5 comments about Sony MVCCD250 2MP CD Mavica Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. This summer while I was in a canoe taking pictures of my daughter, she accidently tipped us over. Here I am in a cold mountain lake with my Mavica and I think my camera is ruined. Well when I got home I dried the camera out for a week and cleaned out the lenses. Put in a new battery and the thing ACTUALLY WORKED and has been taking great pictures for the past four months. For something that is not rated as water resistant, I was surprised by the hardiness of the camera.
   Complex as it may seem, this is no wuss of hardware.



2. Not sure if anyone else in this reviewer pile has seen this, but I have had several "life events" including birthdays, my son's sonogram, and others that the camera shows upon review through its display the pictures you have taken. However, upon connecting it to the USB interface, they disappear. Disconnecting from the USB cable does not get the pictures back. Can you believe that Sony would release a product like this?

   I bought this device for the ease of use, USB capability, and the CDR/CDRW format. However, for anyone wanting a reliable camera buy a $12 disposable! You can only rely on this unit giving you permanent digital pictures 91.2% of the time.

   If I had to do it again, I wouldn't buy this unit. There are far smaller units at a fraction of the price with 100% reliability. Granted, some of them don't use CDR/CDRW technology but memory sticks are fine with me it they don't lose pictures (and the cameras are quite smaller).




3. I got this as a gift from my parents. They rarely buy me expensive items and when I opened this..I had no idea just how wonderful this camera was. It might not be top of the line..but it produces WONDERFUL photos. I am a scrapbooker and take lots of photos. All of photos I've taken with this camera have received RAVE reviews!! I was told once that I should be a professional photographer!!! - HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA!!



4. Overall, this camera is GREAT. It takes beautiful pictures, has a good zoom, and doesn't eat up battery life.
   
   However... It takes FOREVER to get the picture recorded onto the CD, and...
   
   IT LOSES PICTURES. We had over ten pictures lost at once on our camera (Sounds like the same problem John McDonnough had in his review). This has only happened once, however.
   
   Otherwise, it has been an absolute GREAT family camera, my family takes it almost everywhere we go (including a family cruise we went on in 04) and the shots were great, even enlarged!



5. I have had this camera for 6 years and have never had a single problem with it. Recently I took it on my honeymoon and posted the pictures when I returned. I have had people asking me what kind of camera it is because the pictures turned out great! I have never had a picture lost or have had problems deleting pictures as some of the other reviews have stated. It is great to know that all my pictures that I have downloaded to my PC are always backed up on the disc. It is somewhat bulky, but has been more than I would have ever asked for in a digital camera that has lasted this long!

5 comments about Sony Alpha A100H 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 Lens.

1. I bought this camera becuase I am a life long Minolta fan, however they discontinued their cameras without any notice and I was stuck with alot of Konica Minolta camera equipment. Sony picked up Minolta's pattons and made their first DSLR and everything I owed with Minolta is interchangeable with it. But I run 2 photo studios and I have not been happy with the controls, etc. of this camera. However a person who just wants a better camera to take better pictures then their snap and shoot--this would be a good camera for you, for a professional however--no. I am now switching everything over to Nikon.



2. 1. I purchased this camera (Sony a100) about a year and a half ago and it's lived up to my expectations. Photos are crisp and clear, controls are conviently located and the large LCD is handy although I wish it was the swivel type, battery life is good. I have three, one Sony and two much cheaper non-Sony. I wish the lens selection was a little better but this is just a hobby for me and SIGMA lenses are just as good and cheaper. There is some noise at low light levels but that's not a problem for me. My problem is dust bunnies inherent in all digital slrs in this class. But I have solve that too with a small bottle of ECLIPSE 2 and a few SENSOR PADS that fit the low pass filter to be cleaned. Sometimes it only takes a good whiff of dry air with the camera turned upside down. But sending it back to them until the warranty runs out consumes too much time and they don't do a very good job. My job was better. Last of all Sony has the gall to sell the A.C. adapter at well over $125.00 and then recommends that any type of cleaning (dust blower only) not be done without the A.C. adapter. This is of course so the mirror stays up while blowing off the dust. My advice is use a freshly charged battery; it only takes a few minutes to do a good cleaning with the blower or the more adventurous low pass filter. Be advised Sony will void the warranty if you screw up the CCD aka low pass filter while using the SENSOR PADS. But trust me, it's very easy to clean and the low pass filter is tougher than one suspects. Still, extreme caution and patience is needed with a light but firm stroke. By the way, the A.C. adapter can charge two batteries at once but still not worth the price and there are no substitutes because of the proprietary connection on the camera body, again Sony Only! Oh, there is also inaccessible dust inside the viewfinder, again inherent in all slrs in this class. My camera goes almost everywhere I go so there will be dust.
   
   SHELLBACK
   SEMPER FI



3. I bought the camera in Feb. and just charged twice since then. I charged the battery before my 10 days vacation in Europe, and took over 1,000 pictures (very beautiful) and the battery now is still 3/4 full!
   Another advantage of this camera is the anti-shake function. I could take pictures with very low shutter speed (1-2 seconds) and the pictures are still sharp.



4. This was my first introduction to DSLR - but not my first experience with an SLR - i had shared a Minolta Maxxum 3000 with my brother (that was the model # as i recall) but never really bothered to learn its functions and because it was a film camera quite an expensive hobby - with film and development. So essentially the Sony Alpha was my first real experience with SLRs (Single Lens Reflex). Digital photography has given me and a whole bunch of people a hobby that is very affordable after the first initial investment - but i digress...
   
   This was not my first digital camera. My first digital camera was another Sony - the DSC-V1 (i have written a review here at epinions about that as well) - that little camera had an excellent clear Carl Zeiss lens and great color along with functions of a SLR - you can fiddle with aperture and shutter speed - but with it's small fixed lens you'll always that great depth of field unless it is ultra close.
   
   I wanted to "graduate" from these so-called point and shoot cameras - although i know a bit more about photography from reading books since getting the Alpah but i would not call myself an expert. So really this review is from a novice's standpoint even after owning this for about 2.5 - 3 years. I'm more about composition and letting the camera take over the technical aspects - however i have played with aperture settings, shutter speeds, and exposure settings.
   
   There are so many options in DSLR these days - the iconic NIKON followed by ubiquitous Canon (my brother owns the XTi), Fuji, Pentax, Olympus -- then (at the time) there's the new Sony entry into the DSLR market - the Alpha 100 - there are now different models of the Alpha 200, 300, 350, and the top of the line 700 which boasts a live lcd preview.
   
   Just a bit of history about Sony entry into the DSLR market - they had a partnership with Konica-Minolta (KM would use Sony's expertise in digital electronics) and Konica-Minolta decided to tuck tail and leave the DSLR market sold their existing technologies to Sony so Sony using KM's foundation re-engineered the KM DSLR into their own and entered the market with the A100.
   
   The Sony A100 DSLR major features/benefits include (IMHO):
   
   *The Sony BIONZ engine - the brains behind the camera (like the DIGIC II for the Canon) -
   
   *10.2 megapixels
   
   *Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization - built right into the camera - some have it built into the lens - so every lens you use will have this super steady shot - but nothing beats a steady hand or a great tripod! I think this was a hold over from the K/M days.
   
   *Anti-Dust Technology - dust repellent coating and an active shake of the CCD for those stubbornest of specs. This works OK - i can see specs of dust - i haven't used the "shake" - although it gives a little nudge when you turn it on.
   
   *fairly large 2.5 color lcd screen - great color and clarity on the LCD screen
   
   *Eye-start autofocus system - if you turn this feature on - as soon as you put it close to your eye it starts trying to focus - i found this feature to be useless - it is light sensitive so if you put this close to your body it will start focusing - i turned off this feature - this was another holdover technology from K/M.
   
   *With the Alpha Mount you can use "old" lenses from K/M with the Sony A100 so if you had a K/M DSLR and multiples lenses you can also use it with the Sony Alpha. You are able to use the myriad of K/M alpha mount lenses but not all of the accessories - Sony changed the hot shoe for the flash so that won't work and you need to buy a new flash - BUT i had an old wired remote from my first original Minolta Maxxum and that worked.
   
   *New Carl Zeiss lens - exciting but it would probably cost more than the camera itself.
   
   ACTUAL USE / FEEL of the camera (from a novice standpoint):
   
   with anything new you'd have a learning curve but this camera is pretty intuitive however i would suggest reading the manual once over. Once you start using it and learning the control it will be like second nature.
   
   The feel of it is somewhat heavy - it is certainly a bit heavier than the Canon xTi but it has a very comfortable grip.
   
   The autofocus is a bit loud with the whirring of the motor - the mirror is louder than most- i would not take pictures clandestinely because you just can't it will give you away every time.
   
   I am currently using the 18mm - 200mm max aperature (open) is f3.5 - f6.3 - not quite quick to focus in low light situations, but the lens is so versatile with the wide 18mm and the nice zoom of 200mm it's hard not to like this lens. Please keep in mind that the DSLR mirror is larger than a regular film SLR so you have to multiply the "mm" by 1.5 to get the true "mm" size. At 18mm with the DSLR it is really 27mm and the 200mm is really 300mm.
   
   I find this camera to be very comfortable and fun to use. The strap that came with it is not length adjustable however and i like to strap the camera across my body - i have a small frame - people with a larger body should get an adjustable strap.
   
   PICTURES:
   
   a picture speaks a thousand words - here's is a link just some of my photos from flickr.com i've taken over the years with my Sony Alpha 100:
   
   
   http://www.flickr.com/photos/62904109@N00/sets/72157594360924382/
   
   only a very few of the pictures had post process done - some where cropped - mostly it is as is.
   
   one note - i have adjusted the camera to hard sharpness and high saturation - i love color and i thought the images from the sony was just slightly soft so i shifted it to hard sharpness on the camera itself.
   
   Also keep in mind the pics also depend on how your computer monitor is calibrated but it is a good presentation of what the Sony A100 can do.
   
   I find the pictures to reproduce excellent colors and the lens are quite clear.
   
   all were taken with the 18mm - 200mm Sony Lens.
   
   I bought this camera when it first came out and the kit was about $1000 dollars AND the 18mm - 200mm lens (as i recall) was $600 dollars. This camera could be had BRAND NEW for under $700 with this lens! What a great deal for a under-rated and all around Great Camera!
   
   Pros love their Nikon or perhaps their Canon - but I thought the Sony was a great camera and currently at a great price!



5. Excellent camera and lens. Terrific value and good service from supplier. Disappointed that there was an additional customs bill of £71! Could you warn customers of this charge, in future.
   
   Despite this, at a total cost of £330, it was still a real bargain

1 comments about Sony Cybershot DSC-T70 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Opitcal Zoom with Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization with Cradle and Case.

1. LA CÁMARA ES EXCELENTE, SI SABES APROVECHAR SUS FUNCIONES NO LE FALTA NADA, EL FORMATO DE WIDESCREEN ESTÁ MUY BIEN SI QUIERES VER TUS FOTOS EN LA TV DE ALTA DEFINICIÓN.

5 comments about Sony Cybershot DSCW5 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. This is a nice, light and compact camera. I've taken plenty of great shots with it and the LCD display on the back is definitely a plus. However, when trying to shoot in less than perfect lighting conditions it can be tricky to get a shot without blurring the image.



2. This is my second Sony digital camera. My first was a 4.1 megapixel DSC-S85. It took great pictures -- never blurry -- in all light situations. My only complaint was that as one of the first generation digital cameras, the shutter lag was horrible! So, I had high hopes for the DSC-W5 when my husband gave it to me for Christmas two years ago. While the shutter lag was much improved, I quickly learned that this new camera did not do so well in low light, and if my hand moved in the slightest or unless our children sat less than absolutely still while taking a picture (those of you with kids are laughing right now, right?), the photo came out blurry. However, I became more disappointed when we had owned the camera for just under a year and the dial that allows you to move between modes started malfunctioning. Every time I tried to switch it to review mode, it would stay in camera mode. It was impossible to review photos unless the dial was set precariously between movie mode and review mode. We sent the camera back to Sony, and to their credit, they fixed it within a couple of weeks with no charge. However, it's been about a year since the repair and the dial is starting to malfuction again. The camera is also starting to eat batteries like crazy -- even the expensive rechargable kind. I wish I could recommend this camera since I was so satisfied with the photo quality of the DCS-S85. However, after two years worth of problems with the W5, my advice is to keep looking.



3. Hi~! I bought this model without knowing that i was getting a piece of jewel~! It's very quick, its image quality is really supreme~! no noise, and the video quality is awesome~! I used several canon and other sony's... but they all had a lot of noise. It is a shame that i was stolen recently... I hope Sony is releasing another product this good. But I bought the W85 last month, but am very disappointed by its high noise and slow speed, and bad video quality.



4. I have used this camera for several years and I have enjoyed it. If you have extra batteries and memory sticks it helps alot! The only reason I am in the market for a new camera is that I would like the image stabilization feature. I have never really done anything special regarding settings and focus etc., and have been satisfied overall with this camera.



5. I agree with most of the other negative reviews here- focus problems!! My camera lens is now stuck, and the camera is completely inoperable. It is about 2 years old, so I did get some good use out of it, but I am upgrading. Different brand this time!!

5 comments about Sony DSCP31 Cyber-shot 2MP Digital Still Camera.

1. I own a rather large camera (2 Mega pixel) with a large lens which I love to carry around when I want to do zoom photography.

   I wanted to get something a bit smaller to take with me to parties and other events, something that I could have at hand for snapshots and the like.

   This camera is pretty good and versatile for the price.

   I also use Sony's new format Memory Stick Duo adapter (which I can also use in my Sony Ericsson phone), and is also the "Magic Gate" in which you can save several "licensed" formats.

   I recommend it.




2. If you are looking for a simple, point and click camera for good quality, no frills pictures, this is your camera. The pictures, for the most part, are great. However, if you want to zoom in, to get certain angles, upgrade to the sony with a zoom lens, the p-51, I think.



3. Consumes lot of memory. [900k/ picture]
   Takes good picture in Dim night light but worst pictures in day bright light..

   Think twice before buying it.....




4. Overall, this is an excellant camera as far as quality of pictures, features, ease of use. I loved it until it just quit taking pictures. After speaking to 3 sony tech support representitives and answering the same questions, they finally came to the conclusion that it was broke. Duh! I didnt drop, mis-use or abuse it. It just quit taking pictures. Sony's 90 day warrenty made matters worse as it will cost $148.00 to fix the camera. I was a big buyer of Sony products until this happened. You would think after spending $289.00 on the camera, it would come with a longer warrenty. Lesson learned! My rating for Sony is a 0 but the camera is a 4 star.



5. This was my mom's, handed down to me about two years ago. I love the camera itself, it is small, easy to use, and versatile. I have no upgrades on it, it has the 8MB stick, which is pretty much nothing right now. I have some problems with the light reduction, but it hasn't become a big problem. It usually happens when the batteries run dead. Still, a highly reccommended product.

5 comments about Sony Cybershot DSCS40 4.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. This is a fairly good point-and-shoot at $170. Decent usable 4MP, great battery life, and pocket size. However, after about two years I got the dreaded "white screen" this July. Knowing it will take $120 to repair by Sony I decided to buy a S650 instead. After reading the reviews about the white screen, I gave it a try and it is fixed after one tap!
   
   I had the same problem with the smaller U30 and it was repaired for free. Both are made in Japan yet have the similar problem. I guess the country of origin doesn't necessarily mean bullet proof quality any more.
   
   I am glad it works again and it will be my back up camera.



2. bad very bad, i bought two and both screens went white, sometimes they just turn off for fun. I'm out $450 because of sony. if i see sony on the street im gonna punch in the vagina.



3. I suggest people not to buy it. i have this camera since spring 2005, but i have stopped using it long long time ago. In fact, just 3 MONTHS after my purchase, the the LCD screen went white/blank. you have to squeeze the body of the camera or basically shake it or tap it in order to have the LCD back to work. it's extremely extremely painful to use it.
   
   It requires 2 AA batteries, not convenient to manage.
   
   the quality of the pictures comes out good if you manage yourself to hold very still when taking pictures.
   
   I am buying a new camera now. but my experience with this camera completely discourage me from buying another sony camera. I will switch to other brand names.
   
   again, don't buy it.



4. Lousy product. The camera drains brand new batteries with two days of regular use. The whole thing BROKE within a year. Sony couldn't figure out what was wrong with it when I sent it back to them under warranty. Save your time and money and buy something else.



5. This is a great camera when it functions, but like other customers have stated this camera has a major flaw. The "LCD White Death" and the "Main Power Flex" will likely occur if you have this camera. My camera worked for about a year and is still in mint condition and then all of a sudden it will not turn on. Sony will not provide any help. If this camera was reliable it would be a great camera, but unfortanutley there is too big of a risk it will fail you. Definitly consider other digital cameras.

5 comments about Sony MVCCD400 CD Mavica 4MP Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom.

1. This camera was a gift. I don't know much about digital cameras except that whenever I have used one, the pictures always seem very grainy. I never understood why people would use them over regular cameras, except for the online uses. Having said all that, I must now admit that I love this camera. The picture quality is excellent, and I love being able to see my pictures on the computer and choosing which ones I want on paper. My only complaint (minor) is the view screen. When you are outside, it is difficult to see what you are aiming for.



2. This is the best digital camera I have ever used. I have even bought a spare camera (MVC-CD400 it is sitting quietly in its box) just incase I where to ever break it beyond repair ;)

   Ya its that Sweet!!!

   Brandon




3. As an avid photographer, I wanted a digital camera that had the complicated lense features of a regular SLR without the complications of the various storage disks/cards/drives that plague most other digital cameras. This camera looked like the one. It burns to a mini cd, and therefore the orginal images are available immediately on disc without software or cords. It has mini video functions as well as other high tech possibilities.

   Nice idea, but it failed. This camera is still relying on new burning technology, so the camera is still extremely fragile and definately not portable. I've had the camera 10 months and I've had to fix it three times. First the burning lense broke... any slight shake or bump will cause it to go off course, making the entire camera non-usable. As there is no harddrive within the camera, if you cannot burn to cd then you cannot take pictures. Then the photo lense got jammed (over the course of a month--so photos picked up a blur after a little while) and was unable to function, although I was still able to view pictures. After paying to REPLACE both parts (in excess of $150 each) the burning lense broke again after two months.

   If you're planning to only take the camera out on special occasions, fine, but if you're planning on doing any sightseeing with it, putting it in a bag and taking it anywhere, it won't hold up.




4. I just love this great camera from Sony. The Mavica MVC-CD400 was a great buy for me a couple of years ago, although a 4 megapixel camera doesn't cost quite this much anymore. I spent 600 dollars for the camera at Best Buy, getting a deal because it was an open item.
   
   The MVC-CD400 is extremely user friendly in all modes of operation (still picture, movie, or review). In my two years of taking pictures with this camera, I have only used the fully automatic still picture mode and the simple movie mode. I've yet to have a bad shot. Part of what makes shooting pictures with this camera so easy is the fact that it has the large viewing window to let the user see just about exactly what the picture will look like.
   
   This camera has a fairly quick auto-focus feature that is highly reliable except in extreme low-light conditions, and even then it can usually compensate for the lack of light by using the built-in diamond pattern lamp used for helping the camera focus. Where this tool starts to fail is for objects more than six feet away, depending on lighting.
   
   Although the camera has a note that it displays on power-up any time it detects a non-Sony Mavica CD installed in the storage bay, I've never had any problem using other discs. Typically I use the Memorex 210 MB CD-R's.
   
   With these discs, I can store 95 pictures at the highest JPEG resolution, or 954 pictures at the lowest resolution. For the movie mode, the same disc will yield 8 minutes and 31 seconds at the highest resolution (which isn't that great at 320 HQX) or 100 minutes at 160 by 112 resolution, which is actually pretty crappy video. But if you want a camcorder, this is not the toy for you.
   
   The camera can also store images in TIFF format, but be prepared to wait a while for the images to save to the disc, and to change the discs often. Only 13 images will fit on a 210 MB disc in this format. For anyone who isn't interested in professionally working with their photos, the JPEG format is fine. I've printed out many of those prints at 8x10 with remarkable detail.
   
   Some of the extra features of this camera include the photo effects, such as black and white or negative (can't quite figure out what I might want to do with that one, but it's there nonetheless) and a red-eye reduction flash. The red-eye reduction takes a little bit more work than I would like to turn on and off (rotating the selector knob to "SET UP" and navigating a couple of options then back again), but it isn't that much of a pain and can be done in about 5 seconds. Also the user can select a "confirm before write" option, to avoid wasting space on the disc for those who have a habit of taking a picture with their thumb over the lens or something.
   
   Another feature of the camera is to stamp the image with a date/time stamp. I don't know why anyone would really want to do this, since the time and date are also imbedded in the file (along with other data such as ISO speed, focal length, flash, and exposure time) and can be retrieved by loading the disc into a computer CD-ROM drive.
   
   Battery life is usually quite good. I can typically use mine for an entire event (football game, wedding, etc.) without worrying about the battery, although the internal monitor might be telling me that it's low toward the end if I've been doing a lot of reviewing.
   
   One of the drawbacks I've read in another review of this product is that sometimes using the camera to review the images stored on the disc can be painfully slow. While it is slower than using a memory stick model, it isn't that bad. Add the advantage of accessing all of the images very quickly using a PC (even before the disc is finalized by the camera) and the usefulness of this method becomes clear. Transfers from a CD are substantially faster than transfers via USB or Firewire.
   
   I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel now which I use most of the time and love, but I'm not getting rid of this great little Sony. Partly because my girlfriend loves it and it's kind of her camera now (she's laid claim to it), but also because it is still so useful and so good that I see no reason to.



5. I've owned this camera for about 2 years now. I have dropped it, kicked it on the pavement and still, I get great shots. The photos are great and there is lots of flexibility of storage. You can delete photos before you finalize the disk if you like or keep all of them and only upload those you want to manipulate with editing software. Very user friendly, I like the feel of the camera, has a nice grip to it. Opportunties to improve: the lcd screen does not have protection so it is kind of scratched up; also, hard to frame your shot without a view finder in very bright light or with low light at night. Finally, need to account for shutter lag time to get the photo you want. It takes several seconds for start up so you need to account for this as well. Regardless, the pros outweigh the cons, I love the cd fomat for saving the photos -- no need to transfer from memory stick to computer or printer, just pop into your computer and you are there.

5 comments about Sony DSC-V1 Cyber-shot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 4x Optical Zoom.

1. I have owned Sony DSC-V1 for 3 years, and have overall been quite satisfied. You just need to be aware of the limitations of this camera and try not to push it beyond of what it was designed to do. Hey, it is a point and shooter, not an SLR. Outside, in good lighting, DSC-V1 knows few rivals. The pictures uniformly come out sharp and clean, with realistic colors. F2.8 stop should theoretically blur some of the background, but I have never been able to achieve this effect. Inside photography with DSC-V1 is possible provided:
   1) you do not come too close to the subject (the flash is somewhat overpowered) and
   2) you know how to utilize manual controls to your advantage.
   The quality of manufacturing is impeccable, as could be expected from Sony with a Zeiss lens.
   In 2006, there are better options on the market, but this one remains a solid choice, if you get a bargain price.



2. I own this camera for 3 years now and I found that this camera has some real cool features. Photos are really good. The only problem with the camera is flash. If you ask somebody to take the photos, you have to particularly tell them not to put their fingure on the flash. Orelse, flash does not popup. Also, you cannot take pictures continously on flash because it takes some time for recharge. This is annoying me allot and I'm thinking of buying a Nikon camera because of this damn flash thing.



3. So many little annoying things about this camera! Everytime anyone else takes a picture, I have to tell them not to put their finger on the flash which is placed in the worst place possible. Takes really bad indoor pictures. If the object (say kids)is even slightly moving the picture is soooooo blury! The flash takes so much time to recharge the by the time you want to take another picture the moments has come and gone! Thank goodness for photoshop because I am constantly ajusting the color quality, and red eye. It is so bulky compared to most cameras! The battery doesnt last more than 30 minutes. I would give this camera no stars but it wasn't an option! Don't waste your money. Buy a cannon!



4. I do not agree with the negative comments regarding picture quality on the DSC-V1 as posted by other reviewers. I do agree, however, with the comments about the flash recharge time and how lousy that performance is. I got past that by purchasing an external flash and attaching it to the hot shoe on top of the camera (How many other digital cameras in the point and shoot class have a hot shoe????? Huge Plus for the DSC-V1 there).
   
   Now, this camera was affected by the CCD issue that affected many camera families (not just Sony) over that last few years. Sony offered a free replacement of the CCD and I took advantage of it. I knew I was going to be without the camera for a few weeks, while the repair and shipping took place. But I had a vacation trip planned during that time, and I needed a camera.
   
   So I went out and bought a Sony DSC-T30 7.2 megapixel camera to use for the trip. It seemed like a great camera, and it's actually pretty capable. But the DSC-V1 just crushes it in photo quality. The color shading on the V1, and the depth of field are so much better -- and that surprised me based on the 5 megapixel vs. 7.2 megapixel specs. My wife still likes the T30 for the size, as it's case fits in her pocketbook nicely. But I use the DSC-V1 almost exclusively. The external flash took care of the ONLY negative I could come up with. I feel I hit a home run with that purchase.



5. I have owned my DSC-V1 for at least 5 years and remembered paying over $500 for it new.
   So why am I writing this review in 2008? Well the camera has survived many world trips, drops and still works great but I convinced my wife that it was time for a new one. So we started our research and bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K since the reviews were awesome.
   Then we took our first picture - we looked at each other and thought - our Sony takes better pictures. But I really wanted to love and keep this Lumix with HD video and all, so I took a slew of pictures with both cameras and asked my wife to tell me which ones she preferred - 90% of the time the Sony photo was preferred. So we visited her friend that owned the same Lumix (maybe we got a defective one) and compared more photos (even swapped memory cards) and again the photo quality from the Sony was better.
   So how can all those reviewers get it wrong? Because in most cases they never do a photo comparison but if you did, boy would you be confused - I think it is easier to just be happier in your bliss.
   We also tried a Canon SD850 and go the same results.
   So I still have my DSC-V1 because I feel like I would have to go with a DSLR to find better photo quality. You can read all the reviews and specs until you eyes and head spin but in the end the proof is in the picture.
   I rated the camera 4 stars but I agree with the reviewers about the speed and flash placement but if you want a camera that takes great quality photos, is durable and very affordable then look no further.

5 comments about Sony DSCP150/LJ 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Blue).

1. I purchased this camera for my wife because she wanted a light-weight digital camera that would fit in her pocket or purse. After eight months, we have taken about two thousand pictures with the camera.
   
   The good points about the camera are its small size and its speed. You can turn it on and start taking pictures almost instantaneously, which is a real advantage for catching unexpected moments.
   
   There is only one bad point, but it is a real kicker. About half of the pictures I take come out blurry. I always take multiple shots as a safeguard, but it is a bit of a pain to filter out all the blurry photos, and sometimes none of the pictures are sufficiently clear.
   
   You might just assume I am a bad photographer, but I have owned several other digital cameras as well as a number of film cameras, and I don't have this problem with any of them.
   
   One reason the pictures are often blurry is that the camera, by default, will set the shutter speed to 1/40 for flash pictures. As any photographer can tell you, this is really too slow for most people. The slow shutter speed, the fact that you have to hold the camera away from your body to see the LCD, and the light weight of the camera combine to make camera shake a real problem. Even if you manage to hold the camera still, the subjects in the photo may be moving, in which case they will be blurry anyway.
   
   Most cameras, including my other digital ones, default to 1/60 for flash pictures, which works much better. While it is possible to work around this problem by setting the camera to manual mode, I find that to be rather a pain, since you have to set both the shutter and the aperture. This camera has no shutter priority (Tv) mode, so manual mode is the best option.
   
   The second reason that the pictures come out blurry is the auto-focus. The default mode - multi-AF - is poorly documented and doesn't seem to work that well. In some cases, green boxes will appear - presumably the locations that were used for focus. In other cases (usually when the scene is darker), no boxes appear, even though the camera seems to focus correctly using its built in focus assist light and it makes the double beep sound that indicates successful auto-focus. In those cases, you can only guess what the camera is focusing on. Even setting the camera on center focus does not solve the problem for me, and there is the added annoyance of having to focus and then re-frame each shot. I think that the auto-focus in this camera is just not as good as in other cameras.
   
   A couple of minor annoyances highlight why Sony is at the back of the pack when it comes to user interfaces. 1) The self-timer setting resets after each photo is taken. This means that if you want to take a bunch of pictures using the self-timer, you have to remember to press the button before each shot. I've never seen any other camera that did this. 2) The mode wheel is right on the edge of the camera. Sometimes, when I pull the camera out of my pocket, the wheel changes settings, and I only discover that I've gone to manual mode (or whatever) after I've taken a shot or two.



2. I got this camera for my birthday last year and have to tell you that I could not be happier. I have turned into one of those people that takes nonstop pictures. I picked this camera because I wanted something that was small, compact but good enough that if I wanted to take high resolution artsy shots I could (and have the possibility of blowing up the shots to poster size, etc).
   
   I took this camera to Kentucky for a horse show and used it to take shots of horses jumping over fences...many of them I used digital zoom for because I could not get close enough for the shot I wanted...and I have to tell you I was SHOCKED at how good the images came out. Motion pictures of a horse jumping a fence with the digital zoom? Everything I had ever heard about the digital zoom on digital cameras involved "don't use it for anything you would not want to be blurry".
   
   Want to see what this camera can do?
   
   I took that picture with this camera.



3. I absolutely love this camera. I bought it on sale, not knowing as much as I could have known about digi cams, but I wasn't disappointed. It takes extremely sharp pictures, has alot of settings you can change (if you like to move away from the point-and-shoot simplicity) and of course, has the great Carl Zeiss lens. I would recommened its older brother, the DSCP200, since it has a bigger LCD screen, but 2 of the modes on the wheel seem to missing from the DSCP150 to the 200. Definately get a 1 gig memory stick, because its hard to downsize from 7.2 megapixels if you don't have to.



4. The camera (along with the other P-series) has a well-known tendency to get dust on the sensor. This shows up in brightly lit outdoor scenes when the shutter is stopped down. Sony warranty service proved to be a joke -- they claimed my fully functional camera had corrosion damage and was unrepairable. [...]
   
   The slow shutter speed when a flash is used is also a problem. However, for outdoor use and general pocket camera usage, the P150 would be a jewel if it weren't for the dust problem.



5. When it did work, for about a month, it was ok. Very sensitive to movement, but ok. After I took it with me on a trip I got blurry, dark images under the best of conditions. Otherwise I got nothing at all. Quite often the screen would be almost completely black. Maybe I got the one bad one or maybe they don't survive airport security. I finally threw it away in disgust on my honeymoon.

5 comments about Sony Cybershot DSC-T100 8.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and Super Steady Shot (Black).

1. Everyone, including Cnet, is talking about what a great deal this camera is for $400. But I can't find it anywhere for less than $600. Did the price go up recently?



2. This is the third digital camera I've owned and the picture quality is terrible. The pictures come out blotchy and blurry unless the object is standing perfectly still and there's the perfect amount of light. I love the camera, it's display and menu, and the overall handiness, but the pictures are truly disappointing.



3. Its odd to add a review for a camera now out of production, but consistently this camera rates significantly higher then its successors the T200, or T300. The later generations have higher resolution images, and improved software. But this older model delivers better pictures, and more pictures per charge. In the end isn't that what you get a camera for?
   
   Its sad, but true, that the photo journals and consumer report articles on the newer cameras consistently report them as disappointingly inferior to this older model. This explains why this old model now sells for more, sometimes twice as much, as it did when it was in production - or as the newest successor sells for now.



4. Good product from sony.
   I am surprised to see its price getting increased after I had purchased the product.



5. I know that it is very expensive, but if you can afford it, don't think twice about it. I had the model before this one but gave it away to my nephew and run home to buy another one and found this new model. Takes the pictures fast, the clarity and sharpeness is amazing. Many choices and simple to navegate. Easy to learn. Fits in your pocket and ready to shoot in half a second. If I lose it tomorrow, I will buy another one the day after.