A Solid Digital Camera, Although Probably Not the Best

Author's Rating:

Pros: High resolution, easy to use, rechargeable batteries, can record movies

Cons: Slightly bulky and uncomfortable design, only 2X optical zoom, no macro mode

The Bottom Line: 
The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P52 is a solid buy for the casual photographer.

Author's Review
The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P52 is my first digital camera. I had wanted to get a digital camera for a while, but I never really got around to it until recently. I am by no means a professional photographer, or even a hobbyist for that matter. I was looking for an easy to use, point and shoot, mid-level digital camera for casual use. For the most part, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P52 has met this bill.


The Camera

These are the basic specs of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P52:
• 3.2 mega pixels (2048x1536 resolution)
• 2X optical zoom
• 3.2X digital “smart” zoom
• 1.6 inch LCD screen (280x220)
• 16MB memory stick
• 2 AA nickel-hydride batteries and charger
• USB and A/V connecting cables
• Sony Image Mixer software

The DSC-P52 is a little large compared to other cameras in its class, but by no means is it large. Its dimensions are 4 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 1 ½ inches and it weighs in at 9.9 ounces. In addition, the lens protrudes out of the left front of the camera slightly. I found this design to be a little bulky for putting in your pocket. I also found that the DSC-P52 was a little difficult and uncomfortable to hold. On the right side, there is a rubber grip, but overall the right side of the camera is too squared off to be comfortable. The lens on the DSC-P52 is placed on the left instead of the center, which can get in the way of where you would normally place your left hand on a conventional point and shoot camera. I would have preferred a sleeker, slimmer design such as that of the Olympus D560.

The controls are located on the back right side of the camera along with the jacks, which are under the rubbery cover that doubles as a thumb grip. The controls consist of a mode selection dial, a few buttons and a set of directional buttons to navigate through a menu based interface. The interface and controls work well, but take some getting use to. The left side features the LCD screen and traditional viewfinder. At 61,600 pixels, the LCD screen is not the highest resolution available. Images in the LCD screen can be slightly grainy which can be a little misleading, but overall the LCD serves its purpose well.

The Cyber-Shot also comes with rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries and a charger. Digital cameras are known to use up batteries quickly, so this is a nice addition. According to Sony, the batteries take 6 hours to fully charge but usually 3-4 hours will give enough juice to power the camera for a while. AA alkaline batteries can also be substituted. Sony says that the batteries will last for 360 shots or 160 minutes, but I found the actual battery life varies. Turning the flash off will increase battery life substantially.


Taking Pictures

Taking a basic picture is simple with the Cyber-Shot. The LCD screen eliminates the need to squint through the tiny viewfinder, since you can use the LCD to aim. The camera has a default auto mode, but to use it, you must first push the shutter button halfway down and wait for a second while the camera auto focuses. However you must be careful not to move the camera while it is focusing.

Using auto mode, picture quality is exceptional 95% of the time. The images look very clean and the contrast is smooth. However, for extreme close-ups, the DSC-P52 does not perform as well. Pictures taken from closer then about 4 inches will come out blurry, but for most people, this shouldn’t be a problem. The Cyber-Shot also has several modes that will increase quality in certain circumstances such as for landscapes, nighttime shots, and beach shots but the P52 does not have a macro mode for close-ups (the Cyber-Shot DSC-P72 does have a macro mode). Still, keeping it in auto mode usually works out okay.

The small flash on the Cyber-Shot is integrated into the front of the camera. Sony recommends the flash for distances from .5m to 3.3m. Distances to far away may not turn out, while distances too close may show excessive glare.

The DSC-P52 can shoot up the 3.1 mega pixels, but for most uses, this is probably unnecessarily big. At this size you will be able to see excessive and probably unwanted detail when viewing images on your computer, and the images will take up over 1MB each. You can also set the camera to 2.8, 2.0 and 1.2 mega pixels, as well as VGA mode (640x480). I usually shoot at 1.2 mega pixels which is big enough to print postcard sized (4x6 inch or 5x7 inch) images, but I can still fit 24 images on the 16MB memory stick.

The Cyber-Shot DSC-P52 features a somewhat measly 2X optical zoom, as well as about 3X of digital “smart” zoom. The optical zoom is the conventional zoom in which the lens actually moves forward. The amount of “smart” zoom depends on the image size; at 3.1M the smart zoom does not work while VGA mode will allow you to zoom in the most. I have heard in the past that using digital zoom will distort images, but Sony claims that their “smart” zoom will not. Using my untrained eyes, I have concluded that Sony’s claim is by and far true.

Other features of the DSC-P52 include a self-timer, red-eye reduction. Advanced features include changing focus points, exposure times and color tones, but I haven’t really messed with these features.


Viewing Images

You can view images immediately after you take them by turning the mode dial to the view mode. You can scroll through all the pictures on your memory stick, and even zoom in on an image. Using the controls on the camera to navigate through my images was confusing at first, but it turned out to be simple and easy after consulting the manual.

Transferring the images to a computer also turned out to be a simple process using the provided software. The software will load up automatically and transfer the images in JPEG format when the camera is connected to the computer and turned on. The cable connects the camera to a USB port, so you will need a USB port on your computer. Sony also included a cable to connect the Cyber-Shot to a TV. Basically, this allows you view everything you would see on the LCD screen on a TV monitor.


Shooting Movies

A cool feature on the Cyber-Shot is that you can record short MPEG movies, with sound. You can record up to a 640x480 resolution, which is pretty high quality, but at this size, only about 45 seconds will fit on the 16MB stick. The movie quality is great just like with the still images from this camera, and at 640x480, they look pretty good even in full screen mode on the computer. For viewing movies, the TV cable comes in handy since you can view the movies on a large screen with sound and without losing quality. You can also perform basic editing on the camera.


Conclusion

Overall I’ve been very happy with my Cyber-Shot. My only main complaint is with the external design. Otherwise I’ve had a lot of fun with this camera. I certainly enjoy the ability to can view pictures right after you take them, delete ones I don’t like, and store them on my computer for free. However, I would also look at comparable digital cameras from other manufacturers such as Olympus and Fuji. Many cameras with similar features sell for about the same price. Unfortunately I haven’t used these cameras so I can’t compare them, or tell you which one is the best. But I know that the Cyber-Shot P52 is a good camera, and I would recommend it.