Sony DSCF505V Cybershot 2.6MP Digital Camera

First of all. NEAT camera! It looks like something Captain Kirk would use to snap pictures of the orange-skied planets he used to visit! The controls are laid out well, so that buttons and things are under one's fingers when he holds the camera, and the menu system is simple enough to use. I did not notice any loss of sharpness around the edges of the frame; the Zeiss-designed lens, mounted well away from the heat-producing CCD, probably has something to do with this. The controls permit some simple Real Camera-type manipulations: several shutter speeds, several exposure times, that sort of thing, but there aren't nearly as many tweakable settings, or as much range, as there would be in a film camera. The 505V is designed to be used as a waist-level camera, and shots taken this way should be composed with this in mind. The front of the lens is threaded for standard filters (don't recall the size offhand), obtainable at a photo store. A UV filter to protect the lens and a polarizing filter for outdoor shots of sky and clouds might be a couple of good things to consider.

As did several of the other reviewers, I have had problems getting good pictures in low-light conditions. Perhaps the CCD is not sensitive enough, or the shutter is held open too long for hand-holding, but low-light pics tend to come out blurry. The built-in flash is, of course, too close to the lens, though that's a problem with any camera whose flash is mounted right on the body. Last, the 505V is big. I've had it in some rather surprising places, but it was an effort to take it out of its case and put it back for every picture. I am considering getting a simple, compact digicam as an auxilliary adventure camera for spontaneous shots or narrow cave passages, though I do not anticipate the new camera replacing my 505.

I have bought a PCMCIA card for plugging the Memory Stick into my laptop (heh! I can mount it as a Linux filesystem and not have to touch any Windows software at all!), an extra battery, and of course, a bigger Memory Stick than the 8M one that came with the camera. I have also purchased a small Pelican case from the dive shop, so that I can get my pack wet or drop it onto hard places (or fall and land on it, as has also happened a few times), and not worry about damaging my camera. The Pelican case also fits an extra battery and as many Memory Sticks as I care to take along, and is thus a Good Thing.


Great curves and handling   May 24, 2002
J. Erickson (Seattle, Washington)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I like the camera very much. What is especially nice about it is the size. Yes it is rather large, but that is a plus when you are a large handed person and this is one of the most comfortable cameras that I have tried out to handle. The buttons aren't microscopic and the lens makes a pleasant handhold also. Smaller is not always better.
The one thing I do not care for is the response time when taking a picture and also when viewing pictures that have been taken. The camera also tends to get a little testy when you try to do close ups.
Otherwise, lovely.


Pros and Cons of the DSC-F505V   January 6, 2002
Kou Uraki (League City, Texas United States)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is a really good camera, but there are some drawbacks.

The large lens and overall design fits well in you hands, if you have small hands. The 505's image quality is very good and often opt for the lower resolution images (1856x1392). The low light capabilities are quite good, but you end up having to take one or two shots before finding the best as there is no enhancement of the LCD image prior to a shot. It is sometimes difficult to target with the camera unless you are used to the LCD screen. The menu system is very easy to navigate and allows you to do almost everything you need w/o the use of the computer. Despite the limited (~65min) battery, it is adequate to fill a 64 or 128Mb Memory Stick through normal use. A second battery along with the charger can keep you shooting all day long or as long as your memory holds out. As with any Sony product, the memory will cost you more but go to Synchrotech.com and they have good prices. The flash on the 505 is excellent. At its highest setting, it can easily penetrate 16-20ft.

Because of the 505's odd shape, it can be a challenge finding a good case for it other than the custom Sony case. I ended up with a Cascade Pack (#66009) a part of the MULTI pack series by MRock. Everything I need (camera, extra memory, extra battery, A/C battery charger and cables) will fit into this case and the overall size isn't much more than the camera itself.

Many of the people I work with wouldn't buy this camera as it is more camera than they need. The 505V is really for someone who wants more control of their shots than the simple point and shoot cameras that are out there, but the 505 does have that ability.


comparison to 35mm photography   December 14, 2001
James Sta Maria (Perth, Western Australia Australia)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Ive been a photographer for a number of years and when I decided to change my equipment I thought serously about digital cameras.
Being a graphic artist I and working with design in photoshop I found that this camera really suited my needs with its versitality.
One problem I found was that in low light situations I found that the lcd screen was too dark for my liking.
If any one out there found a way around this please let me know, I will apreaciate this.
Also flash seems to be not strong enought for group situations.
the little trigger buttons are sometimes being missed
But i would not swap this beauty for anything else except for the sony 707.