Sony Beefs Up Low-End Cyber-shot Cameras

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At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today, Sony announced two new additions to its entry-level digital camera line. Beefed-up specs, ease of use, and a thinner frame mark the new Cyber-shot S series and W series point-and-shoots.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S950 pumps the S series' megapixel count to 10 megapixels (up from last year's 7-megapixel ceiling), increases optical zoom range to 4X (from 3x), offers a 2.7-inch-diagonal LCD screen (up from 2.4 inches), and offers digital image stabilization. The Cyber-shot DSC-S950 is priced at $130, and will be available in silver, pink, and black.

Sony also announced an entry-level addition to its W series, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 (pictured here). It has a 12-megapixel sensor, a 2.7-inch LCD screen, a slightly wider-angle lens than last year's entry-level W-series offering (30mm, up from 32mm), an Intelligent Scene Recognition Mode that optimizes settings based on the shooting environment, and a dynamic range optimization setting, which the company says adds more detail and color range to backlit and low-light photos. The W220 will sell for $190, and will be available in silver, blue, black, and pink.
For more product news, see our complete coverage of CES 2009.