Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W530
- 14.1 MP 1/2.3" Super HAD CCD sensor
- Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 4x optical zoom, 26-105mm equivalent
- 2.7" LCD, 230,000 dots
- ISO 80-3200
- SteadyShot image stabilisation
- Sweep Panorama
- Smile Shutter, Anti-Blink, Soft Skin modes
- Intelligent Auto (iAuto) / Easy Mode
- VGA video
- SD / SDHC / SDXC and Memory Stick Duo support
One step up from the W510 in the same January 2011 family, the W530 bumps resolution to 14.1 megapixels while keeping the same well-judged 26-105mm Carl Zeiss lens and metal-bodied construction that made this generation of Sony compacts feel sturdier than their price suggested. The extra resolution over the W510 doesn't fundamentally change the character — this is still classic Sony CCD colour, cool and clean, with contrast holding up well in daylight. Where the W530 adds genuine value is in its retouching modes: Smile Shutter waits for the exact moment a smile appears, Anti-Blink holds the shutter until eyes are open, and Soft Skin smooths blemishes automatically, all processed in-camera before you've even reviewed the shot. The 26mm wide end remains the practical strength here, handling interiors and group shots without the cropped, hemmed-in feeling of narrower compacts from the same era. At under 100 grams and just 19mm thick, it's genuinely disappearing-into-a-pocket small. For anyone wanting a slightly more capable step up from the most basic Sony compacts — same excellent lens, more resolution, and a few thoughtful automatic portrait aids — the W530 is a well-rounded pick.
Sample photos
