Sony DSCP52 Cyber-shot 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This P-52 Cybershot camera is an incredible value, and I couldn't be happier with it. I've compared this camera with 2003 Canon, Fuji, HP photosmart and Kodak models, and the Sony wins hands down. Except in the case of the Canon, the Sony P-52 is far superior. There are almost too many pros to even list.
=====PROS=====
-The most advanced "Super H.A.D. CCD" exclusive to Sony.
-CCD is 2x as sensitive as any other company's CCD, & 6 dB less digital noise!
-beautiful, accurate colour
-extremely versatile lens takes perfect pics from 3 inches away
-very fast autofocus (1/2 a second)
-autofocus illuminator light for taking pics in the dark
-extremely fast start-up. Around 1.5 seconds!
-very fast LCD: almost no lapse time from real life to LCD.
-LCD has 6 settings for good viewing indoors or out.
-Aperture stays open up to 2 full seconds in dark. Anything longer can damage the CCD, or let in too many unwanted artifacts
-full array of manual functions (aperture [ev], focus & ISO)
-snow mode keeps the detail of the white snow
-beach mode captures the perfect blue of the water
-up to 1 GIG of memory - supports memory stick Pro!
-5 pic size settings - VGA, 1.2 mp, 2.0 mp 2.8 mp & 3.1 mp
-2.8 mp is "3:2 ratio" for perfect 4 x 6 photos
-cool multi-burst mode. Takes 2 pictures in a row, under 1 second. 16-shot option as well.
-smart flash. Even when taking picture in daylight, will sense if it is needed, and come on appropriately.
-Smart Zoom. Not a digital zoom. Picture quality does not degrade like standard digital zooms.
-very long battery life. 2 Ni-mh "Stamina" AA batteries last 67% longer than 2002 batteries.
-metal threads for tripod. Most other companies use plastic. Bad idea!
-menus are beautiful: incredibly easy to understand and navigate.
-prints at "photo quality" up to 8x10. After that, starts to lose some quality, but 11x14 still looks excellent.
-USB 2.0
-fun modes like Sepia, B&W, Solarize and Negative Art.
-voice function: records audio for 5 seconds after taking a picture. (40 sec. option available too)
-instant "review" button of last pic taken, when the LCD screen is off.
=====Mpeg Movie=====
-film mpegs with sound, limited only by the size of the memory. Example - 128 mb memory stick = 6 minutes of 640x480 or 1.5 hours of "email" quality (160x112)
-filmed at 16 frames per second, although after filming, camera info states that it was filmed at 25 fps.
=====CONS=====
-flash is off too far to the side of the lens. It makes big shadows on the left side of your subject.
-Snow mode seems to overexpose the shot a little.
-Optical viewfinder only shows roughly 80% of actual picture area. Use the LCD.
-only 2x optical zoom. The standard seems to be 3x. Sony needs to catch up here.
-zoom only works before you start filming. Can't change the zoom during filming.
-flash will charge slowly if batteries are running low.
=====CONCLUSION=====
An absolutely perfect and versatile camera. Only a professional photographer would, or could, find fault with it. But a professional would likely be using an SLR style camera worth at least double what this camera is worth.That being said, the price is great and Sony has really found a winner here.
This is a very fast camera in all respects, and that is important. Takes fast (and accurate) pictures, and saves info almost instantly. There are no load times for pictures or movie files, like the Hewlett Packard camera line.
5 stars all the way.

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The fun, easy-to-use Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P52 digital camera packs in more pixels and more features than its predecessor. With its 3.2-megapixel resolution, the Cyber-shot DSC-P52 produces stunning images in a diverse range of conditions. The Cyber-shot DSC-P52 adds a 2x optical zoom (the DSC-P32 only offers digital zoom), helping you bring distant subjects closer. It's also one of the first Sony cameras to be compatible with Memory Stick Pro.
Step-up Value Here's a Sony feature that adds value to this digital camera and differentiates it from other models in the Sony lineup.

Optics and Resolution The 3.2-megapixel resolution creates images large enough to print 11-by-17-inch enlargements. The 14-bit DXP system plus Super HAD CCD combine to produce excellent image detail and stunningly smooth contrast and color rendition. The Cyber-shot DSC-P52 offers a 2x optical zoom and 3.2x digital zoom for a 6.4x total.
Storage and Transfer Images are stored on Memory Sticks, and a 16 MB Memory Stick is included. The Cyber-shot DSC-P52 is also one of the first Sony cameras to be compatible with optional Memory Stick Pro media, which can extends data capacity up to 1 GB.
Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows 98/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.
Movie Mode You can capture far more than still images with the MPEG Movie VX function. Most digital cameras' movie modes are limited to 30- or 60-second clips, but the Cyber-shot DSC-P52 can keep shooting until you've filled the memory card. When used with Memory Stick Pro media you can shoot approximately 22 minutes of video.
More Features

1.6-inch LCD monitor and true-zoom optical viewfinder for more accurate framing at eye level
The three-area multipoint autofocus can intelligently focus on the subject and avoids mistakenly focusing on the background
A multi-burst mode captures 16 images (320 x 240) as part of a single 1,280 x 960 image and plays them back sequentially in the camera
The Multi-Pattern Measuring feature establishes a maximum exposure value, independently light metering 49 points of the frame, even where pronounced highlight and shadow are not centered
Five scene modes: twilight, twilight portrait, landscape, snow, and beach
Built-in flash with red-eye reduction, auto, forced on, forced off, and slow-syncro modes

Power, Size, and Contents The camera is powered by the NH-AA-DA rechargeable NiMH battery (included). It measures 4.7 by 2.3 by 1.3 inches and weighs 7.9 ounces. This package includes the Cyber-shot DSC-P52 digital camera, 16 MB Memory Stick, battery and battery charger (BC-CS2), USB and AV cables, wrist strap, and CD-ROM with imaging software and USB drivers for Windows and Mac.

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