Sony's 2008 budget W-series compact — 7.2MP CCD, Zeiss 32-128mm 4x zoom, Memory Stick Duo
The Cyber-shot DSC-W115 was part of Sony's high-volume W-series of budget compacts, introduced in January 2008 as one of a cluster of closely related models — W110, W115, W120 and W130 — sold through different markets and retail channels. It was a straightforward point-and-shoot pitched at everyday family photography.
It used a 7.2-megapixel 1/2.5-inch CCD with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 5.35-21.4mm f/2.8-5.8 lens, a 4x zoom equivalent to 32-128mm. A 2.5-inch LCD sat alongside a small optical viewfinder, and there was a built-in flash but no image stabilisation. Sensitivity ran ISO 100-3200, storage was Memory Stick Duo or PRO Duo, and the NP-BG1 lithium-ion battery was rated at roughly 420 shots per charge.
The slightly wide 32mm end and 4x range gave it more flexibility than the 3x compacts it replaced, and the strong battery life makes it a practical casual shooter even now. The lack of stabilisation means care is needed at the long end, and output shows the characteristic contrasty colour of late-2000s Sony CCDs.
The NP-BG1 battery is shared across many Cyber-shots and remains cheap to replace, so a dead cell is not a dealbreaker. Storage is Memory Stick Duo format, not SD — check a card is included. Test the zoom through its full travel, confirm the flash charges, and look for the LCD scratches common on cameras carried caseless in pockets.