5-megapixel effective recording * 1-13/16" color LCD * optical viewfinder * 3X optical zoom (up to 4X digital/12X total zoom with lower-res photos only) * JPEG options: 2592 x 1944; 2048 x 1536; 1280 x 960; 640 x 480 *
Sony's stylish, pocket-size Cybershot DSCP100 digital camera offers an amazing 5-megapixel resolution and a wealth of photographic features normally found on full-size, high-end cameras. About 1 inch thin and weighing less than 6 ounces, it's easy to carry wherever you may roam. The DSCP100 also features a 3x optical zoom, Carl Zeiss optics, nine-shot burst mode, and a high-resolution movie mode that's limited only by your Memory Stick's capacity.
Optics and Resolution
The DSCP100 features a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom lens--the first time this lens has been used with a Cybershot P-series camera. The Vario-Tessar lens is specially constructed for very compact cameras, and its design allows for quick autofocusing. It has a 3x optical zoom and 2x digital zoom, for a combined 6x.
The 1/1.8-inch Super HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD allows more light to reach each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise, and provides a 5.1-megapixel effective resolution (2,592 x 1,944). The Real Imaging Processor offers greater clarity and picture quality, improved response time and battery life, and decreased shutter lag.
Movie Mode
Capture video with audio at 30 frames per second, VGA size (640 x 480); the included 32 MB memory card will store 87 seconds at this setting. Movie length is only limited by the amount of storage you have on hand. Video Mail mode captures a smaller movie (160 x 112 pixels) that's more suitable for e-mailing to friends and family.
More Features
| About Multi-Pattern Measuring |
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| Independently light-metering 49 points of the frame, Multi-Pattern Measuring establishes an optimum exposure value, even for scenes in which pronounced highlights and shadows are not centered in the frame. |
- Resolution Modes: 2,592 x 1,944 (5.1 MP), 2,592 x 1,728 (3:2 aspect ratio), 2,048 x 1,536 (3 MP), 1,280 x 960 (1 MP), and 640 x 480 (VGA)
- 1.8-Inch LCD Monitor: The high-resolution 134K LCD makes framing shots and reviewing pictures easy.
- Live Histogram Display: Available for capture and playback, the live histogram displays pixel concentration for each luminosity value, making it easy to determine correct exposure.
- Selectable Focus Mode: Monitoring Autofocus helps you anticipate action by focusing even before you press the shutter release.
- Five-Area Multi-Point Autofocus: By evaluating five separate focus areas in the frame, Sony's Multi-Point AF system can intelligently focus on the subject and avoid mistaken focusing on the background.
- Autofocus Illuminator: Briefly illuminating the subject in low- or no-light conditions, the AF Illuminator helps establish a positive focus lock.
- Multi-Pattern Measuring: Independently light-metering 49 points of the frame, Multi-Pattern Measuring establishes an optimum exposure value, even for scenes in which highlights and shadows aren't centered in the frame.
- Multi-Burst Mode: Captures sixteen 320 x 240 frames as part of a single 1,280 x 960 image which plays back sequentially (selectable intervals 1/7.5, 1/15, and 1/30 second).
- Manual Exposure Mode: Shutter speeds adjustable in 46 steps (1/1000 to 30 seconds) and two-step aperture control.
- Scene Selection Mode: With nine scene modes, parameters can be matched to shooting conditions. Choose from Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Soft Snap, Candle, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, or High-Speed Shutter.
- Slow Shutter Noise Reduction: During long exposures, Slow Shutter NR captures the scene, and then the CCD noise pattern with a dark frame exposure. By subtracting one from the other, even long exposures can be clear.
- Pre-Flash Metering: With a momentary pre-flash, the camera illuminates the subject and sets exposure through the lens for accurate flash metering. Adjustable flash level and redeye reduction ensure great flash shots.
- Nine-Shot Burst Mode: Capture up to 9 shots (fine) or 15 shots (standard) at 1.2 frames per second, even at 5 MP. Perfect for high-speed subjects or fast-moving action, including sports.
| About Slow Shutter Noise Reduction |
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This process captures the scene
in two exposures. The second subtracts the noise pattern from the initial shot, resulting in a final photograph that is beautiful and virtually noise-free. |
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Direct Printing The Cybershot DSCP100 offers PictBridge functionality, which enables you to transfer pictures from your digital camera to a compatible printer--such as the Sony PictureStation DPP-EX50--without a PC or image-editing software. Images can be viewed and selected for printing right on the camera's LCD, with menus for print quantity, date, and index.
Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on Memory Sticks, and the Cybershot DSCP100 is compatible with Memory Stick Pro media for storage up to 1 GB. The included 32 MB Memory Stick will store 12 fine and 23 standard 5.1-megapixel images. The DSCP100 transfers images to PCs and Macs via a speedy USB 2.0 connection (which is backward-compatible with USB 1.1 ports).
Power and Size
The camera is powered by a rechargeable Sony InfoLithitum (lithium-ion) battery, which provides reliable, long-lasting power for continuous shooting, with no "memory effect" (see "Tech Talk," below). The included adapter/charger provides power while you transfer images from your camera to your PC.
It measures 4.25 by 2.13 by 1 inch (W x H x D) and weighs 5.8 ounces without the Memory Stick.
What's in the Box
The package contains the Sony DSCP100 digital camera, a 32 MB Memory Stick, a rechargeable InfoLithium battery (NP-FR1), a battery charger (AC-LS5), A/V and USB cables, a wrist strap, and a CD-ROM with photo editing software for Windows PCs.
Cybershot Station and Photo Vault
The Cybershot DSCP100 digital camera is compatible with two optional add-ons from Sony that can help you present your photos or store them when you're on the go. The Cybershot Station (CSS-PHA) charges the camera's batteries while enabling you to play photo slideshows on your TV. The included infrared remote controls the camera while it's docked in the station and makes it easy to send pictures to PictBridge-compatible printers.
The optional PhotoVault mini-CD burner eliminates worry about running out of space on your Memory Stick when traveling. It burns images to mini CD-Rs without a PC interface--just connect it to your camera with a USB cable. The PhotoVault also has a Memory Stick slot (compatible with Memory Stick Pro and Duo) and features built-in photo-album functionality, letting you display photos on a television screen using the TV's standard AV input.
Tech Talk
- Memory Effect: A phenomenon that occurs when rechargeable batteries are continually operated to a low level (such as 25%), then recharged. In such cases, the batteries can end up losing the rest of their capacity. Lithium-ion batteries, such as Sony's InfoLithium, aren't very susceptible to this effect, and NiMH batteries are at even less risk. NiCad batteries, on the other hand, are the most susceptible.
1 good, small camera
I got the P100 (for free using Sony Visa bonus points), as a companion to a three-year-old F707, which is a wonderful camera (at the high end of the non-pro spectrum in its time) but sometimes too big to take on a walk with a toddler. I was in some ways pleasantly surprised. In every respect except of taking still pictures, the P100 is better. That's technological evolution at work: much nicer movie mode (excellent quality of video and sound!), a nicer directional pad/selector, a handy stand-alone delete button, faster picture taking, accepts MS Pro cards, nicer LCD. Photos aren't as good, especially indoors, but that is to be expected with the tiny lens and small flash of the P100--but tiny is why I got it, so I have no complaints.
Outdoor pictures can be excellent. Indoor pictures can be quite good if one is careful. As always, some pictures won't come out, but that's my fault as photographer. I am quite happy--for my purposes, the camera does the job quite well. It's not going to produce pictures that a high end consumer camera can (the 5MP spec is certainly not everything--the F707 is also a 5MP camera), but if one wants a small camera that one can carry around in a pocket and quickly fire up whenever something picture-worthy shows up, this is a good choice.
I particularly like the focusing spotlight, because it lets me know what the camera is pointed at without my having to look at the LCD/viewfinder, which for certain shots is nice. I wish it came with some sort of a case, but I guess people might want different ones. (I just use a draw-string little cloth bag that a flash for my F707 came with.)
I'd like to address two complaints in other reviews.
1. Focus issues. Some reviewers complain of focusing problems. My impression is that this is when one is taking pictures in multi-area focus mode, which averages out the data in different areas, and which can ensure that no areas is in focus. This is the only focus mode available in the easy-shoot mode (the one with the "camera" icon). I tend to switch to the program mode (the one with the "P") and set everything on automatic except make the focus be center-area only. Then I point to the part I want in focus, press the shutter half way, compose the picture, press the shutter all the way. One really does need to control which part of the picture is to be in focus--no camera can read one's mind! And outdoor this is a lesser issue because with more light the lens will tend to be stopped up more, and hence have a wider focus range. My impression is that the focus might still not be perfect in low-light conditions, but I haven't tested this thoroughly.
2. Ergonomics. Out of the box, the camera is hard to hold in one hand when taking landscape-orientation pictures. For portrait, I think it's fine, and it's fine for landscape with two hands (which one really should use for optimal stability anyway). For someone like me with big hands, it's easy to cover up part of the flash when holding with one hand, and the weight is inconveniently distributed. But there is a way of fixing the ergonomics: egrips (www.egrips.com). These are very grippy sticky things to keep electronics from sliding out of pockets, etc. If one applies them in the right places on the camera (I put a strip vertically along the rear right and two horizontally along the front, where the right hand makes contact with the camera), my grip became MUCH surer, and I could hold the camera reasonably comfortably without obscuring the flash. It seemed worth the ten bucks plus shipping for the egrips, as it fixed the ergonomic issue. (I have no connection with the people who make the egrips, but they're a good deal, I think. The camera kit comes with a lot more stickies than one needs for the P100 so there may be enough for some other uses, too.)
2 Sony quality at its BEST
The overall performance and image quality of the P100 is superb. It's as good and at times better than my Sony Cyber-shot P5, 3.2 megapixels. It has the fastest start up time i've seen on digital cameras, as well as a short shutter lag (0.3-0.5s )also as mentioned at imaging-resource.com. It rivals some of the D-SLR's on these parameters! It has a Carl-Zeiss lens that provides excellent quality iamges. The colors and saturation of images are well balanced. I've played around with imaging software to make them look better. In addition, it's light and thin, and can be carried around without hassle. It has an excellent macro. The battery lasts for a hundred shots. I am satisfied with the P100 and definitely recommend it as a full featured high-quality P&S camera.
3 A great little camera
I bought this camera last July and could not be more pleased. It is the perfect camera for slipping in your pocket and catching those candid shots thanks to its quick start up. I have taken a lot of very good photos with this camera. Photos I would have otherwise missed.
The battery life is great. As long as I don't go nuts with the pictures, I can go days or weeks between recharges.
I am looking forward to taking several more this summer underwater thanks to the newly aquired underwater housing. The great thing is that I will be able to take more photos with this little camera than I could with my old underwater film camera, because thanks to the 2GB memory stick I put in it I can take about 800 pictures at full resolution bofore I have to empty the memory. I bought that memory stick for my PDA but loved having the ability to take so many pictures so much I left it in the camera. (Anybody got a 2GB memory stick they aren't using; those things are pricey.)
I plan to buy a digital SLR in the near future but I know that this little camera will still always be in my pocket.
4 Pretty nice camera- A few flaws
I got this camera to replace my Fuji Finepix 3.2MP camera. I wanted a camera that I could use to take photos of my pets, and according to many sources, this camera has great red-eye reduction. Well, when I take pictures of my dogs, they turn out great and the pictures look like they are fresh from a regular film SLR. However, it's about 50-50 when I take pictures of my Ragdoll kitten. It may be because he has blue eyes, but for some reason he always ends up getting more red eye than anyone else. Although this is dissappointing, it is still better than my old camera. It has a lot more features, some of which I still haven't used. Another fault of this camera, however, is the fact that in considerably well lit places, if you do not have the flash on, anything that is moving in the picture will be a blur. This basically forces you to use the flash in all conditions other than extremely well lit places, like the beach. The LCD screen is very easy to see, and is a lot bigger than the one on my old camera. Again, how well it works depends on the situation. In very sunny situations it's IMPOSSIBLE to see the screen. At least there is a viewfinder to help you out. The software that comes with the camera is pretty bad, and I can't figure out how to save pictures to my computer. Much harder to use than that which came with my old camera. The battery is a plus so far, as that it lasts a very long time compared to my old camera. Charging it isn't a pain at all. The memory stick that you must use is a bit of a pain because they are more expensive than a lot of the alternatives that I could have used if it did not require the stick. The accessories, other than the memory stick, are fairly priced. The video taking capabilities on this camera are awesome. Some people have complained about them, but they are SO much better than any I have seen before on a digital camera. It really helps that I can connect the camera to my TV, using the cables provided by Sony (this is one of my favorite features). All in all, I do not think that I regret my decision on buying this camera (yet), but I wish that I would have considered other choices that may have had less of a red-eye problem.
5 Excellent Digital Camera!
After months and months of research, I have finally found a camera that produces sharp, crisp pictures. I haven't even had to edit pictures with software. Just point, shoot, and print. Of course I have the Epson PictureMate (must have)and no one can believe that a digital camera can produce such high quality images.
After reading many reviews from several different websites, I purchased the Canon Powershot Pro S1 IS. It didn't take long to realize that I wasn't going to get sharp images from that camera. The images were too soft and had to be edited with software. I sold it, took a loss, and purchased this fine Sony Camera. I'm so glad I did.
The camera is so easy to use (unlike the Canon), and produces excellent images. The movie mode is awesome, too. Takes great movies...you need at least a 1G memory stick. I am so happy with this camera, I am going to start buying all of the accessories (lenses, filters).
I suggest that you buy at a store that has a return policy in case you are not happy with your purchase. Staples offers a 14 day return policy. But I won't be returning mine!
Try it...it's worth a cyber-shot!!!
Update 3/13/05
If you're trying to decide between the Sony DSC-P100 and the Sony DSC-W1, maybe this will help make your decision. I have had the recent experience to play with the DSC-W1. The pictures were okay, a little soft, but sharpness can be increased in manual mode. I like the pictures from the DSC-P100 much better. The movie mode wasn't quite as good as the DSC-P100 either. The DSC-W1 produced blurry movie mode scenes without even moving the camera. Thought this may help.
6 Easy and Fun, great for digital virgins!
I am a sony freak. My laptop is VAIO, my palm is a Clie, my camcorder is a Sony MiniDV, my surround sound, cd, alarm, you get the picture. So when I decided to get my second digital camera (don't want to discuss the first, a Kodak easy share I bought about two years ago, the wounds are still fresh) I knew I would get a Sony, I just didn't know which one.
After doing some research I decided on a 5.1 megapixel for quality, and I wanted small, but not so compact that I would lose it. The DSC-P100 is small, but not microscopic like some out there. It's also made of metal and easy to grip, I don't feel like I'm going to break it when I use it. I've had it for about a week now and the pictures are magnifficent and the resolution is unbelievable! It comes with a 32mg memory stick which is enough for just taking pictures casualy at events, but eventually I plan on purchasing more. The sound playback on the video is great, I can clearly hear what is being said on playback on my camera.
Sony does well with using the Carl Zeiss lens, I also have it on my miniDV and knew I wanted it on my digital camera. I have yet to use the burst feature, I didn't even know it was on this camera until after I bought it.
I didn't have much luck with my first digital camera (OH! the terrible pain!) so I consider this my first real experience with one. I love it, it's easy and fun to use. The LCD screen on the back is big enough that I can clearly see the picture without having to squint.
Side note: I bought my printer when I bought my camera and I have to say I tried about 15 different printers for picture quality and the Sony color 4x6 printer was horrible. The best picture quality I found was an Epson Stylus Photo R320, the pictures look like I just got them back from the developer, not my printer. If you're going to buy a camera that can output perfection the way the Sony DSC-P100 can, get a printer that can represent it properly.
7 i love my dsc p100
after months of searching around for a digital camera, i finally decided to choose this cute sony for a number of reasons. one, it was in my price range with rebates and discounts from sears. two, it was the upgrade of a model that was fairly successful and customers had been pleased. three, it has 5 whopping megapixels! with the added features like scenes, mpeg movie mode, and changing the resolutions, i knew this was the camera for me. the metal body is also an added bonus. if you are an amatuer and just want a digital camera, this is a good camera for you.
8 Lukasz
I thought a long time on which camera to get, it was either P-100 or Canon A95 and in the end i went with the P-100. Let me tell you it's a great camera, easy to use, great pictures, just overall a great camera. Who ever buys this camera won't be disappointed. I also like the flash it's very good!!!
9 Best Digital Camera in its class
Awesome manual features, and effective automatic features. You'll have great pictures no matter what mode you choose. And there are plenty to choose from. What an improvement over my Sony cybershot of 2 years ago. This thing is ultra-fast, and the battery life is substantialy long. Great movie clips too. not clunky, but slim, sleek and stylish, not to mention light weight and small enough to fit in your pocket comfortably. Definately the best point-and-shoot camera available at this point in time.
10 Good pocket digital but focus needs work
I like the camera. About 2 months of use. Read reviews of focus problems - they are right about the problem. I have found that setting my camera on the "P" setting and selecting "Center AF" helps. Sony needs to address this problem. The battery last a long time on one charge even when using flash. You need to spend some time with this camera to get the most out of it. I like it enough to purchase the 7.2 megapixels and will give this 5.1 as a gift. I purchased this camera for a pocket camera and it is serving that function well.
11 I am so disappointed with SONY!
I bought this camera mainly because of Sony's reputation for quality. I am a loyal Sony customer...until I purchased this camera. The picture qaulity is worse than my old 2MP Kodak! I spent nearly $400 for this camera and expected the image quality to be very good for the price I paid. The pictures almost always came out dark when I selected the Automatic mode. When taken in doors the picture always casted a dark shadow behind. My advice is if you are planning to buy this camera, make sure you buy it from a vendor that will allow you to return this camera. Try it out first. I am searching for a new camera now and trying to sell this camera on Ebay. I will probably go back to buying either a Kodak or give Canon a try. I am SO DISAPPOINTED with Sony.
12 DSC-P100 No Guarantees of Image Quality!
I have a 10% success of getting a usable picture from this DSC P100 camera. Having read other reviews and web sites I can only agree that this camera is extremely sensitive to movement and as such you cannot guarantee getting that all important picture. I have been a digital camera user for 3 years now and this was my 3rd and non of the pictures are better than my 3 year old Fuji FinePix 4700. It is so hit and miss (mainly miss) that I am back to the market to get another digital camera. Very disappointed but I cannot live with the uncertainty, I need quality pictures every time!
My advice if you want this camera is to be sure you buy it from a store whre you can return it with no questions, and then try it for yourself in real world situations and see if you are happy with it!
13 Horrible camera
This camera looks great. Has all the features I want. LCD is very clear indoor, but almost useless outdoor. I took identical pictures of my kids indoor and outdoor between this camera and my 3 years old 2M Fuji camera that I paid $240 3 years ago. This camera color and sharpness is horrible compare to the Fuji. I don't think the camera is defective. I don't know why so many professional reviewers said that this is a good camera. ZDNET review gave this camera a bad grade and I saw the same problem on my camera with the one ZDNET/CNET reviewed. I had the camera setting on automatic. I didn't want to play around with the setting because all I want is a point and shoot camera. Maybe there's a manufacturing problem with this camera? If you want to buy this camera, make sure you can return it w/o incuring the re-stocking fee.
14 Wonderful Little Camera
Wow! This camera is great! I'm not too sure there's anything wrong with this one... There are some features that have been removed since my last Sony Cybershot 2 Megapixel, but those have been replaced with some great NEW features. I especially like the histogram display, it tells you (when you're going manual) if the picture is too dark or too bright. Pretty neat idea. I wouldn't hesitate to buy this camera at Amazon's price. I bought it the day after thanksgiving for a little cheaper, but the Amazon price is still good. I'd like to mention the dock too. I haven't bought it yet, but I plan to. ANOTHER THING: Rechargable LI-ION in the cybershot! FINALLY!, the charging port is in kind of a wierd place, but there are ways to work around that.
THE ONLY CON (perhaps?):
The USB is on the bottom of the camera, it doesn't use the traditional mini connector, it's a whole new fandangled connector. The box includes two of these, one for USB and one for connection to the TV (MONO SOUND TOO!) YOU CANNOT HOOK THE USB AND TV SIMULTANEOUSLY!!!! (It's not possible) UNLESS... you buy the docking station.
Overall, through what i've done with it so far, it's a great little camera! BUY THIS ONE! It should last you an amazingly long time too. (5.1 Megapixel is AWESOME, 4x6 Prints Easily, no quality loss even when cropping) Thanks for reading, and do yourself a favor and buy this camera, you'll be happy you did!
15 Simply the Best
I am not a camera nerd... yet, I would say this is the best camera I have ever owned.
16 good choice
i was looking for a flat camera with optical zoom. this is it! okay, it's not cheap, but comparable cameras from cheaper companies than sony had some critical reviews in terms of picture quality, especially moving images. this is my second sony, and i am still very happy with it. 1 inch flat is like a pack of zigarettes, you can carry in your pocket without problem. and the zoom helps a lot if you cannot or do not want to get too close to your object...
i carry the camera all the time, it's really fun. and the movie-optionus useful too. so you pay a little more, but you will not regret it.
17 MY FIRST DIGITAL CAMERA, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!
I put off buying a digital camera for a long time because I heard from friends (and saw) that the results with theirs were disappointing. But now that my child is in pre-school, the need to share pictures with others has increased dramatically, and the expense of printing bad takes has become just plain senseless.
I purchased this camera about a week ago and have been playing with it nonstop ever since. To my amazement and delight, it has so far taken the most pristine pictures of any camera I've ever owned - PERIOD! I'm no photography expert or even so much as a hobbyist, but the comparison in picture quality between this and my previous camera, a Nikon point-and-shoot 120 ED, is night and day. The difference can be seen vividly when viewing pictures on a computer screen. I can now blow 2MB pictures up to poster size before any noticeable pixellation occurs; with my old camera, a picture scan of that quality would use up at least 60MB. (You read that correctly: two versus SIXTY megabytes!)
As others have pointed out, you need to know going in that Sony includes a rock-bottom bare minimum of storage in the Memory Stick provided with the camera (only 32 MB), and you will almost definitely want to purchase a larger one (it doesn't pay to buy anything less than 256MB). And be prepared to spend some time with the camera's manual in order to understand some of the basic settings. But I shopped around and researched before I took this plunge, and right now I don't think there's any better family-friendly camera or deal on the market.
In short, if you've waited for digital cameras to cross a certain threshold of quality, reliability and price, that day has come at last. GO FOR IT!
18 The Worse Battery
DSC-P100 is my second Sony camera, I bough on june 20 2004 and the battery is damage with just 3 months used. Now I have to buy a new one.
19 Sony DSC-P100 is NOT a WINNER!!! Edited 12-28-04
I've been using my P100 for about a week now and I've been THRILLED with the results. I have used a Canon PowerShot S45 for the past year and a half and was very disappointed with the auto focus performance. The P100 is SO FAST when focusing and taking pictures....it's much easier to capture great photos of my 2 year old. The complaint about Memory Sticks being expensive is invalid, there are a lot of manufacturers available now and the prices have come down substantially. Awesome battery life and small size are additional pluses. All in all a great point and shoot camera with some flexibility for being creative.
The honeymoon period with the Sony DSC-P100 was short lived. While it has great macro performance and portability, the weak flash and over-aggressive anti-noise processing kill the good features of this camera. Even in bright light there was a 50/50 chance that the picture would turn out well. We took roughly 1000 pictures and finally decided to sell the P100 on ebay. [...]Maybe mine was defective and others perform better. I wish I could change the 5 star rating I've given the camera but I can't.
20 So glad I did!
After much research (and really only a beginners knowledge of digital cameras) I narrowed my choices down to the T1 or P100 - after a visit to the Sony store...I was convinced by the salesman who stated "if you want to take your camera out and have people say "WOW" get the T1, if you want to take your pictures out and have people say "WOW" get the P100"! The ease of picture taking, clarity, view finder and nuances I can achieve are everything for which I had hoped. Now with an Epson R300 photo printer, a little tripod and my P100 - I've joined the "techno-geek" stage of my 50's...I'm so comfortable here and glad I did.
21 Fast start-up and short shutter-lag times with good optics
I am impressed with the overall performance and image quality of the P100. It really has a very fast start up time as well as a very short shutter lag (0.3-0.5s )also as mentioned at imaging-resource.com. It rivals some of the D-SLR's on these parameters! It has a Carl-Zeiss lens that provides excellent quality iamges. The colors and saturation of images are well balanced, I do not feel to play around with imaging software to make them look better. In addition, it is light and thin, can be carried around w/out much hassle. It has a great macro. Finally, the battery goes and goes and goes without dying out... Overall I am very satisfied with P100 and would definitely recommend it as a full features high-quality P&S camera.
22 wait a month
great camera.....you will be so happy.....but an exact camera comes out next month in 7MP from sony, the DSCP150, same size, same options, little different caseing, and all under 500 bucks.....amazing
23 Very nice camera. I wish it was faster with flash too.
Everyone has aleady said what needed to be said except that the camera (as fast as a rocket that it is) slowes down a lot on flash photography after battery is half empty (remember half empty is not empty yet). With a fresh charge flashes are ready in no time but after %50 of battery charge, it will take 3-5 seconds for the flash to recharge. I think that could be imporved. Other than that I think it is an AMAZING camera. Oh yes and my other personal wish: Add a stitch option to take pictures and connect them together easily (just like Canons)
24 Happily surprised
I have held out on purchasing a digital camera because I have been unimpressed with the quality of pictures that my friends have gotten with their cameras. During a recent vacation, my niece received a camera for a birthday gift. I watched her take pictures, and I loved the idea of instant gratification by being able to see the picture immediately. For the rest of the trip, I looked at digital cameras, and finally at the end of the trip decided to purchase the Sony Cybershot DSP 100 camera. I took pictures the last week of vacation, and had them printed out. I was so pleased by the quality of the camera. The day after I returned, I took pictures of some flowers at a local Botanical garden, and I was so excited by how well the camera captured the beautiful colors. Everyone that has seen these pictures have remarked on the clarity and color.
The Carl Zeiss lens was the deciding factor over the other 5.0 cameras I looked at. My dad recommended this lens to me, and I must say, it makes all of the difference.
I have not had a chance to try out all of the special features, but I am already so happy with my choice. If you are deciding on a camera. I say go for this one.
25 Full featured camera in a very compact size.
I bought the camera a couple of months ago - primarily for the very compact size and extensive features. The 640x480 @ 30 fps movie mode works very well, I've used it more than I thought I would and the movie quality is very good, almost as good as a Mini DV camcorder in situations with good light and that don't require zoom while filming. The picture quality is very good as well. I also bought a 1Gb Memory Stick Pro card so the picture capacity is fantastic even at high resolutions and with movies. And the CSS-PHA docking station is very convenient. When finished taking pictures you just put it on the docking station to transfer your pictures and recharge the battery. Speaking of which, the batery life is amazing as well.
If you're looking for a lot of camera, with the latest features, in a very compact size, this camera is for you.
26 Fast
Great camera. Did lots of research and decided upon this camera. No camera can do everything, but this one does more than most. Pocket sized (still looking for a good case). Big feature for me was 'Power On until picture taken' time. This camera is rocket fast at that. There are plenty of features and the picture quality is excellent. The included software for photo editing isn't the greatest but you should not use software that comes with your camera anyway. Instead use a program like PhotoShop Elements because if you learn that program you can use it with any camera and it has tons of features. If you use Brand X photo software you are lost when/if you change brands of camera down the road.
27 Fantastic Pictures, Cute Camera
I couldn't be happier with my Sony P100 if I tried. This was a big purchase for me, so I did lots of internet research and read all the reviews here on Amazon. This Sony looked to be the best camera with the most features I would use (Amazing zoom capabilities, MPEG Movie with audio, Selectable Focus Mode, etc.) in the price range I could afford. And it sure is!
I love how fast this camera is ready to use. There is hardly any warm up time from when you turn it on to being able to take pictures. I've had cameras in the past that took so long to warm up that the photo opportunity had passed and am glad to know that won't happen again.
Many others have commented on the size of the P100 - it is amazing how such clear and colorful photos can come out of a camera that is smaller than my phone!
All in all, I don't regret this purchase. This is a great camera.
28 Nice pocket camera
This is my sixth digital camera. I've had my DSCP100 for about three weeks and am generally impressed. I'm quite pleased with the colors in the images and with the auto-focus speed. I'm a little bothered by the number of blurry images I get, but I attribute that to getting used to the very light camera (actually, no one I've handed it to seems to get past the tendency to move/jerk this tiny camera during exposures).
The Sony's 640x480 video clips are certainly markedly improved from the 320x240 days, but be aware that they aren't equal to the quality one would expect from a camcorder. I do notice that the autofocus tends to change focus too much during video capture and this highly transient focus can detract from the quality of the video clips. I recommend a really big Memory Stick Pro to record lengthy videos at the highest quality.
Punchline: while it isn't perfect, it's pretty hard to beat the combination of size, cost and performance. I do not regret my purchase.
29 Awesome camera, you can't go wrong with this one!
After months of searching for the perfect ultra-compact camera I came down with Canon S500, S410 and Sony P100. I then decided to go for the Sony P100 and that's one perfect decision I'll never regret. This camera is awesome and you can't go wrong with it. As advertised, its lightning fast and its battery life is unbelievable. I used this on a 5 day museum hopping in Chicago, and in those 5 days I took hundreds of pictures and several videos and only needed to charge my camera once! While my friend who has a Canon S410 had to charge his camera everyday. Picture quality is also excellent and is the same if not better than Canon's. But with a better movie mode, LCD screen, battery life and speed, there's no way you'll choose Canon over this one.
30 Small with Great Image Quality
After many internet research and asking friends, it came down to Canon S500 vs Sony Cybershot P100. Final decision was Sony Cybershot P100 and I was very happy with that decision. This little camera give very real image color and quality. I had a Olympus Camedia 3040 which I was very please with but carrying it around can be a hassle. with this little camera, it become a pleasure to have it around and best part is that you know you can still take nice pictures.
31 Great Pictures, Great Features
After doing about 2 months of research on a digital camera, I decided on and am very pleased with the Sony P100. I had narrowed my choice between the Canon S410 and the Sony P100. I could not justify paying more for the Canon when the Sony had triple the features. However, I purchased both these cameras so I could compare picture quality for myself. Much to my delight, once I got it home and played with it, I found out the Sony took better pictures. Yes, that's right BETTER pictures than the Canon S410. Isn't that the bottom line? Great pictures have always been #1 on my list. And yes, all the other reviews are correct, it is incredibly fast. I have two young children and I will not be missing many, if any, great memories. I would have to say that the Canon does feel a little more solid in the hand but that is just personal preference. It comes with numerous special features that I hope to learn. But until then, it is nice just knowing they are there when that time comes. Also, strangely enough, the Canon does not have a date stamp option. Something that my husband and I really use. Try it, I think you will be very happy.
32 Great camera but beware of build quality
I purchased 2 DSC P100's recently, both of which exhibited a clicking noise in all "shoot" modes (camera & video), but not in review or set up modes. I suspect the problem is related to the autofocus mechanism. Sony on-line customer service was totally not helpful. Store demo cameras don't seem to have this problem. I am considering buying the W1 instead.
33 This little thing rocks!!!
I could not be more happy with this camera! It was between the Nikon 5200 and Sony W1 and I am so glad I chose this one. I tried out the Nikon for a few days and returned it; too light and awkward and terrible colors.
This camera is perfect! Just the right size, small and pocketable but still with enough heft. Although, for one-handed shooting I feel much more comfortable with the wrist strap on, since it is small and feels like it could almost slip out of my grasp, although it hasn't happenned yet.
I previously had a Sony DSC-S85 which is HUGE compared to this thing and was so slow, you could never catch any action. But it took beautiful photos, and this one is even better. I have not had one bad picture yet, and I've taken about 150 so far, in all kinds of lighting situations. The only editing I've had to do is a couple of red eyes, not bad at all. I haven't noticed any "purple fringing yet" and the pictures are clear and crisp and gorgeous. Skin tones are right on (which is a problem in many digicams), and the histogram feature is really nice in questionable lighting.
This little puppy is blazing fast. You push the on button and you are snapping away in literally a second. Lag time is next to nothing. It's a little more if you program it to show a quick preview after each picture, but you can turn that feature off. Speaking of features, there are tons! The scene pre-sets are handy, and the menus are intuitive. Although, I have had to adjust to the slightly different layout from my previous sony. This one's is better though.
When reviewing pictures this camera is speedy. You don't have to wait at all for the pictures to load clearly. The multi burst feature is cool, you can get dramatic slow-motion effects. But I don't think you can view them anywhere but on the camera, at least I haven't figured that out yet.
The battery lasts forever. I shot about 80 pictures and video (standard) at my nephew's birthday party today, used a lot of flash and reviewed the pictures many times, also turned the camera on and off lots. There's hardly a dent in the battery, in picture mode it's telling me over 150 minutes left. My last camera had the infoLithium also and it was so great! Sony has it figured out.
The video quality has improved dramatically but don't plan on using as a substitute for you camcorder -it's not that good yet- plus you'd have to spend $1000's on a couple 1GB memory stick pro's to hold those enormous files. But in a pinch it works nice. Speaking of the memory sticks, those things are expensive, so factor in at least one 256MB pro stick (512 would be ideal, but more $$$) which will run at least $60.00 if you go sandisk or lexar, etc.
Another great feature is that you can get conversion lenses. However they look a little bulky and awkward but I think I may invest in the telephoto someday. Hopefully by the next time I'm ready to purchase a new digital camera they will be putting higher optical zoom lenses in them at this price rance.
Overall, you get a great little camera for a lot less money than many with less features and less quality. I have finally found a camera my husband will use (and can actually produce printable pictures on!). I couldn't recommend this little camera more. You will not be disappointed!
34 Great - Really
I agree with tmax. I also bought the Nikon 5200 and was not happy with it. The store that I returned it to had the Sony sitting there waiting for me to give it a try. I really liked the Nikon 5200 for the overall "cool" factor, but when all was said and done, the Sony just plain old beat the pants off the Nikon as far as quality goes. The video was about the same, but the picture quality was far far superior. I need a camera that I can point and shoot - and still come up with good photos (without having to fiddle around with a bunch of settings). The Nikon took awful pictures. So, I'm keeping the Sony.
35 The P100
Here are some of my initial impressions after using the P100 for a week now. These are things that I had read about that I thought might be a concern before I bought the camera, and now that I've actually been able to use it here's what I have found so far:
1) Sharpness of photos: very good. There is an option to adjust the default setting to +1 sharpness or -1 sharpness depending on what you like. I chose to increase the sharpness and find this captures all the details, facial features, environment, crisp and clean.
2) Size: this is very compact which I like and is very portable. It also feels sturdy, so no complaints. I feel like this is something I can take with me very easily without any hassle.
3) Movie mode: this was a key factor in luring me to this model. After shooting some movies, I plugged in the supplied cable to my TV (AV cables) and voila! I was watching my footage on the 34" screen and it looked great. I used the 640x480, 30 frames per second, fine mode (the highest quality setting on the camera) and was very impressed. User tip: the focus needs to be set at a fixed distance such as 0.5m for closeups, all the way to infinity if shooting landscapes. If left on multifocus or centerfocus the camera focus will constantly be adjusting to every movement in the frame causing a very disorienting effect. Caveat: this is not a camcorder and could never include all the functions of a dedicated camcorder. But, for someone like me who only wants to carry one device and keep things at a minimum this is a fantastic gadget. With the 1GB memory stick pro (which you will have to fork over some $$ for), you can shoot about 12 mins at the highest quality setting (so I bought two of them).
4) Startup time and lag time: startup time is virtually nil. Press the on button and it's running. Amazing. Lag time will depend on your settings, most importanly, how you set the flash settings. So this will vary from user to user. On the basic 'auto' mode, the lag time from pressing the shutter to the shot being taken in only a couple of seconds. When using the 'red eye reduction' flash mode, it's probably around 4-5 seconds lag.
5) Battery duration: aboout 2-2.5 hours depending on what you're doing, viewing, etc. Full battery charge takes about 3 hours.
The main things I was looking for in improvements over my last Sony 3megapixel digital camera were:
1) would it be faster: overall, yes
2) smaller size: yes (I don't think a smaller camera would be user-friendly)
3) improved video: yes
I'm a nit-picker when it comes to electronic devices, but have found the P100 to meet or exceed my expectations. If there were one thing I would like to see improvement on (and this applies to all digital cameras) is achieving a zero-second lag time when it comes to pressing the shutter and having the picture being snapped. This might not be possible, but I would like to see instantaneous click-to-shot times.
----- update to my initial review ------
I went and bought the 'base station' for the camera. My main reason for getting this was for ease in hooking up the camera to my tv. You can hook the camera up to your tv without the base station, but because the cable connection in the camera is on the bottom of the camera, it means you have to lay the camera on its front or back which I didn't like doing. I can keep the station hooked up to the TV at all times, it doubles as a charger for the battery, and it has it's own remote so you can sit on the couch and scroll through the picturs and movies. You can also zoom in on pictures (and the pictures hold their sharpness--amazing zoom detail). Pricey but a handy accessory.
P100 cybsershot case: this is the black case 'made for the P100' which has the square metal "logo" on the top flap. This is a POOR case for the camera. While I like the materials, the closure is velcro and the camera fit is too snug, so it feels like the flap will pop open. My suggestion would be to look for a different case.
36 One of the best compact digital cameras on the market...
I just purchased this as a replacement from my Sony P-72 3.2 meg camera. WOW! This camera is so much more improved from only a couple years ago. Aside from the 5.1 megapixel count, this camera excels in almost every conceivable area relevant to compacts.
First off, this camera starts up in less than a second or so--truly fast compared to other similarly priced cameras. This feature is essential when attempting to capture that oh so special kodak...er...sony moment in a blink.
Secondly, the camera is beautiful. Sony got it right this time when designing a sturdy, compact and lightweight technological masterpiece. True, it's not as small as its even lighter cousin--the T-1, or the Pentax Optio S4i and Casio Ex-z4, but it passes the pants pocket test with flying colors. Additionally, when compared to the T-1, this camera uses the regular memory stick size and not the smaller duo like the T-1. Sooooo, if you already own a sony, this is a natural upgrade.
Some other excellent features on the P-100 are the manual overides. You can adjust the shutter speed and aperature which, for a camera in this class, is a true rarity.
Unlike the T-1, this cam does have a tripod mount, a no brainer for any serious photographer. I also am enjoying the extremely high quality video mode; although not the most important selling point, having the ability to take camcorder like videos with sound for unlimited amounts of time (unlike 30 second segments from many other cams) is handy.
Another amazing feature is the battery life. I remember my first sony digital camera--the DSC-P50 2.1 mega pixel. It's battery life was dismal. My P-72 was slightly improved, but still suffered from chronic battery munchies. The P-100 fully charged can take pictures for over 200 minutes! If you're on the display modes, it can last almost double that--another breathtaking accomplishment. The info lithium works well in calculating the remaining battery life--a major complaint from owners of other cameras like Canon that lack this feature. Lastly, it is a proprietary battery, so purchasing an additional one is recommended.
Needless to say, the 1.8" lcd is gorgeous, just like the past sony cameras I've had. It's extremely hi-res and I have no difficulty seeing it in sunlight. The lcd's navigation is similar to earlier sony cams with a few new additions like a light metering box.
Overall, I'm tremendously pleased with the picture quality from this puppy. I envision this camera lasting well into early-mid 2005 when Sony will release yet another improvement. Until then, I highly recommend this for most anybody who appreciates quality and functionality incorporated into a lightweight package.
37 Buy this now!!! It's worth every cent and much more!!
This camera has to be one of the best cameras out there. When i first got it I noticed its sleek design. Its so small and light. It fights in the palm of my hands and I can carry it anywhere. I actuallly noticed too that its basically smaller than my nokia 6800 cell phone which is shocking. anyway the camera has a nice 1.8 inch LCD screen. The photos look amazing when you view them. When you are dealing with this camera you also get the FASTEST performance. The camera starts up in like 1 or 2 seconds and it shoots with NO LAG. Even if you are shooting with flash the shot to shot time is awesome. The zoom pops out very fast too which also makes a funny noise. i don[t reallyh ahve to explain the picture quality because you know Sony is always EXCELLENT with that. Others say that canon is better but I think Sony's a tad better well atleast with this camera anyway. The movie mode on this camera is comparable to a camcorder. It shoots VGA (640x 480) at an option of 15fps or 30fps. 30 fps is basically smoother but requires about twice the memory so 15fps would be sufficient for any user. To tlel you the truth i bought this camera for the movie mode too because its much better than the Canon S500. Lastly, the battery is outstanding. You can shoot pictures a little over 3 hours worth. I recommend geting the accessory kit from sony (comes with battery, case, wallet thing) about $65 on ebay and a 256mb memory stick card or 512 memory stick pro card. You can get the 512mb one for under $120!!
Oh and I forgot to mention the cool accessories available for this beastily camera. You can get 1.7X telephoto lens, 2.6X lens (turns ur compact camera to almost a 8X optical demon, lol), .7X wide lens, marine pack (underwater case) and external flash (some say the flash on the camera isn't bright enough so people buy external separate ones)
38 Sony P100 review (plus Canon S500, Fuji F610 and others)
Ultra-compact digicam comparison: which ultra-compact camera should I buy? Make sure you read the whole thing - it'll give you an idea of what to look for yourself.
Considered: Fuji F610, Sony T1, Sony T11, Sony P100, Pentax Optio S4i, Canon S500, Nikon 3700/5200.
Fuji 610 (72 x 93 x 31 mm)
Pros: excellent camera with awesome image quality. Claim that vertical design will limit camera shake - maybe. Video quality excellent at 640 x 480 (30fps). xD picture cards cheap.
Cons: Larger than canon s500 and sonyp100 - but not a huge problem considering the better features (especially the amount of manual controls with shutter/aperture). BUT - NO AF ASSIST LAMP: therefore poor low light performance. Not able to switch off digital zoom such that the optical switches over to digital automatically - which will reduce image quality stored. But the clincher here is the lack of AF assist lamp.
Sony P100 (108 x 51.5 x 26.6 mm)
Pros: It's a Sony: their attention to detail is always guaranteed. Nine scene selections which makes shooting for amateurs so much simpler and takes you up that extra notch - read excerpt below. Option of attaching a wide-angle telephoto lens down the track - should you start to take your photography (more) seriously. Excellent video quality at 640 x 480 (30fps or 17pfs), size unlimitied). AF assist lamp. Battery life indicator: provides estimated mins remaining. Battery has also been found to be of exceptional stamina - compared to other digicams of this size.
I got this from Imaging-Resource: "Scene mode offers a range of preset exposure modes, including Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Soft snap, Snow, Beach, High Speed Shutter, Fireworks, and Candle modes. Both Twilight modes optimize the camera for low-light shooting by allowing shutter times as long as two seconds, while Landscape mode sets the camera up for shooting distant subjects. Soft snap mode warms skin tones and sets focus to slightly soft. Snow mode enhances saturation and adjusts exposure, to prevent loss of colour in bright white snow scapes, while Beach mode ensures that blue tones are recorded accurately in lakeside or seaside photos. High-speed shutter mode is for shooting action or bright subjects. Fireworks mode preserves colour in shots of fireworks or other night light displays by fixing the lens aperture at f/5.6 and setting the exposure time to the 2-second maximum. Candle mode slows shutter speeds and biases exposure to keep candlelit scenes looking natural; a tripod is recommended in this model"
Cons: Memory stick: expensive, but prices have come down and will come down further. Definitely get yourself a MS Pro Duo (either a 256, or better still 512MB). Getting the Duo now (which is not much more $) will keep you ahead of the game. Size: slightly longer than Canon S500 but thinner - so not so bad. Overall the cons are not awfully bad.
Sony T1/T11 (T!: 91mm x 60mm x 21mm)
Pros: Awesome design. Very thin. All other pros similar to Sony P100. Nice option of black.
Cons: NO tripod mount - sure it's an ultra-compact which you'd carry around, but sometimes it's nice to mount it for macro and other shots. I would have seriously forked out the extra cash for this camera but the lack of a tripod mount was the clincher.
Canon S500 (87.0 x 57.0 x 27.8 mm)
Pros: Size: I like to use this camera as a benchmark for size comparisons with other cameras. Design and form factor: almost as good as Sony: very elegant. CF - cheap, very cheap. I've previously had the Canon S230 (3.2MP 2X optical) and it was an excellent camera.
Cons: VERY, VERY POOR: no battery life indicator - with the S230 I have been caught out many times, this is especially so when other members of your family use the camera and you have no idea how much charge is left. The solution is to get a spare battery, but Canon should have rectified this issue by now and they have deliberately chosen not to and that tells me something. Video at 320 x 240 (15fps): if you want 640x480 only available at 10pfs: compare this with Sony and Fuji, both at 640x480, 30fps!! Now I know that this is a digital camera and not a camcorder - but it's nice to know that you can take VGA quality shots at an instant - so you're always prepared - because who carries the camcorder everywhere?!!
Pentax Optio S4i ((83 x 52 x 20mm))
Pro: Size. Size. And price.
Cons: No AF assist lamp: therefore poor in low light. Although a good camera, you'll read that it's more a `fun' camera than half-serious like the Sony P100 or Canon S500. Of course the Fuji F610 takes it up a notch as far as manual features go. Also the video quality is poor: similar to the canon S500 - although I would imagine Canon would still do a better job of it.
Nikon 3700 (95.5 x 50 x 31 mm)
Pro: Scene selection. Size.
Cons: Some have claimed a disparity between sound and video - not sure about this though. Appearance: very uninspiring, like the rest of the coolpix family.
CONCLUSIONS
Rank overall:
1. Sony P100 (image quality, scene options, video quality, it's a Sony)
2. Canon S500 (two downfalls - and both quite big - no battery life indicator and low video resolution)
3. Fuji F610 (NO AF assist, can't switch off digital zoom)
If size and form factor the most important and tripod mount absolutely not necessary (e.g. if will be in handbag all the time): Sony T1
39 Well made fast easy to use camera
My excellent f717 was stolen so I purchased the P120, the black version of the P100 that includes an extra battery and belt wearable carry case. First thing you notice is the excellent 'only Sony can do this' build quality. Sony are not so good at large items, but excell in the small stuff. The second thing you notice is the speed of all features. Soon as you press the power button, the lens zips out right away and you're ready to shoot quicker than you can get your finger on the shutter release! Shutter lag is virtually non-existent. Sony's new improved independent menu navigation buttons are better than the previous all-in-one joypad. The picture quality DETAIL is not as good as the f717, but then, the lens is far smaller, but the speed and responsiveness is twice if not thrice as good. Movie mode is almost DVD quality with a Memory Stick Pro (640 x 480 at 30fps). What really made me buy this camera (and not buy another 717), other than the lovely compact design, is it's manual controls. While limited, you can adjust both the shutter and aperture, although only two f stops. I have only had the camera a few days, but can tell from what I have tried that Sony have fixed most of the flaws in their other compact digicams to deliver an outstanding piece of engineering that I shall be wearing on my belt everywhere now to snap that 'Koda', no, 'Sony' moment! :-)
40 So far it's very good
Read my review on the Nikon 5200 - I compared the 2 and the SOny has much better color.. The Nikon was miserable..
I like the P100 so far very much
41 Great Camera
This is an absolutely great camera. I use it for Videos as well as pictures. The sound quality for the movies is good. It is easy to transfer the movies and pictures to your computer, especially if you have a Sony PC or laptop. Even otherwise, the USB cable provided is sufficient.
One thing though - and this would be true for any 5 mega pixel camera - the 32mb stick provided is really not sufficient. You should really plan on buying a 512mb stick with your camera, else you will constantly be running out of space.
