Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W100

Value (7.25)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W100 is priced at $349, which is decent for its 8 megapixels and sleek point-and-shoot frame. While not exactly an ultra-slim model, the W100 does have a positive aesthetic element while still being very portable. The W100 also has a lot of other great qualities: manual control, a 2.5-inch LCD screen, a wide ISO range, and vast amounts of resolution. Sure, Sony took some shortcuts, like the poor resolution on the LCD screen and the pedestrian burst mode, but the W100 remains very affordable for what it is. At $349, this Cyber-shot is priced below much of its competition.

Comparisons
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 – This 7.2-megapixel model is the next step down from the W100 and offers many similar features. The bodies are almost identical, but the subtle visual differences are important. On the W70, the optical viewfinder is placed above the LCD screen; this is great for greasing up the screen with noses. The W70’s flash is also off-center from the lens, so its coverage isn’t as even, and in the top right corner, where fingers will likely wander into its path. The other physical difference between the two cameras is that the Cyber-shot W70 adds a finger grip that simplifies handling a bit. Both cameras have 3x optical zoom lenses, 2.5-inch LCD screens, and long-lasting batteries that shoot for 360 images per charge. Movie modes are the same, and both offer the function guide. Both have the High Sensitivity mode, but the W70’s top ISO rating is 1000 instead of 1250 like the W100. The Sony W70 has slightly less internal memory at 58 MB, which is still a lot compared to other compact digital cameras. Perhaps the biggest distinguishing factor between the two models is that the W100 has manual functionality and the W70 does not. Instead, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 offers automatic and scene modes and lets users control everything except the shutter speed and aperture. If manual control isn’t important, the Sony W70 offers just about the same camera for a retail price of $299.

Canon PowerShot A620 – With a 7.1 megapixel image sensor, this digital camera does not offer quite as much resolution as the W100, but has a similar point-and-shoot concept. The Canon A620 isn’t as sleek and modern-looking as the Sony W100, though; it has a thick hand grip, a wide, heavy body, a 4x optical zoom lens, and a 2-inch LCD monitor that folds out from the camera body and rotates. Like the Sony W-series, this Canon PowerShot A620 keeps the traditional optical viewfinder on its body. Unfortunately, the viewfinder on the A620 is completely inaccurate and even blurry. This point-and-shoot digital camera has automatic modes, priority modes, and full manual control. It’s quite easy to use and is even powered by AA batteries, which last an impressive 350 shots. The Canon A620 has a limited 50-400 ISO range, a measly 16-megabyte SD card included in the package, and no internal memory, but still has a lot to offer at its relatively cheap price. It performed well in color and resolution tests and even kept noise to a minimum. Even without the high sensitivity, it captured great low light images. The Canon PowerShot A620 retailed for $399 when it was released last August, but can be found for about a hundred dollars less now.

Nikon Coolpix P4 – The Nikon Coolpix P4 has 8.1 megapixels and a slightly longer 3.5x optical zoom lens. A vibration reduction mode, which effectively minimizes normal camera shake for up to three shutter speed stops, complements the lens. The P4 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen that has way more resolution than the Sony W100’s with its 150,000 pixels. Users have to rely on the LCD screen on this camera, since there is no optical viewfinder to use as a backup. This is a little worrisome, especially because the included lithium-ion battery only lasts for 200 shots per charge. The Nikon Coolpix P4 has 16 scene modes, an auto mode, a movie mode that records VGA video at 30 frames per second (without requiring any special media), and an aperture-priority mode which lets users control the aperture within ten steps. This camera includes Nikon’s unique technology suite that fixes red-eye, adjusts backlighting compensation, and automatically searches for faces using its face-priority auto focus mode. The Nikon Coolpix P4 has a similarly sized body at 3.6 x 2.4 x 1.2 inches and 5.9 oz. It has less than half the amount of internal memory available in the Sony W100, though. The Nikon P4 includes 24 MB to store its image files, and retails for $399.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 – 8.4 effective megapixels and a longer 4x optical zoom lens are definite strong points for this Panasonic digital camera. Better yet is the optical image stabilization that keeps pictures from looking blurry and movies from looking like earthquakes. The LX1 does not have an optical viewfinder, but uses its 2.5-inch LCD screen instead. While the same size as that on the W100, the screen on the LX1 comes with more resolution at 207,000 pixels. The Panasonic LX1 produced good colors and decent low light shots, but images were horribly noisy and didn’t have the best resolution. This Lumix has a quicker burst mode that shoots 3 frames per second and several image formats, including its native 16:9 mode. Full manual control, as well as priority and automatic modes, is available on the LX1. The body is constructed of durable aluminum, but the controls and small and the zoom toggle is slick. For a pricy $599, the Panasonic LX1 comes in a package with a great software program.

Fujifilm FinePix E900 – This digital camera has full manual control in a chunky body. Although the E900 is still compact, a large right-hand grip and a 4x optical zoom lens protrude from the front. This 9-megapixel camera has a 2-inch LCD screen that is smaller than the W100 but has the same 115,000 pixels of resolution. Only four scene modes are available, including a Natural Light mode that is similar to the Sony W100’s High Sensitivity mode. The W100 uses up to ISO 1250 though, and the Fuji E900 uses up to ISO 800. Not as attractive as the sleek, flat W100, the E900 is an impressive performer. In our tests, it produced decent color and low light shots, and shot about 2 fps in burst mode. Its top performance came when we tested its 9 megapixels of resolution. During manual ISO noise testing, it also scored high, keeping images clean of obnoxious speckles. The Fujifilm FinePix E900 does not have any internal memory, but does operate on 2 AA batteries. It retails for $499, but currently sells for about $399 online.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – With several automatic modes, a help guide, and an easy to use interface, the Sony W100 is geared for the point-and-shoot crowd. Its size is portable and its features appealing to those who hang onto tradition.

Budget Consumers – The Sony W100 packs 8 megapixels of resolution into a tiny space. The digital camera retails for $349, a similar price to that of other point-and-shoot models.

Gadget Freaks – The W100 has basic features and wouldn’t interest consumers who are looking for a more innovative digital camera to show off. This Sony Cyber-shot just doesn’t have what it takes.

Manual Control Freaks – A manual mode allows users to tweak the W100’s shutter speed and aperture. There is also a nice 64-1250 ISO range that can be manually adjusted. Still, this Sony doesn’t have a custom white balance mode, which will drive manual control freaks up the wall.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists – This Cyber-shot is certainly no match for a serious hobbyist. While it does have some manual control, its capabilities are still quite limited for someone who wants to take clear shots of the stars and drag the shutter a bit to capture all the color in a sunset.