Sony Cyber-Shot Digital Camera: Great Quality at a Great Price

A couple summers ago I was on the hunt for a digital camera. I was on a very tight budget, so it had to be reasonably priced, but I wanted a good quality camera with plenty of nice features. I was looking for something with a video function, a rechargeable battery, a high number of mega pixels, a zoom function, plenty of setting options, and something nice and compact so I could easily tote it when I traveled.

I realized this was a lot to ask, but I was prepared to search until I found something close. After hunting online for some time, my search results yielded nothing but disappointment. It seemed like the only cameras that had all of the features I was looking for were far too big to tote around, and way out of my price range. I'd almost given up hope until I went to the Sony web site and came across the Cyber-Shot DSC-P200.

To my delight, the camera came with all of the features I was looking for, was small and compact, and was much closer to my price range than those huge SLR cameras with the detachable lenses. It seemed almost too good to be true. But I decided to check it out.

The instant I took it out of the box, I was amazed by its compact size. The camera is also very unique in that it boasts an amazing 7.2 mega pixels, which is equivalent to the capacity of large, professional cameras. Also, the camera has a built-in lithium ion battery. That means no more buying batteries! Which saves lots of money in the long run. The camera also came with an AC adaptor, so all I had to do was plug it directly into a wall socket overnight and it was charged and ready to use again the next day.

Other added benefits include a Carl Zeiss 3.0x zoom lens, mpeg video function, multiple outdoor and indoor settings, a large LCD display screen, an impressive battery life, and a 32mb memory stick.

I have been so amazed by this little camera. The second I popped in the battery and memory stick, it was as easy to use as any other point and shoot camera. The settings were easy to figure out, and the pictures always come out large and clear.

My favorite feature would have to be the video function. The quality is absolutely amazing for such a small camera. The only thing I would suggest to anyone considering buying this camera is to buy a larger memory stick if you're looking to take lots of video. Because the quality is so great, it uses up lots of space. It is possible to lessen the quality of the video, but you can usually find some pretty good deals on memory cards.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with this little camera. I've taken it on vacation, to concerts, and even to work to take pictures. It boasts features most commonly only found in large, professional cameras, but at a price that's affordable to the average consumer. Even if you've never owned a digital camera before, this camera is just as easy to operate as a point and shoot, if not easier. The results are guaranteed to leave you smiling.