Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 Digital Camera Review

Likes

-All modes are on the dial -Lightning fast startup time -Lots of live views in menus -Clear noise-free images -Lots of resolution to waste

Dislikes

-Weak automatic focus mechanism -Poor color calibration using Auto WB (no custom option) -Skimpy on LCD resolution for a series dedicated to its screens -Can't delete all pictures at once -Horribly inaccurate viewfinder -Inadequate Picture Package software

Conclusion
Overall, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 pulls in a lot of desirable features for its retail price of $449.95. This isn't exactly a stellar deal unless you will really use all of the functions and features. It's like a pricey pair of shoes; if you're going to wear them a lot, get them - no matter the price you'll probably get your money's worth. The W7 upgrades from the W1 with 7.2 effective megapixels, but keeps the same 2.5-inch LCD screen that the W series is now known for with a slight decrease in screen resolution.

The Sony W7 aims to be the everyman's camera by offering manual and automatic modes and selling the camera in black and silver-colored bodies. Indeed, these features - coupled with the 3x Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar optical zoom lens and 32 MB of internal memory - should attract a wide audience. There are many strong elements and features included on the Cyber-shot W7, such as the 1/1.8-inch CCD and Real Image Processor that contribute to the clear, virtually noise-free images. The menus are easy to navigate and make choosing options easier with the live views that accompany nearly every function. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 also outperformed other compact digital cameras with its 1.3-second startup time.

Of course, there are some strong downsides to this model as well. The optical viewfinder is completely inaccurate, the aperture and white balance controls don't offer much manually (seems to be more in the way of padding for the specs), and the delete function is tedious in the playback mode. Also, the automatic focus control will present a problem if you use the camera frequently - it is temperamental and often inaccurate, leading to a lot of wasted frames.

Also, when you buy a Sony digital camera, you're bound to spend more money than you expected on Sony products. For example, if you really want to use the fluid 30 fps movie mode, you have to buy the Sony MemoryStick Pro (not included with the camera). If you want to use conversion lenses, you have to buy the lens adaptor too. So if you've got a pocketbook full of cash and you're looking for a small camera with a mega amount of megapixels and some added features, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 won’t be the best bargain, but it might be what you're looking for.