Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55

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Cyber-shot DSC-W50 compared with Cyber-shot DSC-W55

	SonyCyber-shot DSC-W50	SonyCyber-shot DSC-W55
Overview
Released
Released	March 2006	February 2007
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	Compact	Compact
Sensor type
Sensor type	Super HAD CCD	Super HAD CCD
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	6 MP	7.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	2816 × 2112	3072 × 2304
RAW recording
RAW recording	No	No
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	80–1000	100–1000
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	1/2.5-type primary-colour CCD; original manual specifies approximately 6,003,000 effective and 6,183,000 total pixels	1/2.5-type primary-colour CCD, approximately 7.201 million effective and 7.41 million total photosites; optical format is not physical sensor dimensions
Image formats
Image formats	Fine or Standard JPEG; 2816 × 2112 native, 2816 × 1872 in 3:2 or 1920 × 1080 in 16:9 mode	JPEG Fine/Standard, 3072 × 2304 maximum; 3072 × 2048 in 3:2 or 1920 × 1080 in 16:9
Image processor
Image processor	Real Imaging Processor with Clear RAW NR noise reduction; JPEG recording rather than RAW files	Real Imaging Processor with Clear RAW NR; this processes JPEG photographs and does not provide RAW recording
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens
Built-in lens	38–114 mm equivalent	38–114 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/2.8–5.2	f/2.8–5.2
Optical zoom
Optical zoom	3×	3×
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	–	None
Lens detail
Lens detail	Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar; actual 6.3–18.9 mm; Hong Kong launch sheet instead labels the family Vario-Sonnar	Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, actual 6.3–18.9 mm; manual specifies 38–114 mm equivalent, whereas Hong Kong launch table misprints the wide end as 35 mm
Autofocus
Autofocus	Five-area multi-point or centre AF, single or monitoring operation, focus presets and illuminator; ordinary focus from 0.5 m, macro from 0.02 m wide or 0.3 m telephoto	Five-area Multipoint or centre AF, Single or Monitoring operation and AF illuminator; focus presets. Normal focus from approximately 50 cm, macro 2 cm wide or 30 cm telephoto
Shutter
Shutter	Sony NZ specifies Auto 1/8–1/2000 second and Program 1–1/2000 second; UK support lists Auto 1–1/2000 second	–
Burst detail
Burst detail	Maker specifies three native 6 MP Fine frames with approximately 0.7-second intervals; 98 VGA Standard frames are a separate reduced-resolution sequence; no headline fps inferred	Photo Review measured approximately 0.9-second intervals in a short full-resolution burst; its specification table lists four frames. Reduced Multi Burst records sixteen frames combined into one 1M photograph with selectable 1/30, 1/15 or 1/7.5-second intervals
Flash
Flash	Automatic, forced, off or slow sync; ISO Auto range 0.2–4.2 m wide or 0.3–2.2 m telephoto; ISO 1000 reaches 7.3 m wide or 4.0 m telephoto	Built-in flash, Auto/forced/off/slow-sync and red-eye reduction; manual recommends ISO Auto range approximately 0.2–3.9 m wide or 0.3–2.0 m telephoto
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	Auto, Program or seven scene modes; ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps; ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1000; multi-pattern, centre-weighted or spot metering	Auto, Program and seven scene modes: High Sensitivity, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Soft Snap, Snow and Beach; multi-pattern, centre-weighted or spot metering
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	640 × 480 at 30 fps	640 × 480 at 30 fps
Video detail
Video detail	MPEG-1 with mono sound; VGA Fine at 30 fps requires Memory Stick PRO Duo, Standard approximately 17 fps and video-mail 160 × 112 approximately 8 fps; no zoom during recording (Popular Photography)	MPEG Movie VX Fine, 640 × 480 at approximately 30 fps, requires Memory Stick PRO Duo; Standard approximately 17 fps, a smaller video-mail mode. Maximum movie file approximately 2 GB
Audio
Audio	–	MPEG1 mono movie sound; built-in mono microphone and speaker
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	2.5″	2.5″
Screen dots
Screen dots	115,000	115,200
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	–	No
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	–	No
Display detail
Display detail	TFT LCD and optical real-image finder; manual gives 115,200 dots, while maker support rounds this to 115,000; histogram and adjustable brightness	Fixed 2.5-type TFT LCD; manual specifies 115200 dots, launch sheet rounds to 115K. Histogram, adjustable backlight and optical real-image viewfinder
Connections and design
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	No	–
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	390 photographs	380 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	127 g	116 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Original US maker release dated 13 February 2006 states early March availability; Hong Kong maker launch specifies mid-March 2006	Sony US 17 January 2007 announcement reproduced by DPReview specifies February store availability; Hong Kong maker announcement specifies beginning of March. February month precision retained, exact international first-sale day unconfirmed
Recording media
Recording media	32 MB internal memory; Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo	Approximately 56 MB internal memory; Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo, not an SD card slot
Ports
Ports	Multi-use connector for USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, mono AV output and DC input; PictBridge printing	Multi-use connector for USB 2.0 Hi-Speed and mono AV output; PictBridge direct printing. W55 uses the multi-connector cable, rather than the separate USB/AV sockets of W35
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	NP-BG1 lithium-ion battery; original manual CIPA claim approximately 390 shots with LCD on or 500 off; current NZ support agrees with 390 shots or 195 minutes, whereas UK support lists 300 shots or 195 minutes	NP-BG1, 3.4 Wh/960 mAh; manual CIPA claim approximately 380 photographs/190 minutes with LCD on or 490/245 minutes off at 25°C, Fine JPEG, Single AF, alternating zoom ends, one shot every 30 seconds, flash every second shot and power cycle every ten
Charging
Charging	External BC-CSG battery charger	External BC-CSG/BC-CSGB/BC-CSGC battery charger; practical charge approximately 270 minutes or full charge 330 minutes at 25°C. Optional AC adapter does not charge the battery inside camera
Dimensions
Dimensions	88.9 × 57.1 × 22.9 mm (width × height × depth); Sony NZ gives 19.7 mm minimum thickness	88.9 × 57.1 × 22.9 mm (width × height × depth), excluding protrusions
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 127 g body only or 157 g with accessories in maker support	116 g excluding battery and media in Sony Hong Kong specification table; manual loaded weight approximately 147 g including NP-BG1, wrist strap and other accessories
Materials
Materials	Sony NZ describes a full metal body; original US launch release describes a metal alloy body	Sony Hong Kong describes full-metal aluminium construction; Photo Review describes aluminium cladding over a plastic body
Colours
Colours	Silver or black in original Hong Kong maker launch list; colour editions share this entry	Black, silver, blue or pink; colour finishes share this entry
In the box
In the box	NP-BG1 battery, BC-CSG charger, power cord, AV/USB multi-connecting cable, wrist strap, instructions and Cyber-shot Viewer software	NP-BG1, external battery charger, power cord where applicable, multi-use USB/AV cable, wrist strap, software CD-ROM and instructions; memory card not supplied