Color (6.28)
Using the industry standard GretagMacbeth color chart and Imatest Imaging Software, we tested the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P93 for color accuracy. This method allows us to look at the color reproduction of each digital camera and determine its level of error. The image below is the chart after it has been run through the software. The outer squares are the colors produced by the camera, the inner squares are corrected for error, and the small vertical rectangles represent the ideal color that should be produced.

The next image is a graph displaying the color reproduction of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P93. Each circle-square pair represents a color on the GretagMacbeth chart. The circles symbolize the colors produced by the camera and the squares symbolize the ideal color. Circles being pulled away from the center of the graph indicate over-saturated color values, and circles pulled inward indicate under-saturated colors. The greater the distance between each pair, the larger the degree of color error.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P93 is one of the few digital cameras we’ve tested that has a mean saturation score lower than 100%. Most digital cameras on the market today (point-and-shoot and DSLR) tend to over-saturate tones to produce more vibrant colors. The Sony DSC-P93 has a mean saturation score of 97.34%. As you can see from the graph, there are quite a few colors that are under-saturated, particularly in the blues and into the greens. Colors 9 and 15 are consistently over-saturated in all the digital cameras we have tested, which is intentionally done to create rich skin tones.

The closest the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P93 comes to producing accurate color is in colors numbered 7 and 2, which is a pretty poor turnout. With its overall score of 6.28, I was surprised at the performance of the DSC-P93 as compared to other Sony models in this range. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P100 achieves a score of 8.51, while the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 hits 9.76 as its score.

Still Life Scene
Below is an image of our ebullient still-life scene, taken with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P93.

Click on the image above to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: The linked image is very large!)

Resolution / Sharpness (3.08)
We conduct resolution tests on all the cameras we review using an ISO resolution chart and Imatest Imaging Software. The software helps us to interpret the resolution of the imported images and determine a percentage of the total pixels used. While a camera’s megapixel count is a reflection of the total pixels or size of the images it produces, it does not completely account for the image quality. This can be somewhat misleading, as manufacturers now describe the camera by the household megapixel count. While it is still important, we feel it is more revealing to determine the actual resolution composing the image rather then gauging the image purely by its size. In doing this, we determine the resolution of the image as well as the percentage of pixels that are utilized. Therefore, a camera that receives a “real resolution” score of 80-89% of its described megapixel count (or largest image size) is considered a good performance, while anything above 90% is remarkable.

The Sony DSC-P93 produced images around 3.1 megapixels at a proper exposure. This is roughly 61% of the total pixels — not a stellar performance by any means. The DSC-P100 performed far beyond the P93, producing images at 4.17 megapixels of resolution (83% of the total pixels) and proved to be a more advanced camera in many instances. While the 3.1 megapixels the P93 produced is not horrible, it is not a strong performance and, for roughly US $50 more, there's no reason to not upgrade to the DSC-P100.

Noise Auto ISO (5.38)
As a pocket-sized point-and-shooter, many of the P93’s users will rely on the camera’s automatic assistance to provide clean imagery without tedious measuring. Unfortunately, the DSC-P93 will not handle these settings at the caliber of a trained manual user, or even that of an advanced automatic imager. The noise levels apparent in images rated at auto ISO are adequate on the P93, but certainly not stellar. This does not appear to be an isolated instance, as the superior DSC-P100 is also plagued by noise despite its advanced image quality.

Noise Manual ISO (6.80)

Manual ISO settings are imperative to a specific type of shooter. A manual user who is accustomed to setting their ISO speeds may feel a bit constrained by the DSC-P93. While it does provide the standard three ISO settings to choose from (ISO 100, 200, 400), there is really nothing beyond any other camera. This is a problem because, although the P93 is competent at ISO 100 and adequate at 200, images taken at ISO 400 are fraught with noise. This forces the user down to the 200 rating, where illumination issues arise. Most point-and-shoot cameras are used outside or with the assistance of a flash, so the DSC-P93 is sufficient. However, if something beyond this is desired, the DSC-P93 may let you down.

Speed Timing
Start-up to First Shot (7.3)
The Sony DSC-P93 doesn’t suffer from the lag problems that many digital cameras on the market do, but it’s certainly not the fastest operating camera I’ve ever come across, taking approximately 2.7 seconds to start up and take its first shot. The Sony DSC-P93’s performance is pretty standard comparatively.

Shot to Shot (8.54)
Although the Sony DSC-P93 doesn’t instantly shoot one shot after another, users will only have to wait a second and a half before the camera is ready to take another shot.

Shutter to Shot (8.36)
The Sony DSC-P93 is a little better at cutting out the shutter button lag time than many digital cameras on the market, but still produced a .32 second wait in between pressing the shutter and capturing a picture. This is not a problem for most users and is pretty common across the board.