Sony Cybershot DSC-W55

Sony Cybershot DSC-W55 is a 7.2 megapixel camera that is basically a point and shoot camera made for amateurs who are not too much concerned about the accuracy and detailing of the images. The price of the camera has fallen over previous months and has become a really attractive buy now.

Sony Cybershot DSC W55 specifications :

• Dimensions : 3.5″ x 0.9″ x 2.2″
• Resolution : 7.2 megapixels
• Display : 2.5″ TFT
• Light sensitivity : Upto ISO 1000
• Optical Zoom : 3x
• Digital Zoom : 6x
• Digital movie format : MPEG VX
• Still image format : JPEG
• Inbuilt memory : 56MB
• Supported memory : Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
• Approx. price : $200

The Sony DSC W55 camera has decent looks and the W series isn’t known for producing cameras with killer looks. But having said that, the W55 is just about an inch thick and is pretty light weight too. The controls on the camera are quite well arranged and using the camera is a breeze.

The W55 also has a viewfinder which is hard to find on a point and shoot camera. The power button and the review button are somewhat recessed into the body which makes using them a tad difficult. The small dimensions ensure that the camera fits into your pocket quite well. The 2.5″ TFT display screen is quite good but its visibility in sunlight is not good.

The camera performance is quite good and the startup time is just 1.3 seconds which is impressive. The time lag between shots is pegged at 1.4 seconds with flash disabled and jumps to 1.7 seconds with flash enabled. The still images turn out quite clear and well saturated. The images are well lit and the colors appear quite close to the natural scene. There is a hint of purple fringing though on the photos. Red eye is also predominant in the shots although that can be corrected on the PC using the bundled software.

The flash on the camera is not great and that reflected in the night shots. The night shots turn out blurry as a result. Shooting up the ISO levels brings in a good amount of noise in the photos but still it manages to churn out decent images.

Pros :

• Good image quality
• Fast performer
• Good build quality
• Relatively cheap

Cons :

• Weak flash
• Dull night shots
• Red eye problem

Final Thoughts

The Sony DSC W55 is a good point and shoot camera for amateurs as it offers various modes for shooting and not too many manual settings. The camera has a weak flash and also is plagued by the red eye problem. But otherwise it manages to capture good image shots. The camera performance is fast and a good build quality makes it good buy.

My Rating : 3.75/5