Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828 8 Megapixel Compact Camera

I love this camera! I know many will go on and on ...

Strengths: Love the swivil body, great for shooting down low holds both CF and memory stick. Great lens

Weaknesses: No Pc connections, difficulty working with non sony flashes

Summary: I love this camera! I know many will go on and on about noise and chromatic aberation. All of the 8 meg camera's in this class use the same chip, ( made by Sony) and this one has the best lens! The camera is much heavier than most of it's counterparts, including the digi Rebel, ( and I can vouch that its screen works much better in sunlight than the Rebels. I have big hands, and to paraphrase gov. Arnold, 'This aint no Girlie mans camera'. It doesn't feel sheap in your hand like the digi Rebel and some of the others in this category, ( 8 meags under $1,000)

The Swivil body is a great feature for shooting from low or high levels, and will really change your style of shooting. The built in flash works very well, though my biggest complaint is lack of A PC connection and difficulty working with studio lights or non-sony flashes. ( Sadly a very common failing in this category)

The Battery/Charger is good too, I recently ran the battery down, after over 450 images 5 meg 'low res'images with flash shot that day!

The ability to hold a CF card and a memory stick at the same time is a plus too. you can switch back & forth with a thumb switch.

For non-Studio work, or anything not requiring really fast frame rates or low light,(thats were the noise comes in), it is a great choice. If you want something That really excels in those areas, You should be looking for a Professioal SLR like the Fuji S3 anyway

(The Digi Rebel Won't do them any better, if as well, and you would have to have some good lenses to equal what this one comes with, A 28-200 @ F2.2-2.8 (35mm equv).

I am glad I have mine

Rustys

People are beginning to tell me that I’m picture ...

Strengths: Almost alarmingly good quality. Good battery life, doesn’t get hot, movable body/lens allows for some shooting latitude in framing, nice timer for self portraits.

Weaknesses: On the large side for a small person. A flip out screen would make it even better. Video function a little tricky at first.

Summary: People are beginning to tell me that I’m picture crazy. But here’s the deal at the start of the summer in May I had to take a training trip, then I had to take one in June and July. Plus August I had some small trips and a big trip to Arizona. And right until August I was just using disposable cameras. But I realized I was putting myself in the poorhouse (at 10 bucks a unit, and half that or more for developing). I’m just a regular guy, but I believe if you go someplace out of the ordinary you should get a picture or 2. So I took all this pictures and most of them came out ok (because I bought the expensive cheap cameras). But with regular cameras you never know if you got the shot, you just have to trust it. Not to mention lighting. And don’t even get me started on focus or framing. So a “real” camera seemed like a good choice. But most of the people I want to share pictures with live in other areas, so of course I do it via the net. Now that means lots and LOTS of scanning. So digital seemed the way to go so…

I did a lot of reading. All over the web, and steve’s digi-cam site had a lot of great reviews to work with. I decided if I’ve spent 100-150 on disposable I figured why not get the best digital I could afford. So 8mb was looking good. Canon had a model that’s new, in fact all the big brands now have one. But go to steves site and look at the comparison photos, then look at the list of attributes. For me, for example speed was an issue. Things happen quickly. For example In July I went to see Serena play tennis and the disposable I had was a joke, BUT when I flew over the Grand Canyon in August in a tiny 4 seat airplane with the F828 I really came back with some fast action shots. Not to mention the zoom function. I felt like I was taking military recon shots because I was able to zoom in on tiny towns and cars when we went over the Dam. The Canyon was a good place for photos because like my trip to Sedona the rock formations are very colorful and contrast with the lights and clouds in the sky.

The initial test shots I did were just around the house, junk on the floor looks SURREAL. A camera of this quality makes even mundane stuff look fantastic. And of course unless you’ve got crazy vision, it captures more than the naked eye. I took a picture of a pigeon outside and when I downloaded to the laptop discovered it was missing some “toes.” Speaking of that, the software that comes is good, but one weakness is when you put your mouse over the buttons no words come up that tell you what it does. PLUS I lost my instruction book and had to download a copy. So I have to use the computer to edit AND read instructions. Speaking of loosing, I STRONGLY advise a few things; use the neckstrap. You do not want to break this camera. Sony only gives a 90 day warranty. Buy a 1 gig microdrive. You can use the more expensive media stick (no moving parts) but you need the pro version to record video. You can also use a also use a cheaper compact media, but only microdrive will record video (IBM/Hitachi is more slightly more expensive but it WORKS). I was able to capture 256 images at super high jpeg quality-too big to really email to people, so you’ll have to edit, but the images you capture will indeed blow your mind. Hate to sound pretentious, but its true. I took a picture of a homeless dude with all his gear ambling down the street and it looks GREAT. It’s like the insert to a magazine “the downtrodden.” I told you everything looks good! Oh and buy a camera bag. That’s 20 bucks you’ll really thank yourself for, between your removable media, the cords, the lens shield, and the instructions if you don’t loose ‘em you’re going to need a bag.

So quick recap; great camera. I don't know how to take pictures, but my pictures are still coming out properly lite, in focus, and framed the way I thought they should be.

Sony DSC F828

Strengths: Most versatile single lense I've found on any Digital SLR camera. Excellent image quality. Once you've mastered the learning curve it is a very easy camera to operate. Great manual controls.

Weaknesses: Lacking image stabilization. ISO ratings of over 100 produce excessive "noise" in pictures. Poor low light capabilities.

Summary: 2005-07-12 03:35:59 This is the fourth Sony Digital I've owned, and each one has been better than it's predecessor. There needs to be a lot more work done with reference to the ISO settings offered. Anything over 100 in low light will produce unacceptable "noise". A tripod, and a very cooperative subject, are necessary in low light conditions. I do a lot of wildlife photography, and early mornings, or late evenings, are the times of the day when the animals are generally most active. These shots are extremely difficult with the DSC F828. The additional lenses are a waste of money. The 2X telephoto lens can only be used at near maximum magnification, or it is like looking through the barrel of a gun. The wide angle if used with any telephoto at all gives cropping in all four corners of the photos.

All this said, it is an excellent camera, with great manual controls, overall the best single lens on the market today, and superb image reproduction. I love the camera, for all it's shortcomings, and have had nothing but compliments on the photos it has produced.

If Sony were to improve on the ISO noise problems, and add image stabilization, they'd have a camera that would come out " On Top of the Heap" in the Digital SLR market.

We have been extremely pleased with this camera. ...

Strengths: Fine optics Great zoom range Impressive resolution

Weaknesses: Color rendition a bit dull

Summary: We have been extremely pleased with this camera. After years of good digital cameras with cheesy optics, it is great to have a quality lens again - and one with an impressive optical zoom. The camera feels great in your hands, and operation is intuitive. Image quality is fantastic. Lots of extras are included, including fun items like very functional MPEG recording, and the infrared night scope.

My only minor complaint would be that color rendition - especially with the built-in flash - is sometimes a bit dull compared with the Kodachrome-like saturation of other cameras from Fuji, etc.

On balance, I highly recommend this camera. If you are a serious amateur photographer who has felt a bit cheap using previous generations of digitals, this camera will bring a smile to your face.

the Sony DSC-F828 is a must have for a amature or ...

Strengths: GREAT interface, MANUAL FOCUS RING and manual zoom, AWESOME picture quality, great flash, easy tripod mount... MANY others

Weaknesses: only 7x zoom, no tripod remote included, no anti-shake equipped (as the new nikon coolpix 8800)... all i can think of though!

Summary: the Sony DSC-F828 is a must have for a amature or advanced digital photographer! i put in HOURS of research to find this camera, and HOURS AND HOURS of research into the camera itself, and it truly is one-of-a-kind. of the 8MP cameras out there as of now (jan2005), the sony is the only one to offer the pleathora of features that it does. it is the only 8MP camera i have found (aside from the konica minolta) to have a manual focus ring!! this is the best feature of the camera. however, the auto-focus is extremly fast as well. it does appear to have a slight bug in certain modes when the lens is aimed at the sky (i like to take "skyscapes") , the autofocus seems to be unsure of what f-stop to stay at... but no biggie, as soon as you push the shutter half-way, it chooses. i have not had time to play around with the macro functions (so many options! and yet so easy to use!! kudos sony! very user-friendly)... however, the night-settings are probably the camera's 2nd strongest point... the laser-assist is VERY helpful in low light, and i have been able to get good silhouttes in near total darkness as well! (using a tripod, of course) I just can't say enough about this camera... great, pro-feel, all the features, so easy to use... a definate must-have! *also, if you shop-around a bit, you can get the camera for a reasonable price as well.*

I was going to buy the Canon Digital Rebel until m ...

Strengths: Excellent lens and usability

Weaknesses: Image stabilizer would be nice

Summary: I was going to buy the Canon Digital Rebel until my mate who is a professional photographer advised me to go for the Sony 828 and I am glad I listened to him.

To buy the Digital Rebel and the equivalent lenses on the Digital Rebel will cost 3 times as much as the 828. Also they are much larger in size and heavier.

The Sony takes excellent sharp images, produce good detail and colour.

All the stuff on the internet about purple fringing and high levels of noise are well over exagerrated. I have so far only taken 500 shots and noticed 1 photo with purple fringing. Noise on photos taken at ISO64 and 100 are very low and not really noticable. I think this camera has unfairly received bad reviews cos people simply focus on very minor issues and not look at the bigger picture. For goodness sake, put away your stamp collection, railway set and wellington boots! - Stop being such a techno geek.

The 828 is a great camera and I am very pleased with my purchase.

I have owned the F828 since December 30, and I hav ...

Strengths: Lots of features, excellent image quality, Compact Flash, swivel lens, typical Sony innovation

Weaknesses: Some purple fringing & ISO noise issues.....can be remidied via post-processing. PF on perhaps 4% of pics so far.

Summary: I have owned the F828 since December 30, and I have taken over 3600 pictures since then. The camera is excellent, and I am amazed at the image quality. The fast Carl Zeiss lens is well suited to most occasions, and the 4-color CCD does seem to reproduce colors better. The eye detail in facial shots is amazing. Other eight-megapixel cameras have come out so far, but none have a sufficiently broad variety of features to qualify as "better" than the F828, and most of them have way too much plastic for my tastes.

I am constantly impressed by the image quality on the prints I have produced, and I have done numerous 12"x18" that are so crisp. I am really looking forward to having a 20" x 30" done by Shutterfly, I just need the right pic....something beautiful like Yosemite Valley! The Compact Flash storage option is great, as I never liked those expensive "memory sticks". The 7x zoom at first seemed like alot, and it really was for the most part, but I have recently started using the Olympus TCON-14B teleconverter (1.45x), and it really makes a difference. You have to use a 62mm - 58mm converter to use the lens, but the total magnification is up to 10.14x. I love the nightshot/nightframing, and the Hologram autofocus is unbeatable. Low-light and evening shots are wonderful, this camera just does a bang up job on nearly everything.

I am very pleased with it.

I was within a day or so of purchasing the Rebel f ...

Strengths: Super sharp pictures. True 8 megapixel. Builtin flash actually works pretty well. Supports BOTH flashcards and Memory Sticks

Weaknesses: Can not switch quickly between modes without removing eye from view finder. No external flash sync

Summary: I was within a day or so of purchasing the Rebel from Canon but was waffling due to the lack of features of the Rebel compared to my old and trusty(?) 950 CoolPix. I had really wanted the next model up but at 1500 plus lens I was having some serious heartburn. I was sent a review of a preproduction Sony and I was very intrigued. It had the features, or most of them, in a reasonably designed body and it had a REAL lens. I bought the camera sight unseen and gambled on the reviews I had read. They were dead on. The camera is a dream to use. Even my wife who is not a photographer has been able to use it effectively. I matched it to a 1 gig microdrive and would not use it any other way. The RAW file are a bit slow due to the camera writing TWO files..a RAW file and a JPEG file. The menus are very easy to use once you get used to the joystick. I do wish once I set the camera there was a quick way to reset it to a default state of my choosing since I forget at times that I have turned things on or off. The camera fits very well into the typical SLR two handed grip. It took no time at all to get use to holding the camera. The lens is very smooth across the zoom and the auto focus when used it quick and works pretty well in low light. The odd shape of an L requires a different camera bag for many but its a small price to pay. I just printed some super A6 print (13x19) and the detail and sharpness of the images are incredible. To fully use the image detail, be prepared to use Photoshop CS or the like.

They did not fix the problem with Sony Cyber-shot ...

Strengths: Free lens hood, 28 - 200 mm lens, you can move the AF pointer almost anywhere in the frame

Weaknesses: They did not fix the problem with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F717

Summary: 2004-06-04 06:21:30 They did not fix the problem with Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F717:

Metering the light is always in the center not connected to the AF point

AF lock work for one shout

There is no Flash Exposure Lock

Annoying shutter release locking issue where you must wait before re-pressing

It takes long time to write TIFF images

Playback zoom is Up to 5x (almost all cameras in the market have 10x)

High noise at the lowest ISO (it is worse then the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F717)

At shutter speed 1/30 & F=2 & ISO 100 you could take picture for subject moving slowly but you can not do that with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828 because if you use ISO 100 you will get a lot of noise in the picture

Metering the light is not linked to the AF points ...

Strengths: Rotating body, F 2.0, fast focus

Weaknesses: High noise at the lowest ISO, Metering the light is not linked to the AF points, Manual option (M) is not really manual

Summary: Metering the light is not linked to the AF points

(You could select AF point to the lift but the metering to the middle were you could have strong light and that makes the subject to the left look dark)

Manual option (M) is not really manual because the EV (exposure compensation or Exposure Value) is always over righting the shutter speed (S) and the aperture (A), and that is a huge problem when you take picture for Children (or other moving subject) moving on the snow or next to the ocean

AE Lock (auto exposure Lock): is for one shot (every shout you will lock it again), that tells you again there is problem to follow subject on the snow or next to the sea (the solution is not given in the manual is to keep pressing the AE Lock button and using the zoom or shutter button or other, it is not fun)

There is no use for the ISO (64 to 800) because if you use the ISO 1600 with other camera you will get less noise in the picture than the Sony F828 at ISO 64

To help the camera see in low light situation you need camera with:

Low f (1.0 – 1.4 – 2.0 – 2.8 – 4.0 – 5.6 – 8.0) the Sony has F 2.0

High ISO (100 – 200 – 400 – 800 – 1600 – 3200 - 6400)

Noise free or low noise at the highest ISO

For example if you are at a party or in church or other situation were is the light is low and you need to take picture without flash (the subject is too far or the subject is close to the flash and you would like to include people dancing in the back or you do not like to bother people or other situation), in situation like that you use high ISO and enjoy the result

Ok first things first, I love Sony, I always have, ...

Strengths: Good Size, definitely more comfortable then the F717, Mechanical Zoom versus Electric on the F717, 280-200 mm is a very nice range, since you can't change the lens, this is important.

Weaknesses: Same size sensor as the F717, producing large pictures with way to much NR artifacts.

Summary: 2003-12-29 20:49:44 Ok first things first, I love Sony, I always have, always will. I have been waiting for the release of this camera for close to 6 months now. Before the actual release the specs where more then just promising, 8 MP, New 4 color sensor processing, Compact flash storage, the lens, everything. I was so excited when I heard the news about several sample pictures that had appeared from the first release of the F828 in Asia. Wow, what a disappointment, the pictures looked horrible, just really horrible. So I waited, and thought surely Sony would fix this problem before releasing it in the western market, surely they can't expect people to buy a $1000+ camera that creates very large pictures that look like crap. Then it was time, it was out. It took about 4 days, for the first sample pictures to appear online, I probably looked at all of them and granted, on a lot of the sample pictures the problem is not so much the camera but the person behind it. So the first release in Asia, Noise, lot's of Noise. But what about the camera you'll be buying in the states ? Yes the noise is gone, instead you now see a pitiful software based algorithmic compression (NR) applied to the image in order to reduce the Noise. The result is pictures that even my grandmother would say look "DIGITAL". Here is the deal, go look at the sample pics online, go to the store, hold it in your hands see how you like it. For now I will stick with my F717, till Sony decides to put a better sensor in the F828.

Outstanding perfomer.....people constantly complim ...

Strengths: picture quality, versatility, ease of operation

Weaknesses: size...its fairly large to carry on vacation

Summary: Outstanding perfomer.....people constantly compliment me on the pictures I print and I am totally an amateur...the cam does the work. Set on 5 or 8 megapixels (and/or it makes an email sized picture at the same time) and print your own on a HP photosmart printer and your prints are better than Walgreens produces. Storage capacity is huge (holds 1 gig memory stick and 1 gig complactflash at the same time) , battery power outstanding...3 hours at least without recharge and recharge is very simple and fast.

The way the camera tilts downward makes it easier to see LCD. I love the manual zoom on tele lens instead of a button..more like a 35mm. Low light capacity is awesome. Colors are very very good. I may never need another digital camera. Buy the leather case and the larger carrying case too.

This camera is fully loaded with an incredible var ...

Strengths: Very easy to use the incredible variety of features.

Weaknesses: A little surprising it did not come with any memory card.

Summary: This camera is fully loaded with an incredible variety of features. It is also very easy to use. Very intuitive - no need to spend hours studying the manual - just get a memory card and start taking pictures. We upgraded from a fairly basic digital camera. We wanted single camera that could cover all our picture taking needs - from baby pictures, to sports and action photos (with zoom capabilities), to landscapes, etc. The Sony F828 does it all, and very nicely at that. It is an excellent choice for those that want an easy to use, yet fully featured digital camera.

Great Camera Good Buy

Strengths: This digital has it seemingly all down in one package. The Carl Ziess Lens is Top drawer and the ability this model has to reach into wondorous depth of color and visual perception is remarkable.

Weaknesses: I agree , in a small way, with the noise complaint over 100 ISO but the trade offs are many and highly valued. Pop up flash emits poorly flat light. Meant for larger hands.

Summary: 2005-08-12 08:42:03 I have been extremely happy with this product and it beats the Canon hands down in overall functionality. I do wish you could exchange other high quality Ziess Lenses but the ability for depth and detail is powerful. It is a complicated piece of equipment to master, but once having done so, it is a dream and easy to use. Highly Recommend its purchase.

At first a little scary, but after just about a we ...

Strengths: Easy to get to know for all the feature's it has.

Weaknesses: Overall, there is really none.

Summary: At first a little scary, but after just about a week it is

very easy to use. One thing that will greatly improve

your picture's is an external flash; I use the SONY

model # (HVL-F32X). The flash is a smart flash so

it auto set's everything in point and shoot mode.

With the flash and camera combo it will turn anyone

into a "PRO". One other thing in "MACRO" mode

this will take shot's as close as .75 inches away. Very good "SONY" youv'e earned your ( A+ ).