Customer Reviews
Sony Cybershot DSCW170/R 10 with 5X Optical Zoom 
2008-10-04
I researched and compared cameras for a couple of months before deciding on this one. I also have a Sony Cypershot 15Xzoom DSC-H7. We bought a Nikon Coolpix L18 for our son, which I would NOT recommend. To me Sony's are the best! My little red Cypershot is GREAT! To this day, I still haven't sat down and looked at the manuel, but it's so easy to use, takes great pictures and it fits in my pocket or purse. I'm sure once I really check out what all the features of this camera, I'll find it even better! Thanks!
Excellent point and shoot 2008-10-04
I had the 7.2 MP cybershot and this is an excellent upgrade. I am still able to use my base memory sticks and the quality of images have been great.
So easy to use 2008-10-03
I purchased this item for my boss. He's technically challenged but this camera was so easy to use that he picked it up and started using it right away. I absolutely recommend this camera.
A great little camera 
2008-10-01
I spent a great deal of time on Steve's Digicams website reading reviews and looking at sample pictures. Primarily I use my camera for blogging and not for prints, so the way the pictures look on the web is what I used for a guideline. Specs-wise I had actually one-click-ordered the new Nikon Coolpix S610 from Amazon before panicking (because there were no reviews or sample pics for that anywhere yet) and cancelling the order. It was then down to this model. I went to a local electronics store and checked it out (as well as looking at the competition in case there was something I missed) and ended up taking this nice red one home.
The only two things I see "wrong" with this camera are that you need to use the Memory Stick (so I had to buy one, whereas we have 3-4 SD cards already) and that you can't operate it with one hand. My old 2.3 megapixel Canon was set up in such a way that you could hold and shoot with your right hand (assuming your hand was steady enough). With this one, the pressure of my palm presses the menu buttons accidentally. I'm still not sure I'm keeping this one, but I am thinking about it.
Great for the price, but not as good as the older cybershots.. 
2008-09-30
I bought this camera to replace my older Cyber-Shot (DSC-W5). I was very excited when I received it because I really loved my old camera - wore it out in fact! But after trying for a month to adjust to it, I am really disappointed. Pictures in low light are grainy no matter what MP setting I use. Auto-focus doesn't work so well. Bright colors are super saturated. Response time for pushing function buttons seems slow (like review, menu, changing from auto to landscape, etc.).
It is a great price for a cheap, decent camera. I guess I just got spoiled with the older version? The newer one is not nearly as good. I wish I would have spent the money on getting the old one repaired instead of wasting it on this one.
Gotta love the face detection feature 2008-09-29
The Sony DSC-W170 features an enviable 10.1-Megapixel resolution, Carl Zeiss 5x optical zoom lens, and Sony's Double Anti-Blur solution for crisp, clear images with a sophisticated, compact body. A large, bright 2.7" Clear Photo LCD display includes an anti-reflective coating that provides for excellent visibility to help you compose, view, and share photos with superb clarity and color reproduction, even in bright sunlight. In addition, Face Detection technology, Smile Shutter, and Intelligent Scene Recognition elicit stunning detail from special moments. High-resolution images can be enjoyed in 16:9 High-Resolution Mode simply by connecting the camera directly to a Sony BRAVIA HDTV or other compatible HDTV with an optional cradle for optimal HD playback. Because an off-center subject can make your shot more interesting, a 9-point auto-focus measures the focus at 9 precision points instead of 5 for a greater creative freedom to compose your image. Super SteadyShot(R) Optical Image Stabilization compensates for shaky hands and minimizes blur with optical sensors that detect camera movement and send correcting signals to a stabilization lens. Shutter Speed - Auto (1/4 - 1/1,600) / Program Auto (1 - 1/1,600) Aperture Range - Auto (F3.3/F8.0 (W), 2 steps) / Program auto (F3.3/F8.0 (W), 2 steps) with ND Filter White Balance - Automatic, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent, and Flash Movie Modes - MPEG VX Fine with Audio (640x480 at 30fps), MPEG VX Standard with Audio (640x480 at 16fps), Presentation (320 x 240 at 8fps) Scene Modes - Beach, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Snow, Soft Snap, Twilight, and Twilight Portrait Flash Modes - Auto, Forced On, Forced Off, and Slow Synch In-Camera Editing - Red-eye reduction, soft edge filter, cross filter, partial color filter, and fish-eye filter
Amazing 2008-09-29
The best camera I ever had. Better than my not-so-old Olympus Stylus 1200. Amazing underwater shoots...
The correct Marine Pack for this camera is the Sony MPK-WD.
Great PHD Camera 2008-09-27
This is my second Push Here Dummy Sony Cybershot. (The first one was three years old and ended up at the bottom of a lake -- it dried out over 3 days and still worked!) Simpler to use interface than previous models, good technical improvements (steady shot), and more compact form factor. Tested all cameras at local big box retailer, there is some good competition, but liked the interface (easy to use settings) and form factor of this one best. I love the pictures it takes -- but I am not a pro, so I'll leave that rating to others.
Pretty close to perfect 2008-09-16
As an owner of several digital cameras over the past 10 year, here is my opinion for what it's worth. I put a lot of thought and research into choosing this camera and while I haven't owned it long, I plan to update this as I learn.
The camera really rocks in many categories.
Pros
The screen is beautiful, not bad even outdoors.
I love the red color of the camera!
The scene selection should prove helpful, haven't used it yet
Zeiss lenses do seem to be very high quality
The flash is one of the features that closed the deal for me. I tried all of the cameras at best buy side by side. When taking a photo inside with a flash, many cameras, including my old canon made everyone look white and washed out while the background was very dark or even blank. Not on this baby. The color, indoors and out, foreground and background really seems well lit and very even in tone.
Cons
Lose the smile thing, both for picture taking and editing. The one in editing is just creepy looking.
Want really creepy photos? Make the person have a smile intensity of 5, and then do it again and again and again..... It looks like a worm stretched across their face. Also doesn't detect faces if they have mustaches.
This seems designed for a lot of portraits, but I like landscapes and sports events.
Where is the panoramic stitch type help? One of the cameras out on the market right now has it where they show a little bit of a ghost image of the last shot to help line up the panoramic shot. Even my cameras that are 5-10 years old had something for panoramic.
Can't they add the little plastic thingy that tightens around your wrist so you don't loose this $300 gem?
Why no sport mode?
I want pics of kids at their sporting events and such, still trying to figure out how to take good photos inside with poor lighting and speedy kids at volleyball. They are ending up blurry. I am sure there is a setting that will work, just not sure what it is yet.
I do like how some of the other models have lenses that don't stick out and move, so particles don't get caught in them.
Why does the underwater case cost nearly as much as the camera?
Looking for a good blog to learn tricks about my new toy...
Amazing 2008-09-15
very nice camera.. i bought for my mom but im planing to buy one for me because i has a lot of features for the price.
