For those searching for the best point shoot camera to take with them on vacation, the Sony DSC-W830 makes a very strong case. With a 20.1 megapixel CCD sensor and image stabilization technology built in, the DSC-W830 is ready to take beautiful, clear shots even when you’re on a rocking boat or have shaky hands. For any of your other cameras, you’ll also want to read our Tamron 18-270mm PZD B008 Lens review. And, if you’re interested in different camera models, take a look at this best digital camera review.
Why We Like It – Sony DSC-W830 Review
The Sony Cyber Shot W830 is an inexpensive, compact camera that leans heavily into better image quality, including image stability, making it ideal for vacations.
- Built-in technology to keep camera stable
- Ideal for vacations
- Very compact design
- Video resolution is lacking
- Lacks any wireless connectivity
Performance
It’s clear Sony favors image quality over video in the case of the DSC-W830. Equipped with a 20.1 megapixel CCD sensor (1/2.3-inch sensor size), image stabilization technology with Optical SteadyShot, a shutter speed of 1/30, and an optical zoom lens reaching 8x—the Sony DSC-W830 is more than ready to take excellent photos, even in low light and shaky hands. You can even take some pretty nice 360 sweep panorama shots. Video quality, on the other hand, is severely lacking. This is evident by its 720p HD video output, which is abysmal in this day and age.
Related: Check out this Sony A6000 review
Design
The Sony DSC-W830 is one of the most compact cameras available, having dimensions of 3.66 x 0.91 x 2.05 inches and weighing 4.32 ounces. It’s definitely ultra-compact. Unfortunately, Sony did not incorporate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any wireless connectivity into the design. It does have a memory card slot, but it would have been nice to have more. Still, a memory stick slot is better than nothing. It’s also built with a 2.7-inch LCD screen (not touch screen).
Value
While the Sony DSC-W830 lacks meaningful video capabilities, image quality gets a boost in performance. In fact you are getting more megapixels out of the DSC-W830 than you are the Nikon Coolpix B500, which is nearly $200 more expensive (but B500 offers more features). For someone who wants high quality images, and just that, the Sony DSC-W830 has immense value there.
With that said, if you want a more complete package—better video resolution, sharper image quality, more features—we recommend the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II. But for high quality video recording, use the Olympus Tough TG-6.
Related: Read our Sony CyberShot HX99 review
Sony DSC-W830 Review Wrap Up
The Sony DSC-W830’s performance puts in the realm of “average.” Is that a bad thing? No, but if you want an inexpensive camera for taking photos on vacation, the Sony DSC-W830 is perfect. It’s compact and can withstand any shaky situations you’re in (like a boat). A camera like that doesn’t need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; just a memory card.
