cyber shoot like a pro!! (Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P9)

Member Name: thebigc1690

Product:	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P9
Date:	11/04/07 (143 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: makes photography easy and achieves perfect results.

Disadvantages: there trully are none!

As photography is a bit of a hobby of mine I have used many different cameras and so there for feel I can give a fairly good review on the one I own now.

After many cameras which have failed to produce what I was looking for I was introduced to the Sony Cyber-shot which has many different models. The model I am reviewing today is the one I purchased personally although I have used others too.

This particular model the cyber-shot dsc-p9 has a very wide variety of useful functions such as a 3x zoom lens which is equivalent to a 39-117mm this zoom is backed up by a 2x digital zoom. It also boasts a 1.5 inch monitor to preview your photos on before storing or just to browse through them after storing; the screen is easily big enough to get a very good idea of what the photo is going to look like after printing.

Another good aspect of this camera is the battery system (InfoLITHIUM battery system). A lithium battery has a higher amp hour than a normal alkaline battery so there for lasts longer, the infoLITHIUM battery is also rechargeable so saves on the constant cost of replacing batteries. However if you intend using the camera for prolonged periods of time i.e. more than 2 hours at a time then it is advised to buy a second battery.

The charging of the battery is very quick and once charged as I have mentioned will allow aprox 2 hours of snapping before needing recharged. With cameras I have owned in the past I have known them to go through 2 AA lithium batteries in that same time frame at the cost of around £5 a pair it makes photography an expensive hobby.

The main thing everyone looks for in a camera these days is megapixels, What megapixels mean to your camera is basically the higher the megapixel the more dots there are making up the final image there for allowing it to be zoomed in further on your pc or to be printed larger without the picture becoming distorted or blocky. This particular camera has 4 megapixels which these days is nearer the top end of the market than the bottom but can be improved upon. To give an example of how clear the pictures are that this camera is capable of taking, I can take a photograph of a person from the waist up and once on my pc zoom in on there face till only the eye is in view and the picture still hasn't broken up. An image taken on this camera could easily be blown up to poster size without distortion taking place.

This camera also has all the other features you would expect such as Optical viewfinder, Automatic exposure control, Built-in flash (with 5 modes and an intensity adjustment) and Memory Stick storage. It is capable of taking up to a 2 gb storage stick which would allow you to store up to 1000 photos at full resolution which I am sure you will agree is more than enough. When purchased however it comes with only 16mb of memory enough for only around 12 full resolution photos so a memory stick is a must straight off.

The design of this camera is another of its great features; its streamlined silvery metal body is only an inch longer than a typical business card, and nearly the same height, top to bottom. Measuring just 4.5 x 2.0 x 1.4 inches. Even with the battery and memory card installed, the P9 fits easily into even small pockets or purses. Despite its small size, the P9's elongated shape provides plenty of room to extend two average-size fingers comfortably across the front and top of the camera, without blocking the lens or any camera controls.

This camera like many now can not only take still image photos but with enough memory installed can also take video footage and record sound. I have made a few short videos of my son when he's been doing something particularly funny and we do not have the video camera with us and have been delighted with the results even when put on DVD via the pc the image and sound quality is very good.

Many of the features of this camera will probably be a bit beyond you if like me you are only a mere amateur however with the help of the very clearly laid out instruction manual you will be using these features like you have known them all your life in a very short period of time. You can then use the extensive extras (which I will list later) to adjust the way your photos are taken or you can simply point and shoot on automatic mode, either way the quality of picture you will have taken will be first class.

Having used this camera in many different places I can vouch for its ability to perform in any light, for instance I have used this camera in Tenerife in brilliant sunshine and the auto exposure allowed perfect photos to be taken, I have used it in night clubs both to video and take still images which came out perfect also, I have even used it to take pictures at a firework display and for those of you who have tried that its very difficult to get anything more than a blur but the pictures I took with this camera turned out great.

I paid around £200 for this camera but that was a few years ago now and I believe they can be picked up for half that price now which is a bargain. Although the model has now been super seeded it is the perfect camera to start out with before moving on to bigger things. I am only now after 3 years of usage thinking about changing and shall still be holding on to this camera too as for everyday use I doubt it can be beaten.

For your money you get.

Wrist strap. .
16MB Memory Stick. .
NP-FC10 InfoLITHIUM rechargeable battery pack. .
AC adapter / in-camera battery charger.
USB cable.
AV cable.
Software CD containing Pixela ImageMixer v1.0 and USB drivers.

Accessories I would recommend are

Extra NP-FC10 InfoLITHIUM battery pack
Larger capacity Memory Stick (minimum 512mb)
And a carry case to avoid scratching the screen.

The cameras basic features

4.0-megapixel CCD.
3x zoom lens (equivalent to a 39-117mm).
2x digital zoom.
Optical viewfinder.
1.5-inch LCD monitor.
Automatic exposure control.
Built-in flash with five modes and an intensity adjustment.
Sony Memory Stick storage (16MB card included).
USB computer connection.
InfoLITHIUM battery system (AC adapter included).
Software for Mac and PC

The special features

Twilight, Twilight Portrait, and Landscape preset shooting modes.
Movie (with sound) recording mode.
Clip Motion animation and Multi-Burst slow motion modes.
E-Mail and Voice Memo capture modes.
Shutter speeds from 1/2,000 to two seconds (with automatic Noise Reduction from 1/2 to two seconds).
Aperture range from f/2.8 to f/8.0.
Creative Picture Effects menu.
Image sharpness adjustment.
Self-timer for delayed shutter release.
Macro (close-up) lens adjustment.
Spot Metering mode.
Auto ISO setting or 100, 200, and 400 ISO equivalents.
White balance (colour) adjustment with five options.
DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) printing compatibility.
Sony Marine Pack available as a separate accessory for underwater photography.

My conclusion

This camera is an excellent ultra compact point & shoot digicam. Small enough for you to take with you where ever you go which is good because you never know when you will want to capture a perfect moment and although most of us now have cameras on our mobile phones the images they capture are not good quality. This camera is also very robust and not likely to be broken with the slightest knock unlike some. Image quality of this camera is surprisingly good for a subcompact camera, better than most I've seen, with excellent colour and resolution. Overall, the DSC-P9 looks like an ideal "take anywhere" camera.
I would recommend this camera to anyone without delay. It only comes with a one year manufacturers warranty but I am on my third happy year with it now with no problems to speak of!!

Thanks for reading this review I hope it has given you enough info on which to base a purchasing decision on!

Summary: a perfect point and shoot camera for creating profesional results!

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