Full Review

I went to Circuit City to purchase a Nikon 5700 to see if I could adapt it for studio use (hook it up to studio flash using a PC adapter).

Almost as an afterthought, I also bought the Sony U10.

I spent my first day learning the intricacies of the Nikon 5700 (review to come at a later date), but I did place the batteries of the U10 in the batter charger.

I started shooting with the Sony U10, in earnest, today, and I am totally amazed with the excellent quality of the images.

The U10 is roughly the size of a half-pack of cigarettes (I don't smoke so what do I know). If you can imagine holding a 35 mm slide, up to a light, for viewing, that is approximately how one would hold the U10 (except with two hands) in order to avoid blocking the lens, flash. The camera comes with a neck strap so that it can be worn much like a fob on a neck chain.

The U10 lacks a viewfinder (really of no great consequence). One merely "composes" using the LCD screen. I really should be using reading glasses as I cannot accurately see the LCD screen. However, I am able to get an idea of my subject being somewhere on the screen and that is how I do all my shooting.

In a sense, this is a great way to shoot (it's reminiscent of shooting with a Russian made Lomo camera).

Most of my shooting today was taking pictures of my dogs at play on this cold (8° Fahrenheit), overcast day. Because of the cold, I was shooting, holding the camera in just one hand, rather than in two hands as the Sony U10 instruction manual shows. The dogs were running and playing and I was able to catch them in motion and in focus (only one photo of some 60 photos that I shot was out of focus). Exposure (and color) was excellent and kept detail in my black dog while not burning out detail in my white dog.

The camera has a simple to use menu, controlled with three buttons: 1) the menu on/off button; 2) the selection (up/down toggle) button; 3) the selection choice (exec: execute) button. My selections were to leave all choices on AUTO. The camera seems to know what to do in virtually every instance: automatic-flash, only as required.

Before trying this camera, I was concerned that I made a bad choice in terms of image quality because of the small file size. I was prepared to take the camera back and get the new Sony U20 which boasts a larger file size. But, I am so happy with the U10, that I've decided I'm going to keep it and carry it with me at all times!

Concerning a fixed focal length lens (no zoom). If one wants to capture "memories" it is likely better to have a simple camera that one will actually carry and use. It is true that I cannot zoom in on subjects but, in examining my photos, the quality is such that even objects (in this case my dogs) which are, in some instances, relatively far from the camera position are rendered so well that it seems much better to have the picture than to be fiddling with a larger camera (with zoom lens) trying to get a better framed (closer) picture.

One of the reviews suggests that shutting the camera resets flash and focus settings. I did not find this to be true, however, according to the instruction manual, there is a rechargeable "button battery" in the camera which provides the power to "remember" these option choices. The button battery is recharged by the AAA Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries, included with the camera. It is important to leave fully charged NiMH batteries in the camera for 24 hours in order for the button battery to be properly charged. If this were not the case, it would very likely cause user options to not remain in memory.

Low light: I have not had any problems shooting in low light; images have been in focus (night interior, incandescent lights). Movies are limited to 15 seconds with no sound attached.

Two choices of image resolution are available for still photos: 1280X960 and 640X480. Only the latter resolution is available in the movie mode (MPEG video). A 64 Megabyte Memory Stick (my choice of media) will hold approximately 187 photos at the greater resolution. The, provided, 8 Megabyte Memory Stick holds 23 images at the greater resolution and 80 images at the lesser resolution.

There is an option of "Scene Selection" which is easily accessed using the up/down toggle (no menu required). The "scenes" include: 1) Soft Snap Mode: warmer skin colors combined with soft focus; 2) Illumination Snap Mode: flash goes off for close subject but longer exposure is intended to preserve background, cross-screen filter creates "cross-shaped" rays emanating from point sources of light (street lights, et al); 3) Vivid Nature Mode: enhances blues and greens and intended for scenic landscape photos.

Special Effects which are available include: Negative image, Sepia image, B/W and Solarize (Sabatier effect).

Finally, in the auto mode, the U10 focuses to 4 inches from the subject.

All in all, I find the U10 has exceeded my expectations. Because of its convenient size, I expect to have the camera with me, most all the time.

UPDATE (Feb 06, 2003)
Having used this camera for about three weeks I remain happy with my purchase. I carry this camera with me everywhere and all the time. I can't imagine doing that with even a slightly larger camera. I have two dogs that I photograph virtually every time I take them out for a walk (hundreds of photos, so far). I photograph them at night, with and without flash, during the day, in the snow and in the rain. I mostly point and shoot, which is to say, I really can't see the LCD screen well enough to compose a photo (I require reading glasses but don't wear them when I shoot pictures with the U!). Often, I can't even tell the dogs are in the frame when I shoot. And there is a bit of a shutter release delay at night with flash, so I do miss some action photos. Finally, many of my pictures could be considered "throw away" but, I am so happy to have these pictures. Perhaps one could take beautiful photos with this camera and maybe, one day, I'll try. But, in the meantime, I am recording many wonderful memories that I would, otherwise, miss. That may be the most important attribute of the Sony U10 -- it "brings back the memories!"

I'm a bit too busy to do it now but, within a few weeks, I hope to post a few of my U10 shots on my Web site for all to see (the URL will be posted here).