Functionally, the Sony DSC-W1 is nearly a dead ringer for the slightly more compact DSC-P100, offering nearly the same functions in a differently-shaped and slightly larger body, with a larger 2.5 inch LCD. It competes with models like Canon's PowerShot S500 in the "subcompact" digicam category, and should be a strong player there, with its excellent mix of features, functions, small size, and image quality. It provides more manual exposure control than most compact models permit, yet is easy to use in full-auto mode, and its six preprogrammed scene modes help with tricky subjects. Its photos show excellent color and sharpness, although it shares with its P100 sibling some white-balance weakness under household incandescent lighting, and likewise achieves its surprisingly low image noise levels at the expense of image detail in areas of subtle contrast. (It seems to have a very aggressive anti-noise system, which does indeed deliver low noise in flat-tinted areas, but which also tends to flatten-out fine subject detail in areas with low contrast, such as hair, grass, etc.) In my testing, the W1 did a very good job with dynamic range and highlight detail when I employed its optional low-contrast setting, a feature that I really like to see, given how common it is for digicams to lose the highlights when trying for "snappy" photos under harsh lighting. The DSC-W1 also has very good macro capability, and is unusually capable when shooting under low light conditions. Finally, while I couldn't test its power consumption directly, Sony's specs and my own anecdotal experience both speak of very good battery life. Add in a surprisingly fast shutter response, very fast shot to shot cycle times, and a (relatively) huge and very readable 2.5" LCD display, and you've got a real winner of a compact digicam, one with fewer tradeoffs than you'd expect to find in a camera packed into such a small case size. If you're looking for a great "take anywhere" camera with great versatility and excellent color and tonality, the Sony DSC-W1 should be an easy choice. A "Dave's Pick," although I have to say that I'd be happier with it if its noise-suppression processing were a bit less aggressive.
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