Very Fast is something that would be ideal to describe the camera.
The DSC-P200 is the direct replacement for the DSC-P150, the first ultra-compact 7 MP camera. The main differences which the P150 lacked are a one push manual (custom) white balance, a spot focus mode, and a center-weighted metering mode. Another difference is that it has lower power consumption than its predecessor. The lower power consumption is due to the fact that the image processor is newer and more efficient.
The p200 is ultra fast and you can take a handful of pictures in only a matter of seconds between shots in the highest quality.
One good thing is the flash. Camera gives good candid flash shots with no red eye problem.
A nice display feature is to toggle between full/medium and no diagnostic information - plus screen off. The real time histogram is something of a bonus too!
You can get nearly 3 hours of battery life with this camera!!!! Now thats Great !!!! For the majority of the people that buy this camera, you will not need an additional battery nor an additional memory stick if you get the 1gb.
The menu system may take a little getting used to.Try increasing sharpness to plus +1 to get the best results. This doesn´t cause any noise.
This camera is ultra portable and can be taken virtually anywhere.
The quality of the pictures are outstanding and with 7.2mp, you have better cropping options. I'd suggest getting a 1Gig memory stick. That will hold 300 7mp photos. Enough for a trip and that too at the best quality.
For truly optimum pictures, DO use a tripod. DO spend some money and get truly high-quality filters. DO invest in telephoto and wide-angle lenses. This is the camera that will let you grow as you become more professional with your pictures.
Macro is SUPERB. I have taken macros of coins, insects, etc. and have been been utterly amazed at the quality. It's almost like looking through a microscope!
The unlimited movie mode records in .MPEG format which I like because you can shoot up to 44 minutes on a 1 GIG memory stick, but since the camera is so small, it is difficult to shoot anything steady without the use of a tripod.
Highlights of the camera are
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7.2 effective Mega pixels
Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens
3x Optical Zoom, up to 14x Smart Zoom, 6x Precision Digital Zoom
Large 2.0'' LCD
Stamina Battery Life (approx 370 shots by CIPA standard)
AF Illuminator
Histogram Indication
USB 2.0 High Speed Transfer
Cyber-shot Station Compatible (Optional)
Pros
Excellent results
Good resolution
Virtually no purple fringing
Good dynamic range
Superb build quality
Very fast and responsive
Easy to use
Good movie mode
Decent macro mode
Good battery life
AF illuminator
Flash works really well at very close distances (throttles down well)
Nice, bright screen
Cons
Optical viewfinder too small and hard to use with glasses.
Fragile battery stop. Avoid taking battery in and out often.
You can't zoom in or out in video mode, nor change the lighting once you start.
Limited manual controls
Some edge softness at wide apertures
Accessing some advanced functions via menus is a bit long-winded
Only two aperture settings
Design can exacerbate camera shake at lower shutter speeds
Limited continuous shooting capabilities
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Words of caution -
Always shoot with both hands as single handed shots may include slight camera shake due to the distance between shutter and lens (especially in low light long exposure conditions).
Also, get into the habit of sporting the wrist band each time as the rounded edges of this little camera can cause it to slip from your fingers.
When you are recording a movie be sure you don't put your hand/finger above the microphone because you do that basely
When you take picture you can by mistake cover all or part of the flash by your finger. As result flash timing control and/or flash bulb become damaged by this action and you cannot took nice pictures after that.
In auto mode, you can subject yourself to some shaky pictures. Fortunately, you see it when it happens and can retake the picture. If pictures are all that critical, then switch to manual mode or scene mode.
The bottom line is I've DSC P200 and I'm satisfied - even after 12 months