Size Does Matter To Some.
Written: Sep 17 '02
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Pros: Good quality photos. Good battery life per charge. 5X optical zoom.
Cons: Large and bulky, a bit awkward to hold, and well, a bit ugly.
The Bottom Line: For those into photography, the 707 is a good choice that balances features, resolution, and price.
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| AtlantaGreg's Full Review: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-F707 Digital Camera |
I’ve now owned the Sony DSC-F707 for three months, and have come to like this ugly duckling of the camera world. Having owned several 1 and 2 megapixel cameras over time, I found the need to upgrade to a higher megapixel camera for larger printing ability. Here’s my take on it:
Goodies, and Some Cost Cutting
For the price ($900 or so retail – U.S.), you of course get the DSC-F707 digital camera, and in the box, Sony includes a decent paperback instruction manual, cables for USB downloading of your photos, and video cables for viewing photos on a television. A neck strap, lens cap, and memory stick memory card finishes the kit. This is where the “cost cutting” by Sony comes in, and a common complaint if you read the other reviews. A 16 meg memory stick is included – hardly enough for six full resolution images. With the price of memory cards so low these days, even a number of months ago when this was a “new” model, it would not have hurt Sony to have included at the very least a 32 meg memory stick (or more) with this camera. Plan on spending a few more dollars then, for more memory.
The Camera
You’ve seen the photos. It’s ugly. Well, maybe you don’t think so, but it’s BIG when compared to many so-called “pocket sized” digital cameras being pushed in stores today. The lens barrel of the 707 is larger than the main camera body, and though great for men with larger hands, it may be considered too bulky or awkward to hold by those who have smaller hands (women, children, etc.).
The large lens barrel contains the 707’s 5X optical zoom lens. A bit higher in power than the 2X to 3X optical zooms found in many digital cameras today, but not quite as powerful as some newer models by Olympus, Fuji, and Nikon that are sporting 6X to 10X zooms. There is a 2X “digital zoom” feature that effectively boosts the zoom power of the 707 to 10X, but it’s important to understand that digital zooms tend to degrade image quality a bit. Sony’s digital zooms tend to do so less than other makers models of cameras, but regardless, you’ll notice a loss of sharpness when using this feature. Sony confuses things a bit for newbies by printing “10X precision digital zoom” on the side of the camera. The zoom control is a bit awkward. Instead of being in the area of your thumb when holding the camera, it’s on the side of the lens barrel. You must “cup” the lens barrel in your hand when holding this camera, and operate the zoom via your thumb or index finger of the left hand. This might be considered very awkward for some, though it does get easier to do over time.
An applause to Sony for continuing to make cameras with threads on the lens, so you can screw on off-the-shelf photo filters without having to use an adaptor. Some do not realize the value in this, but leaving a UV filter on your camera at all times at the very least, protect the very expensive Carl Zeiss lens this camera uses. Another plus are actual buttons on the side of the lens barrel for things like spot metering, manual focusing, and white balance controls, as opposed to having to enter the on-screen menus to adjust them.
The mode dial contains controls that allow you to take photos in full automatic mode, or you can manually adjust shutter speed, apertures, or both. A movie mode allows you to take mini movies of an unlimited length (unlike many cameras that limit you to 30 second clips or less), and a newer “HQ” movie mode increases the clarity of a clip, though in this mode you’re limited to 15 seconds (all with sound). Manual focusing is available if needed, by a ring that surrounds the end of the lens barrel. The LCD screen on back is small but clear, and the viewfinder is a mini LCD that is also reasonably clear. On-screen menus are intuitive, and easy to navigate via the “wheel” on the back of the camera.
Battery life is very good with the provided battery on this unit – over 2 hours with normal use per charge. Yes, they are proprietary batteries but they do at least give you the remaining power left in actual minutes on your screen. Provided you don’t leave them on during a whole day and power the camera off when not in use, you can extend one charge easily on a whole day outing, taking tons of shots.
Need photos in the dark? The 707 can do that! An exclusive night shot mode, allows you to take photos in total darkness without flash. The camera will emit two infrared beams to illuminate things in complete darkness, to snap a greenish-looking night photo. Few real uses for this, but it’s neat. Another night assist mode, allows you to use this feature partially to illuminate the LCD in dark conditions, and still use your flash to take “normal” photographs.
Nit Picky Things
While the 707’s resolution of 5 megpixels will produce very nice prints up to 8x10 inches and beyond, there is a bit of “barrel distortion” in the lens. When at full wide angle, you will (if taking shots of objects with straight lines) notice a slight curvature in lines and angles. While various levels of barrel distortion are very common on most cameras, I expected it to be a little less noticeable with a near-$1000 camera that boasts their Carl Zeiss lens. You can use the zoom slightly, or use an image editor, to correct this distortion however, so it’s not the end of the world.
The flash. It’s nice to have three levels on the flash (low, normal, and high), but in the case of the 707, the flash is of the pop-up variety with no manual switch. When you have the camera set to full “auto”, and the camera deems the flash is needed, it will rather loudly pop up. You must press it down when done, or, remember to set the camera for “no flash” in order to prevent this. Previous incarnations of this camera (models 505, 505V, etc.) had a manual switch on the flash to allow you to open it manually. This has been deleted on the 707. For studio work, a proprietary external flash unit ($120) is available from Sony, which greatly extends the flash range and angle options.
Last in the complaint list, is Sony’s puny warranty… 90 days on labor with many of their digital cameras, while many makers offer a full year (you do get one year on parts, but not labor charges). It’s wise to invest in an extended warranty either at the store, or with your insurance company, for a camera of this level, otherwise, after 90 days, you’re talking about $$$ for repair costs.
Last Thoughts…
In one review, I read where a camera novice was disappointed with the 707. This camera is designed more for the camera enthusiast, not a novice. If you’re an avid photo taker, enjoy photography as a regular hobby, or consider yourself in the “prosumer” category, the 707 is a nice unit to own; it fills the price and feature gaps between the more point and shoot models out there, and the much more expensive digital SLR cameras. If however, you’re an amateur who just wants to take a few snapshots here and there of family, friends, or while on vacation, and want a camera that’s light and easy to carry, there are other less expensive, less complicated, and smaller cameras out there for you.
Happy photo taking.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 650
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
AtlantaGreg
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Member: Greg
Location: Powder Springs, GA USA
Reviews written: 81
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