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June 08, 2006
[ SONY CYBERSHOT DSC-W100 ]
Price: $700
Rating: 5 stars
The low-down: The Sony Cybershot DSC-W100 is an 8.1 megapixel compact camera with 38–114 (film equivalent) Zeiss zoom lens. The Sony sensor has a larger area than most of its compact competitors which has some consequences for image quality. Generally speaking bigger is better.
The all-metal case is robust, attractive and well finished. The W100 is neither particularly light or small and all the better for it. And fitted into the snazzy body is an optical viewfinder which immediately moves the camera to the top of the preferred list.
The 6.2cm LCD screen is large, bright and high resolution. All controls are well laid out and intuitive to use. Sony have joined the mainstream by now providing a discrete button for image replay.
Colour is generally good but the auto white balance is easily fooled in open shade. Exposure and focus are fast and spot on.
The W100 is a responsive camera with no troublesome shutter lag.
Sony boast a top ISO speed of 1250 but they are claiming a little too much. Images at 1250 are noisy, particularly in shadow areas. But to Sony’s credit they haven’t tried to gild the lily with aggressive noise reduction at 1250. The output may be noisy but it is honest. And the 1250 is certainly useable in low light and is no grainer than fast film.
Like this: The Sony W100 stands on the borderline between an automatic point and shoot and a more sophisticated camera with greater user control. Because it combines ease of use with excellent images it is suitable for the novice who aspires to better things as the digital medium is mastered.
Dislike that: The Sony W100 has a small internal memory after which a memory card is needed and this camera only takes Sony’s own Memory Stick Duo Pro, the most expensive portable memory of all.
Parting shot: The Sony Cybershot DSC-W100 has a street price of about $600 which makes it an outstanding buy. Even with the high price of a Memory Stick it still represents excellent value. It is devoid of gimmicks and feels like a real camera, not an amusing electronic gadget. It lacks electronic image stabilisation but apart from that the Sony gets 5 stars because it perfectly fulfils its promised function.
*
Posted by terry at June 8, 2006 02:41 AM
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Comments
This is suprisingly like a review by The Age's green guide... So who did it first?
Posted by: dave at June 26, 2006 11:39 AM
Dave: I am the author of both.
The reviews first appear in the Age Livewire section and in the Sydney Morning Herald on-line version of Livewire and then I post them here on the blog.
My nom-de-plume for Livewire is Imaging, although all the reviews are published under my own by-line.
My nom-de-blog is dpexpert -- not a name I chose for myself. It was chosen for me. I would not be so bold.
Terry Lane
Posted by: Terry at June 26, 2006 11:25 PM
my mistake, think i was a bit quick to jump to conclusions.
Cheers, Dave
Posted by: dave at June 28, 2006 02:55 PM