Sony DSC-W800 Digital Compact Camera (20.1 MP, 5x Zoom, 2.7 LCD, 720p HD, 23 mm Sony G Lens) - Silver

Despite the fact I've returned this (read on for why), I actually love this camera. The zoom range is incredible, it's pocketable, the selfie screen is totally usable and useful and it produces sharp results. It's a great carry anywhere /travel camera. I have the big heavy DSLR's, but for just walking around this is great. Unfortunately I have a defective copy. On about 1 in 5 photos there is a horizontal streaking. It actually looks like old fashioned film scratching. It spoils the photos because it's right across the middle of the image. It didn't happen every time, so the shots that don't have the problem are great. Disappointed that I got a bad copy, but I have to say the camera itself produces some fantastic results. I've attached a few so you can see the kind of sharpness you can get. I'll be ordering this again since it's practical, high quality and just great fun to use. Small enough for a pocket, it really is the take anywhere camera. The samples I've shown demonstrate just how good this camera is (at least in good light - haven't used it in low light so don't know). Really a shame about the marks on them. I'm sure that's just from a defective copy of the camera. I don't believe it's a general problem. Zooming in on the two birds I was able to keep a comfortable working distance, so I didn't scare them away. You can see the sharpness is pretty good despite zooming to max. and standing in a pretty windy spot! I've looked at various alternatives to this camera and none seems to have all the features I would like. For that reason alone I'll have to get another one of these. The overall combination of size, features, sharpness, zoom range and flip-out screen make this a great buy at the price.

I wanted a pocketable compact camera with a long zoom lens, and after much deliberation, and searching of the internet, ordered a Sony Cybershot WX500. My new camera arrived about four days ago, and having tried it out in a variety of conditions, I am very pleased with its performance. I am well aware of the limitations of small cameras with tiny sensors, so did not have unrealistic expectations. Sure enough, it struggles to give good results with the zoom lens extended, if conditions are less than bright. However, when there is plenty of light it responds very well indeed. With the lens un-zoomed the camera copes as well as any other comparable compact in all conditions, and better than most. It is easy and convenient to use. The auto focus performance is impressively quick and accurate. The image stabilisation works well. I had to do a bit of head scratching to figure out how to use fully manual settings, but it was worth the effort. Last night I took some amazing photos of the moon, showing lots of clear detail of craters and other features on the surface. The camera seems to be well made, and the battery life is very good. Overall I am very well pleased with my purchase of the Sony Cybershot WX500. I am sure it will prove to be a very useful piece of equipment when I am out and about, and do not want to carry a larger camera.

Positives: -Can charge the battery in the camera with a USB power brick when travelling; no need to lug around special chargers & cables -Wireless functionality makes it easy to shift the photos from the camera to an iPad or other device -Superior image quality -Well designed and intuitive user interface -Batteries interchangeable with Sony's AS 30 Action Cam -Cross-Platform support for Sony "Play Memories" software for Windows, OSX, IOS & Android Negatives: -"Motion Shot" advertised as a feature of this camera is not available; don't waste your time trying to install or configure it -No GPS tagging (although the lack of this feature will preserve battery life substantially) Overall, pretty pleased with the camera in both respect to both the quality of the photographs and it's wireless connectivity. When travelling, I like to backup the photos using the camera's wireless functionality to my iPad2 every night just in case the camera is lost/stolen or damaged. An excellent feature is the ability to charge the camera's battery using a USB power brick when out and about; no special charger required. The batteries for this camera are also interchangeable with Sony's AS30 Action Cam which is sweet. Only real niggle- and this precluded it receiving 5 stars was that one of the banner features was "Motion Shot Video". Think of a trail of basketballs going into a basket demonstrating it's trajectory. I couldn't find any setting for this on the camera, and after ages of Googling, discovered that it is *NOT* a native feature and requires "Play Memories Camera Apps" which not only requires separate purchase (£3.99)- it is not even compatible with this camera ([...]). MAC Compatibility: there is a Mac package for this app, but it doesn't install the app onto the camera. Might work with Windows, but I have not tested this. For both false advertising of what Sony felt was a key selling feature and wasting my time trying to use it, I deducted a star. Other small niggles: No GPS tagging in the photos, and the build quality is not sturdy. I believe if you dropped this camera onto the pavement, you'd have a seriously busted camera. Since the lanyard attachment point broke, there is no way to ensure I don't drop the camera by accident sadly. Otherwise, in respect to it's feature set and quality of pics, this is a really good camera, a bargain in respect to competing alternatives.

My new Panasonic Lumix camera died quicker than you can say Panasonic Lumix - well not QUITE as quick but either way it died far too quickly for me to review it. I went back to Sony because I've had two compacts in the past which are remarkably still in use but really old now. This camera is simple to use, unfussy in layout, and whilst image settings will need some tweaking and adjustment to be somewhere near realistic it does what a camera is meant to do - take pictures of scenes presented to it. I tend to shoot everything auto because I am lazy (yep - say it as it is) and whilst I understand settings and modes I'm more immersed in the experience of being in the present than I am taking pictures of that experience. A lovely camera, lightweight, well made, sturdy and remarkably heavy (in a pleasing way) with no confusing dials and stuff. My ONLY gripe is a week after I bought it from Amazon, Sony offered it at a huge discount on Amazon...argh!!!! I am pleased with it though - so pleased I will remember to diarise next years' cyber sale and get a big brother for it. A Sony one. Aah joy. A compact compact camera that is simple in use, simple to use, and simple for me to operate with my big hands and clumsy fingers. Thank you Sony.

Wonderful camera My Canon SX 60HX with 130x zoom is fantastic and this little Sony is a super companion and competitor for when I'm out walking and don't want the weight of the Canon, which is more for the car and the balcony. The Sony performs incredibly at night time. It will take time to become expert with it. The capability is far beyond many I suspect (including me) to be able to properly use all its features. Manual focus is excellent and its autofocus variations are great. As I said. You will be entertained. I bought it because I had purchased four denim shirts with deep strong breast pockets. But you can drop it in a trouser pocket with a safety cord to your belt. I put the safety cord through the button hole of the pocket flap and pass the camera through the loop and then drop it in the pocket. I CAN PULL IT OUT QUICKLY THEN AND HAVE GREAT FUN as the viewfinder pop-up switches it on! You can also use the viewfinder like a little telescope. Great! Don't be tempted to save £100 on the cheaper model without the electronic viewfinder. It's difficult to see the screen in sunlight, and you will miss a great experience. This has screen AND a proper electronic viewfinder that makes a VAST difference, besides greatly extending battery life and observation possibilities. My last little Sony with the revolving top lasted 10 yrs. I hope this does. (Author of thriller "Call Dr Sydney J. Bush!" and "700 Vitamin C Secrets")

An excellent Camera, petite, compact, but having a huge volume of abilities. It will not do what an SLR does but it is a tenth of the size and a fraction of the cost and bulk. You wish a very a very compact camera to take high def shots at a moments notice? then this is the one for you. I bought it for my wife for her Christmas. She has a very capable smartphone and tablet but is a traditionalist and so likes to take her pics with a camera. The pictures this provides are much clearer, concise and easier to take than on her Samsung smart phone and Tablet, far more clarity than on her old Nikon camera and it is the easiest to use that I have seen.I would highly recommend this.

Used the camera once to test out the functions after having returned from holiday to be surprised to find that the lens failed to retract after turning off. This ensured that the camera could not turn on and that the lens were to be stuck extended. I proceeded to do the logical thing and take the battery out but to no avail - still broken. I then phoned Sony to see if the problem is easily fixed, they informed me of some troubleshooting (which I had already done) that subsequently failed. Finally they suggested sending it in for repairs which, to my surprise, would set me back £117! So not only does the camera not work, I've also been told that this product has no warranty - coincidentally left out of the product spec/description. Not happy at all. Do not Buy!

This camera was to replace an old Nikon Coolpix I'd had for years and although it worked well it was quite slow. The Sony had far more pixels and bells and whistles, slightly fiddly buttons but excellent pictures. BUT, like a lot of SONY products their set up/connection instructions are vague and hard to follow. We spent several hours trying to set the Sony programme and wifi up including an hour's chat with an excellent Amazon advisor. We weren't sure if we had the right USB cable, even though it fitted (came off an old mobile phone), we weren't sure if there is an actual dedicated USB connection either. Then with the WIFI set up we couldn't make sense of two apparent sets of instructions, but somehow managed to get it working -spasmodically. BUT in order to send pics to the computer you had to have the computer on and running, make sure you were near to the modem, and WAIT. I then realised that if I had to have the camera this close to the computer I might as well cut out the middleman (the wifi bit) and just use a USB cable as I had done with the old Coolpix! The anticipated advantage of the wifi system was that you could send pics directly to FaceBook, but we never got that far. Now it could be because we are older (just turned 70), so struggled to understand what was which. I repeat, the camera is well built, pictures are excellent, but I'm going for a similar quality camera but without all the fancy bits. Recommendations welcome!