Sony Cyber Shot 4.1 MP, Good Price for a Good Camera

Author's Rating:

Pros: Small, good pictures with the right techniques

Cons: Had some problems with action shots

The Bottom Line: 
Inexpensive, great for beginners and intermediates. Video mode was surprisingly useful, and with some standard photo tips one can capture quality shots.

Author's Review
This camera is a relatively good buy for an everyday user. Got this as a Christmas gift and use it quite frequently. At first I wasn't so sure about the quality of pictures, however with some practice and some picture taking techniques this changed. I would recommend it for someone looking for an inexpensive camera and looking to capture some everyday shots of family vacations, candids, and landscapes. It has a small size and can fit into your pocket and contains a cover that slides over the lens when turning on and off. Many cameras can get easily scratched without a feature like this. It also has many features that adapt to the subject you are photographing. These include a range of different options that really bring out a given object. This include an auto feature then landscape, snow, beach, dark, and light features. They actually make a significant difference in the quality of pictures. Once learning the ins and outs of the controls my picture quality greatly increased. I found great success in my landscape subjects, such as the beach. The camera itself holds about 20 high quality pictures without a memory card and can hold much more with the additional purchase of a memory stick. I was satisfied with the battery life as I used some lithium batteries. I expect that without these batteries the life would be satisfactory. One downside, was the redeye I had with some objects. It was very inconsistent and I could never figure out how to eliminate redeye completly. Another feature I have been enjoying is the video mode. I was surprised with my success in this aspect. I filmed some watersports from a boat and got some great results. The resolution in the final product surpassed my expectations and the sound was captured well. Finally, I found that with the more practice and reading up on the camera and photography in general, the better my pictures turned out. With that said I would highly suggest this product to someone getting into some pleasure photography, without spending an arm and a leg.