Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P71

The DSC-P71 is exactly the same price as the DSC-P50 reviewed this time last year (see Labs, issue 86, p110). It makes an excellent comparison, allowing us to see the advances made in digital camera technology over 12 months. Most obvious is the CCD resolution - 2.1 megapixels in the P50, 3.3 in the P71. The new Cyber-shot has lost just one appealing feature, and that's a standard thread for taking additional lenses or filters.

The maximum resolution of the P71 is 2,048 x 1,536. However there's a slightly lower resolution that may prove more useful for those printing their photos. The resolution of 2,048 x 1,365 is in the ratio of 3:2, meaning that it exactly matches the aspect ratio of normally developed photographs. The only thing lacking is an uncompressed mode, although this is less important than the ability to take good pictures to start with. And we've certainly got no complaints on that front.

Indoors and without the flash, the Sony gave a well-balanced image, with accurate colours without any white balance error. Noise was only apparent in the darkest of shadows and resolution was sharp and showed clearly defined letters in our test shot. Once the flash introduced extra light, the noise all but disappeared. The colours took on a slight yellow tint, but it wasn't overly distracting. In macro mode, we were able to capture an image down to 103 x 77mm and the picture only lost focus right at the edges.

Outside, the DSC-P71 performed better than any of its budget rivals, with near-perfect exposure and accurate colours. However, the landscape image lost some detail in the dark area directly behind the model. There was also rainbow-coloured noise in the dark areas, which detracted slightly from the photo's impact. The portrait image was better in this regard while still being well exposed.

The Cyber-shot's continuous shooting mode can take 16 frames at up to 25fps. While this sounds better than other cameras, the 16 frames are merged onto a single 1,280 x 960 image, making them just 320 x 240 each.

On a brighter note, the 1.5in LCD contains 123,000 pixels, making images easy to check for focus, while the 16MB Memory Stick supplied holds up to ten photos in the highest quality mode. Plus, the P71 comes with rechargeable NiMH batteries and a charger, and they give good battery life to boot.

Ultimately, the Canon PowerShot A40 offers better value for money, but the Cyber-shot DSC-P71 should be high on your shortlist if you want a 3.3-megapixel camera and slightly better image quality.