The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828 is Sony’s entry into the 8 megapixel digital camera arena. But what makes this digital camera more noteworthy than the fact that it has 8 megapixels, is its fantastic Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 7x optical zoom lens. Focal length (35mm equiv.) for this 8 megapixel camera is 28mm – 200mm, with Max. Aperture between F2.0 and F2.8. The big disadvantaje here is that sony does not support conversion lenses, even if the shape of its robust body might make you think it would.
Cybershot DSC-F828 is equipped with a dual memory slot , which means that beside supporting the Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO memory cards also the CompactFlash format is supported. Cybershot F828 has not the best optics with unacceptable chromatic aberrations when shooting w/ wide angle. Also a bit noisy at higher ISO, but the good part: unmatched sharpness and colors, an arsenal of features (Standard and Real color modes, and adjustable saturation).
The fact that the camera has too many buttons makes it somewhat difficult to use. A lens cap is included to protect the front of the lens when you are not using the camera. A retaining strap is also included to tether the lens cap to the camera so you don’t lose the lens cap when you are not using it. Sony Cyber Shot DSC-F828 once again comes through for sophisticated snapshot photographers but falls short for the most advanced amateurs.
Technical Data:
• 1.8 inch LCD
• 8 Megapixel
• 7X optical + 2X digital zoom
• ISO sensitivity: 64/100/200/400/800
• f/2.0-to-f/2.8 maximum aperture
• JPEG + RAW + TIFF (12 seconds for a RAW pic, 10 for TIFF which is very slow)
• 2EV exposure compensation
• Manual white balance
• Shutter-priority, aperture-priority, and fully manual exposure
• Metering: evaluative, center-weighted, or spot
• Shooting Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Twilight, and Twilight Portrait
• Recording: 30 fps MPEG-1 video
• Memory Stick / Memory Stick Pro and Compact Flash Type II are all compatible for image storage
[tags]7x optical zoom, 8MP, camera, digital camera, dual memory slot, RAW, Sony Cyber Shot DSC-F828, sony cybershot, Cybershot F828[/tags]
To call this camera just apt for snapshot amateurs is either arrogance or ignorance! After 30 years of photography ( old canon F1, nikon F100 ) this F828 is my entry to digital, and with the correction possibilities of Adobe Lightroom and CS2 it’s a long way to reach the end of creative shooting. Maybe the only worthy camera is a Hasselblad?
It’s a pity Sony did not bring out a newer model with the same range of options (nightshot etc.)