An Analysis of Sony’s 2013 Cyber-shot Lineup
Looking at Sony’s new cyber-shot camera line.
Sony has finally spilled the beans on their entire Cyber-shot camera line for 2013. Going into this year Sony looks to have a very strong line-up for 2013, focusing on making more diversified cameras for all price ranges and all types of people. Lets look at each camera one by one.
WX80
Of all the cameras in Sony’s new line, the WX80 is one of my favorites. As the name suggests, the camera is placed exactly between the popular WX50 and WX150 cameras, with some nice added features. With the WX80, you are getting an 8x zoom and the same sensor from the WX50, now with wifi built in. The WX80 essentially fixes every problem I had with the WX50. Sony has done a great job strategically pricing this camera, putting at a lovely $199 which sets it up for strong success in the point and shoot area. If the WX80 is anything like the WX50, I can say with confidence that consumers will love this camera.
The good:
-Affordable price for performance
-Wifi
-8x zoom
The bad:
-Build comparable to WX50, not that premium feeling
Who this camera is made for:
The everyday person who wants a good all-around camera at a good price.
WX300
With this camera, you take the WX150, double the zoom, add wifi, and improve the build quality to make it a more premium camera. Not only that, but Sony has improved the focus speed (which was already really quick!). Sony is putting this camera in line as the next upgrade from the WX150, more likely replacing the HX10v. The only weak part to this camera is its premium price of $330, which may be a bit too much for the average consumer.
The good:
-Zoom
-Build quality/design
The bad:
-Price
Who this camera is made for:
-Someone who wants a premium feeling camera that’s suited for everyday life.
H200
This is going to be one of Sony’s most popular cameras primarily because of the great price of $250. Consumers are always happy with a camera that looks like a DSLR, because they think they are getting a lot more bang for their buck. Not only that, but on paper this camera looks amazing, 20 mega pixels, 26x zoom, HD movies all at $250. While the sensor used isn’t the best (its Sony’s 20 mega pixel CCD), and the camera is a bit on the slower side, consumers will be more than willing to pick this up on looks and specs alone.
The good:
-Affordable
-Looks professional
-Good zoom
The bad:
-Weak CCD sensor
-Only 720p video
Who this camera is made for:
-Someone who wants a professional looking camera at a budget price.
HX300
This is the camera I am having the most trouble understanding. Priced at $500, you get a camera that has more zoom than the HX200v, faster autofocus at the cost of no longer having a GPS unit within the camera. This lens will essentially give the camera an affective 100x clear image zoom, which is extremely impressive for a camera. Current HX200v owners aren’t missing out on much however, as this camera isn’t much of an upgrade beyond zoom range. At the current price, it’s targeting a real niche market.
The good:
-Up to 100x clear image zoom
-Fast focus
The bad:
-No more GPS coming from the HX200v
Who this camera is made for:
People who really need zoom in their everyday photography
TF1
The super durable camera segment has always been an area where Sony has struggled. The TF1 aims to fix this with its ruggedness. Capable of going down to 33 feet, being dropped over 5 feet, and also dustproof this is one durable camera. The 16 mega pixel CCD should offer decent image quality and 4x zoom is looking good. I expect this camera to be a strong seller for people in need of an underwater camera due to its cheap price of just $199. Those looking for better image quality should get the TX30.
The good:
-Durable
-Price
The bad:
-CCD sensor
Who this camera is made for:
-People who want an affordable rugged camera.
TX30
As a huge fan of the original TX1, I am very happy that Sony is finally bringing back its TX line of cameras. This TX30, priced at $350 this is a more premium water proof camera. With a maximum depth of 33 feet, and its new 18 mega pixel sensor, this camera should be capable of pretty impressive underwater imaging. This camera was designed for customers that want more than the TF1, and are willing to pay for it.
The good:
-Image sensor
-Small size
The bad:
-Not as durable as other underwater cameras
Who this camera is made for:
-People who want the best quality pictures possible in an underwater camera.
Knowing all of these cameras, to me it is clear that Sony has put a very strong effort into making sure their new line is as diversified as possible. From a sales standpoint, I can see the WX80, TF1, and H200 being the most popular from this new line, with the WX300 close behind.
