Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS
I imagine that someone considering the S2100 wants an affordable camera for casual shooting situations, like vacations or gatherings with friends and family. An ideal camera would be a breeze to use and capture great images in many settings, and cost $100.

The Cyber-shot S2100 hits a few of those marks. It's easy to use; almost mindlessly so in "Easy" mode. It offers the flexibility of dual SD/Memory Stick Pro compatibility and AA battery power. If you want more control over image quality, you can adjust metering and exposure compensation. In good light, and even somewhat dim indoor light, the S2100 produced some strong images. You can get all those features for a little more than $100.

However, the S2100 misses a few marks. Noise beginning at ISO 400 and some inconsistent exposures might push the S2100 user to rely on flash for tricky situations. Picky users may need to experiment with a few different metering settings and exposure compensations before finding that "perfect shot." The lens is fine for its class, but does exhibit some of the typical flaws such as barrel distortion and edge softness.

For a camera at this price point, the Cyber-shot S2100 generally meets expectations. However, carefully consider the setbacks because investing a little more in a system with a brighter lens and image stabilization might be a better buy. For a camera costing about $100 though, it's hard to knock the S2100 around too much.

Pros:

• Great images in bright light
• Fair performance indoors
• Easy mode great for amateur photographers

Cons:

• Noise at ISO 400
• Digital image stabilization only
• Buttons are too small

Individual Ratings: *

Image/Video Quality 
Features 
Design/Ease of Use 
Performance 
* Ratings averaged to produce final score