retraction, battery door and nuerous tech issues, I hate the camera and want my money back, I will never buy Sony again.

I am having the same problem you all are. I thought I must have damaged it somehow. The len keeps getting stuck and now the battery door prongs are broken. I have "taped" it closed but between the pressure of the springloaded batteries and the flrida heat undermines it.

I have used this cameral on vacations, boat rips, beach trips, etc as a secondaary camera to my D50 and D80....Only problem I have had is with the battery door and it only took 5 minutes and ten dollars to replace.

After reading and reading complaint after complaint about the W1's battery door, I finally decided to take action. My wife's been using the W1 for over a year now with rubber bands holding the door together. I was looking to buy an upgraded (Sony) camera or another W1 so that I can continue to use all the accessories. A big thank you to Barb and her husband for their suggestion to use the screw hole on the bottom that usually houses the tripod. Made sense to me so I drove to OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) and within 1/2 hour I had the parts to fix the door. Machine Screws (Round head Phillips) 1/4 x 1/2 (you of course only need one but you get 4 for $1.04; 1/2 was the shortage length they sold); 2 washers ($.06 ea); and then to the specialty area to purchase 1 double keyhole fastener (about 3" long and $.99). I drilled out the middle hole just a bit to get the screw in but it's probably not necessary if you use one of the other holes (it just looks cleaner). Any way with Ca. tax it totaled $2.33. Of course keep a rubber band handy if you want to use a tripod and keep a small phillips screwdriver in your camera bag in case you need to change batteries away from home.

I can no longer take pictures with my camera unless I'm holding the battery door shut. Very frustrating. Wonder why it hasn't been recalled?

The camera is average at best and the battery door is a real issue that SONY should have a recall on but we all know that won't happen. I am at a point where I will not buy SONY products.

I can honestly say I will never buy a Sony product again. The customer service is horrible, and their willingness to stand behind their product is equally horrible. After owning the camera for just over a year...or as Sony puts it "after the warranty period expired"...the tabs on the battery door broke rendering the camera useless, as the batteries would not stay in the camera. Sony wanted their "flat fee" of $100 something to repair the camera. I argued with a manager, and they agreed to fix it under warranty. Well guess what...the tabs broke again, but this time they refused to do anything..."it's my problem, not theirs". So I took the advise of another poster and rubber banded the door closed. But my husband "invented" an awesome solution....Using the screw hole in the bottom of the camera for the tripod attachment, purchase a plastic screw to fit that hole; you will have to trim the length of the screw to match the depth of the hole; then fabricate or purchase a small metal plate to cover the area of the hole and battery compartment; drill a hole in the plate to align to the hole in the camera; and voila....it's fixed!!!

I had the same issue with the lens sticking out that other have had. It took me all of 15 minutes to find out how to fix it on the internet. The gears inside get out of track and all you have to do is pull on the lens a little when it comes out. If it's stuck out then all you do is push on it when you hit the power button. It might take a couple times but mines been fixed now for over a year and I haven't had the problem again.

Two day ago the lens did not want to retract when I switched off my DSC-W1. I saw on your site that this is unfortunately common and I was ready to buy a new one since it is not worth the repair. I then found an information on a French site saying that I should strike the camera gently against a hard surface. I tried and it worked! Lets see how long but it is a big improvement

This camera makes good pictures but died exactly the same way Jessica described in her review: after having used the zoom the lens refused to get in when I shut it off. I did not use it so much and took only approx 1500 pictures. I have other Sony products that never broke down and I am really disappointed by the quality. Based on what I read it is not worth fixing because something else is going to break down.

Just like other reviews, this camera takes good pictures BUT the camera itself does not last long. The battery reader fails, the camera shuts off during a shot and lense won't close after powering off. I thought Sony built would have built a better camera for the cost...not to mention the cost for accessories such as lenses.

After only 13 months the DSC-W1 lens transport mechanism failed exactly as reported by "Jessica" below. I sent it in for repairs for $180 because I had just purchased $300 in accessory lenses for it. Now a year later and the camera does not properly read battery levels. It thinks all batteries are dead after only a few shots.

Disappointed that it wouldn't last three years. AND, the lenses do not work with the new Cybershots, so I got hosed on that, too.

My advice: don't pay over $100 for ANY compact point-and-shoot camera. They take terrific photos, but they just don't last.

i bought this camera a few years ago when it first came out and it had good reviews. I noticed that the battery case is broken and i am thinking if it's worth fixing it or just buying a new camera

We purchased this camera in July of 2004. In August the following year, the lens completely died. It just made grinding noises and refused to retract back into the body. It was just out of warranty so we had to pay about $160 to get it repaired, but at the time it was worth it to us so we paid up.

Today my camera lens stopped working, out of the blue. I don't know what happened, I hadn't dropped it, but the Turn power off and back on again error is now plaguing my screen. It isn't worth it anymore to have it repaired, but it is just the idea that the turn knob on top to rotate through the settings had also begun to malfunction and would randomly switch to something else.

I am not buying another Sony camera. I am looking at a cannon. My friend's power shot has been through a lot and it is still ticking, not to mention the rechargeable battery, (this sony DSC-W1 eat batteries like candy).

Craftmanship- 1
Quality of photos- 6
Battery life- negative 10

The battery case broke after I had the camera about 13 months. Sony offered to repair the camera for a few hundred dollars. I've been able to keep using the camera for the most part by wrapping two rubber bands around it. It's not a secure close but it's just good enough. (I also resort to disposable film cameras which are less problematic.)

Pictures look good online when blown up, not the clearest or brightest when developed on glossy photo paper.

I can't compare this to other digital cameras because it is the first I've owned, but I don't think it is the most intuitive for a novice user.

Pluses: it uses AA batteries instead of lithium rechargeables, so you are always ready to go when traveling (if you carry spares) and can easily and cheaply replace them. It has a viewfinder, for those who are used to having one on a camera.

I can't believe all the bad reviews of this camera. All of my pictures have come out fantastic! For all of you with blurry pics READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND GET A CLUE HOW TO USE YOUR CAMERA!!!!!

Not a bad camera, but I started noticing the black spots on my pictures within a few weeks of purchasing the DSC-W1. It was still under warranty, but Sony claimed it was some sort of "corrosion" problem that I had caused by exposing the camera to water, so they wouldn't repair it.

Now I see all over the Net that this problem was widespread, and was most likely dust.

Thanks for nothing, Sony! I'm taking my business elsewhere.

I love the camera. No complaints really except that the turn dial is a little off every once in a while.

So you came here looking for some information on the SONY DSC-W1? My advice? Do not buy it. Besides the now famous (or infamous) battery door problem, every now and then you will have to have the CCD cleaned (not an easy task for beginners), as it gets dirty easily, even if used primaraly indoor. SONY cameras? Never more.

The Battery Door is faulty almost 3 months after purchase. Got is repaired and the problem returned again. I feel disappointed that i have now put it away as i can no more use it without the battery door being repaired.

Wow! What am I missing? How is it that I have nothing but praise for my Sony? Many years ago, I was a professional photographer, and I have been accustomed to 35mm SLR outfits. About 15 years ago, back problems made it impossible for me to carry around my wonderful old equipment. I switched to digital with a Nikon 2MP about 4 years ago, but missed an optical viewfinder.

Then I got the Sony. I have carried it to Europe 3 or 4 times, to Florida. I've used it in sun, in rain, in snow, indoors and out.

It has given me amazing service, and amazing photos. Even shooting at 3MP, I have printed 8X10s that are needle-sharp and color-perfect.

Candidly, I have not yet learned digital tricks, and understand perhaps 10% of the features of the camera. I've had no doors fall off, no scratches in the LCD, no excessive lack of focus.

I suspect that some of the disappointed users need a simpler camera. Indeed, it's easy to accidentally hit the macro button on the W-1, and that will lead to fuzzy long shots. If the batteries die, the camera won't work.

Most small digital cameras are very difficult to hold completely still, andthat can account for pictures that appear fuzzy or out of focus, so I suggest that the folks who have focus problems might invest in a pocket tripod, or lean against a post or wall if the light is low.

And maybe the best advice of all is to look for a good adult education class on digital photography at the local high school or library. This is a precisions tool, and it takes a little work to learn to use it. While my next camera will have some different features than this one, I can assure these folks that the W-1 is capable of really excellent photos.

after only owning it for 15 months the camera just went dead on me. No power - period. I used to prefer sony over other brands for its quality, but it appears sony is going back to the 70's game - limited lifetime (make money on service). Hello Canon!!!

This is my second cyber shot, also my daughter has one. I dropped the first, and the lens stopped working. It was time for a new one anyway, so I got the newer model, the DSC-W1. Well ... as I have read here, it picked up the slightest of movements and showed trails. I was trying to take pictures for an elementary school yearbook, half the pictures (and that's being generous) came out blurry.

The other day I was taking pictures of my cat. Of course the camera takes so long to focus that by the time the picture snaps, the cat is looking away. And then, out of the blue, the lens died. It won't open properly and now I can't use the camera. I will have to dig for the box, but I am quite sure I don't have the receipt. It's probably two years old now.

I would not buy another Sony aside from the fact that we have all Sony computers and TVs. Apparently dropping the first one was not the only reason the lens developed issues.

This camera takes GREAT pictures!!! That being said, if you want a simple point and click this is probably not for you. It has too many features that can seem complicated. If you are do-it-yourself type of person this camera is great because you will take the time to read the manual. I was a COMPLETE NOVICE at picture taking when I bought this camera but figured I was smart enough to learn how to use it. The reviewers that said the pictures tend to be blurry are correct, I had the same problem in the BEGINNING. Once I learned how to use this camera I began to take some really great pictures (no blurriness now!)and I've discovered a love of photography I never knew I had. I still haven't figured out all the features but I like that as I progress in my picture taking there is more to learn. This camera needs patience and some smarts!

do not buy this camera , its taken all of a year to completely pack in , starting with freezes that involved turning it on and off , then having to remove batteries and put back in to get it going ! has a total mind of its own , in fact id go as far to say this camera suffers from possesion and of course now it being a sony and all have to fawk out ridiculous amounts of cash for its repair !!! outrageous u can practically buy a new camera for price of a repair , simply discusting !

Worst had it for two years , slow in taking pictures. Missed momentes. Now LCD Screen stopped working.

I compared this camera with nikon 5900 and Canon ixus700.The color was better for sony and sharpness was equal for distant objects but in macro nikon made sharper images.What is disappointing in w1 is that pictures are not sharp.I dont know if there is a compact camera with sharp pictures?!

I have owned my W1 for 2 years now, and have had many good experiences with it, and have taken countless thousands of pictures with it. In good light or tripod mounted the camera takes beautifull pictures. However, in dim light situations such as indoor weddings, parties, etc.. the camera takes a long time to focus, and often the shot is missed or comes out horribly blurry. I had to have it serviced the first year when the CCD became dirty after several camping trips, and exposure to the humidity on a trip to Ireland (this is seen as dark spots in all your pictures). Recently the battery door broke, so I need to order the replacement part# 1-756-483-01 from partstore.com. I really like the manual capabilities of the camera, however I would have appreciated the ability to control the EV settings in manual mode. The camera has a very quick response in good light (the reason I bought it). It can be overly complicated to set up for those seeking a simple point and click. I have really enjoyed my camera but as others have said it is not the best for the simple point and click or indoor party camera.

The good:
-Great pictures when object is still and using a tripod (or a steady hand).
-Great screen size.
-Nice size.

The bad:
-50-70% of the pictures are blurry due to the slightest movement.
-Little doors are very under-engineered (cheap).

I like the camera, but if you plan on taking pictures of little children, get something else. This camera will disappoint you more then you will be happy. I have lost many great pictures because it just won't campture moving objects.

My battery door is broken. I think.

Any suggestions on how to fix it?

This camera is great, as long as you hold it still while shooting the photo. It's response is extremely fast, and the pictures come out great.

I'm just really annoyed with the battery door, because I can't use it without a batter!

Camera design is not robust. My camera fell apart. It was still under warranty, but Sony wanted more than the camera is worth to fix it.

Fell apart quickly. A very fragile design. Sony does not honor warranty.

It fell apart after a few months. The plastic latches on the inside of the batter door broke. Sony does not honor the warranty. Don't waste your money.

Camera quit working after a few months due to mechanical design defect. Sony refused to honor warranty.

Mechanical design is very fragile and Sony does not honor warranty. The interior plastic latches that hold the battery door shut both cracked after about 9 months. Sony refused to honor the warranty and wanted $175 to fix it. Camera takes very nice shots, I have taken about 600, but service is unacceptable and it will break shortly after you start using it. Buy something else.

On the whole I am totally impressed with this camera, my first digital. I don't get blurry photos so much as problems with the subject moving ever so slightly and wonder if this is what users are referring to. I know I haven't moved the camera as I can get most of the subject in focus but one person might move. I have a number of photos where someone has moved an arm or started to look at someone else. One in particular is of my husband playing the guitar and two young sons watching. One child is so excited he is wriggling on his bottom - he is the only one with motion blur. I usually have the camera set on ISO400. I haven't yet studied up on using the camera on manual so all the photos I have are using various auto settings. Any ideas most welcome.

Great camera. Set up and taking good quality pictures within the first 10 mins of opening the box! Very easy to use. Solid. easy to change settings for differnt types of photos. Fantastic LCD. Great camera for a holiday, party or 'day out with the kids' snaps!!

I owned this camera for the past 1 year and the focus is terrible and not to mention about moving objects. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA. There are better ones in the market. Deeply disappointed by its performance. I am looking for a new one.

It does come out blurry lots but when ever i use flash its sharp. So its fine. I still trying to get good action pictures on this camera All of them come out fuzzy still. Overall though i find it a good camera for beginners looking for a higher pixel camera with a affordable price.

I bought it for it's many features and am definitely not disappointed. Great pictures, easy use, great use options. Suggest those complaining about blurry pictures to read the manual re focus modes and instant or delayed shutter. I've even coupled it with a 7 x monocular (hand held) for some very interesting telephoto effects.

this camera blew my mind as soon as i turned it on. The sound it makes is nice and the LCDleft me speechles. People-thisLCD covers the whole back panel. WOW!

I want to start off with the fact that I'm a novice camera user. This camera is terrific. It's incredibly fast to turn on...a huge positive. Why no one expounds on this I dont know, but other digital cameras take up to 5 seconds to take a picture. With my SONY DSC W1, in 5 seconds, I've taken the picture AND powered down already! I'm not joking...the camera is ready to take pictures in 1 second. Really useful for kids and spontaneous moments.

The picture quality is superb...yes you have to hold the camera still, but what camera doesn't have to be still? That being said, set your M-mode focus to 1000 and the ISO to 400, the pictures come out sharp even if you wave your arms like a raving lunatic. Thus, when you want a fast action photo, select M-Mode. If you want regular auto-everything, select the Auto mode. Easy.

The pictures are amazing—-photo pro's all like this camera...what's there not to like?

As for those who complain about a fuzzy picture—-that's if you dont know how to use a camera—-ANY camera.

If you know to push half way for auto-focus and complete push for a picture, you'll be just fine with this outstanding camera.

GL

First of all, there are tons of articles on the net about this particular camera. I suggest the people that have blurry photos stop drinking for a few minutes so you can hold the camera still so your photos will be IN FOCUS. You make great blurry photos when you move ANY camera around while taking photos. I did find out, after having a cheaper digi cam, that you need to push the button down and then let go and then just keep the camera study. I was use to holding the button down the whole time and this did produce blurry photos. HERE's a SURE WAY TO GET YOUR PHOTOS IN FOCUS WITH THIS CAMERA: Try this quick test - it works! Set it on M for MANUAL... then set the shutter speed to 1000 and the ISO (find this in the MENU) to 400...then wave the camera really fast and take a photo WHILE YOU'RE WAVING THE CAMERA and it'll be in perfect focus. The key is the 1000 shutter speed which freezes fast action. For those of you complaining about the weakness of the flash, all these point and shoot cameras have weak flashes, but go to the menu when you're shooting and choose the + with the flash sign and it adds a bunch more flash and you can even do the - sign to reduce it for macro shots! Just test it out.

The great thing about this camera is the accessories...You can get an add on flash with a wireless slave flash to help with fill lighting and to add more flash for only $50. I just go to ebay and look up sony DSC-W1 and I get all kinds of stuff I never knew I could buy!Great prices! There's 2x, 3x, and 4x telephoto lenses and a wide angle lens...there's also a filter sets available. Warning: you'll pay way more for the Sony brand. Just one lens is $100. I got a different brand of 2x zoom, wide ag le, the adaptor ring for the lenses and filters, the UV filter, polarizing filter, and fluorescent flight filter, a camera bag, a full size tri-pod, a mini tri-pod, and a lens/filter cleaning kit for $85! You can also get the 512 MB sandisk memory stick pro at Costco for $53 and the 1g at Sams for $94. I suggest to anyone who is thinking about buying this camera or who even owns it now, to go to Google and enter "Sony DCS-W1 reviews" and you'll get all kinds of great info on it. The blurry photos shouldn't be a factor in an of these reviews. This is WRONG info to possible buyers. Also, for ANY camera, ALWAYS USE FAST CHARGING RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES...always keep at least 4 with you or more. All digi cams eat batteries. This is very sweet compact point and shoot camera with all kinds of optional accessories that other point and shoot cameras do not have.

After buying, I have made more than 500 pictures. With 10 of then I took part in a photo competition as an amateur and had 2nd place. Half an year ago it slipped through my fingers at 1.3 meters from the ground. Up to now it works without any mechanical, electronics or optical problems. Very convenient for trips with exellent picture quality (Canon A85/95 is very bulky, heavy, small LCD panel and with moderate picture quality)

Think about what you are going to use the camera for before purchasing. I have read people complain about out of focus shots and people with excellent photos. The Sony-W1 is not a camera for your day-to-day point-n-shoot photographers. There are far cheaper cameras out there for those purpose. (Although Sony's Auto Mode does what it suppose to do).

This camera targets the more creative and artistic photographers. Allowing you to adjust ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed ,level of flash and even optional wide-angle lens or filters. (If you don't know what the above terms means, this is probably not the camera for you) I did some research before purchasing the Sony, there are not many similarly priced digital cameras out there that does all this.

I admit, it does take a little time to get use to all the adjustments, but in the end, it's definitely worth it. I have taken many amazing shots with this camera. It is probably worth while to learn a little more on digital photography while you're at it.

The only down sides I feel with this camera is that it does not produce RAW format pictures, (Not that any cameras at this price offers this.)
and it's JPEG compression in "Fine" and "Normal" does not offer much differences in result. (Can only been seen at magnification of >800%.)

In conclusion, if you are considering buying a digital camera I would strongly recommend for you to think about that you want to get out of it.

Night time, indoor pictures are horrible. daytime pics are ok. If you buy need a camera to take pics of a party or your baby, you better try cheaper cameras. This one is not suitable.

This is my 4th Sony and I must say, by far the worst. Huge focus problems, half of the pictures come out blurry, also the flash is to small. I use mine for business, taking 50-100 photos a week, just point and shoot stuff, no big deal. Look for something else.

Nice convenient camera, but it is forever having problems with either the lense or imaging. I finally took it back for repair last week as it is extremely frustrating to have a shot and then see it turn out as a bunch of squigly green lines. I'll see what the repair does for it, but this is the last Sony camera I buy.

I have owned this camera for just on a year now and have taken over 5000 photos in that time. It is absolutely brilliant when you use a tripod and will beat most other similarly spec'd cameras I have trialled in this respect. It is useless however in full auto mode especially when taking photos indoors or of anything that isn't dead still. My only suggestion to those of you who bought this camera on a point and shoot basis is to have the flash on manual all the time and turn off the red eye reduction. This will speed up your shots considerably and you may end up with five out of ten of your photos turning out okay. To anyone thinking of buying one now, don't. There are far better digital cameras out there for the price.

I have only had my camera a week or so but it is really great. I have found it so easy to use and the picture quality is sharp. I would recommend this model to anyone who is looking for an easy to understand camera

When there is bright light and the subject is not moving this camera takes great pictures. In lower light with or without flash the focus is horrible. If the subject is walking, forget it!
Very disappointed.

I was given the camera as a gift took a dozen or so OK quality photos and the thing quit working. I have a 4 year old Canon Powershot A-20 which is still trucking after thousands of shots and trips abroad. Thanks but I'm sticking with the Canon.

I have two Sony cameras, the DSC-W1 which I use for both general and macrophotograpy and the DSC-W5 which is mounted to a Meiji stereo microscope w/photo tube and digital camera adapter. The DSC-1/5 is an excellent camera for both general and macro photography and I recommend both. If you find you have poor quality pics, your doing something wrong. It's not the camera. Thanks Sony

It has great picture quality, a large 2.5 inch LCD which makes a huge differance. Takes pictures fast and it has a good battery life. I've had this camera for about 4 months and i haven't found anything wrong with it. I reccomend buying the Sony DSC-W1.

excellent picture quality
excellent video (full VGA, 30 fps) quality
3x optical zoom
largest display of any camera at this size I've seen..

excellent camaera, nothing negative to report.

I'm speechless...this cam is good...thank you Sony for making this digital still cam....

used camera for 5 months, 30 percent of photos are out of focus, would recommend tripod and full light conditions, or a polaroid camera for better results. battery life was good, easy to use. power switch broke down, sent for repair, shop said unit had liquid in it... no warranty, customer is always wrong. Will not go near another sony product period. Have used other digital cams, Kodak and Canon, with better results.

I have had some frustration with this camera but as I take the time to read the manual and use the camera differently the outcome just gets better and better. This camera does take very good pictures and movies any time and all the time once you get familiar with it enough.

I have been very satisfied with this camera. So far it has been excellent! The screen is awesome. If I were you, I would invest the additional $80 and get the 7 megapixel version. My 5X7s have all come out crystal clear. I have yet to print an 8x10 so I can't give you a complete review. At first, I did have a little trouble with my pictures being blurry. Now I make a point to hold my hands perfectly still and they all have come out great. I also recommend the Adobe Photoshop program for digital cameras. It runs about $80 and makes pictures come out great. Send all of your pictures to print at WalMart. They only cost 19 cents apiece, are ready in an our, and are all matte finish. I highly recommend this camera.

PROS:
-Fast....ready to shoot time from off is amazing. Shutter lag is pretty low too.
-Reliable
-Consistently good, sharp images. The Zeiss lens is outstanding. I primarily use a tripod or monopod, but when handheld I still get ostensibly crisp shots (not sure what the problem is with the other owners), though I have had a few blurry shots. But unless you have a lens stabilization feature (pricey!) you are going to have a few blurry shots when using handheld. Just take several pictures of the same scene....try using different settings. This wonderful camera has enough manual control to do what you need to do.
-Good battery life
-Good ergonomics...feels good in the hand
-Small...will fit in your pocket, but solidly built
-Excellent movie mode
-THE BIG LCD SCREEN! Size does matter. You will love it.
-The "higher end" sound it makes at start up. Very cool.

CONS:
-Can't access battery compartment while on tripod ....not a real big deal for most, but it bothers me.
-Overexposing in bright conditions. Not a big deal with the manual exposure compensation feature.
-Not much else....it's a great camera.

I've had this camera for only two months but I love it. I found out right away that this is really not a true point and shoot camera if you want to take excellent pics without messing around with it a bit. Don't let that scare you off though because learning how to manipulate the aperture or exposure value or white balance etc... isn't that difficult at all really. That said, I'm far from a professional but to get the best pictures, you need to learn how to use the program mode. P mode is nearly fully automatic but it allows you to modify a few things if you like.

Since I'm not educated enough yet to operate the camera in full manual mode, I use the Program mode in the daytime but I can operate the manual mode at night or indoors because setting the appropriate exposure levels and aperture settings are pretty easy to learn since you have a constant light source. Shooting the outdoors is different because of the contrasting light along with having the sun out at one moment and then a second later, a cloud covers it up.

The image quality of the camera is simply spectacular but then again this is my first digital camera but I did my homework when looking to buy though. For the price range that the W1 is in, it's by far the best camera out there.

The battery life seems good. I have 3 sets of 2300 maH rechargeable batteries so I easily have enough to shoot a whole day with.

I've found that using 3 Megapixel mode is the best (unless you plan to blow the picture up higher than a 8x10) because of the extra pics you can take. I only have a 256MB flash card though. If you have a 512MB or above, feel free to use it in 5.1 Megapixel mode though, allowing you to blow up pictures pretty large.

It takes excellent shots both day and night. The noise is not too bad with the W1 either. It could be better though. It's probably slightly better than average as far as other cameras go with noise.

Red eye is fairly bad but that can be easily fixed with a decent editing program, such as Adobe Photoshop CS, Adobe Elements 3, Paint Shop Pro 8, ACDSee 7 etc...

The flash is a little weak but that too can fixed if the image is too dark. Remember that it's better for an image to be too dark that too bright. The Histogram is a useful feature that I've learned to use too, that allows you to adjust settings (when in Program or Manual Mode) by changing the exposure or aperture levels are, depending on what mode your in.

The only thing I wish this baby had was an image stabilizer. That would be the icing on the cake!

Pros:
Large 2.5" LCD screen
Stylish all metal body construction
Excellent picture quality
Limited use of manual controls (for beginners)
Little need for post shot modification (most of the time)
USB 2.0 support
AF-assist lamp
Uses only 2 AA batteries
Histogram

Cons:
No image stabilizer
Redeye
Software bundle
Plastic door over memory card
More manual controls (for advanced users)
For best image quality (for daytime use), user needs to know how to operate in Program mode and/or Manual mode (for nighttime use)

Having said that, you can take pictures utilizing the fully automatic mode and the pictures will turn out nicely. They will just turn out better when using P or M modes.

I love the looks and feel of this camera. It has a very sturdy feel to it, feels great in the hand but the picture quality leaves a lot to be desired and that is bottom line for me. I was very disappointed. Went on the Sony name, big mistake. I would not recommend it.

I love the camera but cannot understand why in the world that the software to move the pictures is so freakn' complicated. All they needed to do was provide a plain device so that pics can be moved to a hard drive...that is all. The problem is that the software is too complex for doing a simple task.

the Sony CyberShot dsc-w1 is a brilliant camera takes fantastic pictures loads of features, I will only buy everything Sony, sheer quality this cam is tops!!!!

I work at a major electronics retailer working with digital cameras and camcorders. I do not own a W1 myself, but I have heard enough review to summarize. my own personal experience with the W1 is a positive one. great image quality, though the pictures can seem very soft sometimes. We have had about 10 returns on the W1 since the holiday's however. I've seen a lot of defects, mostly lens assembly failure. my only concern is that maybe the W5 has gotten rid of some of these defects. definitely look into the Sony DSC W5 before this model.

The Pictures from DSC W1 are excellent. The 2.5 inch LCD screen gives a good idea about the picture quality. But, the only thing I worry about is too much work and settings to be done to get the best picture. Many times I have to play with the exposure meter to get the best. But, the photos are incomparable and unbelievably superb.