Sony DSC-P200

Compact Camera comparison

I'm still searching for the perfect pocket sized replacement to my Canon S110. I'm slowly wading through my list of options and revising my running list of contenders. Sony seems to be creeping onto the list with several compact offerings. The DSC-P200 fits some of my criteria with 7.2 megapixels, 3x optical zoom and weighing just over 5 ounces. The width of the camera is 0.5 inches longer than I'd like and the depth of the camera body is 0.1 inches thicker, but taken as a complete package, it still fits nicely in a pocket without getting in the way. I'm also not personally a fan of Memory Stick, because it's a Sony only format. More importantly, the camera takes great pictures and offers one of the lowest shutter lags of any camera in this class of products. I'm potentially willing to put up with another storage format, if the tradeoff is faster timing when trying to snap several photos. This camera represents an upgrade to the P150, which was one of the better low-light small form factor models. The P200 adds some features not regularly found in point-and-shoot cameras. New to this model are manual white balance and spot auto focus, which are features frequently reserved for cameras with much larger bodies.