Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 Review

Announced in January 2005, The DSC-P200 is the direct replacement for the DSC-P150, the first ultra-compact 7 megapixel compact. The changes are minimal (a slight redesign, a new, larger screen, an additional metering mode and the addition of custom white balance) - though pricing is inevitably a lot keener after a year in this fast-moving market. As with the P-150 before it, the P-200 is essentially a 'point and shoot' camera with a Carl Zeiss 3x zoom lens, 7.2 megapixel sensor and a smattering of photographic controls.
- 7.2 effective Megapixels
- Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens
- 3x Optical Zoom, up to 14x Smart Zoom, 6x Precision Digital Zoom
- Large 2.0" LCD
- Stamina Battery Life (approx 370 shots by CIPA standard)
- Manual Exposure Setting
- Slim and Compact High Quality Aluminium Body with Hair Line Finishing
- MPEG VX Fine with Audio
- AF Illuminator
- Histogram Indication
- USB 2.0 High Speed Transfer
- Scene Selection Mode
- Available in Red, Silver and Black versions
- Conversion Lens Compatible (Optional
- Cyber-shot Station Compatible (Optional)
Note: Due to the minor nature of the changes, the majority of this review is based on the DSC-P150 review, September 2004.
Sony DSC-P200 Key specifications
Street price |
US: $370
UK: £230 |
Body Material |
Metal (aluminum) |
Sensor |
1/1.8" Sony Super HAD CCD
7.2 million effective pixels |
Image sizes |
3,072 x 2,304
3,072 x 2,048 (3:2)
2,592 x 1,944
2,048 x 1,536
1,600 x 1,200
640 x 480
|
Movie clips |
640 x 480 pixels @ 30fps
640 x 480 pixels @ 15fps
160 x 112 pixels @ 8fps
Motion JPEG (.avi)
With sound
Clip length limited only by media capacity (streaming)
640 x 480 pixels / 30 fps only with Memory Stick PRO media |
Lens |
Carl Zeiss 38 - 114mm equiv. (3x optical zoom)
F2.8-F5.2
7 Elements in 5 Groups, 3 Aspheric Elements |
Focus |
TTL autofocus
5 Area Multi-Point AF
5-step Manual focus
6cm macro mode (Wide), 30cm (Tele) |
Shooting mode |
Auto
Program
Manual
Twilight
Twilight Portrait
Landscape
Soft Snap
Candle
Snow
Beach
Fireworks
High Speed Shutter
AE compensation -2.0EV to +2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps
|
Metering |
Center, Multi-Segment, Spot |
Sensitivity |
Auto
ISO 100
ISO 200
ISO 400 |
White Balance |
Auto
5 presets
Custom (manual) |
Image parameters |
Saturation (3 levels)
Contrast (3 levels)
Sharpness (3 levels)
Color effects (Sepia, Black and White)
|
Continuous |
0.6 to 0.9 fps (5 shots 7MP / JPEG fine) |
Flash |
Built-in flash
Auto, Forced On, Forced Off, Slow Synchro
Range (ISO auto): Wide; 0.2 - 3.5 m (0.66 - 11.48 ft)
Tele; 0.3 - 3.5 m (0.98 - 11.48 ft) |
Storage |
Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO
32MB Memory Stick supplied* |
Viewfinder |
Real Image Optical |
LCD monitor |
2.0 " TFT, 134,000 pixels |
Connectivity |
USB 2.0
A/V out
DC-IN |
Power |
NP-FR1 Rechargeable InfoLithium® Battery,
AC adapter included (in-camera charging) |
In the box* |
NP-FR1 Rechargeable InfoLithium Battery
AC-LS5 Battery Charger
Combined AV / USB Cable
Wrist Strap
MSA-32A 32MB Memory Stick® Media
Software CD-ROM (Picture Package™ for Sony v1.0 (Windows), Pixela™ ImageMixer VCD2 (Macintosh), SPVD-012.1 USB Driver, Cyber-shot Life tutorial (Windows)
|
Other features |
PictBridge and DPOF compatible
Live Histogram & playback histogram
Autofocus Illuminator
Optional 2.6x Tele converter lens (VCL-DH2630)
Optional 1.7x Tele converter lens (VCL-DH1730)
Optional 0.7x Wide converter lens (VCL-DH0730)
Optional Camera Dock (Cyber-shot Station CSS-PHA)
Optional Slave flash + bracket
Optional filter kits and filter adapter |
Weight (inc batt) |
144 g (5.4 oz) |
Dimensions |
104 x 52 x 28 mm (4.1 x 2 x 1.1 in) |
* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area
Gear in this story
Gear in this story
Highly Recommended
|
|
|
|
Oct 12, 2005
|
Jan 6, 2005
|
Oct 7, 2008
|
Sep 29, 2008
|
The OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro is finally here! Chris has opinions.
The Canon EOS R8 is the company's latest mid-level full-frame mirrorless camera. It brings the sensor and autofocus from the EOS R6 II and combines them in a smaller, more affordable body.
The Canon EOS R50 is an entry-level, company APS-C mirrorless camera. A 24MP RF-mount camera aiming to attract smartphone users and, perhaps, vloggers.
See what Chris and Jordan think of the Canon EOS R8 after shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Canon EOS R50 is inexpensive. It's tiny. Is it good? Jordan and Chris dodged alligators in South Carolina to find out.
Above $2500 cameras tend to become increasingly specialized, making it difficult to select a 'best' option. We case our eye over the options costing more than $2500 but less than $4000, to find the best all-rounder.
There are a lot of photo/video cameras that have found a role as B-cameras on professional film productions or even A-cameras for amateur and independent productions. We've combed through the options and selected our two favorite cameras in this class.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both the speed and focus to capture fast action and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.
Family moments are precious and sometimes you want to capture that time spent with loved ones or friends in better quality than your phone can manage. We've selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens.
What's the best camera for shooting sports and action? Fast continuous shooting, reliable autofocus and great battery life are just three of the most important factors. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting sports and action, and recommended the best.
Comments