There's no official press release, but brief product specifications for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S500 are available, and the camera can be pre-ordered on SonyStyle.com.

The DSC-S500's lens offers from 32mm wide angle to 96mm telephoto equivalent (the actual focal length range being 5.4 - 16.2mm). There's no optical viewfinder, with a large 2.4" 110k pixel LCD display being provided as the sole method of framing and reviewing images instead. ISO sensitivity ranges from 80 to 400.

Other features include a 320x240 movie mode (plus a choice of lower resolution), power from two AA batteries, and six scene modes. 25MB of built-in memory gets you started, while a Memory Stick Duo (PRO Duo compatible) card slot offers expanded storage. Sony includes its Cyber-shot Viewer v1.0 software in place of the ArcSoft bundle provided by Panasonic. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S500 will ship in August, priced at $180.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S500
General
Camera Type	Compact
Manufacturer	Sony
Model Number	DSC-S500
Dimensions	3.6 x 2.4 x 1.2" 92.4 x 62.0 x 31.2mm
Weight	186.0 g 6.5 oz
Planned Price	$180.00
Planned Availability	Aug 2006
Image Capture
Sensor Type	1/2.5" Sony SuperHAD CCD 6.20 megapixels (total) 6.00 megapixels (effective)
Aspect Ratio	4:3
Image Dimensions	2816 x 2112 (5.9 megapixels) 640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
Capture Speed	Continuous: 2.0 frames per second for 3 frames
Image Preview / Review
Viewfinder	No
LCD	2.4", 110,000 pixels
Lens
Lens Type	Sony 3x optical zoom
Image Stabilization	No
Focal Length	5.4 - 16.2mm (actual) 32 - 96mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range	Wide: f2.8 - 5.6, Tele: f4.8 - 9.7
Focusing System	Center Weighted
Focusing Range	Normal: 20" - infinity (50 cm - infinity) Macro: 2.0"
Exposure
ISO Sensitivity	Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400
Shutter Speed	1 - 1/2000 second
Metering Modes	49-segment matrix, center-weighted, spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance	Image Sensor - Automatic, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Incandescent
Internal Flash	Modes: Auto, Auto w/ red-eye reduction, Forced, Forced w/ red-eye reduction, Off, Slow Synch, Slow Synch w/ red-eye reduction Range: ISO Auto: 19 in to 8.2 ft (0.5 - 2.5 m)
Creative
Scene Modes	Beach, Candle, Landscape, Soft Snap, Twilight, Twilight Portrait
Digital Zoom	Up to 2.0x
Self Timer	Yes, 2 or 10 seconds
Movie Format	MPEG with audio 320x240 and 160x120 Max. frame-rate: 30 frames per second
Storage
Recording Medium	Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
File Format	JPEG
Connectivity
Video	Yes
Computer	USB 2.0 Full (LOW) Speed
Power
Battery Type	Alkaline disposable, NiMH rechargeable
Battery Form Factor	2 x AA
Product Bundle
Software	Cyber-shot Viewer Vers 1.0 + USB Driver (Windows)
Battery / Charger	2 x AA alkaline disposable battery
Flash Memory	25.0MB built-in memory
Other
PictBridge Compliant	Yes
Internal Microphone	Yes
Internal Speaker	Yes
Tripod Mount	Yes
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