• Very sharp, high resolution images, very good colour accuracy and saturation
• Significant improvements over last years model:
  • Better build
  • Better control layout (mode dial, more manual controls on camera back), better power switch, jog-dial
  • Improved hand grip
  • New JPEG Standard as well as JPEG Fine compression settings
  • More "photographic" options, finer range of apertures and shutter speeds
  • Improved colours
  • Better low light / long exposure performance
  • Two image burst mode
  • One-push manual white balance
  • Selectable ISO sensitivites
  • Gone is the aperture priority crippling 1/30 sec limit
  • On-screen and status LCD exposure display
  • Smaller yet brighter, coated LCD provides almost 99% frame view (excellent), turn the backlight to "Bright" and the LCD can be used even in the brightest sunlight
  • AF assist lamp
  • Dedicated setup mode and better designed on-screen menus
  • Flash hot-shoe (but only for dedicated Sony flash units)
  • LCD status panel moved to rear and more information displayed
  • MPEG EX storage space unlimited MPEG movies
• Excellent battery & supplied AC adapter / charger
• Relatively good macro ability
• USB connectivity
• EPSON Print Image Matching compliant
• Superb price

• Slow startup times (thanks to the extending lens)
• Zoom controller is too sensitive (not enough different zoom positions)
• Battery / Memory Stick compartment on the base of the camera
• Terribly positioned tripod mount
• MPEG movies only 8 frames per second in MPEG EX mode
• Barrel distortion at wide angle
• Some visible chromatic aberrations
• Lack of a range preset white balance modes

Overall conclusion

Here's my rating of the Sony DSC-S75: (3 megapixel compact prosumer)

Sony have taken a good digital camera and made it even better, when you first pick up the S75 it's obvious that they've made quite a few ergonimic and external design changes but it's only when you start using and analysing what's changed do you see the number of changes that have been engineered into this new camera. What's interesting is if you take a look a the list of cons from the conclusion to my DSC-S70 review, then compare it to the list of improvements in the new camera... Maybe Sony do listen to us.

Having now updated this review with results from a production camera my conclusions stand, the most important changes from the original review are much faster shot-to-shot times (just 3.6 seconds), slightly cleaner colours, marginally higher resolution and the repositioned power switch (out of the way of accidental power-offs).

The Sony DSC-S75 enters the 3 megapixel 3x zoom market with an aggressive low price, considering the excellent set of features, good build quality, great image quality and bundle (remember, the battery and AC adapter are included). At this price it's really hard to beat. *U

Highly Recommended

So which one should I buy? A question I get asked several times a day, and I wouldn't like to say. In a new addition to my reviews (after the amount of feedback I normally get) I've added a link to a specific forum in which you can discuss the review or ask me specific questions which I've not answered in these pages.

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