Sony · Cyber-shot

Cyber-shot DSC-P72

Released 2003

A 3.2-megapixel compact camera with a 39–117 mm-equivalent zoom, VGA movies with sound and rechargeable AA batteries.

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.7-type
Megapixels: 3.21
Lens: 39–117 mm equivalent
Video: 640 × 480 at 16.6 fps
Body weight: 197 g

What reviewers say

Both tests liked the handling, build and straightforward automatic shooting. Imaging Resource found pleasing colour and exposure, but criticised optical-finder coverage and limited highlight and shadow detail. Pixinfo found daylight focusing responsive but slower with the AF lamp indoors, and regarded close-up coverage as limited.

From old.imaging-resource.com and pixinfo.com

Product links

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type: Compact
Sensor format: 1/2.7-type
Sensor type: Super HAD CCD
Effective resolution: 3.21 MP
Largest image: 2048 × 1536
RAW recording: No
Standard ISO range: 100–400
Sensor detail: 1/2.7-type primary-colour Super HAD CCD; approximately 3.34 million total and 3.21 million effective photosites in exact shared manual; UK specification rounds effective count to 3.2 MP
Image formats: JPEG Exif 2.2 stills with Fine/Standard compression; GIF Clip Motion, MPEG-1 movies and mono voice-with-still mode. No RAW or TIFF recording
ISO detail: Auto or manually selected ISO 100, 200 or 400; no continuous ISO dial
Image processor: 14-bit DXP A/D conversion; Clear Colour NR, Clear Luminance NR and NR Slow Shutter processing

Lens and shooting

Built-in lens: 39–117 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture: f/2.8–5.6
Optical zoom: 3×
Lens detail: Physical focal length 6–18 mm, equivalent to 39–117 mm, F2.8–5.6. Normal autofocus from 50 cm; separate Macro mode from 10 cm wide or 50 cm tele in the exact manual. Lens retracts and its automatic cover closes when powered off. Smart Zoom crops at lower resolutions, up to 9.6× total at VGA; this is not additional optical zoom. Optional conversion lenses via VAD-PEA in the UK table
Autofocus: Automatic Multi AF or centre AF with AF-assist illuminator; preset distances 0.5, 1, 3, 7 m and infinity, not continuous manual focusing
Shutter: Automatic shutter 2–1/2000 second in the exact UK specification and Sony Japan P72 table; no manual shutter selection
Burst detail: Two-shot Burst captures two full-size stills; exact continuous fps not established. Multi Burst stores sixteen 320×240 subframes in one 1280×960 composite with 1/30, 1/15 or 1/7.5-second intervals. Maker lists 1.5 seconds between maximum-size single shots and 2.3-second startup; neither is continuous fps
Flash: Built-in Auto, forced, off and slow-sync flash, red-eye reduction and daylight fill. ISO Auto recommended distance 0.5–3.8 m wide or 0.5–2.5 m tele in the exact manual; UK table headline 0.5–3.8 m does not describe both zoom ends. No hot shoe or accessory shoe
Exposure controls: Automatic and Program exposure with ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps, multi-pattern/spot metering, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Snow and Beach scenes; no aperture/shutter priority or manual exposure

Video

Highest video resolution: 640 × 480 at 16.6 fps
Video detail: MPEG-1 VX 640×480 at 16.6 fps in exact UK specifications, with mono sound; US maker press rounds to 16 fps. Mail 160×112 mode is separate. Clip length limited by card capacity; zoom cannot change during recording
Audio: Built-in electret condenser microphone and dynamic speaker; mono movie recording and still-image voice memo for 5 seconds after a tap or up to 40 seconds while holding shutter

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 with 123,200 colour-subpixel dots (560×220); these are not 123,200 image pixels
Viewfinder detail: Optical zoom finder; SmartZoom cropping and Macro framing differ from finder image, so maker directs Macro use to LCD

Connections and design

Body weight: 197 g
Release detail: Sony Europe announced the family on 3 February 2003 with planned March/April European availability. Sony Japan announcement on 25 February states planned P72 availability on 14 March. The exact Imaging Resource test dated 8 May 2003 marks availability as Now, establishing actual sale in 2003 by then; earliest actual retail month unresolved, so year precision retained. No explicit direct predecessor link established
Recording media: Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO serial interface; 16 MB supplied. Exact shared manual supports PRO through 1 GB; maker launch explicitly excludes high-speed transfer. Duo requires Memory Stick adaptor; MagicGate data unsupported
Ports: USB mini-B with normal mass-storage or PTP settings; exact UK table explicitly excludes USB 2.0 Hi-Speed despite US USB 2.0 compatibility wording. Mono A/V OUT minijack with selectable NTSC/PAL; DC IN for optional AC-LS5
Battery life detail: Two supplied NH-AA-DA Ni-MH AA cells; R6 alkaline AA also permitted with lower runtime. Exact manual average-use test at 25°C: approximately 300 images/150 minutes with LCD on or 500 images/250 minutes with LCD off, at maximum image size and Fine compression, one shot every 30 seconds, alternating zoom ends, flash every second shot and restart every 10 shots; not labelled CIPA. Sony alkaline comparison: 70 images/35 minutes with LCD on or 130 images/65 minutes with LCD off. Continuous 160×112 movies approximately 160 minutes with LCD on or 210 minutes off, distinct from the still-shooting test
Charging: Supplied external BC-CS2A/CS2B charger: approximately six hours for depleted supplied Ni-MH cells at 25°C; remove cells from camera for charging. Optional BC-CSQ2 quick charger approximately 2.5 hours for two cells or five hours for four, not standard charger performance; optional AC-LS5 supplies camera power
Dimensions: 119.5×57.7×36.8 mm width×height×depth, excluding protruding portions in the exact manual; Japan launch labels maximum exterior dimensions
Weight detail: Approximately 197 g body only in the exact UK specification and Sony Japan launch; approximately 259 g with two batteries, Memory Stick and wrist strap in the exact manual
In the box: Two NH-AA-DA rechargeable AA Ni-MH cells, battery case, BC-CS2A/CS2B charger and mains lead, 16 MB Memory Stick, USB and mono A/V cables, wrist strap, software CD and operating instructions; AC-LS5 optional

Pros and cons

Pros

3× optical zoom with 10 cm wide-angle Macro mode
VGA movies with mono sound
Supplied rechargeable AA batteries; alkaline AA also supported

Cons

Fixed 1.5-inch screen
No RAW or manual exposure
Optical zoom cannot change during movie recording

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Sensor	Megapixels	Lens	Video	Body weight	Released
SonyCyber-shot DSC-P32	Compact	1/2.7-type	3.21	33 mm equivalent	640 × 480 at 16 fps	155 g	2003
SonyCyber-shot DSC-P52	Compact	1/2.7-type	3.21	41–82 mm equivalent	640 × 480 at 16.6 fps	218 g	2003
SonyCyber-shot DSC-P8	Compact	1/2.7-type	3.2	39–117 mm equivalent	640 × 480 at 16.6 fps	172 g	2003

Sources

Photo: Sony Japan exact DSC-P72 launch press photograph; complete supplied canvas and background retained

Spot a mistake? Tell us