Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W7 August 1st, 2005 | by David J Elrich

Performance

This camera is as easy to operate as a light switch.  Once you charge and load the two AA NiMH batteries and the flash memory, it's time to start taking photos.  Here's where the large LCD comes into play:  The screen is so big that you can easily read the clear onscreen menus and set the camera as you'd like—or simply start shooting in Auto or one of the scene modes.  Even though the menu is very understandable, I'd like Sony to follow the lead of HP and Casio by using in-depth descriptions of what each scene mode does.  Again, it would be a nice plus for the point-and-shoot photographer, but it doesn't really detract from the camera.

The screen is very good, even in bright light, but I did find myself going to the viewfinder in strong sunlight.  The screen has an Auto Gain Up in the dark.  When it gets too dark, just press the shutter halfway and the AF Assist lamp shoots out a beam of orange light, so you can see what's hiding in the pitch black.  Think of it as Sony's version of night vision goggles! 

Start-up time is very fast—just around a second.  Like all digicams, you press the shutter half way and the camera's circuitry does its thing.  Once you're happy with the composition, simply click and you've saved a 7-megapixel file (3072 x 2304) with virtually no lag time.  Sony and other major manufacturers have really addressed this very real consumer complaint and have sped digicam operations to the point where they are close to film cameras.  I even did a double take when I realized this was a 7MP camera in my hands; it was that fast.

The camera is CIPA rated to deliver 380 shots with the LCD on, using the two supplied batteries; that's than enough for a day's shooting—and then some—in our real-world trial.  The 512MB card holds around 137 full resolution images, close to six rolls of film, meaning you'll run out of things to shoot or space in your card before the batteries quit.  We kept the screen on all the time and did a lot of zooming and shooting videos.  

In Auto, this camera works beautifully.  Colors are very accurate, focusing is quick and, simply stated, the results are excellent.  The flash is very powerful and rated out to almost 15 feet.  The AF Assist lamp practically guarantees a well-exposed snapshot, no matter how dark the situation.  Where I did find some issues was in shooting images with soft edges; the Auto Focus tended to "grab" the subject rather than lock in.  This was a bit annoying, but reframing the shot or changing the default focusing from Multi-Point to Center easily dealt with it.  A warning icon appears if the camera thinks you're going to blur your shot, another nice touch. 

With a 7MP file, you can make powerful 8x10" and 11x14" prints.  You can also crop the image pretty severely and still have enough left over for a good-sized print, the key benefits for paying a little extra for the firepower.  The very similar 5MP DSC-W5 costs $50 less.  The -W7 also has a 14x Smart Zoom at VGA resolution, separating it from its less expensive sibling.  We're not big fans of digital zooms in any shape or form, since resolution always drops.  For us, this feature (found on every digicam) is for emergency purposes only.  We suggest you shoot at full resolution, then use your editing software to enlarge the subject.  Just make sure the Digital Zoom feature is disabled via the menu system.

The quality of the MPEG Movie VX Fine mode is also very good (640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second), pretty close to VHS levels.  As noted, this requires the more expensive Memory Stick Pro media.  The only other downsides to the video clips are the facts that they can only be recorded in Mono, and you cannot zoom in MPEG mode.  Remember, digital cameras are not replacements for camcorders; they just are nice options for grabbing spur-of-the-moment clips.  And since this camera does not have image stabilization like the DSC-H1, your viewers will get a little seasick unless you have a very steady hand or a tripod. 

Image Courtesy of Sony Electronics