Another difference is in the degree and convenience of manual control of the camera’s functions. The Sony leans more towards the point and shoot style than the Canons, which are better set up for the serious photographer wanting maximum control. Manual over-rides are built into the Sony, but the expectation is that they will only be necessary in exceptional circumstances. Most of the time the camera will be left to make the exposure, focus and white balance decisions and most of the time that will work well.

In summary, the DSC-P150 is a small camera, available in a range of colours (fashion accessory?), with excellent resolution, good white balance, good macro performance and excellent, nicely diffused flash. The rechargeable battery doesn’t seem to have a long life and the use of Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick means that extra memory is the most expensive of any medium.

Like this: The Sony has both an LCD viewing screen and an optical viewfinder. Camera construction is solid and it feels as though it could withstand the shocks of everyday use.

Dislike that: The Sony handles saturated reds rather badly with pronounced bleeding across areas. This showed up in a close-up of a brilliant red flower in which there was no delineation between petals. Deliberate underexposing helped a little.

Parting shot: The Sony is a curiously shaped camera, with the lens located right at one end. The layout makes it hard to hold the camera rock-steady for slower exposures. It would be best to hold the camera and take a few trial shots before making the decision to buy.

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