Howard_Creech's Full Review: Sony Cyber-shot® DSC-W200 Digital Camera
The Cybershot DSC W200 is Sony’s "W" series flagship, a stylish auto-exposure only digicam that was designed to appeal to casual photographers and snap-shooters who value pocketability and dead simple operation. The consumer digicam market is currently swamped with compact and ultra-compact P&S (point and shoot) digital cameras. This horde of super similar little digicams all provide operational simplicity, snappy performance, short zooms, fairly large LCD screens, and decent battery life, but very few really stand out. The W200 doesn’t seem much different from its legions of competitors - just another pretty face in an overcrowded hi-tech herd.
NUTS & BOLTS
Viewfinder/LCD Screen
Many digicam manufacturers have eliminated optical viewfinders to accommodate larger LCDs. Fortunately, the W200 hasn’t joined that sheep-like flock - so for those who prefer optical viewfinders for framing and composition the W200 provides a couple of concrete advantages – first, it provides a dependable framing and composition tool when glare sidelines the LCD and second it comes in handy when trying to conserve the battery. Unfortunately, the W200’s optical viewfinder is small, rather squinty, and provides no diopter correction adjustment for those who wear eyeglasses.
It’s likely the W200’s target audience will mostly use the 2.5 inch (6.4 centimeter) LCD screen to frame and compose, track action, review captured images, and access the camera's menu system. LCD images are bright, fairly sharp, color correct, and fluid. The LCD gains "up" (brightens) automatically in dim/low lighting and W200 users can also manually boost LCD screen brightness. The LCD info display provides all the data the W200’s target audience is likely to need. The W200 also provides a realtime histogram (in record mode) which makes it easy to check for and correct (via the exposure compensation function) under/over exposure problems.
The W200’s LCD resolution is only 115,000 pixels and that makes for slightly grainy preview images (most of the W200’s competition offer LCDs with screen resolution in the 200,000 pixel range).
Zoom/Optics
Like its siblings (W80 & W90) the W200 features an f2.8-f5.2/5.8mm-17.4mm (35mm-105mm equivalent) Carl Zeiss Vario -Tessar zoom. The zoom extends from the camera body automatically when the camera is powered up and retracts back into the body when the camera is powered down (a built-in guillotine style lens cover slides into place to protect the front element). Zoom operation is smooth, fairly quiet, and very quick.
Default resolution (sharpness) is a bit soft. Barrel distortion (straight lines bow out from the center) at the wide end of the zoom is slightly above average, but pincushion distortion (straight lines bow in toward the center) at the telephoto end of the zoom, is slightly lower than average. Chromatic aberration (purple fringing) is remarkably well controlled. Very minor purple fringing is visible in high contrast edge/color demarcation areas at the wide-angle end of the zoom range, but essentially disappears at the telephoto end of the zoom range. There is some noticeable corner softness, but no visible vignetting (darkened corners).
Minimum focusing distance, in macro mode, is 1.8 inches (4.0 centimeters). Macro images (shot in natural light) are bright and relatively sharp with bold colors and good detail capture.
The W200’s lens isn’t threaded, so filters and auxiliary/conversion lenses can’t be used.
Auto Focus (AF)
The W200 utilizes the same Multi-point (9 AF area, Center AF, and Spot AF) contrast detection Auto Focus system as its lower resolution siblings. AF is very quick and dependably accurate, even in difficult lighting. Depress the shutter button halfway and almost immediately the camera locks focus and a green confirmation light appears. The W200 provides two AF modes - Single AF (depress the shutter button halfway and the camera locks focus on what’s in front of the lens) and Monitor AF - the camera focuses continuously.
The W200’s Face Detection function automatically isolates and locks focus on up to 8 faces (only 2 faces in soft snap scene mode) in the image frame and then optimizes all exposure (white balance, sensitivity, flash, etc.) parameters. The Face Detection AF option is only available in auto mode and the soft snap scene mode. Logically, Face Detection AF should be available in all shooting modes.
Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
Sony’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization system largely eliminates blurred images. When IS is engaged, motion sensors inside the camera detect movement and shift an element inside the lens to compensate. With IS, photographers can shoot at shutter speeds up to 3 f-stops slower than would have been possible without IS. For example, if a shutter speed of 1/125th of a second is required to avoid the effects of camera shake (without image stabilization) the W200 can capture a reasonably sharp image of the same subject at 1/15th of a second. IS also allows shooters to obtain sharper images in dim/low outdoor light and when shooting indoors where higher shutter speeds may not be possible or would result in dark images with poor shadow/highlight detail. In addition, IS combined with higher sensitivity, increases exposure options in low/natural light and dimly lit indoor venues where flash may be prohibited.
The W200 offers two active IS modes (plus off) - in Continuous mode IS is engaged full-time when the shutter button is depressed half way. IS can be also engaged just prior to exposure (called shoot only mode) which is equally effective and uses less power.
Flash
The W200's tiny built-in multi mode (Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Synch) flash is fairly weak. Maximum range (according to Sony) is 21.7ft/6.6m @ ISO 3200. Real world (effective) flash range is more like 6-8 feet @ ISO 100.
Like most compact and ultra-compact digicams the W200’s flash is too close to the zoom so redeye will be an ongoing problem. Knowledgeable users will opt to run the redeye removal tool when shooting “people” pictures. Moderate and heavy flash users and indoor shooters may want to consider Sony’s optional HVL-FSL1B slave flash. The HVL-FSL1B will expand (20 ft/6.1m) lighting options substantially.
Memory Media
The W200 saves images to 31MB of internal memory or to Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo media. Sony doesn’t include a "starter" memory card in the box.
Image File Format(s)
JPEG
Connectivity
USB 2.0 out, A/V out, and DC in
Power
The W200 is powered by the Sony NP-BG1 3.6V, 3.4Wh (960 mAh) re-chargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack. Battery life is conspicuously above average for compact/ultra-compact P&S digicams. I didn’t keep track of exposures, but I used the camera through several heavy half-day outings and I never ran out of juice. Three-day weekends, mini-vacations, and longer trips may necessitate a nightly re-charge, but be advised that the included Sony BC-CSG charger is very slow (up to 4.5 hours).
EXPOSURE
The W200, like its siblings, is an AE (auto exposure) only digicam. Exposure options include – Auto (in Auto mode the camera sets all exposure parameters), Program AE (in Program AE mode the camera selects the aperture and shutter speed, but users are free to choose most other exposure parameters). Many common lighting situations can fool camera light metering systems into underexposing or overexposing images. Photographers who want to make minor exposure adjustments (like lightening up a dark scene or darkening a light scene) are limited to the Exposure Compensation function - the camera’s auto exposure setting can be adjusted incrementally over a 4 EV range ( /-2 EV) in 1/3 EV increments.
Shooters can also select one of the W200's Scene modes and the camera will optimize all exposure parameters for the scene genre selected. Scene modes include: Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, High Sensitivity, and Face Detection. There are no dedicated portrait, action/sports, fireworks, pets, or children scene modes, so for those who like lots of scene modes the W200 may not be the best option.
Movie Mode
The W200 captures MPEG video at 640X480 @ 30 fps (and lower resolution/slower frame rate options) with mono audio – maximum clip size is 2GB. The W200 outputs video at HD (high definition) 1080i, but users must shoot their video clips in the 16X9 aspect ratio to take advantage of this option.
Metering
The W200’s default multi-pattern (evaluative) metering mode dependably provides accurate exposure information to the camera's processor, but there is a slight tendency toward over exposure in bright lighting. A Spot metering option biases exposure on a small area at the center of the frame (useful for formal portraits, back-lit subjects, and high/low contrast subjects). The center-weighted option allows experienced photographers to shoot traditional looking landscapes and Classic travel photos – typically (for consumer level digicams) highlight detail is sacrificed to preserve shadow detail.
White Balance (WB)
The W200 affords a fairly typical selection of White Balance options, including Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent, and Flash. Images made in the Auto WB mode show a slight warmish cast.
Sensitivity
The W200's Sensitivity (ISO) options are sufficient for the camera's target audience. The camera provides (default) TTL Auto sensitivity and user selected sensitivity values of ISO100, 200, 400, 800, and1600 – plus ISO 3200 (via the high sensitivity scene mode).
In-Camera Image Adjustment
The W200 provides shooters with a barely acceptable range of color options – users can choose Natural (highly saturated), Vivid (Technicolor saturation), Black & White (no color), or Sepia.
W200 users can enable Auto Exposure Bracketing and (with one press of the shutter button) capture 3 exposures of the same scene in rapid sequence (varying the exposure incrementally between the three images).
The W200’s in-camera retouch function permits users to select various effects including soft focus, partial color, fisheye lens, cross (star) filter, and cropping.
DESIGN, BUILD QUALITY, CONTROLS, & ERGONOMICS
The W200 is a solidly built and attractive compact P&S digicam available in black, pink, white, or silver. Controls are logically placed and easily accessed, but the menu system is unwieldy.
Technical Specifications
Resolution: 12 megapixels (4000X3000)
Sensor: 1/2.5” CCD
Viewfinders: tunnel style Optical viewfinder and 2.5 inch LCD
Lens: f2.8-f5.2/5.8mm-17.4mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom (6 elements in 5 groups with 3 Aspheric elements)
Auto Focus: Contrast Detection
Exposure: Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes
Flash: Built-in multi mode
Metering: Evaluative, Center-Weighted Averaging, and Spot
White Balance: TTL Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent, and Flash
Sensitivity: Auto, and user selectable settings for ISO100, 200, 400, 800, and1600 – plus ISO 3200 (via the high sensitivity scene mode).
Connectivity: USB 2.0, A/V out, and DC in
Image File Format(s): JPEG
Power: Sony NP-BG1 3.6V, 3.4Wh (960 mAh) re-chargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack
Included
NP-BG1 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, Battery charger, Wrist strap, USB and A/V cables, software CD-ROM, and a basic manual (printed).
IN THE FIELD/HANDLING & OPERATION
I have an old friend who sells new and used (digital and film) cameras. He and I both enjoy playing with new digital cameras so as soon as he got his hands on Sony’s new 12 megapixel W200 he dropped by to see if I wanted to help him check it out. The first thing we did was our standard color test. We use a homemade macro stage and a selection of brightly colored (red, green, yellow, blue, and purple) plastic children's beach toys arrayed on a white background. This allows us to check color accuracy and the precision of the camera’s white balance system (and compare the results from camera to camera). The W200 did a fine job - all colors were bright, a bit over-saturated and hue accurate, but slightly warmer than they should have been.
One of the most dependable signs that summer is over and fall is here in Louisville is the annual Bluegrass Balloon Festival. The festival (the largest in the mid-west) draws entries from all over the country and this year we had almost 100 hot air balloons. The kick off event is the Friday evening balloon glow. I met my friend at Bowman Field Friday evening about an hour before dark to shoot images of the crowd and search out the best shooting locations. As with most outdoor events in Louisville the festival area was a sea of noisy children, spoiled dogs, and lots of families and couples.
At a balloon glow, the balloons are inflated (with fans) and then just after darkness falls propane burners begin to heat the air inside the balloons making the huge colorful balloons glow against the dark night sky like huge multi-hued light bulbs. What really sets our local balloon festival apart (for photographers) is that spectators are permitted total access to the balloons – photographers can get as close as they like, talk to the crews, and shoot pretty much anything they like – within the basic definition of common sense. The balloons are huge up close, but most of the propane burners only fire for a couple of seconds, so it can be almost impossible to time exactly when to trip the shutter. The W200 did a pretty good job in a very challenging situation and I did get a couple nice shots (out of about 100 attempts) of colorfully lit balloons aglow against the night sky.
The following Saturday we took the W200 to the St. James Court Art Fair, one of the best fine arts shows in the U. S. St. James Court was designed to look like Victorian London and is the centerpiece of a neighborhood filled with Victorian Mansions. The art fair draws around 300,000 spectators for the three-day show. My friend and I both enjoy it because it is one of the best "people" shows in the Midwest and the paintings, photographs, hand-blown glass, wood carvings, textiles, hand-made furniture, and hundreds of other types of art are always interesting. We spent most of the day Saturday shooting colorful local characters, entrepreneurial musicians with open guitar cases, and close-up shots of some of the more interesting art work – the weather was magnificent.
Sunday morning was warm with blue skies and wispy white clouds when we got to Cave Hill Cemetery to look for some early signs of autumn. It was still a bit early for fall color, but Cave Hill is Louisville’s unofficial arboretum and the old cemetery is filled with native and exotic plants, trees, and bushes - so the first signs of autumn tend to show up here a couple of weeks before they are visible elsewhere. We did find a few interesting individual trees (mostly Dogwoods, Maples, and a couple of exotics) that were starting to show some color, but overall the trip was a bust – so we decided to take the W200 to the Louisville Extreme Park.
The Extreme Park is the local go-to site for shooters looking to capture action because talented skateboarders and BMXers flock to the park at all hours. The kids at the skate park love showing off for the camera – so with a little encouragement (and a couple of MySpace images) they’ll often keep working for you until you get the shot. We had two other test cameras (an Olympus 790SW and a Canon A650 IS) with us so that kept us pretty busy trying for optimal framing/timing (centering the subject in the frame and stopping the action in mid-air) while passing the three cameras back and forth. The Canon did a great job, but the waterproof/shockproof/freezeproof (but no IS)little Olympus didn’t fare too well in action mode. The W200 fell midway between them – in terms of capability and performance. However, with a little luck, patience, and skill the W200 is capable of producing very good action images.
PERFORMANCE
Image Quality
The W200’s auto exposure system is generally fairly accurate. Image quality is consistently very good to excellent - outdoors in good light. Images are relatively sharp with a slight warmish cast and (like virtually all consumer level P&S digicams) display what veteran photographers call "consumer color interpolation" - colors are noticeably more intense than they are in actuality and contrast is a bit harder than it should be. Chromatic aberration (purple fringing) is present in high contrast color transitions and hard edge demarcations, but very well controlled. Shadow detail (at the lower ISO values) is decent, but highlights are occasionally blown out – especially in brightly lit outdoor settings and close range flash-lit scenes.
Noise is well managed - ISO 100 images are often excellent with very good resolution and lots of snap (although very minor pattern noise is visible). ISO 200 images are very good, but with a tiny bit less pop than ISO 100 (and marginally higher noise levels). Results at ISO 400 are a bit flat and detail is starting to soften due to higher noise levels. ISO 800 images are noticeably soft, colors are flat, and detail loss is apparent. ISO 1600 images are basically worthless for anything more demanding than VGA e-mails. I didn’t try the High Sensitivity (ISO 3200) Scene Mode.
Timing/Shutter Lag
The W200 is pretty fast - it powers up in about 2 seconds, locks focus (in good lighting) quickly, and shutter lag (about 1/10th of a second – according to Sony) with pre-focus or once focus is acquired is close to real time. Shot-to-shot times (1.5 – 2.5 seconds) are also very quick. Timings are based on data from the manufacturer and may vary substantially - depending on lighting, subject contrast, battery status, camera settings, and media.
A Few Concerns
The W200’s biggest fault, in my opinion, is its repetitive and unintuitive menu system. The built-in flash is (not surprisingly in a compact digicam) small and fairly weak. Shooters can’t delete an image immediately after capture. Finally, default images are a bit soft.
Conclusion
The W200 is actually a pretty decent little digital camera. The clunky menu system is somewhat irritating, but most users will quickly learn to use the camera’s dedicated controls and avoid the menus whenever possible. The W200’s most egregious shortcoming is that casual shutterbugs, snap-shooters, and family photographers (the W200’s target audience) don’t really need 12 megapixels. Consumers can get essentially everything the W200 has to offer (and more than adequate resolution) with the 7.2 megapixel Sony W80 – and save more than a hundred bucks.
Recommended:
Yes
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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