The best point and shoot on the market?
Written: Feb 07 '04
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Pros: Rechargeable batteries, low price, 5 megapixels, lots of nice features, near-perfect ergonomics
Cons: 3 month labor warranty
The Bottom Line: 8x10's look unbelievable. The button layout is near perfect and the feature-set and flexibility is very underrated. For the money this is as good as it gets!
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| theconsumerguy's Full Review: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P92 Digital Camera |
Sony DSCP92 Review
This winter I found myself in the market for a digital point and shoot camera. After spending several weeks researching various cameras I settled on the Sony DCPS92. I purchased the P92 for 292.00 dollars after a 50.00 dollar mail-in-rebate at Circuit City in Dec 03. I found that this camera strikes the perfect balance between cost, size, performance and features.
Out of the box
The first thing I noticed when opening the box was the included nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries. Kudos to Sony for their inclusion! Sadly many companies still bundle alkaline batteries with their digi-cams. The 2-battery set that comes with the P92 are rated at 2100 mAh and take 6 hours to charge (when completely depleted.) The nickel metal hydride batteries are shaped like alkalines so you can use regular batteries in a pinch if you're on the road and the batteries fail. Many companies use the obtuse-shaped lithium batteries which means your out of luck if your batteries go dead and you don't have a spare. By the way, I've used this camera for three months and I've shot nearly 600 pictures - the batteries hold up extremely well. I've read a few remarks that this camera is a battery hog but my experience has proved anything but. I constantly use the flash and LCD - in fact I've never turned the LCD off and Ive charged the batteries only three times. To further assist battery life Sony included an option to shut the camera off if untouched for 2 minutes. This is handy as Ive often found myself leaving the camera on as I transfer pictures from my camera to my computer. Ultimately I have a feeling that those who complained about battery life failed to follow the proper charging instructions. The camera also comes with a charger for the batteries as well as a USB cable and AV out (to run into your TV.)
Picture quality
The picture quality is outstanding from what Ive gathered. I read the lead review by Mr Creech and I havent noticed the slight yellow cast he eluded to. In fact I even compared my P92 with my friends 4mp Olympus - which I borrowed for several weeks - and I couldnt detect a real difference. Granted, perhaps my eyes arent as discernable as some? It is worth noting that more megapixels doesnt exactly equate into better pictures. It simply means your getting larger pictures. With this in mind some would be wise to consider Sony's less expensive DSCP72 which is a 3.2mp variant. By the way, if you plan on printing 4x6's exclusively Sony offers a 4.5mp setting in the DSCP92 which records the picture in a 4x6 ratio so theres no cropping to make perfect prints!
Emailing
Upon taking my first few shots I immediately jumped on the PC and started to send emails to family and friends (sony includes a USB that plugs directly into your PC.) I immediately noticed that sending a 5-megapixel picture via email is very impractical. Keep in mind these pictures are so large they take up nearly 1 megabyte per picture so you can fill someones inbox VERY quickly. Its also worth pointing out that dialup users would be forever trying to open such large pictures. Fortunately Sony engineers included two options for someone interested in sending pictures via email. You can adjust the camera so that it takes smaller pictures from the beginning. For instance you can tell the camera to take a 4.5, 3.1,1.2 megapixel shot. Of course most camera do this. The draw back is that if Im taking pictures and shoot a really good shot in 1.2 mega pixel mode I wouldnt be unable to blow the picture up and print it without noticing severe distortion. Enter the Sony DSCP92's second option- this camera has an-email mode that will take pictures at 5 megapixel's while making an email-sized copy on the memory card! This feature is worth mentioning since most will use the camera to send pictures via email to family and friends!
Size
One of my favorite aspects of the P92 is its size. Its small enough to fit in my pocket yet its still large enough to hold. I considered both the Sony DSCP10 (which is almost identical to the P92) and the Cannon s400. Both of those cameras are too small in my opinion. Keep in mind I really dont have large hands either. I also considered the Canon A80 but its a little too bulky to fit in my pocket. Overall the P92 is perfect in this regard. Oh yeah, the button-layout is near perfect and the menu system is fantastic. Sony couldnt have made this camera easier to use. By the way, Ive tried and tested several digital cameras before selecting the DSCP92 and most offer a menu system that is average at best. Again, navigating the menu system couldn’t be easier. Once youve installed the batteries and memory stick the camera takes on a very rugged and solid feel. I have little concern about its build quality.
Features
Reviewing shots on the LCD (something I love to do) is nice as the camera cycles through captured pictures very quickly. Sony’s mpeg movie mode (640x480) works surprisingly well if youre shooting in a well lit room. The LCD is exceptionally sharp and clear. The camera also offers several pre-set scene modes which makes it easy to shoot nice pictures in almost all situations. Although auto mode works well most of the time I have found myself altering the iso and flash settings manually to get better shots. This is where the P92 shines in my opinion. Its designed to offer some manual control yet is still a great point and shoot camera. The camera also includes an AV/out cable which is nice as you can plug the camera directly into a TV. To accommodate the cable the camera also has a neat slide show mode which allows you to cycle through pictures every few seconds so you can sit back on the couch and enjoy the photos youve taken!
Concerns
I do have a few minor gripes though. The camera is one of the few Ive seen that comes with a three month labor warranty. Parts are covered for one year but almost everyone else gives you at least one year parts AND labor. With this in mind I opted for Circuit City's additional protection plan for 50 dollars. Basically it covers the camera for three years in the event that anything breaks. I looked at it this way, 17 dollars a year is cheap when you consider the possible repair costs. The camera also has a flimsy rubber flap to cover the usb and power connectors. Many camera’s use a plastic door which is probably more durable. In dark rooms the camera's flash tends to over-expose its subject. Again, Ive noticed that you can manually adjust the flash and ISO setting to correct this. As is the case with nearly every digital camera on the market the included 16mb memory stick isnt sufficient. The 16mb card only holds 8 pictures at the cameras highest setting! I purchased a 64mb card (they retail for around $60) and it holds approximately 45 pictures. If Im using the P92 to take motion video (640x480) the 64mb card fills to capacity in only three minutes -- so if you plan on taking video consider a larger card. In fact even if you arent considering video consider the 128mb card. Believe me, having a larger card is worth it.
Overall
Overall Im extremely impressed with this camera. Its large enough to hold and use comfortably yet still fits in my pocket. The picture quality is outstanding. Ive blown up a couple 8x10's and they look unbelievable. The button layout is outstanding and the menu system is so easy to use its amazing. The rechargeable batteries seemingly last forever. This is an outstanding camera to send emails. There are far more features I havent even touched on. When you consider the price and what you get with this camera it makes an excellent choice in my epinion.
Final word
It appears as if Circuit City has discontinued the DSCP92 in Feburary of 2004. Perhaps Sony is phasing out the P92 in place of the DSCP10? Again, the DSCP10 is essentially a smaller version of the P92 and its selling extremely well in Japan. Im assuming the P92 will no longer be in production? If this is the case you'll likely be able to find the P92 for less than 300 dollars very soon. It would make a great deal for anyone considering a fantastic point and shoot digital camera.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 292
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
theconsumerguy
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Reviews written: 2
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