The Sony Cybershot DSC-W55 is a 7.2 megapixel (CCD) compact digital camera with a 3x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens.

The DSC-W55 features a 2.5 inch LCD screen, metal body, blur reduction (via ISO), shutter speed range of 1-1/2000 second and an ISO range of 100 - 1000.

It weighs 147 grams and measures 88.9 x 57.1 x 22.9mm.

The slim, compact DSC-W55 and DSC-W35 models will sport 7.2-megapixel imagers and precision Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lenses. They combine traditional, eye-level viewfinders with large LCD screens for easy framing and viewing of photos. The W55 camera will make a splash in Caribbean blue, pale pink, elegant black and sleek silver with a 2.5-inch LCD screen wrapped in a metal body, and the W35 camera will shimmer in silver with a two-inch screen.

The new DSC-S700 and DSC-S650 cameras will also feature 7.2-megapixel imagers, and will shine in classic silver. The former model will house a 2.4-inch LCD wrapped in a metal body and the latter a two-inch screen.

All four new models feature 3x optical zoom capability, blur-reduction technologies (ISO), and substantial internal memory for shooting without a media card. Their storage capacities can be expanded further with optional 8GB Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo flash media cards for the W-series models and 4 GB Duo media cards for the S-series models.

"Now that digital cameras are personal items, it’s common to have more than one camera per household," said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics. "Our new models are solid performers that will be easy for novices to digital photography to use and at the same time meet the needs of more advanced users."

Capture the Mood
High sensitivity is featured on all of the cameras to reduce the chances of taking blurry photos, especially in low light situations. With settings up to ISO1000, you can shoot at higher shutter speeds to capture the candles on a birthday cake or the city lights without using a flash.

On the W-series cameras, Sony's Clear RAW noise reduction technology helps reduce picture noise common to low-light exposures. Sony’s AF Illuminator also facilitates these models’ ability to shoot well in low light. A special light is thrown on subjects before taking a shot so that the camera’s imager can better detect contrast. The end result is well-focused, clear pictures, even in low light.

Shoot At The Speed of Life
These new models feature quick start-up, fast shot-to-shot times, and long battery life – up to 380 shots on a full charge of the W55 and W35 cameras’ Lithium ion battery, and 460 shots on a full charge of the S700 and S650 models’ optional, rechargeable AA batteries. The cameras' sophisticated auto-exposure and auto-focus features work fast so you get the picture right the first time.

No More Guesswork
All models incorporate a function guide and resolution guide. When menu icons are selected, a simple text explanation is displayed on the LCD screen. This function guide is readily-accessible through a convenient mode dial. The resolution guide is helpful when deciding on the best resolution for prints. When you select the resolution in the menu, a pop-up screen provides the ideal print size for that particular setting.

In stores in February, the W55 model will be available for about $200, the W35 for about $180, and the S650 for about $150. The S700 ships in March for about $180. Options will include batteries, travel chargers, lenses, filters, sports packs, and cases. All models can be purchased online at Sonystyle.com, at Sony Style retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders begin on Jan. 23 at www.sonystyle.com/cameras2007.

Sony CyberShot DSC-W55 Reviews

DCRP has a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 and writes, "The photo quality on the DSC-W55 is generally very good, though not without its problems. Generally speaking, photos were well-exposed, with pleasing colors and low purple fringing. ... Sony has really cranked up the noise reduction on the W55, which gets rid of the high ISO noise that you saw on the W50, but at the expense of fine detail. In general, photos had a bit of a fuzzy quality to them, even at lower ISOs, where the noise reduction system was smudging out details. Still, the average point-and-shooter won't notice. As is usually the case with cameras like these, redeye was a big problem. ... If you're a typical point-and-shoot user who wants a stylish, compact camera for everyday picture-taking, then I can definitely recommend the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 to you. If offers good photo quality and performance in an eye-catching metal body for under $200. Those of you who shoot under unusual lighting or enjoy taking night shots like the ones seen in my reviews should look for cameras with at least some manual controls, as you'll get better results."

CNET has a review of the Sony CyberShot DSC-W55 and writes, " Overall, we found the DSC-W55's photos clear and pleasing. Despite the slight softening of some finer details, photos looked crisp. Colors generally reproduced well, though users should remember to switch to the tungsten white-balance setting when shooting indoors--the W55's automatic white balance fared poorly in our difficult tungsten-lit test shots, rendering harsh and yellow. Sony tames noise impressively throughout the DSC-W55's sensitivity range. At ISO 100 we saw no significant noise, even when scrutinized on a monitor. Extremely small speckles became visible on a display for ISO 200 and ISO 400 shots, but not in prints. At ISO 800, noise became apparent in prints and was very noticeable on monitors. Surprisingly though, even at ISO 1,000, the W55 produces usable, if grainy, prints with vivid and accurate colors."

Imaging Resource has a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 and writes, "This new Sony DSC-W55 offers a few improved specs over its predecessor, the DSC-W50 model. Most notable are the 7.2 megapixel CCD, more internal memory and its faster top shutter speeds. It still retains the 3x optical zoom and large 2.5-inch LCD display of the previous model. The extra megapixels will be appreciated if you need to crop your pictures or make bigger enlargements. More important changes come in areas you can't see on a spec sheet, particularly high-ISO (high light-sensitivity) image noise. The previous W50 model sported the same top-end ISO 800 and 1,000 settings, but its images were so noisy and blurry at those levels that they were essentially unusable. On-screen, it's a toss-up between the two cameras' high-ISO shots, but when printed, images from the W55 look much better (at least to my eye). ... Particularly for a camera that you can carry in most any pocket, the Sony DSC-W55 boasts a lot of features, and the controls are laid out well. Offering good sharpness and color, a strong feature set, and available in four colors (black, pink, silver, or blue), all at an attractive price, the Sony DSC-W55 has a lot going for it. If it only did a bit better job under incandescent lighting, it'd be a shoo-in for a Dave's Pick, but as it stands, it's a (very) near miss."

DPExpert has a review of the Sony DSC W55 and writes, "Colour, and focus are good. There is a tendency to overexpose evenly lit subjects. Resolution of fine detail is very good. Sony claim the battery will deliver 380 shots before needing a recharge. We will take their word for it. There is no optical image stabilisation but there is a high ISO setting, permitting higher shutter speeds. The tradeoff in picture noise is unacceptable. Even at ISO400 image noise is noticeable. ... This is a good compact camera that we enjoyed using. Up to ISO 200 it produces fine images. It has selectable aspect ratios and it can take pictures in the right ratio and pixel dimension for widescreen high definition televisions, (16:9 and 1920x1080 pixels) but be warned, what is good for the telly is not necessarily good for printing. Even a high definition TV is a relatively low resolution device."

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Sony DSC-W55 and writes, "On the whole I thought the DSC W55 performed well for one of the less expensive, pocket sized digital cameras. There were no serious concerns with the test photos although as ever there were one or two areas where the camera could have stepped up a notch. ... The Sony DSC W55 is one of the less expensive, pocket sized digital cameras. It has a lot of good things going for it and if you want a digital camera that offers all the usual features and good value for money as well then this is certainly an attractive option."

Unbeatable has a review of the Sony Cybershot DSC W55 and writes, "The Sony Cybershot DSC-W55 performed well in many of our tests, the best being the colour test. Colours were superbly reproduced and were bold and vibrant with natural shades enhanced. However, the W55's automatic white balance didn't impress us so much. Image noise was minimal even up to ISO 800 where it did start to show slightly. The start-up to shoot time was not bad for an entry level digicam at 1.3 seconds with photos taken at 1.4 seconds a go."