Sony DSC-W55B Digital Camera

WHY DID I BUY IT?
A few weeks back, I was walking up Madison avenue and 56th street when I got the typical 'sky-is-falling' frantic call from my wife. "I need to list a property and I can't find my camera. I need one so please bring one home TODAY"…click ! After screaming nearly all the expletives from a Sam Kinison standup routine, I quickly ducked into the Sony Store across the street. While I consider most Sony products to be good on quality and reliability, I have always preferred to go with Canon for my digital cameras. I feel that the Canon SD series of cameras are the gold standard among compact digital cameras. I've owned many models starting from the SD110 to the SD630, and all have proven to be very capable and reliable. When I walked into the Sony store, I was prepared to spend roughly $350 to $400. However they had the latest models right up front, and the prices seemed excellent. The W55 was priced at $199 and was available in blue, black, pink and standard silver colors. It also had all the features needed to amply replace my wife's lost Canon. Even the button layout was almost identical to the Canon SD series. Since my wife hates (stereotypical feminine) pink, I purchased the sky blue camera for her.


WHAT's IN THE BOX?
The camera is included with everything you need to take pictures right out of the box, EXCEPT a memory stick duo card. It does however have 56MB of built-in memory, so you can take some pictures even without a memory card installed. The NP-BG1 lithium battery had a small charge already on it, which enabled me to test the camera immediately. Also included were a battery charger and a multi connection cable. This allows you to connect the camera to a USB port on your PC, or the video and audio (mono) jacks on your TV. Standard instruction manuals and application CD were also in the box.


WHAT's HOT ?

EASY TO USE:
Since I was very familiar with the Canon SD cameras, I found I could quickly access and use almost every feature on the W55, without opening the manual. The mode dial when turned, displays the corresponding function and description of that function on the LCD screen. There are various automatic settings such as Soft Snap, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Movie, Program (manual) and Auto. This makes it easy for even a novice to take good shots in various shooting conditions. The five way navigation buttons can be used to scroll thru images, flash settings, macro mode, exposure control and self timers.

EXCELLENT IMAGE QUALITY:
In the past two weeks I have used this camera in various settings and light conditions. And in almost all instances the images were in sharp focus and in true-to-life colors. Even the recorded video quality is sharp, bright and smooth at 640x480 and 30 frames per second. The potent combination of a 7.2MP Super HAD CCD image sensor with the superior Carl Zeiss optics, is evident in the terrific image quality. The 3X optical zoom is sufficient enough for good image framing. The W55 is capable of shooting at 1000 ISO. This is particularly needed when my wife takes photos of properties for sale, many of which have poor indoor lighting. Shots of the NY skyline had plenty of depth of field. The macro mode made it really easy for me to take pictures of all my old gadgets, for sale on eBay. I particularly liked the 'beach' mode which allowed for some spectacular shots of the bridge over the central park lake.

SUPER SHARP 2.5 inch LCD DISPLAY:
The 2.5" LCD display is super bright and clearly visible even on a bright sunny day. It is perfect for frame composition. It displays all the menus and options in a neat easily understandable format. However I would have preferred a larger 3 inch display.

BATTERY LIFE:
Sony claims a fully charged battery is capable of taking 380 shots. In the last two weeks I have taken about 150 shots (all with flash), and with the typical power on/off cycle between shots. I have still not had the need to recharge the battery after the initial charge. Even then, I would suggest taking a spare battery if you are going on a vacation. Better to be safe than sorry. Sony sells the NP-BG1 battery for $49. You can buy the same OEM battery on ebay for about $30.

INEXPENSIVE:
You can expect to spend $250 to $350 for cameras in this class, with similar features from Canon, Nikon and Olympus. At $199 the W55 is a steal for a compact camera with a 7.2MP Super HAD CCD sensor.


WHAT's NOT:

HUMDRUM DESIGN: While the W55 is a capable camera, it is very rectangular and boxy in design. Canon and Olympus are continually pushing the design standards with rounded corners and elegant lines. The Sony W55 on the other hand, looks like it was stamped out of sheet metal. Just my personal opinion, but I prefer the styling on the Canon SD cameras.

OPTICAL VIEWFINDER: The optical view finder is extremely small, and almost resembles a pinhole. It was obviously a slapped-on additional feature, which at best is difficult to use. Besides it is useless for frame composition, as the image seen thru it is much smaller than what is displayed on the LCD and that which is actually captured by the sensor. The LCD is the best for accurate frame composition.

NO ZOOM WHILE RECORDING VIDEO: While recording video, you cannot change the focal length (zoom in or out). You can set the zoom to any level prior to recording, but not during.

THE BOTTOMLINE:
Despite its uninspired utilitarian design, the W55 is quite a capable and versatile camera. It is ideally suited for novice and budding photography enthusiasts. The various quick access shooting modes make it easy to capture some stunning shots. However I would have paid more money for a larger 3 inch LCD display. In hindsight, I would have waited for the new Canon SD750.


Link to manufacturer website:
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=DSCW55%2fP