The new Sony DSC-W1 blends
elements from last year's DSC-V1 the
first Sony camera with this shape; from the recently released DSC-T1;
and from the DSC-P100 reviewed
here last month.
From the V1, the W1 inherits
a compact and rectangular metallic body style — available
in silver or black — that sets it apart from other Sony
digital cameras. From the T1, the W1 picks-up a large
2.5 inch LCD monitor. And from the P100, the W1 incorporates
a 3X Vario-Tessar Carl Zeiss lens, and most of its photographic
capabilities and modes.
Like the P100, the W1 is a less
complicated camera than the V1. The chromed 2-stage
shutter release is surrounded by the Mode dial on
the top right side. The Power switch, to the left, is slightly
recessed and has its status indicated by a green LED.
The Mode dial provides 12 positions including the Playback and Setup positions.
The other 10 positions are recording modes:
Auto Mode: is the simplest
recording mode. It lets the W1 handle all settings but
by the same token offers few user controls aside from image
size.
Program Mode: is the
alternative to the Auto mode. With the Program mode the
camera still selects the aperture and shutter speed, but
the user has control over all the other possible settings
for the camera, including sensitivity (ISO), focus mode,
metering, etc.
Manual Mode: allow control
over the selection of the aperture and of the shutter speed.
The shutter speed range covers from 1/1000 sec down
to 30 seconds and two apertures are available: f2.8
and f5.6 at the widest angle and f5.2 and f10 at the maximum
telephoto setting.
The Mode dial of the DSC-W1 also offers Scene modes, designed
to set the most appropriates parameters according to the subject:
Twilight Mode: sets the
flash to Off and forces sensitivity to 100 ISO to reduce
noise. Noise reduction is applied to images captured at low
shutter speeds (maximum 2 seconds).
Twilight Portrait Mode:
uses Auto white balance, 100 ISO, and uses the flash in Slow
Synch. Should Red-eye Reduction be necessary, it has to be
enabled in the Setup menu. Shutter speeds can be as long
as 2 seconds and noise reduction is applied to long exposures.
Candle Mode uses a centre
focus — not the default multi-area — sets the
white balance to daylight a,d cancels the flash. Sensitivity
is set to Auto and can vary from 100 to 250 ISO. The lowest
shutter speed is 1 sec.
Landscape Mode: operates
with a shutter speed range of 1/8 sec to 1/2000 sec., allows
2 flash modes, Off or Forced On and sets the
sensitivity automatically from 100 to a maximum of 320 ISO.
Beach Mode: increases
blue saturation to enhance beach scenes. Sensitivity is automatically
controlled and ranges between 100 and 320 ISO. Flash modes
are limited to Forced On or Off and shutter
speeds only go as low as 1/8 sec.
Soft Snap Mode softens
focus to improve portraits and accentuates skin tones. Sensitivity
is automatically selected by the camera and can range from
100 to 320 ISO while the shutter speeds cover from 1/8 to
1/2000 sec.
The final capture mode is the Movie mode:
Movie: serves to record videos
in any 1 of 3 formats:
640 (Fine): offers a 640 x 480 pixel frame size but
is only available if a Memory Stick Pro is used.
640 (Standard) also records a 640 x 480 pixel frame,
but with a stronger compression. Standard Memory Sticks can
be used.
160 has a frame size of 160 x 112 pixels and a standard
compression.
In all cases, movies are recorded at 25 frames per second and
the optical zoom is disabled during recording. Focus, exposure
and white balance are adjusted as necessary during the recording.
Recording lasts as long as there is space on the Memory Stick.
The other 2 positions of the dial, starts
the Playback mode; while serves
to set basic camera settings. (See the Interface and Software section
of the review for a complete list of the options contained in the Setup menu.)
Although equipped with a 2.5 inch, 123,200 pixel LCD monitor, the DSC-W1
also provides an optical viewfinder. Indeed, while the large LCD screen
of the W1 is very practical, when it is used under direct sunlight it can
become difficult to see even at its brightest setting without having to
be shaded with the hand, and this is when the viewfinder is appreciated.
Moreover, the viewfinder has three LEDs on its right which make it possible
to use the camera without having the LCD monitor turned on.
The top LED is red and serves to
indicate when the Self-timer is on, or the camera is saving an
image. The middle LED is green and indicates the status of the
auto focus and auto exposure. When the camera has successfully
locked both focus and exposure, the LED is solidly lit, and a
beep is heard. Should the camera be unable to focus, the LED
flashes slowly. The lower LED is orange and indicates that the
flash may be needed by flashing slowly, or is charging; while
a solid orange light indicates the flash is ready for use.
The other external controls of
the W1 are all on the right side of the large monitor. The rocker
control for the zoom is on the top right, moving the lens towards
the wide angle end when pressed on the left, and the telephoto
end when pressed on the right side. Moreover, the control also
serves show thumbnails in Playback ,
9 per screen, or zoom out of
an image that has been magnified (up to 5 X) with the side.
The Monitor button ()
is directly below the zoom control and serves to control the LCD screen
and its information overlays.
In the capture modes the Monitor
button cycles the monitor through 4 steps at each press. The
first step displays the image with indications overlaid on top
that show most of the camera's current settings. The second display
adds a real-time histogram showing the distribution of brightness
in the frame. The third display mode removes most of the information,
but leaves indications of the focus mode and the AF point.
Finally, pressing the monitor button
once more turns off the monitor to conserve power.
In Playback, four similar options are offered (animation at right).
The monitor can show the image by itself; or the image and some information;
or the image and information augmented by a histogram showing the brightness;
or the monitor can be turned off to save power when the W1 is hooked up
to a television.
Next down is the button
and it calls up the menu corresponding to the selected mode.
A four direction control with a centre button used for confirmation occupies
most of the remaining space on the back of the W1. The direction buttons
allow navigating the menus, or selecting photos for display in Playback.
As usual with Sony digital cameras, each of the direction controls provides
an additional function when a menu is not displayed on the screen:
the up arrow selects
the Flash modes: Auto, Forced On, Slow Synchro, Forced
Off. Red-eye Reduction can be enabled from the Setup menu.
the right arrow starts the Macro
Mode which has a focusing distance of 6cm (2.34 inches)
when the lens is at the wide angle setting, and 30cm (11.7
inches) when the lens is at the maximum telephoto position.
the down arrow starts the Self-timer.
When active the self timer provides a 10 second delay after
the shutter release is pressed.
Quick Review: allows entering
a simplified Playback mode without turning the Mode Dial
to the Playback position. Touching the shutter release returns
the camera to the shooting mode. The Quick Review mode is
limited however: only the last image captured can be seen;
the camera cannot display the Playback menu, an the image
shown can only be magnified for a closer inspection, or deleted.
The last button on the back of the DCS-W1 is which
is the Image Size/Delete button. It pops-up its own menu from which the
image size is selected. (See the Characteristics section of the
review for more information.)
The DSC-W1's size, approximately
9.1 x 6 x 3.6 cm (3.5 x 2.35 x 1.4 inches) when turned off and
its weight, around 250 grams (8.7 oz) makes it easy to carry
it around. In addition, the camera's ergonomic design makes it
comfortable to use, in part because the controls are well laid
out and spaced sufficiently far enough apart to avoid mistakes;
and for another because under most circumstances the 2.5 inch
LCD monitor is so legible.
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Introduction
starts
the Playback mode; while 
serves
to set basic camera settings. (See the Interface and Software section
of the review for a complete list of the options contained in the Setup menu.)
,
9 per screen, or zoom out 
of
an image that has been magnified (up to 5 X) with the 
side.
)
is directly below the zoom control and serves to control the LCD screen
and its information overlays.
button
and it calls up the menu corresponding to the selected mode.
which
is the Image Size/Delete button. It pops-up its own menu from which the
image size is selected. (See the Characteristics section of the
review for more information.) 
