Review of the Sony 3.2 Megapixel Cybershot (DSC-P7)

The Sony 3.2 Megapixel Cybershot is a good all around camera. The quality of my pictures has been excellent with my use of this camera. This camera can be used for taking digital pictures as well as for taking movies.

The camera will come with:
a camera
a 16mb memory stick
a NP-FC10 InfoLithium rechargeable battery
an AC adapter / battery charger
a USB cable
an A/V cable
a CD-ROM featuring Pixela ImageMixer software and drivers
a 104 page manual (printed)

When I first got the camera, I read the manual all the way through. I installed the software to my computer though, and could never figure out how to use it. So now for photo editing, I use PhotoImpact XL or just Windows Paint to change the photo size. To edit the movies, I use Windows Movie maker.

I've enjoyed using this camera to take pictures more than movies though. The 16mb memory stick really holds a lot of pictures. It seems like hundreds, but maybe I just don't take a lot of photos. It was probably more like 75. As far as movies, the 16 mb memory stick will only hold 3 minutes of movie. But, if movie making is your main interest, then you can just buy a much larger memory stick in order to record for longer periods of time.

One other downfall of using this camera to make movies is that the flash only works for the camera portion. If you are trying to make a movie in anything other than really bright daylight or florescent light, you will be out of luck. So if you are serious about using this camera for making movies, I would really recommend purchasing external flash and also a tripod so that your movies have a steady picture. Many movies just look better when they have a steady picture. Handheld only looks good sometimes.

If you look in the manual that comes with the camera you will find that you can order these accessories specifically tailored for the camera. I recommend using the accessories that go with the camera rather than purchasing ones that don't. I feel like you guarantee the best picture this way. The HPK-FSL1 accessory flash will run you about $100 and attaches to the tripod mount. The tripod mount is about the same price.

I really like this camera and it has stood the test of time for over 6 years. It has fallen more than a few times and still works perfectly. Sometimes it seems to take a bit too long to take a picture and you have to let the subject know this so they know to hold the pose until just before the picture snaps. But overall, this is an excellent camera. I thought I would have had to replace it years ago; but, I've found no need to replace it at all.