Sony's new 8-megapixel compact camera is cheap, but do its photos impress? Find out in our in-depth Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 review.
Review summary of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780:
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 While the Cyber-shot DSC-S780 is one of Sony's lower-end cameras, it still disappoints in terms of interface, features and image quality. The camera looks nice but has a stubborn zoom control and a small LCD screen. It has face detection and burst shooting, but only 3x zoom and no image stabilization. The camera's noise management is very poor, and in low-lighting we often saw specks of incorrect colors marring our photographs. The DSC-S780 is at least relatively cheap, but we've seen other cheap cameras perform better. Release: March 2008. Price: $180.
Pros: Classy design. Fast boot-up and shutdown.
Cons: Terrible noise. Incorrect pixels. Exclusively supports Memory Stick Duo. Subpar logic leads to camera-shake and underexposures. No ISO-1600.
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Full Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 Review:
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Design - Good
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 isn't as sleek as some of the other Sony cameras we've seen, but for a lower-end compact, it has a classy design with a nice finish on the front plate. It feels solid and well constructed, and for a pewter body, it doesn't pick up many fingerprints. Apart from a slight thickness, the body is fittingly compact (compare it to competing models).
Button layout is thoroughly standard, with shutter and power buttons on top and the rest of the controls on back. We didn't care much for the two-way zoom control, which was too springy and resistant, but we did like the small mode-wheel above the four-way controller. The 2.5-inch LCD viewfinder is somewhat small, and there is some wasted space around the display; there's at least enough room for a 2.7-inch screen.
Interface - Good
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780's menu system is atypical. One menu button accesses both the shooting parameters and the system menu, which is nested within the shooting settings. With most compacts, the menu button accesses the system settings and the 'function/OK' button accesses the shooting parameters, which is more quickly navigable. We're not sure why Sony went with this route, but it's a diversion from the norm that isn't successful.
Boot-up to first shot is ~two seconds, but after a few consecutive shots, the camera tends to bog down between exposures. The auto-focus performs above average, with focus lock typically occurring within one to two seconds, depending on lighting conditions. On the other hand, the auto-focus on our review sample actually made a mild squeaking noise, which was kind of annoying. There's also a slight but noticeable delay between pushing the shutter and taking the picture, especially when flash is used.
As we've come to expect from Sony, the DSC-S780 only supports Memory Stick Duo, which is vastly less common than SD media. Sony can continue their quixotic quest for format dominance if they like, but it would go a long way if they would additionally support SD. This isn't unprecedented, as some of their older, higher-end cameras also supported Compact Flash. As it stands, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 users will be restricted to USB for transferring their photos, unless they have a desktop computer with an all-in-one media bay.
Features - Mediocre
There isn't much to the DSC-S780. Face-detection and continuous shooting are accounted for, but a 3x lens with no optical image-stabilization leaves something to be desired. Video tops out at QVGA (320 by 240), and while Sony is typically generous with built-in memory, here you only get 22-megabytes.
Curiously, ISO sensitivities start at 100 but top out at a relatively low 1250. Usually point-and-shoot ISO speeds are all but worthless after ISO-400 anyway, so this isn't too great a deficiency. On the other hand, if you really need to get a shot at a pitch-dark concert with a strict ‘no flash' policy, it might pay to have ISO-1600 on hand. Unlike pretty much every other compact on the market, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 simply doesn't have it.
Image quality - Mediocre
In terms of image quality, the DSC-S780 is an average compact. Images are plenty sharp, and colors are accurate, if somewhat muted. The camera is a good, cheap point-and-shoot for taking pictures at an outing, but because it lacks image stabilization, its photos are prone to blurring. All in all, both better image quality and a more fool-proof lens can be had for the same amount of money.
For a Sony product, noise is uncharacteristically atrocious on the DSC-S780. Noise is clearly visible at all sensitivities, including ISO-100, and the noise management at ISO-1250 is considerably worse than most ISO-1600 speeds we've seen from other cameras. Worst of all, the camera commits the biggest faux-pas in the digital imaging world: in low-light exposures, it tends to render incorrect pixels. Incorrect pixels aren't like noise, but instead are clumps of color that are totally wrong within the context of the image. For instance, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 tends to produce black and gray pixels in L-shaped batches, but we also saw some red and yellow infractions. Noise is ugly, but incorrect pixels can outright ruin a photograph.
Scene test
The colors are washed-out in this midday scene test, and there's also a slight degree of camera shake. This is a good example of why compact cameras benefit so greatly from optical image-stabilization. With a big, two-handed DSLR, we can shoot down to 1/10-second with perfect focus, but compacts are just too small to get consistent, reliable exposures at anything under 1/60-second. Here, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 set the ISO to 100 and the shutter speed to 1/40-second, when it should have set the ISO to 200 and the shutter speed to 1/50 or 1/60-second. This is a combinative failure of the camera's full-auto logic and the lack of optical image-stabilization.
Edge test [tele] #1
Edge test [tele] #2
Edge test [wide]
Thankfully, the DSC-S780 performed perfectly in these three edge tests. These are difficult, backlit scenarios, and no aberration is visible in the telescopic samples. Some fringing is apparent in the wide angle sample, but considering the lighting conditions, it's within reason.
Macro [context]
Macro
Detail is OK in this macro test, but the photo is underexposed by at least one stop, thus leading to washed out colors. In reality, the flower was a fairly rich pink-purple. For some reason, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 elected for a 1/200-second shutter, when we guesstimate that 1/80 would have been more appropriate. Also, noise is quite evident, even though this was taken at ISO-100.
Reference
This sample is provided purely for reference. We can be necessarily and exceedingly nitpicky, but it's good to keep in mind that the DSC-S780 is perfectly capable of quality snapshots. In fact, practically all cameras are capable of quality snapshots. However, if you are particularly concerned with image quality, then the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 isn't up to the standard of other, similarly priced cameras.
Price and availability
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S780 will start selling for $180 () in March 2008.
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