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.
Buy Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Now
i feel that this camera is geared towards novice users who are looking for an ultracompact, high resolution, point and shoot. in that regard, the dsc-p10 succeeds but i kept thinking that it would be nice if the camera had more features that users could grow into.pros:
5MP resolution and 3X optical zoom
very compact (smaller and lighter than the competition) with a stylish body
excellent build quality no squeaks or rattles here
easy to use
convenient e-mail features
good battery life
good neutral colour balance
automatic white balance worked well under both daylight and incandescent lighting
infrared AF assist lamp i definitely prefer this to white light assist lamps
MPEG recording only limited by the size of your memory stick
selectable ISO sensitivities
has a multi-burst continuous shooting mode
good on-screen information
quick acting auto focus typically locks within a second
relatively quick startup
automatic lens cover
battery charges while in the camera you don't have to remove the battery to recharge
usb 2.0 connectivity means faster downloads of pics
cons:
occasional image noise
operational times could be faster
the included 32MB memory stick is inadequate; be ready to shell out additional $$ for more memory
you pay a premium for the sony brand
softer images than the competition
occasional ghosting
very limited manual controls (no apertureand shutter-priority modes!)
autofocus points are not selectable
no control over colour saturation or tone
no manual white balance
no RAW file capture
this is a very nice camera. for someone looking for an ultracompact point and shoot, this would be perfect. however, if you think that you'll want more manual control in the future, i would recommend getting a camera such as the canon s50. about the same price, a little bigger, but you'll have a camera you can grow into. good shooting!
Read Best Reviews of Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Here
I'd like to mention some very interesting and hard to find out information about the p10 that I hope will be helpful.Smart zoom allows addional zoom power if you are shooting below maximum camera pixel capability. This can only be seen on the screen and not in the view finder.
The video compression works well but fast motion may seem a little jerky. Almost 6 minutes of VGA fits on a 128 meg card. A 256 meg card goes for as little as [money amount]plus shipping on the net. Camera allows dividing video and deleting unwanted side for reducing memory use. Zoom function does not work during video probably bewcause of noise or focus issues. There is also an email quality video mode which will give 90 minutes of recording with adequate sound.This allows recording a lecture or interview in video with sound! The included software seems to only allow saving editing to MPEG1 which is computer only. I don't understand this. Maybe they want to sell something else. Don't get stuck with a lot of work you can't put on a video disk and look into other software.
On the web you can download Projector Station 4.1 which is for putting jpeg images into xga format and into a file on a memory stick card for projectors. This allows about 500 images onto a 128 meg card in a file that can be accessed from your camera. When you are visiting the relatives you can bring all of your family photos in the camera for playing on the tv with the video output cable supplied. If they have windows xp the camera will allow you to hook up with only the cable w/o any software and and have camera memory show as a drive. You can copy any pictures you want to other computer. Very 2K!
The battery really lasts quite well and the camera will tell you how much time is left on it. You can also purchase extended life batteries. The long cords on the charger are awkward and it must plug into the camera to charge battery. An external charger would be convenient.
Camera will stay contiuously in focus allowing a much quicker shutter response than other cameras. Using the manual distance setting speeds things up also. You can edit still pictures by zooming in during preview and then cropping what isn't in the screen. You can also make lower resolution copies of pictures for emails.
The camera takes surprising quality shots in low light without the flash. I am guessing that it somehow processes the images to avoid some of the low shutter blur. The camera is amazing and it fits in my pocket.
Want Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Discount?
As usual, Sony has outdone themselves. I have never had a problem with anything Sony I've ever owned--and this camera is no exception.It boasts 5 megapixel pictures, countless features, good looks--in a package small enough to drop in your pocket--amazing. Menu is easy to navigate, read and understand. We upgraded immediately to a 128 meg card, although we wanted to get the 256--we opted not to deal with the copyright issues on the memory stick pro cards. It seems some photography stores can't develop pictures from those protected cards--not good. You can get a nice 128 for about $... now!
... Other options include upgraded lenses, tripods and other toys you can grow into--very nice indeed!
We have been told by some very knowledgable industry folks that we may never have to buy another digital camera again! Overall--we are very happy with this Sony DSC-P10--we can't wait to start booking vacations!
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