From the front, the W380 looks sleek, smart and considerably more expensive than it is. Things are rather less exciting around the back, with a 2.7in screen and basic controls.
There’s no manual control over exposure or focus either, but you do get Sony’s fantastic iSweep Panorama mode that captures panoramic photos simply by rotating the camera. Sadly, the Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur modes found in the Sony TX5 and TX7 aren’t included here.
Video quality is excellent, with crisp details and a high-quality soundtrack. The zoom and autofocus are fully functional during recording, and AVC compression keeps the 720p clips to manageable file sizes.
Photos were another matter. Autofocus times were quick but the W380 took so long to save its 14.1-megapixel photos that it became frustrating to use. The continuous mode started well at 1.4fps, but slowed to 0.5fps after four exposures.
The lens has some impressive specifications. The 5x zoom starts at an ultra-wide 24mm, and its f/2.4 aperture captures more light than most compacts manage. Focus left a lot to be desired, though, running from slightly soft in the centre of the frame to extremely blurry in the corners. It doesn’t make a good partner for the camera’s 14-megapixel sensor, and resulting images disappointed, with excessive noise the main problem. Shots at ISO 100 looked a little grubby in shady areas, and at ISO 400 and above details became blotchy smudges.
The W380 looks appealing, both on paper and in the flesh, but the quality of its photos are considerably less attractive. As a result, it lags some way behind the front-runners this month.