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Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-M2 Review
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Review Summary
"For half the price you can get a camera that takes pictures and shoots video just as well, but is far easier to handle. The M2 may look cool and funky, and there’s no denying that it can take good pictures, but its shockingly poor handling, badly designed and over-complicated controls and limited battery life, combined with an inflated price tag, make this a big white elephant."
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Other Reviews For This Model
| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| DCResource |
10.00 |
02-09-06 |
Read Full Review
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| "The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M2 ($500) is the latest "hybrid" digital camera from the Japanese electronics giant. The DSC-M1 is a more refined version of the DSC-M1 (introduced in 2004), which was an interesting but awkward mix of camera and camcorder. The new features on the M2 include a less boxy design (though I still find it clumsy to hold and operate), a built-in photo album, and an enhanced slideshow feature.
If you can put up with the DSC-M2's awkward design (again, just my opinion) and high price, you'll likely be pleased with the results you get from it. It does what it's supposed to do, and it does it well. Still, it is $500, which is awfully pricey for a 5 Megapixel camera with a nice movie mode - and that doesn't even factor in the cost of the memory card that you're required to buy." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Imaging-Resource |
8.00 |
04-30-06 |
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| Review: "The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M2 follows in the footsteps of 2004's DSC-M1 model, which continued Sony's tradition of making innovative digital cameras that aim to improve on traditional "problem" areas in other digicams. Sony digital cameras span the full range of price and performance, and the company enjoys a leading position among digital camera manufacturers, but the Cyber-shot M-series is truly a unique product in the digital camera marketplace.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M2 is about as unique a digital camera as could be imagined. It packs a 3x zoom lens and high-resolution five megapixel sensor into a reasonably compact body, and offers generally good image quality as well as movies that are much better than average. The interface has been improved from the original DSC-M1, but still has quirks that could be ironed out. The interface is simply too complicated." |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| Digital Camera Info |
7.37 |
01-07-06 |
Read Full Review
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| Sony announced the Cyber-shot DSC-M2 in January as the successor to the hybrid M1. The M2 has 5.1 megapixels on its 1/2.5-inch Super HAD CCD and the power of a Real Imaging Processor – just like the M1. Both models have Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lenses as well. They share similar dimensions and the same vertical design that makes them reminiscent of cell phones. The Sony M2 has not only still and video recording modes, but adds a Hybrid Record Mode that merges them further. The mode records 5 seconds of video, takes a full resolution shot, then finishes with 3 more seconds of video.
The Sony M2 is designed to appeal to consumers who don't want to buy separate digital cameras and camcorders. It does merge the technologies, but doesn't provide any truly advanced features. The digital camera portion of the M2 is extremely simplified. There are a few manual selections like ISO, but even the white balance cannot be custom set. The camcorder portion of the M2 isn't overly impressive either. It has a 3x optical zoom lens, which is laughable compared to what other true camcorders are offering. Further, there is no image stabilization to keep videos from looking jumpy. |
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| Review Site |
Review Score |
Date |
Link |
| CNET Reviews |
----- |
03-09-06 |
Read Full Review
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| Review: "The Sony Cyber Shot DSC-M2 is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of some. Thanks to good image quality and a big, bright LCD that's usable in sunlight, this hybrid still camera/camcorder update to the DSC-M1 remains a surprisingly good point-and-click 5-megapixel snapshooter-assuming you're willing to pay a premium for a camera with a 3X zoom, no manual controls, and no bundled memory card." |
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