The Sony DSC-W50 belongs
in that group of very compact cameras that are no bigger than
a deck of cards. This particular model offers a 6-megapixel
resolution, a Carl Zeiss 3X optical zoom, and a generous 2.5-inch
monitor.
Controls are organized classically on the top right side
of the camera: on the left is the power button, which
is ringed by an indicator light that glows green when the
camera is on.
On the right is the two-stage
shutter release that locks the auto focus and auto
exposure when pressed to the halfway point, and which is ringed
by the zoom control.
With the DSC-W50 in the Playback mode, the zoom control serves
to review images in index screens
with 9 thumbnails per screen when pressed to the W
side, or zoom
into part of an image under review up to 5X when pulled towards
the T side.
Although it features a 2.5-inch
LCD monitor composed of 115,200 pixels, the DSC-W50 is
also equipped with an optical viewfinder.
The viewfinder is very basic and positioned at the centre
top of the camera, which is not overly practical since that
leaves little room for one's nose. Nevertheless, the viewfinder
still offers the advantages of both conserving the battery
power, and replacing the monitor when it is difficult to see.
To its left are two LEDs that serve to indicate auto focus,
or flash charging, or that the camera is accessing the memory,
both of which are easy to see from the corner of the eye when
using the viewfinder.
Further along to the right, near the corner of the monitor,
the
button serves to start the Playback mode when the camera is
in a capture mode.
In addition, when the camera
is turned off, the button can be used to turn the camera on
directly in the Playback mode without the lens being deployed.
Pressed a second time, it starts the capture mode. Worth noting,
the power button on top of the camera is required to turn
it off.
The upper right of the back
is occupied by the Mode Dial. When the camera is on and the
dial is turned, an animated dial appears superimposed on the
image, on the right side of the monitor. The animation reproduces
the movements of the mode dial, and displays a short description
of the mode (the description can be turned off in the menu).
The dial has 10 positions, each corresponding to a capture
mode:
The Auto Adjustment
mode leaves the camera in charge of selecting both aperture
and shutter speed and all other parameters, leaving only
the selection of the image size to the user.
Program Auto mode also
lets the camera select the aperture and shutter speed,
but leaves all other photographic parameters such as white
balance, exposure compensation, and sensitivity setting
to the discretion of the user.
High Sensitivity allows
the camera to boost the CCD sensitivity up to 1000 ISO
if necessary so that as fast a shutter speed as possible
can be used. In effect, this mode is equivalent to the
Sport mode found on other models.
Twilight allows a maximum
exposure time of up to 2 seconds. The flash is forced
off, and sensitivity is locked at 80 ISO. Noise reduction
is automatically applied to the image after capture.
Twilight Portrait also
allows an exposure time of as long as 2 seconds, but increases
sensitivity up to 160 ISO while setting the flash to Slow
Synch. If desired, Red-eye Reduction can be activated
in the Setup menu.
Snow automatically
applies exposure compensation to counteract the brightness
and reflectivity of snow on the metering. The sensitivity
is automatically adjusted over a range of 80 to 320 ISO.
Beach limits the flash
modes to Forced On or Forced Off, and shutter speeds to
a range that is faster than 1/8 second. Sensitivities
can range from 80 to 320 ISO and the camera increases
blue saturation slightly.
Landscape offers a
shutter speed range of 1/8 second to 1/2000 second and
allows the flash to operate as Forced On, or be Forced
Off. Sensitivity is automatically controlled and can range
from 80 to 320 ISO.
Soft Snap is a soft
portrait mode that softens sharpness while accentuating
skin tones. Sensitivity is automatically controlled between
80 and 320 ISO.
Movie allows the
DSC-W50 to capture clips with sound at any one of three
image sizes:
640 Fine: 640 x 480 pixels at 25 frames per
second with low compression. This format is only available
when a Memory Stick Pro Duo is used.
640 Standard: 640 x 480 pixels at 25 frames
per second, using a stronger compression.
160: 160 x 112 pixels at 25 frames per second.
During the recording, the zoom is locked at the first
frame but exposure and white balance are adjusted as the
recording progresses.
Two other buttons are arranged
below the Mode Dial. The upper one, DISPLAY, serves to
turn on or off the monitor, and to control the information that
is superimposed on it, while the lower button, MENU,
serves to bring up the menu that corresponds to the current
camera mode on the monitor. (See the Characteristics
and the Interface and Software sections of this review
for details about the contents of the DSC-W50's menus.)
In the capture modes,
the DSC-W50 presents some basic information about camera
settings, superimposed on the image: battery state,
capture mode, image size and quality, the folder name
into which images are being saved, the remaining number
of shots that can be captured, a graphic showing the
remaining capacity of the memory card, the AF zone,
and the AF mode.
Pressing the Display button
once adds a real-time histogram to the existing information,
illustrating the distribution of brightness in the current
scene. Pressing the button a second time frees the display
of all superimposed information with the exception of
the AF zone, the AF mode, and the focus point. Pressing
the button once more turns off the monitor.
And, when the shutter release is pressed halfway, irrespective
of the current display mode, the selected shutter speed
and aperture appear on the lower right of the monitor.
When the DSC-W50 is set
to the Playback mode, the default presentation of an
image on the monitor overlays a graphic indicating the
battery charge, the image size of the image under review,
the folder in which it is located, the position of the
image within those contained in the folder, a graphic
showing the remaining capacity of the memory card, and
the time and date at which the image was captured.
Pressing the button once
adds additional information: exposure compensation if
any, ISO setting, flash mode, white balance, shutter
speed and aperture and a histogram. Pressing the button
a second time removes all the information that was superimposed
on the image.
Next down is the 4-direction controller which surrounds
a small round button that serves to confirm menu selections.
The 4-direction control not only serves to navigate the menus
and move from one image to another in playback, it also controls
four specific functions when the camera is set to a capture
mode, each of these identified by an icon etched into the
control:
The up arrow serves to select the Flash
modes: Auto, Forced On, Slow Synch, and Forced Off. The
red-eye reduction mode is selected in the Setup menu,
and once active is available in all the active flash modes.
The right arrow starts the Macro mode,
which allows the camera to focus on a subject that is
at a minimum distance of 2 cm (0.8 in.) when the zoom
is set to the wide angle and 30 cm (1 ft.) when the zoom
is at the maximum telephoto setting.
The down arrow controls the Self-Timer,
which provides a delay of 10 seconds between the time
the shutter release has been pressed and the photo is
captured.
The left arrow serves to adjust the Exposure
Compensation, offering a compensation range of ±2
EV in 1/3 EV increments.
The last external control
is an elongated button below the 4-direction control, and
it too has a dual function:
With the DSC-W50 set to
a capture mode, the button serves to select the resolution.
(See the Characteristics section of the review
for more information.)
With the DSC-W50 set to the Playback mode the button
serves to delete unwanted images.
Compact and built with a solid
metallic exterior, the DSC-W50 is easily carried, and rugged
enough to travel. Its controls are well-designed and ergonomically
placed, so their location and function become familiar quite
quickly. Yet, two items could have been better: the Mode Dial
is easily turned when the camera is slid into a pouch, requiring
that its position be checked when withdrawn from a carry pouch;
and the viewfinder is placed too close to the centre of the
camera’s top, making its use somewhat awkward.
Ergonomics
with 9 thumbnails per screen when pressed to the W
side, or zoom 
into part of an image under review up to 5X when pulled towards
the T side.
button serves to start the Playback mode when the camera is
in a capture mode. 
