Average Rating: 
Rating: - A powerful, compact, state-of-the-art camera
Sony's DSC-P9, released in June 2002, is the state of the art in terms of resolution and features in a very compact camera, with point-and-shoot ease of use. At just 4-1/2 x 2 x 1-1/2 inches in size and 7-1/2 ounces with battery, this is a camera you can take anywhere - so you will have it with you and take more pictures. It's smaller and lighter than many less powerful cameras, and smaller than earlier generations of Sonys. The camera and features give you that feeling that they have really been carefully thought through and designed for ease of use, though it does take some effort to learn to use. Features include:
- The 4 megapixel (million pixels, or MP) resolution (2272 x 1704) is at the high end of consumer cameras, and should allow very good enlargements up to about 8x10.
- The 3x optical zoom will help you compose good photos and make the most of your pixels. The zoom lens is the equivalent of 39-117mm on a film camera, so will go from slight wide angle to moderate telephoto. It's a very versatile range, though not wide angle enough to shoot wide shots in small rooms.
- The lens aperture (opening size) is rated (max) at F2.8-F5.6 (depending on zoom; low numbers are better). This is fairly "fast" for this type of camera, making it better in low light than some. The autofocus illuminator and the Twilight modes also help for low light situations, which challenge all digital cameras. However, you will find it much easier to get crisp shots when the lighting is good (or the flash is used). - The DSC-P9 takes great pictures without requiring much thought. But if you want, the camera gives you several white balance options; light sensitivity (ISO) settings of 100, 200 and 400; pattern or spot light metering; multiple focus modes (3-point, center, manual at pre-set distances); shutter speeds down to 1/2000; and a macro focus setting for great close-ups from as little as 4 inches away.
- Other features include video out, to show pictures on your TV; and a metal case and metal tripod mount.
- The computer drivers should allow you to use a wide range of PCs and Macs with this camera. (Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000 Pro, XP Home/Pro, MacOS 8.5.1/8.6/9.0/9.1/9.2) For most users, this is all the digital camera you will ever need, in a compact package, with easy to use features. It's not for everyone, though:
- If you want maximum control over your photos. Direct manual controls are limited, though if you use the features wisely you have some control. Also, there is no option to save photos in uncompressed format; and no lens thread. Consider the Canon S40 if these matter to you; the S40's image quality is also slightly better. The Sony DSC-85 will give you even better photos.
- If you mostly shoot snapshots, and never print enlargements, you probably don't need 4MP. You can save some money by getting a 3MP camera like the Sony DSC-P7 or a 2MP camera like the Canon S330 or the Sony DSC-P2. But having the extra pixels does give you more options, and allows you to trim the picture and still have good clarity. This camera shares many of the issues all digital cameras have:
- You will have to buy more memory. A 128MB stick will get you about 75 photos at maximum quality, and 2-3x more at snapshot quality. Sony "Memory Sticks" are more expensive than other formats.
- Start-up and shot-to-shot times are slower than film cameras.
- The flash on a camera this size cannot match an external unit, but it is rated up to 13 feet, better than many compact cameras.
- The viewfinder (for when it's too bright to use the LCD, or you're saving power) takes some getting used to, as far as what is in and out of the actual photo.
- The MPEG movie feature is low-resolution (320x240), so of limited use, though this Sony can record audio and shoot any length (limited only by memory stick capacity).
- Battery life is very good for this type of camera - you can get 100-200 shots - but the battery must be charged in the camera (unless you buy the Sony charger, extra), so for very long days you may want a second battery.
Rating: - Great Camera
After doing a lot of research on digital cameras to replace my aging Fuji MX-1200, I decided this seemed like the best one for the money.With the 4 megapixels you can even use the digital zoom without worrying about sacrificing too much picture quality -- though the 3X optical zoom will suffice in most cases. The picture and movie quality are both very good (sound quality is also surprisingly good), though movies tend to come out dark if you're shooting indoors without a lot of sunlight (though, for a still camera, I haven't seen much better). The one thing you'll want to familiarize yourself with is the manual brightness settings. Pictures indoors with sub-par lighting will also come out a bit dark on normal settings, but if you adjust the brightness manually (using Sony's easy-to-navigate menu system) it won't be a problem at all. The camera also has both USB and A/V out jacks for displaying pictures/movies on your computer or TV -- which are both pretty much plug and play processes. One last thing -- as is the case with all digital camera -- is that you'll want to buy a bigger memory stick than the one it's packaged with (16 MB). Overall, an excellent camera.
Rating: - Great camera but it could be perfect.......
If you are able spend another 250 USD and get following items:
Sony BC-VC10 Dual Battery Charger for NPFC10 Only(Original charger charging thorough camera and you could not charge your camera everytime on safe please)
Sony NP-FC10 Info-Lithium Battery for DSCP3/5 (You should add another hour to your shooting experience.)
Sony LCMPX Semi Soft Carrying Case for DSCP3/5 (Save your camera and bring to everywhere)
SanDisk SDMS-128-822 128MB Memory Stick Memory Card (Most important one, 16MB is nothing)
Dazzle Multimedia DM-8100 Memory Stick Reader (Make your life easier)
Memory Stick Carrying Case(Safety)
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