January 17, 2007 – Just days after CES concluded, Sony is gearing up for PMA 2007 by announcing four new entry-level cameras, including the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 and W35 with function and resolution guides. The Sony W55 and the Sony W35 are both 7.2-megapixel cameras. The W55 will retail for $200, and the Sony W35, which will be offered in an array of colors, will retail for $180 when the products debut in February.
“Now that digital cameras are personal items, it’s common to have more than one camera per household,” said Sony Electronics director of marketing of digital cameras Phil Lubell. “Our new models are solid performers that will be easy for novices to digital photography to use and at the same time meet the needs of more advanced users,” said Lubell.
In line with their point-and-shoot cameras, the new Cyber-shot W55 and W35 come with Sony’s anti-blur technology, Sony’s Clear RAW noise reduction, and AF Illuminator assist light.
The new Sony W55 and W35 borrow many features from the older W70 model, including its 7.2 megapixel count, Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens, and sensitivity at ISO 1000. However, the new cameras come at a slightly lower price. While the current price of the W70 is marked at $249.95, the new cameras' price tags are $200 and less. Like the W70, the Sony W55 has a 2.5-inch LCD while the Cyber-shot W35 has a 2-inch LCD.
To aid beginner users, the new Cyber-shot cameras include the Sony function guide which is accessible from the mode dial. In an effort to take the guesswork out of shooting, according to a Sony press release today, the function guide includes explanation text to accompany menu icons. The W55 and W35 will also have a resolution guide which is a pop-up screen that gives resolution with corresponding print sizes.
Both cameras have 56 MB of internal memory and accept Sony-specific Memory Stick Pro and Memory Stick Duo media. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 and DSC-W35 are compatible with Li-ion batteries that get 380 shots per charge. The Sony W55 is available in four colors: pink, blue, black, and silver.
Pre-orders start on Jan. 23 at www.sonystyle.com/cameras2007.
