Expert Camera Reviews

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N2 is an upgrade of the existing DSC-N1 model. The Sony N2 derives its higher ten megapixel resolution from a 1/1.7″ CCD imager coupled with the same Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom lens, which offers a 3x optical zoom range equivalent to 38-114mm on a 35mm camera. Also included in the Sony N2 is a slideshow mode with a range of transitions including zooms, fades, pans, and wipes, all selected automatically by the camera. The feature that sets the DSC N2 apart from all other digital cameras is its big 3 inch LCD screen

Some positive features of the Sony N2 are:

• Fast response with a good shutter lag time and very good shot-to-shot speed
• Good color accuracy and contrast adjustments
• ISO sensitivity up to 1600
• Very good low-light shooting capabilities
• Very fast Multi-burst mode
• Image noise at ISO 200 and below is pretty good
• The touch screen LCD is wide, efficient and simple to navigate
• Stylus to keep fingers off the LCD screen

Drawbacks of the Sony N2 are:

• Slow continuous shooting speeds
• High chromatic aberration lens distortion which is noticeable at the edges in some images
• Image noise high at ISO 400 and up; at 800 and 1,000 images are almost unusable
• Auto white balance is unsuitable with household incandescent lighting

Specifications:
Megapixels – 10.0
Weight (oz.) – 6.5
Optical Zoom – 3x
LCD Size – 3.0 inch
Flash Range (ft) – Built-in
Image stabilizer - No
Battery type – Custom Lithium Ion
Special features – Email mode, In-camera editing and cleaning tools, Movie recording with sound, DPOF and PictBridge compatible, White balance adjustment with 6 options

Summary:
Though the higher ISO settings do produce a bit of noise while capturing images, the Sony N2 is still quite capable of capturing useable images under very bright or dark conditions. Not to forget that the touch control features allows you to alter images with the in-camera paint tools and pinpoint focus exactly where you want it as you shoot. The DSC-N2 offers a lot in its small package and we certainly feel it’s a deserving case to recommend.

Built with a colossal 12x optical zoom lens comparable to 36 - 432mm on a 35mm camera, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 is Sony’s current envoy in the ultra-zoom class of compact digital cameras. The DSC-H2 has a 6 megapixel sensor and features Sony’s Super Steady Shot image stabilisation system which ensures sharper results when hand-holding the camera at the longer focal lengths. Some other highlights of the Sony DSC-H2 are, it has a large 2 inch LCD monitor screen for easy composition of shots and playback, 7 different scene modes to select from for the beginner and artistic shutter-priority, aperture-priority and manual exposure modes for experienced photographers.

Strong features that make the Cyber-shot DSC-H2 an ideal choice are:

• Sony’s Clear RAW noise reduction technology minimizes picture noise, making it easier to shoot at faster shutter speeds. • The anti-blur features are an advantage when shooting in low-light conditions
• The zoom feature can be used either slowly or quickly, by changing the pressure applied to the buttons
• Very fast multi-burst mode
• Image noise at ISO 200 and below is pretty decent
• Very good battery life

Some negative features of this model are:

• Image noise high at ISO 400 and above, at ISO 800 and 1000 images are almost unusable
• Anti-noise processing trades away some subtle subject detail at all ISO levels
• Small 2.0 inch LCD screen compared to its predecessors

Specifications:
Megapixels – 6.0
Weight (oz.) – 20.7
Optical Zoom – 12x
LCD Size – 2.0 inch
Flash Range (ft) – Built-in
Image stabilizer – Yes, Optical
Battery type – AA (x2)
Special features – 32 MB built-in memory, USB 2.0 support, Support for Mac and PC, MPEG Movie format with sound, Macro lens adjustment, Email mode

Summary:
Except for the disappointing high chromatic aberration and softness in the corners of telephotos, the Sony DSC-H2 is fairly fast among the others, with faster than average shutter response, a smooth and responsive zoom, and very good shot to shot cycle times. Optical quality is very good. The Sony DSC-H2 is ideal long-zoom camera for novices and experts to have.