Customer Reviews

Sony Cybershot DSC-M2 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Wide Zoom

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I sought to purchase a digital camera, I was intrigued by the idea of a hybrid camera/camcorder. Reading what was written about limitations of these hybrids really dampened my enthusiasm. But I decided to take the leap with the SONY Cybershot DSC-M2 and couldn't be happier. It takes crisp, gorgeous shots in automatic mode, and although it doesn't have many manual controls, it has enough to keep the average snapshooter happy. The movie mode surpassed my expectations. My little home films look like the ones my dad made with his expensive camcorder. It has a big, beautiful LCD screen which makes others envious. People have complained that the design is awkward, and I have joint problems, but handling it has been a snap for me.

My only complaint is that I wish the zoom function was better...otherwise, this is an excellent purchase.

I bought my sony dscm-m2 from wolfs camera.Iwanted something small that could take really good pics with the ability to record video.did not want mini cassete.want one memory card.this thing is great.take really good pics and video.you can transfer the video from the m2 base station to a vcr and record it even on to a dvd recorder.I wish it had a little more zoom.and have a inferred mode.just like the sony night shot or super nightshot!!!!hopefully sony will make a dsc-m3.and add it to that camera.other wise this camera rocks!!!!!!!easy flip up lcd.wish it was touchscreen.sony you made a really great camera for some one who wants small pocket size camera.my wife loves this camera.you can switch from photo to video so easy.with a touch of a button.

I used Sony's M-1 camera for many years until it suddenly died with no obvious means of fixing. But I liked it so much that I upgraded to the second generation M-2 model buying it used since it's no longer manufactured. I love that it fits easily in my pocket as that was always the reason I didn't take more videos if it was more awkward to haul around something larger. I'm pleased with the modest improvements and since I've mastered the settings that are needed to get optimum results it functions very well for the simple purposes I have for it. It used the same battery I had for the M-1 (so now I have 3 batteries) and the same memory stick pro card (so now I have (2) 4GB cards & (1) 576MB card). The CDROM software wasn't included from the seller but it wasn't necessary. Uploading to YouTube and sharing through other means is a snap as the MP4 format is more widely accepted these days. If you can find this camera used for under $200 is will still be worth it for a few more years of technology advancements.

I love this camera, I love the quality of the still and video. Great purchase. Everything everybody wrote here is true. HOWEVER:

* It requires a proprietary USB cradle to download pictures to a computer. It doesn't have a standard USB jack. So get ready to pack the cradle whenever you are going to travel.

* It uses its own proprietary battery that gets charged when the camera is in the cradle. If you run out of power while outside, you can't just buy a couple of AAs and use them until you get back home.

* If you carry it in your pocket without a carrying case, it will flip and turn on by itself and the battery will be discharged.

I thought buyers should know this. These minor annoyances make me sometimes choose to take my old, clunky 1.2MP sony to trips instead of this one just because it is so much more straightforward.
Anyway, it is a good camera.

I can't believe they haven't made more and these are so hard to find now! I've had mine for a year now and it is awesome. Finally a handy marriage between a still camera and a video camera. Parents and grandparents everywhere I go wish they had one to catch EVERY fun moment with the kids. My only complaint is the low-light capabilities. Pictures just won't turn out and movies are terrible unless you're outside or inside with bright lights.

THIS CAMERA WAS GREAT FOR THE 1YR AND 3 MONTHS THAT I HAD THE CAMERA IN PERFECT CONDITION. FIRST OF ALL YOU NEED TO GET A CARRYING CASE FOR IT IF NOT U ARE GONNA GO THROUGH WHAT IM GOING THRU. THE SLIDE CLICK WHEEL(fwd button) TO CHANGE PICS AND VIDEOS WHEN IN VIEWING THEM SNAPPED OFF AN BROKE ON ME. THE CAMERA BEEN ACTING FUNNY ON ME LIKE LOCKING UP ON ME AND WONT CHANGE MODES, IT WONT STOP RECORDING VIDEO AFTER I PRESS THE VIDEO BUTTON AGAIN, AND WHEN IM VIEWING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS THE CAMERA SOMETIMES STARTS SWITCHING AUTOMATICALLY FROM PHOTO TO PHOTO OR VIDEO FROM VIDEO WHEN IN VIEWING MODE. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE CAMERA WHEN ACTING LIKE THIS IS TURNING IT OFF AND ON AGAIN BUT SOMETIMES I STARTS TO ACT THE SAME WAY SHORTLY AFTER, THIS IS STARTING TO GET FRUSTRATING SO I WAS WONDERING IF SONY SELLS ADDITIONAL PARTS LIKE THIS OR DO I NEED NEED TO REPLACE THE CAMERA.

I always say that there is technology you can use and technology you can impress others with.
This model helps you do both. You have a nice 5.1 MP still camera and MPEGMovie4TV video.
The very fact that you have a camera which you can take both still pictures and video is huge. I never had a video camera before because I hate to carry two camera and a big camera case, so this was the obvious solution.
I realize that instead of embracing the moment (for which they need the memory) most people often juggle between cameras.
Cons:
* Sometimes people might confuse it with camera phone
* Buttons are harder to find
* Software is not the best
* Wish had more zoom
Pros:
* Convince
* Compact
* Battery lasts long
* Flash is good
* Video sound quality is good
I wonder why this model has not swept the market - another story of good product and mad marketing.

I needed a point-and-shooter for my trip to Tibet. This one fit the bill and I'm happy with the result.

That said, it's 2010, and the camera takes fuzzy shots, has some software glitches where I can't stop the video recorder until I flip the camera off.

I guess it's hard to write a review in 2010 for a product I thought was pretty decent in 2006.

I was so excited when I got this camera from Amazon. Why ? The looks alone - the flip out screen was cool, like a mini camcorder. It has MPEG4 with Stereo Sound which is, indeed, very cool. And, the video is great! But that was where the excitement ended. Now I'm not technical but I've had 3 digial cameras in the past so let me explain in simple terms why this camera sucks.

Why does this camera suck ?

It's bulky. Had they packed in something better than the standard 3x optical zoom I could understand that but they didn't.

Pictures came out blurry in darker settings. Maybe I didn't make the right settings adjustements ? But it's the worst in standard settings of all my cameras.

Flash is weak. Again with a camera this size you expect more.

5.1 Megapixel camera only. Not bad, but come one, my wife's credit card sized DCS T10 does 7.2, so again, why is this camera so big if the specs are so... average...

You need the base station to both charge the camera and view on the TV using the AV cables. Considering the base sticks out like a sore thumb with its bulky design its not something you can easily take with you unless you are carrying luggage or something. Bad choice.

But here is what really clinched it. After having 3 cameras where the LCD screen was exposed I thought, wow, this screen is protected inside so it will never break - never mind none of my screens ever broke before. So what happened? Two months after I got the camera I dropped it from from waist level and it fell on a little rock or something because I saw a little indentation on the outside and guess what - the LCD screen was all messed up. 90% unviewable. $450 wasted. I wasn't going to put in another $200 to get this junker fixed.

Bottom line? Best video I've seen, esp. for the size. Everything else about the camera sucked.