The new 6 MP W30 and W50 – the only major difference between the two is that the W30 has a 2-inch LCD and the W50 has a 2.5-inch screen – are much lighter than you might expect because they’re made of a plastic-like polycarbonate that Sony calls “metal alloy,” though it’s hard to feel any metal in it. Going with an alloy makes them more affordable but cheaper feeling, almost like toys. They do have some serious features though, including Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lenses, ISO settings of up to 1000 and – surprise, surprise – optical viewfinders, which are pretty rare for cameras in this compact class. The W50 retails for $250 and the W30 goes for $230. They’re both available this month.
