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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P5

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By Reuben Lee
Nov 8, 2001

If you think Sony's CyberShot DSC-P1 digital camera looks cool, then you will probably fall in love with its successor, the DSC-P5. Elegant in a rugged sort of way, this CyberShot shares the same footprint as the P1, but manages to shave 35g off the weight and 8mm off the thickness. Its svelte figure and 214g weight are attributed in part to the new InfoLithium (NP-FC10) rechargeable battery, which is roughly the size of just four Memory Sticks stacked together.

A Well-Designed Digicam
Ergonomically, Sony has paid a lot more attention to this aspect of the camera. The buttons are responsive, kept to a minimum, and placed within reach of thumb and index finger so that accessing the various functions of the digicam is easy. The choice of a silver-coated magnesium alloy casing creates a feel-good, look-good product.

Although the 3.2-megapixel Cyber-shot does not have a large grip like the Nikon CoolPix 885, this doesn't compromise much on one-hand operations. Plastic grip dots on the front and the back thumb rest improve the handling. In fact, the longish shape of the DSC-P5 allows the camera to be used comfortably in a horizontal or vertical position.

A Plethora Of Features
The DSC-P5 doesn't compromise on features, either. Among the enhancements are MPEG EX video recording capability for unlimited movie clip capture, a five-step manual focus mode that lets you manually select the type of focus, based on the distance to the object, and a built-in AF Illuminator for low lighting conditions.

The DSC-P5 retains some of the outstanding features that made the earlier P1 one of the best compact digital cameras around. The same 3.2-megapixel CCD and 3x optical zoom lens are featured, as is the bright 1.5-inch LCD screen whose anti-reflective coating makes for easy reading even under direct sunlight.

One of the features we liked about the DSC-P5 is the in-camera battery charger. As the battery life is rather short (about 90 minutes), allowing the battery to be recharged in the digicam lets you enjoy the use of the camera without worrying about running out of power. However, you will probably need to invest in an extra battery pack if you are going outdoors with the P5 as it does not accept any other types of power source.

One gripe is the bundled 8MB Memory Stick, which is good for only five shots at the highest 2,048-by-1,536 resolution. You might want to consider getting an extra 64MB memory in case you plan to take quite a few pictures. Other accessories that come in the box are a USB cable, video cable, wrist strap, operating manual and a CD-ROM which contains the USB drivers as well MGI PhotoSuite and VideoWave software.

Intuitive User Interface
The intuitive user interface works extremely well with the multi-directional navigation button. The fully automatic shooting mode gives convenience to those looking for point-and-shoot photography, while there is enough manual control features to satisfy experienced users planning for more creative shots.

The P5 is recognized as a USB storage device, so transfer of images to the PC is easy. However, it is important to note that the software driver has to be installed before the USB cable is plugged in. If you happen to plug in the USB cable first, there are detailed instructions in the operating manual to undo that procedure.

Superb Image Quality
We expected nothing less than superb image capture quality from a Sony camera, and the P5 did not disappoint. Our test shots came out sharp, with a good balance of color and tone. The built-in flash unit did a good job to ensure that the pictures were bright and clear. When used in the poorly lit environments, we managed to get quite a good distance with the AF Illuminator.

Like most digital cameras these days, the DSC-P1 also serves double duty as a very limited-function digital video camera. The movie clips recorded well in our tests. But the best part about the DSC-P5 is that it comes with built-in microphone and speaker, so playing back the clips on the camera was actually quite fun and entertaining. In fact, if you have extra space on your Memory Stick, you could even record your favorite songs (in the MPEG EX mode) and use the camera as a portable music player, even though the DSC-P5 isn't built for MP3 playback.

A Well-Rounded Performer
When it comes to ultracompact digital cameras with great picture quality and tons of features, the Sony CyberShot DSC-P5 is your best bet. However, the S$1,199 price tag may be a little heftier than most users are willing to pay. In this case, you might want to consider the DSC-P3 which comes with a lower-resolution CCD, fixed focus lens and a list price of S$999.