I am primarily an SLR shooter. Not only do I find the manual controls and greater creativity options of an SLR useful, I also find that the very act of holding an SLR seems to inspire me for “serious” photography – a feeling I do not get when holding compact cameras. Yes, this is an irrational feeling and yes, I know that even a humble Olympus Epic is capable of taking great photos in the right hands. But that’s just the way it is.

These past few months, I have been doing a fair bit of self-driving across India with companions who are not photographers. And during that trip, I came to realize that I do not always have time to pull out the SLR, change lenses, put up a tripod and take the photo. Also, there were far too many moments when I was caught without a camera while a photo-worthy moment was taking place in front of my eyes. Let's just say you'll have to take my word that Elvis is alive.

As such, I started looking for a compact digital camera that would give me ultra-responsive shutter response, very good image quality and camera RAW, all in a package that was easily pocketable. I did not want to get an 8MP SLR-altenrnative (like the F828 or Minolta A2) because they seemed to be more of “SLR replacements”, while what I needed was an “SLR complement” – paying for all those extra features for something I did not need did not make much sense to me. So I decided to go for 5MPs, which would get me a good print quality up to 11x14s at a decent price.

Much searching later, I realized that no one camera offered all these features and I would have to trim my requirements. After much soul-searching, I decided to forego the RAW requirement and get a Sony DSC-W1, which had lighting-fast start-up and shutter response, a humongous LCD screen and, judging by reviews, offered sharp images.

Features and Ergonomics

A full list of features can be found on several places on the Web, and I will not attempt to replicate that here. Instead, I'll discuss the features of the W1 that I think are relevant for serious photography.

Size: The Sony DSC-W1’s sleek, compact body and fully retractable lens make it was a true pocketable camera - something that can be carried around all the time. The benefits of this are obvious - I have missed so many shots because either I did not carry my SLR around with me, or because I had the wrong lens, or because the SLR was not readily accessible. Now I had absolutely no reason to not carry a camera with me all the time. Moreover, the small, discreet size of the camera meant that it did not draw the same degree of attention as my Canon 10D + battery grip + 77mm diameter lens - this allowed me the opportunity to take shots that I would not have gotten with a big SLR.

Focal Length: A 3x Carl Zeiss optical zoom (more on that later) with an effective range of 38-114mm (in 35mm terms) gives the user enough coverage for most typical shooting situations.

LCD Screen: The other unique feature of the Sony is its (really) big 2.5-inch LCD screen. I have to admit that this, to me, isn’t important enough to be a “buy or leave” criteria, but I can certainly see the benefits of having a large screen for reviewing images. Even in bright sunlight, the screen retains enough detail and contrast to be useful – an area where even the DSLR is sometimes lacking.

Focus and Exposure: Focusing can be done either via an automatic 5-point AF system (top, bottom, left, right, center) or by using the center point only. When using the 5-point AF, the LCD shows which point has locked focus -and can adjust or over-ride if need be. For metering modes, the Sony offers a multi-segment metering mode as well as a spot meter. The Sony also comes with a real-time histogram that makes getting proper exposures very simple, as you can see how the dynamic range of the scene compares with the camera's exposure range before taking the photo. Focusing point and metering mode can be selected independently, with an ease that would shame even some entry level SLRs.

Others: The Sony provides a variety of automated modes – a full-auto where the camera does everything, a program-shift mode where the user can override some of the camera settings and several scene modes (landscapes, beach, candle light, twilight, night portraits and soft portraits). Also featured are several flash modes, exposure compensation, flash exposure compensation, and a macro mode that lets you focus up to 2 inches away. As with all digicams, the camera provides a variety of image size and quality settings (including a 3:2 setting as opposed to the typical 4:3 ratio), a digital zoom (which I always keep it off, preferring to crop in Photoshop later, if need be), image management features like review, protect, delete, etc. There is also the ability to imprint the date and time on your photos, just like you could with film compacts. A self-timer rounds out the feature list. You can also adjust the contrast, saturation and sharpness of the image in-camera, thereby obviating the need to do any adjustments in Photoshop (although Photoshop remains a more powerful tool for getting exactly the results that you want).

For a compact digicam, this is a fairly exhaustive list of features. About the only thing missing is ability to save files in camera RAW mode – which would have allowed the greatest control over the final results.

The camera also has a very good video mode, or so I am told. I didn’t use it, so I cannot comment on it.

Field Usage and Handling

Before I get into this section, I should clarify how I used the camera. This was my walk-around camera, meant to be used when an unexpected photo op presented itself. This was not my camera of choice for planned photography. My evaluations in this section are based on this criteria.

Let’s start with responsiveness – a main reason I picked up this camera. It delivers. See a scene you want to snap? Hit the power button after pulling the camera out of your pocket, and by the time you bring it up in position, it is ready to shoot. The 5-point autofocus is very fast in locking focus as well – which adds to the overall responsiveness of the camera. The camera displays also displays the selected AF point on the LCD, taking the guesswork out of figuring out the point of focus. Two big thumbs up on this front – this is one of the most responsive compact digital cameras I’ve had the pleasure of holding (and I’ve played with a lot – although not all).

Do note that I used this camera pretty much in “One shot” mode, and never used the continuous-shooting mode for "machine-gun-style" (well, what passes for machine gun on a compact digicam anyway) shooting or for action shots. As such, I cannot really comment on things like burst speed, cache writing speed, etc. If that is important to you, I’d suggest other sources.

All the main features related to photo-taking (exposure compensation, flash mode, focusing mode and white balance) are easy to access. In fact, I was able to use the camera and access all the functions I need (white balance, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation) right away, without even opening the manual. That is a huge plus for me, as I seldom bother carrying manuals with me when I travel.

Battery life is also surprisingly good for 2 AA batteries. The day after I bought the camera, I took it as a carry-along on a 5 day trek in the Himalayas. Despite the cold (it snowed for 2 of the 5 days), the batteries lasted throughout the trip and for a couple of days after – admittedly, under light usage, but impressive nonetheless. With my typical usage (20-30 shots a day), I have yet to use up the batteries in less than a week. If you are really nervous about battery life, carry a couple of extra, charged NiMHs with you – they’re cheap, light and compact.

The camera, in its JPEG/Fine mode, produces images that are approximately 2.2MB. On my 128MB card, this works out to approximately 60 images. With a spare 128MB card in my wallet, this gives me 120 images – more than enough for a day’s worth of shooting. If I expect to take more than 120 images a day, I’m most likely going to be using the DSLR anyway.

As far as usability and interface functions go, I have one minor complaint: the mode dial on the top of the camera turns too easily, and if you are not careful, you can end up shooting in the wrong mode. I’ve taken shots in manual mode (with whatever settings were there from the last time I used it) when I was trying to shoot in the Program Auto mode, resulting in improper exposure. However, after a couple of such instances, I've learned to reflexively check the mode before shooting.

Further, the viewfinder is laughable at best – tiny, tunnelly and not even close to full-frame. But that is common to virtually all digicams these days. I guess digicam manufacturers see no reason why we’d want to use a viewfinder when the LCD screen provides a full-frame, parallax-free preview of the shot. To some extent, I agree with that, especially with batteries being cheap and plentiful. But again, there is something about holding a camera up to your eye and looking through a viewfinder that appeals to me and tends to put me in the mood for serious photography. Maybe I’m strange.

Overall, I found it very easy to get the camera to do what I wanted from it. Obviously, it does not match up to the options of an SLR – but most of the difference is due to the limitations of the form factor, not due to interface design. That is a very, very good thing.

Image Quality

So great – it is a nice, feature-rich camera. But how good are the photos? That is what ultimately matters, after all.

The Sony comes with a 38-114/2.8-5.2 Carl Zeiss lens. While the Carl Zeiss name on the lens (under license, if I am correctly informed) may appear very compelling, do note that how the lens works with the sensor and processing algorithms is equally important.

In this case, I am pleased to say that the Sony performed very well indeed. Default images (i.e,. with in-camera adjustments set to 0) were sharp, contrasty and showed a good level of detail.

Chromatic aberration was quite low. For testing purposes, I shot a tree against a bright sky. JPGs and cropped 100% sections of the same are shown below. Purple fringing is noticeable, but to me, not noticeably so. Personally, I rarely shoot trees against bright skies - I prefer mellower, warmer light so mild purple fringing under extreme circumstances isn't exactly a huge cause of concern to me.

The original image(cropped and reduced in size)

A 100% crop of the above image

Certainly, with actual photos (as opposed to test shots) I have taken with this camera, I have yet to notice purple fringing at all.

There is a minor amount of barrel distortion at the wide end, but nothing significant. Virtually all wideangle lenses, especially zooms, exhibit this. For landscapes, people and nature shots, this does not matter.

The flash is adequate, as far as on-camera compact flashes go. While it doesn’t allow the same breadth of creative options as an external, powerful flash, its effective range of approx 8-11 feet (tele-wide) allows it to do a good job for snapshots and portraits. A slow-shutter mode allows the user to expose both the background and the foreground, a very pleasant bonus (a tripod is a virtual must for this, though).

Trekker hut in the Himalyas - shot using the camera flash in auto mode

As you can see from the above shot, exposure was very good and flash drop-off in the corners was minimal. Of course, I took this shot indoors and in a fairly small room - I wouldn't rely on this flash to provide a catchlight in a distant subject or anything like that, though. It is meant to light close subjects, and it does so very well.

I had expected noise to be an issue at higher ASAs - this, coupled with the relatively slower f5.2 max aperture at the wide end had me a little worried about how "handholdable" the camera might have been. Well, after additional use, my fears turned out to be unfounded. Higher ASAs do exhibit increased noise - however, it is not as bad as you might expect it to be under "normal" shooting situations. 200 ASA is certainly not to be sneered at:

Wadi in Oman. Sony W1, f5.6, 1/250, Exp comp -0.3, 200 ASA

100% crop of part of the above image

Still, as you progress to 400 ASA, noise increases, especially if you are printing at 11x14. Use of noise-reduction software should help greatly, however.

In an overwhelming majority of situations, the camera’s processing did a very good job, with only a minor amount of Photoshop work needed to get crisp, top-notch prints up to 8x10 and even 11x14. Indeed, most users would be very happy with just printing the JPEGs directly, without any adjustments – merely adjust the in-camera contrast, saturation and sharpness sliders to taste beforehand.

What about drawbacks? Well, there are a few.

For starters, there were quite a few cases where I felt that the camera's sharpening was perhaps a little too zealous. As a result, scenes with a lot of very fine detail tend to look a little over-sharpened and unnatural. Reducing sharpness ot "-1" in such situations helps ameliorate the problem.

Overall, the camera's ability to resolve fine detail, while good, certainly does not match up to Velvia or my 10D. How it compares to other compact digicams, I cannot say - so I may be doing the camera a disservice by evaluating it based on a standard it is not meant to be measured against. Also, I am not particularly fussed over extreme fine detail - I have yet to see an image where the ability to count the individual blades of grass makes or breaks the photo.

In contrasty light, the camera is prone to blowing out highlights - something to which a lot of digicams seem guilty of doing. Again, I am basing my experiences based on standards set by the 10D, which may be raising the bar of expectations too high for a $350 P&S digicam. Reducing the contrast setting on the camera does help - in fact, quite a few other W1 users seem to always keep the camera's contrast set at "-1".

Lastly, the auto white balance gives a very perciptible color cast when shooting under a mix of flourescent and natural light - admittedly, a tricky situation for any kind of meter. I don't do a lot of indoor photography, and if I do, it is even more rarely under flourescent lighting, so I haven't really looked into workarounds for this problem. I suggest that if this is important to you, you try the custom WB settings and see if they provide a solution.

Overall User Experience

For my needs, this camera comes very handy. I left for Oman on some work shortly after I bought the camera, and carried it with me everywhere - and as a result, when I saw a photo op, I was able to grab it. As cameras go, this one is small and non-threatening. None of the photos in the gallery below would have been taken if I only had the DSLR, because I would never have had it with me when the photo op arose. So from that viewpoint, this camera has been a winner.

Because small-sensor digicams typically have very large depth of field anyway, I don't think there is that much to be gained by going with aperture priority. As such, I use this camera primarily in Program-Shift mode, applying exposure compensation as needed - a process that works fairly easily and painlessly. Start-up times are rapid, and shutter-lag is virtually non-existent. Press, and provided the camera can focus, it takes the shot.

Metering is fairly consistent, but with a quirk. On this camera as well as my others (10D and G6, at the time of writing this article), I find that I typically shoot with negative exposure compensation of between a third and two-thirds of a stop when out in bright light. I find that this greatly reduces the chances of blowing out highlights. Now, this isn't really a big deal in practice, as I got used to this very quickly, but you'd think that by now, they'd figure out a way to calibrate the meters to work in sync with the sensor's characteristics!

Focusing was fast and accurate. In keeping with the "point and shoot" approach I wanted to use with this camera, I left the camera on multi-point AF (something I never usually do, as I typically prefer to select my focus point manually), and the camera did a very good job of selecting the right target. Whenever I had any doubts, I helped it focus by first centering on the subject, locking focus and recomposing - I guess some habits die hard.

Low light performance was very good as well - the camera focuses fairly quickly thanks to a projected focus-assist beam. I don't do a lot of night-time photography, but a couple of shots I've taken at night have turned ou to be very good - including shots with exposure times of 1" (see Gallery below).

Do note that my overwhelmingly positive experience is helped to some degree by the fact that I have a very specific set of needs for which I use this camera. Also, I know what the limitations of this camera (and its ilk) are, and use it accordingly.

Summary

For beginners or non-technically-minded photographers looking for an easy-to-use, automated camera capable of offering high quality images, the Sony DSC-W1 most certainly fits the bill (as, of course, do a host of other cameras).

For the more advanced user, this is not a camera that will replace your SLR or DSLR - the larger sensor size, greater array of manual controls, faster frame rates, capture in-camera RAW, inter-changeable lenses and so on do make the SLR a more powerful tool.

But this is certainly a camera that will supplement your SLR or DSLR. All the various thoughtful little features – AF zone indicator, easy manual over-rides, easy to use interface, flash exposure compensation, real-time histogram - make it a camera that can be used for serious photography.

In my opinion, the lack of dynamic range and an inability to fine details correctly make this camera less than suited for landscape photography, which usually involves getting tonal renditions just right. This is from my point of view, where nature photography is not only a passion but also a source of income - if you just took an occasional landscape shot then it'd be just fine, I reckon.

However, the fast response time of the camera makes it ideal for candid or street photography – shutter lag is virtually imperceptible, making it easy to capturing action as it happens. For the ultimate in manual control and quick response, set the camera to its widest focal length of 38mm, pre-set the focus to the hyperfocal point and set the aperture/shutter as per the lighting conditions, and you have a small, discreet responsive camera for street photography.

Best of all, this camera isn’t just about bells and whistles – that minor matter of image quality has also been addresse, and the results are sharp, contrasty images with good detail. If you are the type of photographer who doesn't want to muck around in Photoshop too much, this is the camera for you.

Prior to this, I used to feel that cameras should be bought from camera manufactuers, not electronics manufacturers. This camera has changed my outlook. I certainly plan to use it regularly for a lot of shooting where the DSLR is too heavy or conspicuous. Strongly recommended.

In the end, the camera fell prey to its own usefulness. I was using it so often it was becoming a camera for "serious" photography (I am not really into taking snapshots per se anyway). And so I started missing RAW more and more. In the end, I sold the W1 and picked up a Canon S70 - bigger, but with RAW.

Sample Images: A Day in Muscat

The following are some images taken with the W1. I've cropped a little, re-sized using Bicubic Sharper in PS and added the border. However, no additional sharpening has been done (except for the Bedouin camp photo, which was resized a second time, and so USM was applied)- the images you se are as taken by the camera, with default settings on sharpness, contrast and saturation at 0.

Chedi Hotel, Muscat: f5.6, 1/200, 100ASA, over-exposed by 0.7 stops, levels adjusted in PS

Bedouin Camp: f2.8, 1", 200ASA, underexposed by 0.7 stops

Beach at Chedi Hotel: f9, 1/320

Grand Mosque of Musat: f6.3, 1/500, 100ASA, under-exposed by 0.3 stops, levels adjusted in PS

Sultan's Palace: f5.6, 1/800, 100ASA underexposed by 0.7 stops