Rating: Summary: Excellent as a first digital camera. Review: If you are considering the Sony P10, you are probably looking for your first digital camera. If so, you are considering a very worthwhile purchase, both in the abstract (acquiring a digital camera) and in the concrete (the Sony P10). I've had a P9--the previous model--for about six months, and I am extremely pleased with it. I often comment that it has "changed my life." (More on that below.) First, here are the features I really like about the P9:__ 1) Very small (fits in your pocket). __ 2) Great resolution (5.0 megapixels is very nice). __ 3) Delay after pressing shutter button is quite short. __ 4) Good selection of features, which are easy to access. __ 5) Very easy to download images to your computer. __ 6) Memory sticks are very compact and have multiple uses. If you are new to digital photography, #3 will come as a surprise to you. Be sure to check this on any digital camera you consider! Some have a delay of close to a second, and it will drive you crazy if you intend to photograph anything but static objects (i.e. NO people). With regard to memory sticks, I'm a big fan. They are very small and can be used in other devices such as camcorders, computers, and voice recorders. There are a few things that could be improved in the P9, although these things do not seem to be appreciably better in other models that I've considered, and are often significantly worse. Here are the things that could be better: __ 1) Built-in flash is terrible (as are all built-in flashes). __ 2) No connector for an external flash. (Argh!) __ 3) Annoying delay after pressing the on/off button. __ 4) High capacity memory sticks (over 128 MB) are expensive. With respect to the flash, I think it is best to think of the P9 as having no flash at all. If you don't mind having everything look flat, with stark shadows, go ahead and use the flash. Otherwise, you are much better off using natural light--the brighter the better. (Note: low light images are grainer, and consume more memory as the compression algorithms are less effective on grainy images.) I would really ding the P9 for this, if it were not that every point-and-click camera I've ever seen, digital or otherwise, has a similarly pathetic flash. (Why can no manufacturer get this right? Simply being able to bounce the light off the ceiling would help immeasurably!) Finally, when you hit the on/off button, there is a delay of several seconds before you get any indication that the camera is going to turn on/off. This can be very confusing, especially since the button provides no tactile feedback! Now, a few comments to newbie digital photographers (as I was six months ago). I'm sure you can already list some of the obvious advantages of digital photography: 1) You can preview them on-the-spot, 2) You need only keep the ones you like, 3) You can store them on your computer, email them, and post them on the web very easily (i.e. no scanning). But, is this all hype, or does it really make a difference? My answer is this: It makes a FAR GREATER difference than you can begin to anticipate! To me the difference is so significant that I can scarcely compare digital and conventional photography. They are distinct activities. As proof of this, I now take (conservatively) ten times more photos than I used to, and I continually view them, compose them, and share them using my computer. All of these things are possible with conventional photography, just like it's possible to walk ten miles to work rather than drive. You could do those things; you just won't. Admit it, you're human. Whether you buy the P10 or not, do yourself a huge favor and purchase a digital camera (especially if you have kids). You'll wonder why you waited so long to take the plunge.
Rating: Summary: best camera for printing big pics Review: i upgraded from an olympus 2.1 megapixel camera to the p10 and have never looked back! this is by far a camera that produces quality rich pics with crystal clear detail, vibrant colors and a fairly easy to use operating format. i've printed many 8 1/2 x 11in pics and keep getting the same response from people when i tell them that its from a digital camera and not film. they are totally blown away!!! so am i! this camera not only makes film processing obsolete but it also produces images that give film a run for their money. the battery life is fairly long compared to my old camera and the camera design is very sleek and compact. i dont think i'll be trading this camera for a while. the p10 has been one of my best electronic buys ever!
Rating: Summary: Excellent Review: This is my first digital camera, what a way to start out. It's so easy to use. Quality is great. The video is great, very clear picture. I'm very glad I went with this one, because it'll do everything I want it to do for a long time. And with the 256 memory stick I purchased, I'll always have room for one more picture! Highly recommend
Rating: Summary: This is a great camera Review: I just took my new DSC-P10 on a two-week trip through the Canadian Rockies, where I took over 300 pictures of the scenery, people, indoor and outdoor points of interest, etc. The camera performed flawlessly, and the pictures are incredible - especially for a camera that fits easily in your shirt pocket! There are tradeoffs in a camera this compact, of course, like the size of the LCD display - but those are expected. I took two 256-MB memory sticks and two batteries, and did the whole vacation without having to download pictures to a PC (didn't bring one), or running out of battery power over the course of any day. I took most pictures at 3.1 Megapixels, which is all that's needed for any normal print, but I used the full 5 Megapixel resolution for those special scenic shots. The camera seems to do an outstanding job with its automatic exposure mode, but I used the spot metering for particularly difficult situations and was also happy with those results. Rendition of colors was excellent. Most of the menus are reasonably easy to figure out, but some of the symbols displayed on the LCD are hard to identify, and sometimes a little small to try and read. Overall, a GREAT camera that I'd recommend to anyone.
Rating: Summary: A great product! Review: Just got this camera a few weeks ago and had the chance to use it at family gatherings over 4th of July weekend.....no complaints at all! Compact, easy to use, good-looking, and most of all takes great pictures! Getting a 5-megapixel camera for the same price as most other manufacturers' 4 MP models is a huge advantage! The movie mode is also lots of fun. It's also super easy to transfer pics to the computer, just USB and go! As with the other Sony products I own, this camera draws oohs and aahs whenever I take it out! All in all a great deal for the camera, although one might want to invest in a 128 MB memory stick and extra battery for vacations and longer picture taking events when downloading to a PC is not readily available. Pick it up!
Rating: Summary: This is my third (and best) digital camera Review: Note: the Sony DSCP92 and this camera are VERY close in features, with the only major one being the price. In fact, they are so close I had to print out both feature lists to find the three small details that are different. One difference is the battery: the P10 has an InfoLithium NP-FC11, and the P92 has NiMH AA batteries. The InfoLithium is square, sealed and compact compared to the AA batteries in the P92. Both are rechargeable and the charger comes in the box, but the AA batteries in the P92 must come out of the camera to be recharged, whereas the P10 just plugs into the wall (a nice feature.) The P92 is (a hardly-noticeable) two-ounces heavier than the 7.5-ounce P10. This probably comes from heavier batteries and larger case. The case on the P92 is slightly larger, and to my judgment, a bit more bulky feeling than the P10. I REALLY like the way the P10 feels in my hand. I had a Fuji digital camera that took GREAT pictures and had a quick shutter speed, but it was bulky and felt cheap. The P10 feels solid. Even when the lens is fully extracted, it too feels solid. The other difference is in the available Scene Modes: P10 has seven (Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Fast Shutter) and the P92 has five (Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Beach, Snow) The buttons feel like they will last the life of the camera and are labeled and quite easy to use. Just from the labels/icons next to the buttons I was able to fool around with the camera for awhile before I had to consult the owner's manual. Speaking of the owner's manual... this camera has a deep list of features, and when you break down the how-to of each feature it can make the manual a bit lengthy. But, it's worth it in the end. You will be taking better pictures because you will be using more of the features that are designed to make your picture taking easier and better. So far, my favorite feature is the Snow Scene Mode. I took some pictures in the snow at the normal setting and later took some in the Snow Mode. After downloading them I noticed a big difference; the pictures (in Snow Mode) looked exactly the way it did to my naked eye. Cons: -My Fuji digital took better low-light pictures than this one. The flash on the P10 has three settings (Low, Normal and High), but it still seems to overpower some settings where you would like to catch the ambient lighting. I think this is simply an operator error and me not reading even deeper into the manual. But the Fuji low-light pix looked better with less button pushing and feature fumbling. -The shutter is a bit slower than other digital cameras, but that is due to the 5 megapixels it is trying to gather. I bought a SanDisk 256MB MagicGate MemoryStick Pro because I was told that it took faster pictures and shortened your downloading time versus a regular issue MemoryStick. You can also use the Fast Shutter Scene Mode (better used outdoors) to help you out with the slow shutter. Favorite features: -Display is bright and can even be seen outside. -Your most often used features are just a button away. -Size and feel. Just slightly longer than a deck of cards. -You can alter (i.e. Solarize, Sepia, Negative Art) and edit pictures right on the camera. - You can take movies with sound! Awesome feature. I highly recommend this camera to anyone that is looking to buy one. It can be your first digital camera or your tenth, whatever your level of picture taking this camera can accomodate you.
Rating: Summary: 4.5 star: Great! Just a bit slow to capture "Kodak" moments Review: For what it offers, this camera is a great deal (both, price and mail-in rebate considered). After shopping around, this was one of the best options we found in the 5MP range. Things we've loved about it: 1) Portability (fits in almost any pocket). 2) Default picture quality is great (even indoors or by night), plus the max. resolution (2592 x 1944 pixels) allows you to obtain huge enlargements, though the 32MB Memory Stick that comes with it will not fit too many of them. 3) It captures video with sound, an upgrade from our previous camera which only shot "silent" movies. 4) Built-in display has great contrast and picture quality. 5) Pictures can be downloaded to PCs or Macs using the traditional USB mode or the faster, more recent USB 2.0 mode which spits them into your computer in a snapshot! The biggest drawbacks I see with the camera are: 1) Dependability on propietary technology for storage (Memory Stick) and power (lithium-ion battery). 2) Long time it takes to shoot the picture after you press the shutter. This has caused me to loose a few "Kodak" moments that just passed "too fast" in front of the lens for the camera to react in time to them. All in all, I can live with the cons and highly recommend the camera. For its price, for now I think you'll have a hard time finding something as good.
Rating: Summary: do NOT buy this camera Review: I bought this camera in August 2003. In September the LCD screen broke for the first time. This occurred after I traveled by plane with the camera in a SONY camera case, carried onto the plane with me, not in the overhead compartment. It was still under warranty and we got it fixed. I had a baby in Jan 2004. While home on maternity leave, taking lots of pictures everyday, the LCD cracked again. This was with what I consider normal use at home. I believe it cracked b/c I placed it (I did not DROP it) on the table with the LCD screen facing down. I handled this camera with care. I am not a klutz. When I examined the structure of the camera, I saw that the LCD has no protective "frame" around it. It just sticks out from the camera, open to any insult, however minor it might seem. Other sony cameras have a metal frame around the LCD (think of it as a picture in a frame, vs a picture in glass without a frame). Anyway, I am so angry because this was a pretty expensive camera and I think there is a major design flaw here. Take my advise, save yourself a lot of money and aggravation, look at the camera you buy in person and make sure it has a metal frame around the LCD screen
Rating: Summary: Blurry, blurry, blurry. Review: I cannot understand how anyone can write a good review of this camera. I have not been able, after reading the manual thoroughly and trying different settings, to take a picture of anything indoors with the slightest movement without it coming out blurry. At least half of my pictures are horrible! Yes, I know, use the faster shutter speed, but indoors the faster shutter speed requires the flash or the pictures are way too dark. But with the flash the pictures look like they were taken of people in a pitch black room with no light, except the flash lighting them up. Horrible. I called Sony customer care, which has so far been excellent, and they told me to send the camera in for repairs. (...)
Rating: Summary: A bit disappointed Review: This was my first digital camera. At first I was so impressed with the whole digital camera thing and all the camera's cool features, BUT, after about 200-300 pictures, I realized that I could practice until blue in the face and I will still get a lot of blurry pictures. I realize you will get some of that but I have 2 friends that have much less expensive cameras that take much clearer pictures. I wouldn't care so much if this camera was $150-200 but I paid over $400. Even when a picture is not blurry, they are somewhat grainy. Pictures look like they came from a disposable camera. I'm so irritated when someone sends me a picture that is far superior in quality than the ones my camera takes,and I know their camera iwas like $200 cheaper. I've adjusted the settings, read the manual a couple of times, I just think this is as good as it gets.
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