Full Review

I received the Sony Cyber-shot® DSC-H2 Digital Camera as a gift for Christmas 2006. I have used it a great deal over this past year. I would have chosen a smaller pocket-size camera if I had been spending my own money, but I am very pleased with this camera. I would not trade this one in. The pictures are very high quality and the 12x zoom makes it versatile for any situation. I probably do not use all of the options on this camera to the fullest extent. I may have glanced over the user's manual, but the buttons and screen menu are self-explanatory and user friendly. I have appreciated the option of using the LCD screen or the viewfinder, depending upon the situation. In the bright sunlight or in a darkened theater, the viewfinder is preferable. The screen appears in the viewfinder, just as it does on the LCD screen, for easy adjustments in the dark.

The video setting has been especially helpful, though not the highest quality. I do not usually choose to carry around both a still camera and a video camera. For those unexpected moments, like when my daughter's softball team won the play-offs and it turned into an exciting celebration, I simply switch over to video mode and capture the moment. A problem with the video is it's lighting limitation. Unless we are in a well-lit venue, the video turns out very dark... but again, I may not be utilizing the appropriate settings.

A charger and a set of two rechargeable batteries came with the camera. The camera runs on 2 AA batteries and they do not last as long as I wish. When they begin to lose power, there is a long delay between pressing the button and the actual shutter snap (technical talk, I know). I did not take the time, nor do I have the attention span, to determine just how many pictures I can take before I notice the delay. I bought a set of 4 rechargeable AA batteries to supplement my supply. I usually have one set in the camera, one set on the charger, and another set in the camera bag ready to go. I also have disposables floating around.

How do we get those pictures from the camera to the computer? The camera came with various cords and cables, but I purchased a 1G memory stick pro duo that easily pops out of the camera and fits into the front of my computer. A software program was included with the Sony packaging, but I find Shutterfly to be more user-friendly and feature-packed. The video clip can be viewed with the included software, but I use the Windows Media player. The format used by the camera to save pictures and video can be adjusted within the menu on the camera.

Overall, I would recommend this camera to anyone who wants a versatile camera with a lot of zoom, beautiful pictures, and many user options. The slightly bigger size is worth the sacrifice for the good quality pictures.