Reviews

Sony CyberShot F828


From the very start, Sony was out to prove something with their F-series digital cameras: digital cameras donāt have to resemble their film-based predecessors, and that if the new look of 21st century cameras was up for grabs, Sony was going to take it and run with it.

The original lens-centric F505 from 1999 showed us all that Sony was going to shake things up and they have, by any measure, done so. Consistently in the top spot in worldwide sales, Sony cameras are everywhere you look. The vast majority of Sony digicams are their sleek ultra-compact models, but the F-series is where the company likes to show off its latest technological innovations and style concepts. These machines are packed to the gills with everything the engineers can dream up, each new model more bristling than the last.

Which of course brings up the question: Is this what most people want in their everyday cameras? The answer is resoundingly no, but these big units are not aimed at the masses, who tend top prefer more pocket/purse friendly designs. The F828, like the F717, F707, F505V, and F505 before it, are built to please the gadget lover ÷ the hobbyist who wants the features and power in a futuristic-looking package that screams ćcutting edgeä to all.

And thatās a good thing. These top-end cameras, like the Ford GT, are reputation builders. They get people into stores to take a look, though most will probably end up buying something costing half as much and one-third the size.

If you happen to be a hopelessly addicted gadget-freak (as I admittedly am) then let me tell you about a very powerful, very unconventional looking new digital camera from Sony that may be just what the doctor ordered.

First and foremost, the F828 is designed to be operated with two hands: one under the big Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens and the other holding the camera body. Most adults will be able to hand-hold shots with this camera, but not for long periods, as it is front heavy and prone to shake. Before you even consider this camera, hold one and click off a few frames, just to be sure it feels right to you.

Impressive numbers
If youāre into numbers, this beauty certainly has Īem. The F828 is the first true 8-megapixel consumer camera to hit the scene, with several more announced from Nikon, Canon, and other major players. It can generate 8x10-inch prints at 300 dots per inch, which is extremely wonderful if youāre into home inkjet printing. The new 7X lens gives you a fabulous range of 28mm-200mm, in 35mm camera terms. Thatās enough for 98% of all hobbyist photographers out there, but if you need even more range Sony offers some (pricey) screw-on wide and tele extenders. This lens is the first from Sony to offer not just the Carl Zeiss name but the very desirable T* lens element coatings for improved contrast and minimized optical distortion.

Continuing in the numbers vein, this camera offers very impressive card write speed of over 2MB per second, a 1.5-second startup time to first shot, and almost imperceptible shutter lag. This is the first Sony in my experience that feels ćprofessionalä in terms of performance. If responsiveness is important to you, you wonāt be dissappointed. One annoyance is the shutterās inability to reset itself for the next shot without a complete release. Itās a ćfeelä thing that I adjusted to after a few days shooting with it, but at first I missed some great action shots due to this. Again, try one at the store and see how it feels to you before you buy, or at least be sure to buy from an online or catalog reseller that makes returns easy.

Handling and control placement have improved markedly from previous F-cameras. The zoom is now fully manual ÷ no little buttons to fiddle and wait for. You just grab it, spin it, and shoot ÷ the way cameras are supposed to work. Every essential shooting feature is controlled by a handy button, switch, or the new pro-style thumbwheel. No longer will you hunt through menus for minutes on end to find the macro option or white balance selector. Your subjects will love you for it, or at least not whine quite so much as they used to.

The F828 itself is a tank, with a stout magnesium lens shell and body panels that are much thicker ÷ and somewhat heavier ÷ than previous F models. The entire surface is coated with a stippled black paint that feels industrial grade. Iād feel perfectly confortable wielding this camera in any environment where Iād take a Canon or Nikon professional model. It wouldnāt look out of place, nor would I expect it to fail after getting a little salt spray or sand blown on it. I would recommend a clear glass lens filter, though, as that T* coating is very delicate and not to be messed with.

My favorite features include the new support for CompactFlash cards in addition to Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro media, the tall pop-up flash, and the new high-density electronic viewfinder (EVF) that is one of the first to be a true replacement for good old optical designs.

As the first 8-megapixel camera to market, the new Sony cannot be said to be problem-free. The tiny photosites (picture elements) of the ultra-dense CCD imager produce a bit more random noise and chromatic aberration (purple fringing) than the current crop of 5-megapixel cameras from top makers. This problem is somewhat mitigated by the fact that you have so much resolution to work with that itās easy to fix, but not everyone is a Photoshop wizard. Macro shots are quite barrel distorted at the edges, far more so than other prosumer cameras. Finally, the camera does not support the standard Adobe RGB color space.

My girlfriend the car
I once had a girlfriend who a mutual friend described as being very much like a Studebaker Avanti ÷ you either love the way they look or you donāt; there is no middle ground. Sonyās new F is not for everyone, but it might very well be the perfect camera for you.

öDavid MacNeill

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