Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P9 4.0 MP Digital Camera - Silver

PROS
I purchased the Sony DSC-P9 approximately 4 years ago, and it still performers outstandingly. I just sold it for $100, because I want to purchase an underwater digital camera.

I have never seen a camera take as much as this model does. I toke it everywhere with me, and even got water splashed at it, and after drying (while power was off) it still functioned. I think I have dropped only once, and still kept on ticking.

Picture Quality
If you like taking night photos this is perfect. You just mount it somewhere and snap away. I have taken many night city pictures, and they look amazing. Especially when cars are driving by, that is when you get the light lines.

The functions are very easy to use and understand. If you like to manually play with picture quality, you can do it with a fingers touch. I toke pictures just as good as my friends SLR. Some people might say SLR's are better, but they are not. The only time an SLR is better is when you want to change lenses. Obviously you can't do that with the Sony DSC-P9, but if you are taking pictures while on vacation (snap and shot) it really doesn't matter what camera you have.
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE WAY YOU TAKE THE PICTURE.


CONS
It doesn't take very good close up pictures. But that is ok, because I don't take many close up pictures anyway.

I have found that if you take maybe 10 pictures of a butterfly from only 1 meter back but then zoom in all the way, maybe only 1 or 2 will come out clear.
BUT if you take a picture from 1 meter back but DON'T zoom in at all, it will come out PERFECTLY.

If you take indoor pictures when there is not much light and you don't turn on the flash, then the Auto Flash will not go on. The pictures will turn out granite. That is when you have to manually take over and set the flash.

You have 3 flash settings. HIGH, MEDIUM and LOW. Which makes quality of pictures taken indoors really clear. This way you don't have these really YELLOW pictures or bright pictures. You can control the flash. Most other digital cameras you have no control of the flash. It is automatically set at high, which kills close up pictures for example.


In general I would say this is the best point and shot camera I have played with, and I have played with many in my life.

For a 4-megapixel point-and-shoot camera, this is a great unit. There is plenty of resolution to go around, it takes great little movies (in proper lighting) and can take really great pictures just about anywhere. Macro, 3 different flash levels, mulit-burst and voice recording are just some of the great features. It doesn't have the control of more advanced 4MP cameras such as shutter speed, but that is something you pay more money for and usually don't find in an inexpensive point-and-shoot. It has a solid construction (aluminum) so it doesn't feel like it's going to break easily and the lens retracts into the camera with a built in cover, helping it fit into a case nicely. Rechargable battery a plus. Memory stick media for convenience.

I bought this camera because I had a 3.2-megapixel camera of lesser quality from a 'no-name' company and it didn't perform at all the way it should've. Sony is a maker of quality electronics and this camera is no exception. It's simply easy to use.

All in all, this is a very nice camera for the price.

Great pocket camera for the ...Very easy to use use and fits in a pocket ..
Pictures are awesome ..Great camera to take to beach ..Just point and shot .
Not a lot buttons and settings that you are never going to use or for that
matter have no idea what they even are ...4 meg picture makes great 3x5 prints.
The price makes this camera super deal ...why take a 8.0 meg $ 900.00 camera
to the Caribbean only to have it stolen ...

Nice camera, easy to use, perfect 4.0 resoluction, High quality.

Great for ebay items pictures, in low quality.

This is my fifth sony digital camera, and I am always happy with them.


I recommend it.

When this camera first came out, I purchase it for the 4.0 MegaPixels, the convenient size (fits in pocket), nice size display, 6X zoom and most importantly, instead of uploading my pictures, I can just take out the memory stick and plug it in my computer or take it to the local stores that have quick print shops and I'm ready to roll. People compliment me on the pictures I have taken with this camera. Sometimes I am amazed at the quality!