Sony 505 Cybershot digital camera

[stlewis]

Thomas; is this the kind of thing you want?

I have had my 505 for over a year now and it is one of my favourite tools/toys.

Its strengths are:
- good lens, with 5x zoom
- USB connection so download is easy and quick
- compact
- extra lenses are available fairly easily - I have a 2x doubler to push the zoom further and a wide angle fitting
- memory disk which is great if you have a Vaio laptop
- with a 32Mb card, I have got over 80 photos on (1600x1200)

Weaknesses are:
- 2.1 mega pixel tho the quality is fine for me
- no good for people with big hands or fat fingers - the controls are dainty
- colour saturation is usually too great
- slow to focus etc so action shots under automatic are impossible
- viewing is via screen only which is difficult in bright light
- Sony has not (yet) allowed you to update the software - the current 505 has a few tweaks and you would have thought that the software ones could be provided for older models

You will end up spending more money than the basic price; this is probably true with most other digital cameras. As well as the lenses, I have bought a memory stick reader for my non-Vaio PC, a second battery, a case (!), more memory sticks, and a tripod to allow me to use the zoom doubler.

If you have yet to buy a digital camera, you will find you use it a lot, even as a scanner(!). I tend to take lots of photos of the same thing and then select the best later - like these 10 rolls of film maniacs do.

www.thelondonhouse.co.uk

[stlewis]

Thomas; is this the kind of thing you want?

I have had my 505 for over a year now and it is one of my favourite tools/toys.

Its strengths are:
- good lens, with 5x zoom
- USB connection so download is easy and quick
- compact
- extra lenses are available fairly easily - I have a 2x doubler to push the zoom further and a wide angle fitting
- memory disk which is great if you have a Vaio laptop
- with a 32Mb card, I have got over 80 photos on (1600x1200)

Weaknesses are:
- 2.1 mega pixel tho the quality is fine for me
- no good for people with big hands or fat fingers - the controls are dainty
- colour saturation is usually too great
- slow to focus etc so action shots under automatic are impossible
- viewing is via screen only which is difficult in bright light
- Sony has not (yet) allowed you to update the software - the current 505 has a few tweaks and you would have thought that the software ones could be provided for older models

You will end up spending more money than the basic price; this is probably true with most other digital cameras. As well as the lenses, I have bought a memory stick reader for my non-Vaio PC, a second battery, a case (!), more memory sticks, and a tripod to allow me to use the zoom doubler.

If you have yet to buy a digital camera, you will find you use it a lot, even as a scanner(!). I tend to take lots of photos of the same thing and then select the best later - like these 10 rolls of film maniacs do.

www.thelondonhouse.co.uk

[Thomas.Sorrill]

Hey Simon:

While I wasn't really thinking of hardware products to be inlcuded in the New Gear Forum (Hey, I'm a software guy at heart), I actually think it's great to be included off the bat.

In fact, this topic is a great one as I've been toying with the idea of getting a digital camera (I'm recently settled in the UK and still adjusting to the fact that I actually have to really think about how to USE my vacation time...previously, I was in Asia and vactaion time consisted of about 7 days personal time a year--which included sick leave as well).

I'd like to get a digital camera for various reasons:

1. I am planning a lot of mini-trips and would like to take photos. I like the idea that I can edit the photos on the fly...making sure I get what I want.

2. Fundamentally, I'm a guy. If there is a new toy out there, I'll buy it, play with it for a month, then stick it at the back of my closet and forget about it...just like all the loads of other electronic gizmos. I know this and recognize this for the monetary waste that it is, yet feel that it is part of what makes me a guy--in other words, a very important ritual similar in importance to Monday Night American Football, and the UEFA cup finals.

3. I am sort of updating a personal web site (eg: I put it together in a three day fit of boredom, uploaded it, and announced it to every single person I know....then never touched it again), and like the idea of using a digital format straight from the camera so I can bypass the scanner tedium.

I'm not really sure which camera would be best for me. I'm not even really sure how many "bells and whistles" I need with the camera. Heck, I'm still debating between fixed-focus and manual focus.

So what I'm looking for is some pointers, suggestions, tips, recommendations, disappointments, things to think about, etc.

Can anyone help me out?

T

[caraman1]

if only to take pics of patterns etc to use in Xara. Mine is indispensable, even though its an older Ricoh RDC-2 (3/4 megapixel) Most of the bitmap patterns I use have come from it.

Dennis

<a href=http://www.djart.com>DJArt & Design</a>

[Dan Huff]

I know I'm posting a little late to this, but I just saw it for the first time.

Thomas, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Nikon Coolpix 990, although the newer model is the 995. I've had it for about a year and I can't imagine wanting to use my old conventional cameras again. It's a 3.34 megapixel camera with tons of bells and whistles for the adventurous photographer, as well as automatic modes for the less picky. Around $900 US, last time I checked.

Or, there are much more expensive cameras with even greater resolution that I would love to have as well, but it would be hard to justify another purchase when I get beautiful, clear shots with TONS of detail, with my Nikon. I still haven't mastered all it's features. Great quality ,in the camera, it's optics, and the accessories and additional lenses I've bought for it, too.

It sure is nice NOT to have to screw around with the scanner, too.

Danny Huff
http://www.asherrocks.com
(I'm the guy who USED to have a lot of excess hair)

[stlewis]

I want one! This is version 2 of the 505. It's a bit chunkier, but it has a 3 hour battery, up-to-the-eye viewfinder (as well as screen), and some nifty focusing improvements. And a lot more pixels.

I'm still happy with my 505 after almost two years, despite a little trouble with the zoom switch, but Santa, if you are reading this...!

www.thelondonhouse.co.uk