The Sony DSC-W230 & W290: Everyday 12.1MP, 720p recording digital cameras

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Sony announced the ultra-zoom H20 and the sexy T900/T90 today, and so the W series seems plain jane. They are still quality cameras though.

Sony stuffed a slightly longer zoom in the form of 5x lens in the W290 over the previous generation. But Sony didn’t stop there. The W290 comes packing with a 12.1 MP sensor and just like the rest of the Sony announcements today, a 720p video recording mode. Sony also developed a new type of auto scene mode that automatically adjusts the camera for different lighting scenes. While it sounds a lot like any camera’s Auto mode, Sony claims it works better. Price and availability: $249 and April.

The W230 seems like a carry over from last year. It is stuck with a 4x zoom lens and a non-HD video recoding mode. Nothing fancy but the $199 price might ensure it’s a good seller anyway.