Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [3.48mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 1.4 x 4.2 x 2 inches ; 7.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00008O35W
• Item model number: DSC-P10
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,316 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 24, 2003

Product Description

Manufacturer Product Description

You won't believe how much camera you get for your money with Sony's new Cyber-shot DSC-P10. This remarkable digital still camera combines unrivaled image quality with compact Sony design, delivering 5.0 megapixel resolution (effective) with a 3X optical/4x Smart Zoom lens and intelligent features, like 3-Area Multi-Point AF (Auto-Focus) and Continuous AF for sharply-focused shots even in low-light or active conditions.

The DSC-P10's sleek metal body is small enough for most any pocket or purse, and easy to use with well placed controls. The DSC-P10 also features a lightning-fast USB 2.0 interface for high-speed transfer. Memory Stick Pro compatible with included 32MB Memory Stick Media.

1/1.8" 5.0 Megapixel Effective Super HAD CCD
Super HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD's provide excellent image quality by allowing more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise. With its high resolution CCD, the DSC-P10 captures 4 different image sizes, Fine or Standard JPEG compression.

3X Optical Zoom Lens
To help frame your shots for better digital pictures. Optical Zoom helps you bring distant subjects closer & pull back for wide shots.

0 - 3.2X Smart Zoom (at VGA Size)
Smart Zoom intelligently uses the full CCD to let you zoom into the portion of interest by cropping the image size--thus avoiding the image degradation of Digital Zooms.

3 Area Multi-Point Auto Focus
Evaluating 3 separate focus areas of the frame, Multi-Point AF can intelligently focus on the subject and avoid mistakenly focusing on the background. To maintain accurate focus lock with fast moving subjects, Continuous AF keeps focusing until the moment of exposure.

Multi-Pattern Measuring
Independently light-metering 49 points of the frame, Multi-Pattern Measuring establishes the optimum exposure value, even in scenes where pronounced highlight and shadow are not centered in the frame.

Scene Selection Mode
With 7 Scene Modes, camera parameters can be matched to the shooting conditions. Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Snow, Beach, Fast Shutter and Fireworks presets make great shots easy!

1.5" LCD Monitor
Monitors the scene for accurate framing. 123K pixel and anti-glare coating help provide excellent viewing and image playback clarity, even outdoors.

True Zoom Optical Viewfinder
Provides accurate framing at eye level, great for added stability and following fast moving subjects.

Multi-Burst Mode
Captures 16 320x240 frames as part of a single 1280x960 image which plays back sequentially in the camera. Selectable 1/7.5, 1/15, 1/30 second frame intervals provide convenient motion analysis.

MPEG Movie VX Mode
Captures VGA (640 x 480) high frame rate (16 frames per second) audio/video clips with length limited only by the capacity of the media. Video Mail mode captures smaller file sizes suitable for email.

Rechargeable InfoLithium Batteries
Provides reliable, long-lasting power for continuous shooting, without "memory effect". AC-LS5 adaptor/charger provides stable power for USB transfer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

168 of 186 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent as a first digital camera., July 27, 2003

By 

James Arvo (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

If you are considering the Sony P10, you are probably looking for your first digital camera. If so, you are considering a very worthwhile purchase, both in the abstract (acquiring a digital camera) and in the concrete (the Sony P10). I've had a P9--the previous model--for about six months, and I am extremely pleased with it. I often comment that it has "changed my life." (More on that below.) First, here are the features I really like about the P9:

__ 1) Very small (fits in your pocket).

__ 2) Great resolution (5.0 megapixels is very nice).

__ 3) Delay after pressing shutter button is quite short.

__ 4) Good selection of features, which are easy to access.

__ 5) Very easy to download images to your computer.

__ 6) Memory sticks are very compact and have multiple uses.

If you are new to digital photography, #3 will come as a surprise to you. Be sure to check this on any digital camera you consider! Some have a delay of close to a second, and it will drive you crazy if you intend to photograph anything but static objects (i.e. NO people). With regard to memory sticks, I'm a big fan. They are very small and can be used in other devices such as camcorders, computers, and voice recorders.

There are a few things that could be improved in the P9, although these things do not seem to be appreciably better in other models that I've considered, and are often significantly worse. Here are the things that could be better:

__ 1) Built-in flash is terrible (as are all built-in flashes).

__ 2) No connector for an external flash. (Argh!)

__ 3) Annoying delay after pressing the on/off button.

__ 4) High capacity memory sticks (over 128 MB) are expensive.

With respect to the flash, I think it is best to think of the P9 as having no flash at all. If you don't mind having everything look flat, with stark shadows, go ahead and use the flash. Otherwise, you are much better off using natural light--the brighter the better. (Note: low light images are grainer, and consume more memory as the compression algorithms are less effective on grainy images.) I would really ding the P9 for this, if it were not that every point-and-click camera I've ever seen, digital or otherwise, has a similarly pathetic flash. (Why can no manufacturer get this right? Simply being able to bounce the light off the ceiling would help immeasurably!) Finally, when you hit the on/off button, there is a delay of several seconds before you get any indication that the camera is going to turn on/off. This can be very confusing, especially since the button provides no tactile feedback!

Now, a few comments to newbie digital photographers (as I was six months ago). I'm sure you can already list some of the obvious advantages of digital photography: 1) You can preview them on-the-spot, 2) You need only keep the ones you like, 3) You can store them on your computer, email them, and post them on the web very easily (i.e. no scanning). But, is this all hype, or does it really make a difference? My answer is this: It makes a FAR GREATER difference than you can begin to anticipate! To me the difference is so significant that I can scarcely compare digital and conventional photography. They are distinct activities. As proof of this, I now take (conservatively) ten times more photos than I used to, and I continually view them, compose them, and share them using my computer. All of these things are possible with conventional photography, just like it's possible to walk ten miles to work rather than drive. You could do those things; you just won't. Admit it, you're human.

Whether you buy the P10 or not, do yourself a huge favor and purchase a digital camera (especially if you have kids). You'll wonder why you waited so long to take the plunge.

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best camera for printing big pics, October 16, 2003

By 

S. Chin "Silvier" (Bay Area, Ca.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

i upgraded from an olympus 2.1 megapixel camera to the p10 and have never looked back! this is by far a camera that produces quality rich pics with crystal clear detail, vibrant colors and a fairly easy to use operating format. i've printed many 8 1/2 x 11in pics and keep getting the same response from people when i tell them that its from a digital camera and not film. they are totally blown away!!! so am i! this camera not only makes film processing obsolete but it also produces images that give film a run for their money. the battery life is fairly long compared to my old camera and the camera design is very sleek and compact. i dont think i'll be trading this camera for a while. the p10 has been one of my best electronic buys ever!

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ultracompact 5MP camera from sony, August 7, 2003

By 

jemaerca (River Forest, IL, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DSCP10 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

i feel that this camera is geared towards novice users who are looking for an ultracompact, high resolution, point and shoot. in that regard, the dsc-p10 succeeds but i kept thinking that it would be nice if the camera had more features that users could grow into.

pros:
- 5MP resolution and 3X optical zoom
- very compact (smaller and lighter than the competition) with a stylish body
- excellent build quality - no squeaks or rattles here
- easy to use
- convenient e-mail features
- good battery life
- good neutral colour balance
- automatic white balance worked well under both daylight and incandescent lighting
- infrared AF assist lamp - i definitely prefer this to white light assist lamps
- MPEG recording only limited by the size of your memory stick
- selectable ISO sensitivities
- has a multi-burst continuous shooting mode
- good on-screen information
- quick acting auto focus - typically locks within a second
- relatively quick startup
- automatic lens cover
- battery charges while in the camera - you don't have to remove the battery to recharge
- usb 2.0 connectivity means faster downloads of pics

cons:
- occasional image noise
- operational times could be faster
- the included 32MB memory stick is inadequate; be ready to shell out additional $$ for more memory
- you pay a premium for the sony brand
- softer images than the competition
- occasional ghosting
- very limited manual controls (no aperture- and shutter-priority modes!)
- autofocus points are not selectable
- no control over colour saturation or tone
- no manual white balance
- no RAW file capture

this is a very nice camera. for someone looking for an ultracompact point and shoot, this would be perfect. however, if you think that you'll want more manual control in the future, i would recommend getting a camera such as the canon s50. about the same price, a little bigger, but you'll have a camera you can grow into. good shooting!