W1 vs. W5 vs. W7

matts22 · #1 03-10-2005, 02:30 PM

Ok, so I'm going to get a digital camera. I'm not in a big hurry, but I would like to decide what I want to get.

I have seen the DSC-W1 and the DSC-W5 in stores, and I love it. I am just an average college student who wants a feature packed camera (I even like the movie mode).

So anyway, I'm trying to decide what I should get.

Circuit City has a mail-in rebate on the W1 making it $285. I have seen the W5 as low as $315 shipped. The W7 is not available yet from what I can find.

I know I want one of these three cameras, so please help me decide between them.

The W5 and W7 come with internal memory, which would be nice I think. They also have more battery life I think (can someone confirm this?). The W1 is a little cheaper, but not much.

I've pretty much decided I'll either go with the W5 or W7, unless you guys talk me out of it. So I guess it all comes down to if the 7mp is worth it over the 5mp. What do you guys think? Most of my pictures are indoors of people, but I like action shots and if I had a decent camera, I would like some scenic shots (we go on vacation every year). I probably won't make any big prints, but I'm not sure.

Is the W7 going to have better quality on regular 4x6 and 5x7 photos? Or is it just better when the picture is enlarged?

What do you guys recommend? When will the W7 be readily available?

Thanks!

EAP · #2 03-10-2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matts22

Is the W7 going to have better quality on regular 4x6 and 5x7 photos? Or is it just better when the picture is enlarged?

Nope, 7 mp is a waste of $$ if you're only going to print 4x6 and 5x7 photos. It will only make a difference if you are printing very large photos.

EAP · #3 03-10-2005, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matts22

When will the W7 be readily available?

The W7 is supposed to ship in March, so should be available within a couple of weeks.

http://www.dcresource.com/news/index...=2005-02&cat=2

poikkeus · #4 03-10-2005, 07:26 PM

I've not used the other cameras, but the W1 is one of the best bargains around. I get clear, fully-colored images quickly, and it's a pleasure to use. Indoor images are great with flash, and perfectly satisfactory without. The big LCD screen is an amazing feature unmatched anywhere.

I should provide caveats so you can make an intelligent decision. With the W1, it's important to read the instruction book before taking pictures; those who have complained about "blur" were not conversant wth the W1's various modes. Good news: About 90% of all your shots will be in one mode.

You'll also need to purchase a Pro memory stick, preferably 512MB or so. The prices have gotten very low, and Sandisk offers the best bargain.

matts22 · #5 03-11-2005, 07:49 PM

Cool, thanks for the input.

So I guess I'll probably get the W5. Seems like a good overall camera, and if I ever start taking pictures that might be blown up bigger, I'll get a new camera. 5MP should be plenty I think.

The W5 is about the same price as the W1, and since the W5 has 32mb internal memory, I might as well get it.

I'll definitely be getting a 512mb memory stick. San Disk UltraII 512MB can be had for about $80, so that's what I'll probably get. Is this good?

Anything else I should know before I buy?

Thanks!

dimm0k · #6 03-12-2005, 08:55 AM

You really don't need the Ultra... as long as it's a Pro, that should be good enough.

gary_hendricks · #7 03-12-2005, 09:07 AM

The Sony DSC W1 is a great camera. Check out this review

rlallen · #8 03-12-2005, 05:17 PM

I don't know how much difference it makes (if any), but note the W1 has 123,000 pixels in it's 2.5 inch display while the W5 has only
115,000 pixels.
Comments anyone?

poikkeus · #9 03-12-2005, 08:06 PM

Although you may have decided on a W5, the LCD screen resolution will be somewhat less impressive than the W1 due to the decreased pixels.

This is a tough choice. More pixels, or a better LCD? My W1 takes images that easily print with fine detail on 8-1/2 x 11 photo paper. If you're dealing with even bigger images, or do a lot of cropping, the W5 may be your camera.

dimm0k · #10 03-12-2005, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poikkeus

Although you may have decided on a W5, the LCD screen resolution will be somewhat less impressive than the W1 due to the decreased pixels.

This is a tough choice. More pixels, or a better LCD? My W1 takes images that easily print with fine detail on 8-1/2 x 11 photo paper. If you're dealing with even bigger images, or do a lot of cropping, the W5 may be your camera.

More pixels? I thought the W5 and W1 were the same cameras?