Sony DSC-W55B Digital Camera

They always say that you get what you pay for.... purchase the cheapest camera available and you'll take cheapest looking pictures. Spend a bit more, and you'll get a bit more.

The Sony DSC-W55, one of the Sony cameras in the Cyber-shot series is marketed to the basic person that doesn't need a super duper camera, but wants a digital camera that is easy to use and produces good quality pictures. While the Cyber-shot might be a bit on the expensive side for someone in this category - it certainly makes up for its price tag with a number of options and features.

My Experience... and Where I'm Coming From
If you don't really care, skip below to the next section. However, this little introduction might give you an idea about whether this review will pertain to your needs.

I consider myself just to be an Average Joe. (Actually, I'm an Average Mike). I don't professionally take pictures or portraits, I don't take pictures that are going to make a difference in anyone's life. All I do is take pictures of stuff I want to remember... mostly trips and my son.

Truthfully I don't know enough about megapixels and shutter speeds to speak intelligently about figures and numbers... and honestly I couldn't care less. You won't find any information about stuff like that in this review... Just give me a camera that takes good pictures.

I purchased this camera about a year ago before my wife and I went on a cruise to Mexico. We wanted a basic camera that would take good pictures and was easy to use. Our biggest desire was a camera that quickly took a picture and then was immediately ready to go for another picture. About a month ago my wife delivered our first son and we've been using this camera non stop in the past four weeks.

Availability and Pricing
A number of the Cyber-shot models are readily available at most retail outlets such as Circuit City and Best Buy as well as at major retailers such as Walmart and Target. An online search of "Sony Cyber-shot" as well as "DSC-W55" both turned up plenty of online stores that sell this camera.

The price tags found at various stores ranged from about $260 to $290... a bit on the expensive side, but as you read below you'll find that it might be worth investing a few hundred dollars to get what you want.

Initial Setup
Right out of the box, the camera is ready to go and easy to setup. With a bit of technical knowledge anyone can easily figure out how to install the rechargeable battery and flash card.

If you are technically challenged, the instruction manual and camera itself can be a little overwhelming, so if you are completely clueless I would recommend you find the neighborhood geek that can give you the 10 minute introduction.

The battery pack and flash card both slide into the base of the camera and an optional wrist strap ties onto the side. That's all that is required to get you going after opening the box. Although I purchased it over 12 months ago, I remember I was able to start using it right away without much though. The battery pack had at least enough juice in it to get me started without charging it.

The Camera Itself
The physical design of the camera is a nice change compared to some of the older, bulkier Sony models. Its lightweight and compact design make it easy to carry in your pocket. There are few adjuncts that stick out from the camera so I don't often worry about breaking something off. The camera is also built fairly solidly so I don't worry to much about dropping it, although this isn't something I would recommend based on the $260+ price tag!

Taking Pictures
Like I said, my biggest desire with a digital camera was the ability to quickly take multiple pictures fast. When my kid smiles cause he's about to fart, I want to be able to capture the moment (minus the smell). The Cyber-shot quickly boots up and is ready to shoot in a matter of seconds. Shooting the actual picture can either be instantaneous or up to about a second depending on how quickly it can auto focus, but most of the time it will quickly snap the shot. The camera is also ready to go right away after the picture is taken so multiple pictures can easily be acquired.

The camera has a few settings that the user can change... the settings are given easy to figure out names like "Snow" "Beach" "Twilight" and "Landscape." My favorite is "Auto Program" which just selects the best operating mode automatically and takes the pictures. As I said, I like simple, easy, and quick.

Downloading Pictures
A relatively painless and simple process, the Sony Cyber-shot allows you to quickly download pictures onto a computer or quickly show them on a television. Included with the Sony Cyber-shot is a multifunction cord that connects the camera to either a USB port or an AV hookup. Because one cord does two things this cuts down on the amount of accessories you need to keep and store. However, this adapter is very unique to this particular camera so if you loose or damage the cord it may e a bit more difficult to replace compared to other cameras.

Included with the camera is Sony specific software that helps you download, edit, and organize your pictures. A more simple approach that I've found is to just use Windows XP to transfer pictures. Plugging the camera into any Windows XP computer quickly pops up an E: drive to quickly and easily transfer pictures.

Most of the pictures I take are shoot in the 2M size rather than the maximum 7M size available. These pictures are the perfect size if you want to order 5x7 or 4x6 prints which is mostly what I do. Each 2M picture takes up about 800 megabytes of space. Okay, so I said I wouldn't get too technical... so to put that into perspective, one writable CD stores about 85 pictures. A "one gig flash drive stores about 1250 pictures.

Picture Quality
And now onto the finished product! As I've said, I now use this to document my son's existence and in the past month I've taken well over 1,000 pictures to store electronically. Of these pictures about 100 or so have been converted to paper photos. (Personally I will upload them to Snapfish and then order them online for shipping or pick them up at Walgreens). The picture quality of printed photos is outstanding and there is absolutely no way to tell the difference between a picture I take with my Sony Cyber-shot and a 35mm camera.

I mostly order 5x7 and 4x6 pictures, but occasionally will get an 8x10 or 11x14 to hang on my wall or give as a gift. All sizes mentioned are excellent quality, even when pictures are taken in the 2M size format.

Battery Life
One of the best features of the DSC-W55 is the outstanding battery life you get from this camera. The rechargeable battery pack comes with a simple to use charger that plugs directly into a 120v outlet and gives a full charge to the battery pack in about 3 hours.

During my one week cruise to Mexico I needed to charge the battery once when I was about 5 days into the cruise.

Needed Accessories
When talking about accessories, you again get back into the problem of price. While the battery pack and wrist strap are included, these are about the only accessories you'll find in the box. Some recommendations to make your digital picture experience better and easier include a carrying case, flash card, and spare battery. Add another $75-$150 to the total price of this camera depending on how crazy you get and you can easily walk out of Best Buy or Circuit City spending well over $300.

Final Thoughts
As I said... give me a simple to use camera that takes great pictures. I don't want to know about megapixels, shutter speeds, or any other technical garbage. I want a camera that turns on, takes a picture, and lets me remember every first smile, first step, first day of nursery school, first date, first car, and first everything of my son.

While I may have paid a bit more than I could have with an alternative camera, I am truly happy with my purchase and for the average Joe, the proud father, or just the inquisitive photographer I highly recommend the Sony DSC-W55 Digital Camera.