Sony · Cyber-shot
Cyber-shot DSC-P50
A 2.02-megapixel compact camera with a 3× optical zoom, optical viewfinder and AA or optional InfoLITHIUM power.
- Type
- Compact
- Sensor
- 1/2.7-type
- Megapixels
- 2.02
- Lens
- 41–123 mm equivalent
- Video
- 320 × 240
- Body weight
- 214 g
What reviewers say
Both tests found alkaline battery life short. ASCII praised responsive operation, intuitive controls and tonal quality. Clubic criticised saturated colours, blurred detail and low-light noise, producing a more negative image-quality verdict. ASCII also warned that the lens position makes one-handed shake and finger obstruction easy.
From ascii.jp and clubic.com
Product links
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specImage and sensor
- Camera type
- Compact
- Sensor format
- 1/2.7-type
- Sensor type
- Super HAD CCD
- Effective resolution
- 2.02 MP
- Largest image
- 1600 × 1200
- RAW recording
- No
- Standard ISO range
- 100–400
- Sensor detail
- 1/2.7-type interlaced primary-colour Super HAD CCD; 2.11 million total and 2.02 million effective photosites in the exact P50 maker column. Optical format designation is not physical sensor width
- Image formats
- JPEG, uncompressed TIFF, GIF for Text and Clip Motion; TIFF is not sensor RAW
- Image processor
- 12-bit DXP analogue-to-digital conversion; SRC image processing
Lens and shooting
- Built-in lens
- 41–123 mm equivalent
- Maximum aperture
- f/3.8–3.9
- Optical zoom
- 3×
- Lens detail
- Sony 3× optical zoom, actual 6.4–19.2 mm, 41–123 mm equivalent, F3.8–3.9. Fixed external lens barrel with removable cap; normal autofocus from 0.50 m, macro from 0.03 m. 2× digital enlargement is separate from optical zoom
- Autofocus
- Autofocus with red AF illuminator; preset focus distances available, not continuous manual focusing
- Shutter
- Maker Japanese launch table publishes automatic 8–1/1000 second range; no shutter-priority or manual exposure controls
- Flash
- Built-in flash, approximately 0.3–2.0 m at ISO Auto; Auto, forced, off and red-eye reduction
- Exposure controls
- Automatic exposure with ±2 EV adjustment; Twilight mode, spot metering and white balance Auto, Indoor, Outdoor or Hold; no aperture/shutter priority or manual exposure
Video
- Highest video resolution
- 320 × 240
- Video detail
- Silent MPEG-1 at 320×240 Presentation or 160×112 Video Mail. Maker launch table gives approximately 22 minutes 20 seconds or 90 minutes on 128 MB Memory Stick. Frame rate left out because no maker recording rate established
- Audio
- Movies record without sound; beep/shutter speaker is for operational sounds
Screen and viewfinder
- Viewfinder
- Optical
- Screen size
- 1.5″
- Screen dots
- 123,200
- Touchscreen
- No
- Tilting screen
- No
- Display detail
- Fixed 1.5-type TFT, 123200 colour-subpixel dots (560×220) in exact shared manual; launch lists rounded 123000 dots and 100% LCD framing
- Viewfinder detail
- Eye-level optical finder zooms with optical lens; digital zoom requires LCD framing
Connections and design
- Body weight
- 214 g
- Release detail
- Sony Japan announced the P50 on 22 February 2001 with planned Japanese availability on 10 April 2001. Contemporary ASCII exact P50 test and 2 May retail survey confirm sale in 2001; earliest actual worldwide first-sale month unresolved, so year precision retained. P1 design resemblance does not establish a direct successor
- Recording media
- Memory Stick; 4 MB supplied, 128 MB included in maker launch table. PRO compatibility not established
- Ports
- USB mini-B, switchable NTSC/PAL VIDEO OUT minijack without audio, and DC IN
- Battery life detail
- Two AA alkaline supplied; optional NP-FS11 InfoLITHIUM S. Exact shared manual continuous VGA Standard/no-flash test at 25°C, approximately 3-second intervals: alkaline 30 minutes/600 shots LCD on or 60/1200 off; NP-FS11 90/1800 on or 120/2400 off. Not CIPA/average-use life. Launch kit claim 2200 shots uses LCD/flash off; conditions and manual figures differ
- Charging
- Optional NP-FS11 charges in camera using optional AC-LS1 A in approximately 180 minutes from fully discharged at 25°C; AA cells are not charged in camera
- Dimensions
- 126×61.2×53.7 mm maximum width×height×depth
- Weight detail
- Approximately 214 g body in exact P50 maker launch table; 258 g with NP-FS11 and Memory Stick. Shared English manual gives approximately 260 g including two AA batteries, card, wrist strap and lens cap
- In the box
- Two AA alkaline batteries, 4 MB Memory Stick, USB and video cables, lens cap and cap strap, wrist strap, software CD and operating instructions; optional rechargeable battery and AC adapter sold separately
Pros and cons
Pros
- 3× optical zoom and 3 cm macro focusing
- Optical viewfinder and AA battery support
- TIFF recording alongside JPEG
Cons
- Silent low-resolution movies
- No RAW or manual exposure
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Sensor | Megapixels | Lens | Video | Body weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact | 1/2.7-type | 1.11 | 42 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 | 187 g | 2001 | |
| Compact | 1/2.7-type | 1.25 | 41–123 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 | 214 g | 2001 | |
| Compact | 1/2.7-type | 2 | 39–117 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 at 16.6 fps | 177 g | 2002 |
Sources
- sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200102/01-0222
- sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/3068/30681861M.pdf
- sony.co.uk/electronics/support/compact-cameras-dsc-p-series/dsc-p50
- ascii.jp/elem/000/000/323/323044
- ascii.jp/elem/000/000/323/323044/3
- ascii.jp/elem/000/000/323/323075
- clubic.com/article-14349-1-22-appareils-photo-numeriques.html
