Sony Reviews

When I first started shopping around for a digital camera I wasn't really sure what was important to me. Finally I figured out that what I really wanted was:
1)not to replace my normal camera so 2Mpixels would do just fine
2)minimum 3x optical zoom (didn't care about digital)
3)something small
4)under $400
5)movie mode with sound

Now that I have the Sony P2 here are my likes and dislikes:
Likes -
1)it is one of the smaller cameras out there - great for travel
2)I love the movie mode, which is only limited by the size of your memory stick
3)I like the fact that you can turn off the digital zoom so that you don't accidentally use it
4)The menu system is intuitive and easy to use
5)The battery is much smaller than I expected - the camera is not heavy at all (yet still has a solid feel)
6)You can plug the camera right into your TV to view the photos and movies
7)You can easily change between NTSC and PAL video formats which will be great when I go back home to the UK for a visit
8)Has automatic scene lighting for when you are in a dark place - works really well
9)Rechargable battery holds quite a good life - easily enough for a full day's outing

Dislikes -
1)You have to wait much longer between shots than with a conventional point and click camera (2-3sec maybe)
2)I knew the 16Mb Memory Stick wasn't going to be nearly enough so I just ordered a 128Mb one with the camera (more money)
3)I like having a rechargable battery, but the down side is if it runs out you've had it unless you carry a spare (which are small and light, but again - more money to spend)

Bottom Line -
I personally would buy this camera again. It ended up being a little more than I really wanted to spend, once I added on extra memory and spare battery, but I haven't regretted it. I am also contemplating getting a case for it to protect the viewing screen, but I don't think this is a requirement as long as you are careful.
I didn't give this 5 stars because of the shot delay and the fact the you really need to buy extra memory.

This is the perfect camera for anyone who is just getting started in Digital Photography. It has two megapixels, which is plenty for me. Feel free to get more, but I have taken so many beautiful pictures with this camera when not even using Fine picture quality. The video mode is great. It is what really attracted me to this camera. It has audio and as much video can be taken as the memory card can hold, about 5 minutes on high quality, 20 minutes on medium, and 90 minutes on poor with my 128mb memory card. I suggest that you use medium quality so that you can still get fairly good videos, but conserve memory card space. You just have to remember that it is still a picture camera and not a video camera, so it will not be great quailty video.

Now for the complaints. My first is that I can't figure out how to make auto flash come on when I start the camera. For some reason it always goes to no flash, so you have to remember to turn the flash on. The only other complaint is that the 16mb card is practically useless, so I went ahead and bought a 128mb card when I bought the camera. Depending on the different quality settings it can hold as many as 1700 pictures (640 x 480, standard quality) or as little as 120 pictures (1600 x 1200, fine quality). Generally speaking, I keep it on 1280 x 960 standard quality and I can get around 400 pictures.

Finally, the USB connection is great. You just hook the camera up to the computer, install the drivers if you have an older version of Windows than XP (I didn't have to install any divers on my computer with XP), and turn on the camera. The computer detects it as an extra drive, just like a ZIP drive.

In conclusion: for such a great camera at such an amazing price, what are you waiting for???

...and it rules. It has everything I could ever want and more. Everyone says you need more than the 16MB included memory, not me... it's just enough if you're able to upload the pics to your computer each time the card is full. For this price, you got to get this camera... the picture quality is awesome.

I bought this camera in December 2003 for my boyfriend as a Christmas gift. I bought it because of the good review, all the features, light weight, small and most of all because is a 'SONY'

First we were pretty impressed with it. The only problem we had was the standard memory card given was way to small. We can take only about 30 shot each time. Then after a month the picture turn blurry and fuzzy sometimes. So far we took only 250 pictures with it.

Then last month the flash gave up on us. We read the manual and tried to fix the problem but nothing help. We call the SONY help line and they can't solved the problem either. If we want to get it repair we have to send it all the way to TEXAS as they don't have any customer service or repair technician here in LA or California. And it will cost us $171.00 excluding S/H for the workmanship. What made me mad was I paid $420.00 for this camera and it is not cheap. I expected much more from this camera for the amount I paid. If the camera cost only $200.00 I won't be so heart sick about it.

We decided not to repair it because with the cost of the repair we can buy a BRAND NEW CAMERA that works much better than a "SONY'. So to everyone out there who wanted to buy one 'THINK TWICE'. To SONY hope you will improve on your product.

You have to wait for your camera is ready, but your baby is not going to wait for you. We have been missing the moments. Sometime even I can't wait for it. So don't buy this camera to take photos of your baby. I might have to change to something as fast as my baby is.

We got an open box special from a circuit city in Mass. It was 450$. It normally goes for 499, which is still cheaper than most 4MP cameras. I am in between being an amateur photo and pro. I gave in to the digi revolution because my 35mm broke. We took this camera on our trip and used it very often. The battery on this camera lasts up to and over 2 hours per battery, which is about 1.5 hours longer than the DSC-P09. The movie mode is incredible, slightly better than a web cam, and the microphone is suprisingly good. good enough for a concert! We bought a sony computer around the same time and we were very happy (and mindful) of the media stick input in our computer. The full size pictures import very quickly (2.6 ghz computer). The crispness of the photos is unlike anything I have ever seen. The only time when you start to see any distortion is when you view the photos at 200X magnification. The pictures, unless you plan on printing over 25 X 25, are better than you'll ever need. The ease of use is far above average. The lens is good enough (as good as all the others, except the one with the Zeiss lens) the LCD screen is big enough, the shooting modes are easy, etc. The biggest feature and selling point of this camera over any other is the 90 minute movie mode.

The negatives are you can't choose to shoot in black and white, only sepia, which is very close, and that indoor pictures come out poorly. Unless there is a lot of natural light, the picture will come out either fuzzy or the color won't be right (I hear that's the same with all digis).

I like this camera very well, but in the several months I've owned it I did uncover a few minor weaknesses that detract from my original perception of it as a dream camera. Here's my list of pros & cons. POSITIVES: (1) Upload of photos is incredibly easy, compared to Sony's TRV-140 camcorder, which the saleslady never should have sold me. Do not use Pixela. It's garbage, and with this camera you don't need it at all. (2) Colors are beautiful. I couldn't believe the colors in my first photos of iridescent seashells! That's why I still bought Sony instead of Nikon, despite my earlier troubles with a Sony camcorder. This Carl Zeiss lens is supposed to be better than a Nikon lens. (3) Portrait mode creates the narrow depth of field effect that I like. (4) An entire memory stick of photos can be quickly deleted at once, instead of one at a time. (5) Macro mode allows very close-up (2 cm distant) pictures using the same lens. (6) Viewfinder-to-LCD display switch is quite useful. (7) Lens cap included. (8) The hot shoe allows an external flash, which is supposed to be the only sure way to get rid of red-eye. (9) This 5 megapixel resolution will produce quality 8"x10" prints with an unpixelated appearance--any camera with a lower resolution will not do this. (10) The ability of the camera body to tilt almost 90 degrees upward from the lens is outstanding for catching candid people pictures from your lap. (11) The white balance features are extremely useful for indoor photos. If you haven't played with those yet, do so! NEGATIVES: (1) Another lousy Sony manual. The manual doesn't mention that the exposure button must be reenabled after each photo before the jog dial will function. It doesn't say why the macro icon disappears when the camera is switched to manual focus. The troubleshooting guide never caught my first real problem: everything was blurred at all times, and only after much experimentation did I discover that the finder adjustment dial had accidentally gotten rotated. The 3-pronged icon that keeps popping up automatically is not explained anywhere that I can find. Many terms are not listed in the rear index. (2) Auto exposure often gives an ugly, grayish tint to the pictures. I use manual exposure almost exclusively now because of that. (3) Macro mode is tricky and counterintuitive. One must zoom *out* before being able to get macro shots, and then there are problems when focusing around the 0.9 meter range, which unfortunately is the distance of most museum exhibits and flowers. (4) The flanges on the hot shoe constantly snag on the interior netted pocket on my Sony carrying case. They should have been rounded off. (5) Too many automatic features that are annoying, like the flash unit that scared the hell out of me the first time it automatically popped out of the side of the lens, the pretty music that plays upon powering up the camera that alerts animals and people that you're about to snap their photo, and the added complexity of unnecessary video capability and special effects. (6) Similarly, all this complexity and having to traverse electronic menus discourages me from changing settings often, with the result that I often end up using an inappropriate mode for some shots. (7) Red laser beams that shoot out of the lens when taking photos in dim lighting, which alert people that their photo is about to be taken. RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) Get an ultraviolet lens immediately to protect this expensive lens. UV lenses are only about $10-15, have no discernable visual effect, and screw on easily. (2) Use 128 MB memory sticks or higher. With the resolution I use, I can get 90 pictures per memory stick, which is quite good. SUMMARY: So far I haven't found any flaws serious enough to make me want a different camera, and I'm quite pleased with all the positive aspects. This camera is used by some pros selling photos on the Internet and it's certainly the best camera I've owned so far. You can buy a 6 megapixel camera, but if so you're going to double the price for that extra 1 mp, and unless you're making unusually large prints, that extra resolution will be useless. And all the attention and comments I get with this camera are fun: "Now *there's* a camera!" "That's quite a lens you got on that camera." "That lens is bigger than the camera!" "How do you like your camera?" "Excuse me, can I ask you about your camera?"

Ok, maybe that's an exagerration... it's on the nightstand. Actually this is a great camera. It's not a top of the line professional, but it's not supposed to be either. This means you can't swap out the lens but you can add to it. The Carl Zeiss lens is, however, an amazing part of this camera. I took a quick snapshot of a crescent moon, and on my computer was able to see craters, so the zoom isn't that bad...

This thing also connected instantly to my Mac (OS X - Jaguar), so I love that. I edit with PhotoShop, so I didn't bother to see what software came with the package.

let's see... pros - great lens, fairly lightweight, easy to use.

cons - took a little time to figure out some of the features, wasn't impressed with the manual. other than that, it's the best camera I own.

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Ok, it's been six months since I first wrote a review of the Sony F717... And it's still an awesome camera. my only gripe was the size of the memory stick that comes with it, but I've since gotten a few 128 sticks.

I've really become quite fond of the manual settings, allows for some really fantastic shots while playing with depth of field.

The Macro settings also have come in handy with some spectacular results, very sharp images of tiny things close up to the lens.

Still happy with the zoom, got me close enough to an alligator without having to offer myself up as lunch!

Despite the bulkiness of the shape, your hands can easily get accustomed to it, and soon you'll be shooting without worry. The plus side of this design is that in forcing you to use both hands (for most shots) you'll end up with steadier shots.

Another plus is the threading on the lens, which let's you add filters (first one you should get is a UV filter - around [$$$] at most camera shops). My favorite is my polarizer, it has saved many a shot.

I've since bought a pocket tripod (Ultrapod II), and combined, I am quite happy. Overall, I have to say this is still the best camera I've owned.

IM NOT A PHOTOGRAPHER BY NO MEANS. BUT I LIKE TO HAVE A CAMERA AROUND TO TAKE PICTURES WHENEVER I CAN EITHER OF MY BOYS OR BEFORE AND AFTERS OF PROJECTS AT THE HOUSE. I ACTUALLY GOT A CARRYING CASE FOR IT AND ACC. I TAKE IT EVERYWHERE I GO. ALSO GOT A PRINTER TO GO WITH IT. WHAT WONDERFUL PICTURE THAT I CAN TAKE. IMAGINE IF I KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT TAKING A PICTURE WHAT I COULD DO. A FRIEND HAS SAME CAMERA AND HE FEELS THE SAME WAY.

I bought this camera a year ago as an upgrade from the P70 because I wanted something with manual focus and a higher resolution. I've been extremely satisfied with the picture quality, although a slightly faster lens would have made taking indoor pictures easier without the flash. The image quality is astounding; everyone around me is amazed at what this camera can produce. 5MP is plenty for producing decently-sized prints.

The camera works well with every computer I've plugged it into on a range of operating systems (Mac OS 8-X, Windows 98-XP,RedHat Linux 7.x) and shows up as a mounted filesystem that I can easily drag a drop to/from. I don't use the included software to edit images, preferring ImageMagick for quick edits or photoshop for more complicated work.

I would certainly reccomend this camera for anyone looking for capability beyond the basic point-and-shoot models. The manual focus and exposure settings are simple and relatively intuitive, and more complicated things like white balancing are properly available.

I would reccomend this camera for anyone looking for a digital camera, but still wanting to retain some of the flexibility of a SLR film camera.

Frankly, this IS an investment...you spending $1000+ for this camera plus some needed accessories. Few people will ever shoot 5 Mega Pixels (MP) shots every time, but serious (and serious amateur) photographers will certainly appreciate being able to produce stunning detail when the need arises. Look at images shot on your friends' 2 or 3 MP cameras...this level of quality is amazing...but you WILL want to exceed this occasionally, and (...) is the price you pay to get the technology NOW. A 5 MP head shot will allow you to EASILY discern individual hairs on life-size prints (as in 11x14)...it's truely amazing.

I looked at the Minolta Dimage 7...the auto focus zooms past the subject and back...it seems irritatiingly "loose", for lack of a better term. The Sony is a bit crisper in it's approach to auto focus, though not perfect.

Low-light shots are a challenge, but the viewfinder does have a tremendous amount of information available, including exposure "F" stops, shutter speed, low light warnings, etc. The true genius is that you can essentially operate the camera in a manual mode, quickly overriding the meter to compensate for the light in any situation...backlight, contrasty light, reflections, etc.

If you ever used a 35mm in manual in the old days (when you really had to KNOW photography), you'll love the control available. And younger photographers will find a whole new world in being able to make this camera do what most digitals will still not do...take the unusual shot.

The camera is well balanced, and rather sturdy. You will get used to the shooting position...give it time. My biggest complaint is that the zoom selection switch operates "backwards" to my taste. Intuitively, I want to zoom "in" pressing the "out" button (!)...

You have an adequate built-in pop-up flash...PLUS a PC connection for external flash AND a flash shoe! Slavery, anyone?

The memory stick is a bit of a hassle, but extremely convenient once you get over the struggle. Buy a small USB reader to use at work or home...I use the "Zio". And buy the 128 MB memory stick...nothing smaller.

There were early problems with "White Balance", as recently as Nov 01. Current cameras should be shipping with the factory fix, but Sony, to it's shame, STILL has no information on it's website detailing same, even though it required early owners to send the camera for a "free" repair. Not exactly good thinking for a $1000 camera.

The images are good, but I do have to compensate a bit in low-light. Based on shooting several thousand "test" shots with another camera, I'm happy with this one. It does the job and can satisfy both consumer and professional. Note that I do not plan to replace this camera for several years. Why? Because printer technology has not caught up to the resolution of the camera (at least for the home user) and no one really needs much more in a camera. Five Mega Pixels will generate a poster-size image with very nice quality...you won't be doing it often, but you'll be glad you did when you do.

I like it, and I shopped hard to ensure the most features with the best price. As with all electronics, find a cheap extended warranty. (...) . Cameras DO break.

Shop carefully for a CASE to put it in...the unique shape requires some thinking. I have 3. One for everything including cords and cables, one for the camera plus memory sticks, and a Sony brand "ever-ready" case. Depends on how long you're out and how fast you want to access the camera..at what level of protection. Think.

You'll want an extra battery. Perhaps a travel charger, otherwise you charge the battery by plugging the CAMERA in the wall (!)...thanks Sony. :-(

Buy a UV filter (58mm) to protect the lens.

This camera is expensive, and generally reliable - it's a Sony. Many features I have not detailed, and it has a superb 10x OPTICAL zoom (and a 2x digital). If you are thinking digital and want to not have to trade-up for a while, I suggest the Sony DSC-F707. If you love photography, do not buy a smaller CCD chip than 5 MP...even if you buy another brand. But I certainly recommend the Sony DSC-F707 camera for people to whom the image is important.

This is my first camera i ever purchased. It's great! I haven't had any complaints. It shoots great pics, the zoom is phenomenal, and the features are great. Its a quality camera

This is a really good camera, but there are some drawbacks.

The large lens and overall design fits well in you hands, if you have small hands. The 505's image quality is very good and often opt for the lower resolution images (1856x1392). The low light capabilities are quite good, but you end up having to take one or two shots before finding the best as there is no enhancement of the LCD image prior to a shot. It is sometimes difficult to target with the camera unless you are used to the LCD screen. The menu system is very easy to navigate and allows you to do almost everything you need w/o the use of the computer. Despite the limited (~65min) battery, it is adequate to fill a 64 or 128Mb Memory Stick through normal use. A second battery along with the charger can keep you shooting all day long or as long as your memory holds out. As with any Sony product, the memory will cost you more but go to Synchrotech.com and they have good prices. The flash on the 505 is excellent. At its highest setting, it can easily penetrate 16-20ft.

Because of the 505's odd shape, it can be a challenge finding a good case for it other than the custom Sony case. I ended up with a Cascade Pack (#66009) a part of the MULTI pack series by MRock. Everything I need (camera, extra memory, extra battery, A/C battery charger and cables) will fit into this case and the overall size isn't much more than the camera itself.

Many of the people I work with wouldn't buy this camera as it is more camera than they need. The 505V is really for someone who wants more control of their shots than the simple point and shoot cameras that are out there, but the 505 does have that ability.

This is a 3.3 mega-pixel digital camera, and is a very high quality product, as you would expect from Sony. It has a lens made by Carl Zeiss, a world-renowned leader in the optics field. It has a 5X optical zoom, and a 10X digital zoom - the lens itself can magnify what you're zooming in on up to 5 times, and the camera's electronics can double that, effectively giving you a 10X zoom. It has auto-exposure/auto-focus, and the exposure and focus can also be adjusted manually, which is a big plus on a camera like this! It has a built-in flash, a connector for an external flash (very handy!), and the controls are easy to use. It comes with a 8MB memory stick to store the pictures, and can record up to 1 minute of mpeg video with sound. Also comes with a USB cable and software, along with a rechargeable lithium battery and charger. A little expensive, but definitely worth every penny!!

I bought this camera a little over a year ago, when I was doing a summer internship in the Albany area. I had been going out on nature outings with the other interns, and wanted a way to share my experiences with the folks back home. Over the last year I've taken my 505V on hiking trips, trips into caves and even on a diving trip, where I took some pics before getting in the water. Here are my observations from my experiences.

First of all. NEAT camera! It looks like something Captain Kirk would use to snap pictures of the orange-skied planets he used to visit! The controls are laid out well, so that buttons and things are under one's fingers when he holds the camera, and the menu system is simple enough to use. I did not notice any loss of sharpness around the edges of the frame; the Zeiss-designed lens, mounted well away from the heat-producing CCD, probably has something to do with this. The controls permit some simple Real Camera-type manipulations: several shutter speeds, several exposure times, that sort of thing, but there aren't nearly as many tweakable settings, or as much range, as there would be in a film camera. The 505V is designed to be used as a waist-level camera, and shots taken this way should be composed with this in mind. The front of the lens is threaded for standard filters (don't recall the size offhand), obtainable at a photo store. A UV filter to protect the lens and a polarizing filter for outdoor shots of sky and clouds might be a couple of good things to consider.

As did several of the other reviewers, I have had problems getting good pictures in low-light conditions. Perhaps the CCD is not sensitive enough, or the shutter is held open too long for hand-holding, but low-light pics tend to come out blurry. The built-in flash is, of course, too close to the lens, though that's a problem with any camera whose flash is mounted right on the body. Last, the 505V is big. I've had it in some rather surprising places, but it was an effort to take it out of its case and put it back for every picture. I am considering getting a simple, compact digicam as an auxilliary adventure camera for spontaneous shots or narrow cave passages, though I do not anticipate the new camera replacing my 505.

I have bought a PCMCIA card for plugging the Memory Stick into my laptop (heh! I can mount it as a Linux filesystem and not have to touch any Windows software at all!), an extra battery, and of course, a bigger Memory Stick than the 8M one that came with the camera. I have also purchased a small Pelican case from the dive shop, so that I can get my pack wet or drop it onto hard places (or fall and land on it, as has also happened a few times), and not worry about damaging my camera. The Pelican case also fits an extra battery and as many Memory Sticks as I care to take along, and is thus a Good Thing.

I bought this camera for my birthday in an attempt to replace my bulky Kodak DX3700. I downloaded the photos onto my computer and they looked like photos I had taken with a cheap no flash digital camera I bought for $40.00 four years ago. I even tried to change the settings, but the photos still looked pretty bad.

It's a good size camera, but it takes the worlds most grainiest photos. But I think I'll stick to Mr. Bulky.

I have spent about a month and taken about two hundred pictures with this camera. I was wary about it after reading the reviews below, especially related to the graininess comments. I spent a year or so as a photography major in college, so I know a thing or two about photography. If I found these problems, I had planned on selling it on eBay soon while the prices were still close to retail.

I purchased this camera because I often don't take my other digital camera (Canon G4)with me due to it's size and the fact I'm worried about damaging it while traveling. I do end up taking the Sony as it is small enough to put in my pocket or in a hip case.

I am happy to say that I have not experienced any problems with graininess, outside of the normal circumstances when graininess is a problem (not enough light). I shot in a number of settings, indoor and out, etc. and did not have any problems with graininess. In fact, the tiny flash on the camera puts out a surprising amount of light when needed. I shot a picture of my cat in an almost completely dark room, and it lit up the whole room (granted, it was a fairly small bedroom).

I just received my first set of prints back. I chose to have some prints done in 5x7 to test the graininess, and there was not sign of any. The prints looked great. I purchased a 128MB card for it, and it holds well over 200 pictures at the 2M (larger) size. I'd say based upon some of the comments made, a little knowledge of how to edit (size, dpi, etc.) digital pictures would go a long way.

Not to say that this camera doesn't have some downsides, it does. However, if you want a small camera that you will take with you because of it's size that takes fairly good pictures, this is the camera for you.

I got this camera a few weeks ago, and I love it. I read a ton of reviews of "micro" cameras before deciding on this one and it drives my nuts when someone says "The quality sucks compared to my Mofo 6000 Digital Camera from Canon that cost me $2000". It is not a super high quality camera, how could it be, it costs $200?!?!

It is tiny, it fits in your pocket and it takes nice little pictures. It has some neat features such as burst and movie mode w/o sound.

The biggest thing though is the size. I thought that the absence of an optical viewfinder would drive me nuts, but I haven't really noticed. If you order this camera, go ahead and order a new memory card with it. The 8MB one it ships with doesn't hold many 2MP pictures though it will hold about 70 shot on VGA (perfect for Websites and E-mail).

A great purchase.

I bought this camera for my birthday in an attempt to replace my bulky Kodak DX3700. I downloaded the photos onto my computer and they looked like photos I had taken with a cheap no flash digital camera I bought for $40.00 four years ago. I even tried to change the settings, but the photos still looked pretty bad.

It's a good size camera, but it takes the worlds most grainiest photos. But I think I'll stick to Mr. Bulky.

I have spent about a month and taken about two hundred pictures with this camera. I was wary about it after reading the reviews below, especially related to the graininess comments. I spent a year or so as a photography major in college, so I know a thing or two about photography. If I found these problems, I had planned on selling it on eBay soon while the prices were still close to retail.

I purchased this camera because I often don't take my other digital camera (Canon G4)with me due to it's size and the fact I'm worried about damaging it while traveling. I do end up taking the Sony as it is small enough to put in my pocket or in a hip case.

I am happy to say that I have not experienced any problems with graininess, outside of the normal circumstances when graininess is a problem (not enough light). I shot in a number of settings, indoor and out, etc. and did not have any problems with graininess. In fact, the tiny flash on the camera puts out a surprising amount of light when needed. I shot a picture of my cat in an almost completely dark room, and it lit up the whole room (granted, it was a fairly small bedroom).

I just received my first set of prints back. I chose to have some prints done in 5x7 to test the graininess, and there was not sign of any. The prints looked great. I purchased a 128MB card for it, and it holds well over 200 pictures at the 2M (larger) size. I'd say based upon some of the comments made, a little knowledge of how to edit (size, dpi, etc.) digital pictures would go a long way.

Not to say that this camera doesn't have some downsides, it does. However, if you want a small camera that you will take with you because of it's size that takes fairly good pictures, this is the camera for you.

I got this camera a few weeks ago, and I love it. I read a ton of reviews of "micro" cameras before deciding on this one and it drives my nuts when someone says "The quality sucks compared to my Mofo 6000 Digital Camera from Canon that cost me $2000". It is not a super high quality camera, how could it be, it costs $200?!?!

It is tiny, it fits in your pocket and it takes nice little pictures. It has some neat features such as burst and movie mode w/o sound.

The biggest thing though is the size. I thought that the absence of an optical viewfinder would drive me nuts, but I haven't really noticed. If you order this camera, go ahead and order a new memory card with it. The 8MB one it ships with doesn't hold many 2MP pictures though it will hold about 70 shot on VGA (perfect for Websites and E-mail).

A great purchase.

I bought this camera for my birthday in an attempt to replace my bulky Kodak DX3700. I downloaded the photos onto my computer and they looked like photos I had taken with a cheap no flash digital camera I bought for $40.00 four years ago. I even tried to change the settings, but the photos still looked pretty bad.

It's a good size camera, but it takes the worlds most grainiest photos. But I think I'll stick to Mr. Bulky.

I have spent about a month and taken about two hundred pictures with this camera. I was wary about it after reading the reviews below, especially related to the graininess comments. I spent a year or so as a photography major in college, so I know a thing or two about photography. If I found these problems, I had planned on selling it on eBay soon while the prices were still close to retail.

I purchased this camera because I often don't take my other digital camera (Canon G4)with me due to it's size and the fact I'm worried about damaging it while traveling. I do end up taking the Sony as it is small enough to put in my pocket or in a hip case.

I am happy to say that I have not experienced any problems with graininess, outside of the normal circumstances when graininess is a problem (not enough light). I shot in a number of settings, indoor and out, etc. and did not have any problems with graininess. In fact, the tiny flash on the camera puts out a surprising amount of light when needed. I shot a picture of my cat in an almost completely dark room, and it lit up the whole room (granted, it was a fairly small bedroom).

I just received my first set of prints back. I chose to have some prints done in 5x7 to test the graininess, and there was not sign of any. The prints looked great. I purchased a 128MB card for it, and it holds well over 200 pictures at the 2M (larger) size. I'd say based upon some of the comments made, a little knowledge of how to edit (size, dpi, etc.) digital pictures would go a long way.

Not to say that this camera doesn't have some downsides, it does. However, if you want a small camera that you will take with you because of it's size that takes fairly good pictures, this is the camera for you.

I got this camera a few weeks ago, and I love it. I read a ton of reviews of "micro" cameras before deciding on this one and it drives my nuts when someone says "The quality sucks compared to my Mofo 6000 Digital Camera from Canon that cost me $2000". It is not a super high quality camera, how could it be, it costs $200?!?!

It is tiny, it fits in your pocket and it takes nice little pictures. It has some neat features such as burst and movie mode w/o sound.

The biggest thing though is the size. I thought that the absence of an optical viewfinder would drive me nuts, but I haven't really noticed. If you order this camera, go ahead and order a new memory card with it. The 8MB one it ships with doesn't hold many 2MP pictures though it will hold about 70 shot on VGA (perfect for Websites and E-mail).

A great purchase.

If you're looking for a digital camera that will give you film level quality (3.3 megapixels of data capture) in an easy to use, compact package, the Sony DSC-S70 is a great choice. Not only does it take wonderful pictures in a variety of settings, but it also comes with a lot of small, easy to forget about features that add up to a great overall usage experience and that make the camera a much better real value than most of its competitors.

Some of these include an internal, rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that shows you, in minutes, how much more time you have left before recharging is required, a built in USB port (no external cradles are required), all required cables, a built in memory stick slot and included memory stick (although the included 8MB stick is too small, you should definitely pick up at least a 32MB stick), and an AC adapter included (believe it or not, a lot of digital cameras don't come with an AC adapter and since digicams eat up batteries this really makes a big difference).

These types of small things are often overlooked in reviews, but in long-term, real-world use, they really do make a difference.

The only negatives that I've experienced are things that other reviewers have mentioned, the included memory stick is too small and the camera does not come with a carrying case, which you should definitely get if you plan on traveling with the camera.

Some quick notes, while the camera works flawlessly with both Windows 98 and MacOS based computers, a Windows 2000 driver does not yet seem to be available.

The Sony DSC-S70 Cyber-Shot is a great camera to own if picture quality is your main consideration. Like all new electronic products, it takes awhile to learn all the ins and outs, but once you do, you'll be pleased with all the things this camera can do. The quality of the photos is great. With the USB connection, you can print directly from the camera if you want. I was pleased with the light, contrast, level of detail, etc. when I printed. The 8Mg memory stick doesn't hold much -- only 5 pictures at the 2048 x 1536 resolution. That's the main drawback. I bought the accessory[kit] which includes a carrying case, spare battery, and another 8Mg memory stick. I like that they include the AC adapter with the camera. I'm still learning and experimenting, since I've only had the camera a week. The menus are easy to navigate. Oh, by the way, it has a 6x digital zoom, not 2x. That's so prominent on the packaging, I'm surprised the product specs and other reviewers misstated it.

Our Sony has given us trouble-free service on an around the world trip. We ran out of memory sticks pretty quickly and found the price for the 64 mb stick to be pretty expensive. Overall the image quality (on 2048 3:2 mode) is excellent. The colors are vibrant and we are able to easily print A4 copies on high quality printers.