The control layout and ergonomic design of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 are simple but effective, unlike some of Sony’s more eccentric designs. The camera is basically a rectangular box with a lens on the front and a monitor on the back. Thanks to its large size and relatively basic specification, the fairly small number of controls are well spaced out and still leave plenty of room for your thumb. Overall handling is fairly good and all the buttons are easy to reach, although the mode dial could do with a little work. The milled edges that make it easy to grip also catch on your pocket lining and often turn the dial to a random position, which is inconvenient if you’re in a hurry and forget to check what mode it is set to.
Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-W7 represents a good middle ground in the new 7 megapixel snapshot market. Image quality could be a little better, but overall performance, build quality and handling are everything we’ve come to expect from Sony.