Review of the Sony DSC-W1 Cybershot 5.1 Megapixel Digital Camera

I've gone through numerous generations of digital cameras over the last seven years or so and by far my favorite is the Sony DSC-W1 with its large LCD display and easy navigation system. The Sony DSC-W1 is a 5.1 megapixel camera in Sony's line of Cybershot cameras. Its 2.5 inch LCD display screen makes taking and viewing photos a snap.

The menu is incredibly easy to use along with the various modes. Within minutes of installing the batteries, I was taking, viewing and editing my photos. I like that I can take pictures at full 5.1 megapixel resolution and later decide if they're worthy of that much file space. The Cybershot lets me decide after the fact, what size I'd like to save it in (providing I initially shoot it at a high resolution, I can step it down later in the camera, before downloading).

This is a nice feature, especially if a particular photo is one I'd like to email. I can save a second copy in VGA, or email, mode. The Sony Cybershot DCS-W1 also allows for in-camera cropping. Simply use the zoom button to close in on the image then access the digital camera's menu function and choose "trim". This then crops the image and asks what file size to save it in. The ability to take MPEG movies is super handy and the quality is fine in a pinch. When giving birth to my son, our video camera let us down with a dead battery. Thankfully, I had my Sony Cybershot. I was able to get video of the first few minutes of my son's life that I would've missed otherwise.

The rechargeable AA NiMH batteries come with a charger and last several hours. It also takes regular AA's as a backup. The camera displays the battery status so I always know where I stand. On the rare occasion when the battery runs low, I turn off the LCD display and shoot using the viewfinder extending the amount of time the batteries have left. The pocket size digital camera has just the right amount of heft to it to feel comfortable in hand yet it's small enough to tuck in a pocket or a purse. Sony has since come out with smaller and thinner cameras in its Cybershot line.

The Sony DSC-W1 comes equipped with a 3x Carl Zeiss optical lens with a built in lens cover. If the 3x magnification isn't enough, I can use the digital zoom to further zoom in to my subject. For extreme close ups, such as for flowers, the camera has a macro function. The macro works by pushing a button on the back of the camera, making it as simple as using a flash.

The Sony DSC-W1's picture quality is excellent in automatic mode. It also has manual controls as well as presets for various lighting conditions. These are all easy to access and use, not intimidating as other cameras I have used tend to be. This Sony digital camera comes with a 32MB Memory Stick. I upgraded to a 256 MB Memory Stick Pro instead because I wanted the freedom to take and store more photos and videos at the higher resolutions.

Downloading photos from my Cybershot to my computer is easy using a 2.0 USB port. I can also directly connect the Memory Stick into a Memory Stick slot on my VAIO laptop. I've been using DSC-W1 for about two years now and haven't seen the need to upgrade. Sony has continued to improve the Cybershot line and if the DSC-W1 is the base model, it's a pretty sure guess the next generations are excellent digital cameras as well.