Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Sony Digital Cameras > Sony CyberShot DSC-P30

Sony CyberShot DSC-P30

Sony develops an affordable, full-featured 1.3-megapixel compact digicam with great picture quality!

(Next): Executive Overview>>

Page 1:Intro and Highlights

Review First Posted: 4/9/2001

*
1.3-megapixel CCD delivering 1,280 x 960-pixel images
*
12-bit Analog/Digital Conversion for excellent tonal range and detail
*
3x optical zoom lens
*
MPEG-EX (video-only) movie recording eliminates record-time limitations
* Low-power circuitry and power management system for longer battery life.


Readers have requested free-formatted versions of our reviews (without the graphical accouterments of our page design), to make printing easier. We are accommodating this request with special copies of each review, formatted to allow the text flow to be dictated by the browser window. Click here for a print-optimized page.


Manufacturer Overview
Sony has long held a dominant position in the digicam marketplace, with a wide range of models enjoying enormous popularity with consumers. Last spring (February, 2000), Sony stunned the digicam world by announcing no fewer than six new models. This year (2001), the company repeated this hat trick at Spring PMA in Orlando, once again announcing six new units -- affecting both the Mavica and Cyber-shot lines.

Sony's digital cameras have always enjoyed huge popularity in the consumer market, despite generally higher prices than many competing models. (In the Mavica line, the floppy disk drive undoubtedly added to the manufacturing cost, but also contributed enormously to the cameras' appeal.) With these latest announcements, however, Sony served notice that it intends to compete head-to-head on price, without sacrificing one iota in features or performance. The three new Cyber-shot models -- the P30, P50, and S75 -- are evidence of this resolve. While they are not the cheapest cameras in their respective megapixel ranges, they provide rich features and excellent performance, making them an excellent value for the quality conscious consumer.


High Points

  • 1.3-megapixel CCD delivers up to 1,280 x 960-pixel resolution images.
  • 12-bit DXP Analog/Digital Conversion for excellent tonal range and highlight detail.
  • 1.5-inch, color LCD monitor.
  • Real image optical viewfinder.
  • 3x, 6.4-19.2mm optical zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.8, equivalent to a 41-123mm lens on a 35mm camera.
  • 2x digital telephoto.
  • High-speed scan autofocus, with five preset focus options and Macro mode.
  • Automatic and Twilight exposure modes.
  • Exposure Compensation from + 2 to - 2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-EV steps
  • Automatic, Indoor, Outdoor, and "Hold" white balance options.
  • Normal and Spot metering modes.
  • Adjustable ISO with Auto, 100, 200, and 400 equivalent settings.
  • Built-in flash with three operating modes, plus a separate Red-Eye Reduction function and adjustable intensity.
  • MPEG EX (Extended) Movie and Clip Motion capture modes (no sound).
  • Standard and High-Quality JPEG, TEXT, E-MAIL, GIF, and uncompressed TIFF file formats.
  • Images saved to Sony Memory Sticks, with 4MB card included.
  • Four Picture Effect modes, including Solarize, Black-and-White, Sepia, and Negative Art.
  • Adjustable Sharpness settings from -2 to +2.
  • Date and Date & Time functions.
  • USB computer connection (cable included) and software CD containing MGI PhotoSuite Versions 8.1 and 1.1, MGI VideoWave III, and USB drivers for Mac and Windows systems.
  • Powered by two AA batteries, or an optional NP-FS11 InfoLITHIUM battery pack with AC adapter/battery charger.
  • NTSC video cable (with PAL option).
  • DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility.



Reader Comments! --> Visit our discussion forum for the Sony CyberShot DSC-P30!



Executive Overview>>

Follow Imaging Resource: