Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W35

Auto Mode (7.0)
For users intimidated by technology, the auto mode's easy-of-use will be a welcome relief. The menu system is limited to only two options; access to the setup menu and the burst modes. In addition to these settings, the user will still also be able to access the macro on/off, self-timer, exposure compensation and flash settings that are found on the four-way controller.

Movie Mode (7.25) 
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W35 comes with a movie mode that is capable of recording video with synched audio. The movie mode is entered by rotating the mode dial located on the back of the camera to the film strip icon.

The movie mode can capture video files in 640 fine, 640 standard, and 160. The settings are adjustable through the image size/delete button on the back of the camera body. The 640 fine setting captures video at 640 x 480 at 30 fps, while the 640 standard captures video at 640 x 480 at 16 fps and the 160 setting captures video at 160 x 112 at 8 fps. Before getting too excited, it should be noted that this camera will not capture the highest quality video setting when shooting without a Memory Stick Duo Pro memory card. 

Shooting video with the 640 standard setting resulted in stuttering and choppy video due to the reduction in frame rate. Audio is recorded by an in-camera microphone that is poorly positioned on the top face of the camera. When audio wasn’t being muffled by wandering fingers, the quality was tolerable and wasn’t overwhelmed by mechanical camera noise. Manual controls for focus, white balance, metering mode and color are also available in the movie mode.

Drive / Burst Mode (6.0)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W35 has two burst mode settings, and both can be found within the shooting menu under the REC Mode sub-menu. The multiburst option allows the user to capture a series of images in succession, and in the case of the burst mode, the user will be able to capture up to four images before recording to memory. In the case of the multiburst mode,  photographers will find that they are able to capture up to 16 images at a reduced image quality of 1 MP with the live display turned off. It is also possible to adjust the multiburst capture rate from 1/7.5 to 1/15th to 1/30th of a second in the multiburst interval sub-menu found within the shooting menu structure. With such a low resolution, it would be wise for the user to skip the multiburst mode’s image quantity in favor of the standard burst mode’s image quality.

Playback Mode (6.75)
The playback mode is entered by pressing the playback button directly above the upper-right corner of the LCD screen. In playback mode, the user will find a series of viewing, image editing, and printing options listed along the bottom edge of the LCD screen. The options included in this display are: image protection, folder information, image rotation, image resizing, dividing of video footage, and viewing images as a slideshow. In addition to these options, the user will also find that it is possible to view photos in a nine image multi-up format, single image standard display or single image with up to 5x playback zoom. Video footage is controlled via the left and right arrows of the four-way control after the select button has been pressed, and volume levels can be adjusted during playback by pressing the up and down arrows. The playback mode and menu system are easy to engage and navigate. In-camera image editing is rudimentary, and the lack of a corrective post-production in-camera red eye correction feature is disappointing. That said, the editing features that are included work quickly and precisely without huge delays when adjustments are saved to memory.

Custom Image Presets (5.5)
In recent years, digital camera manufacturers have begun competitively escalating the number of preset shooting modes in point-and-shoot digital cameras. With some of these point-and-shoot cameras being weighed down with upwards of 30 shooting modes, the question had to be asked, at what point do these modes stop being helpful shortcuts and become confusing and cumbersome displays that delay shooting? That said, the DSC-W35’s shooting modes are unlikely to overwhelm even the most novice of photographers. Each of the preset shooting modes is represented by an icon on the mode dial, and as users move the mode dial, a corresponding rotating graphic appears on the right side of the LCD screen along with a textual title. The preset shooting modes found with the DSC-W35 include snow, beach, landscape, twilight, twilight portrait, soft snap and high sensitivity. Depending on the preset, the user may find that control over flash or white balance remains possible.