glove box shooting. Zinc batteries last about 4 shots, NiCD are better, NiMH are great and the new Energizer lithium batteries will work for a few days of shooting!
Rating: -
Excellent little camera!
I love cameras and this camera is a Keeper! It fits nicely in the handbag/pocket and takes great pictures! When I want to take a camera with me while power-walking (maybe catch a deer or ducks in my view...) this camera fits perfect in my pocket and doesn't interfere with my "steps" :)
Rating: -
Lacks Zoom
Picture quality is great and it's so easy to throw in your pocket or purse... a nice camera to have as a second camera.
Rating: -
Great little camera!
I bought 5 of these when Ritz Camera were closing them out at $100 each. Love it as a second camera, easy to use and great as a second small digital camera if not also as a primary one. The other 4 were given as gifts and all those who received it love it too. Easy to pack for everyday carrying! Included NIMH batteries and charger made it even a better deal!
Afternote: I gave this to my son for his E-Bay use and got a Canon SD 400 which I love.
