Sony DSC-F707 Review
Review based on a full production Cyber-shot DSC-F707*
The 2 megapixel DSC-F505 was originally revealed back in August 1999, and we were the first site to review it. In April 2000 Sony announced an upgraded camera named the DSC-F505V, it was essentially the same lens and camera engine but with a 3.3 megapixel sensor. Because the lens system wasn't altered the F505V couldn't cover the required 3.14 megapixels, instead it produced a 2.6 megapixel (1856 x 1392) image.
So here we are some 16 months after the F505V, and some two years since the F505, Sony has revealed the 5 megapixel F707. This digital camera has the same lens / swivelled body design of the F505, indeed at first glance their are a lot of similarities, look closer and you'll see that this camera is an impressive evolution in the best sense of the word.
The F707 still features a 'Carl Zeiss' lens, of course this time focal lengths have had to change, the F707 uses a larger 2/3" CCD compared to the original 1/2" CCD (2 megapixel F505). The old lens had a focal length range of 7.1 - 35.5 mm (5x, 38 - 190 mm equiv.), the new lens has a focal length range of 9.7 - 48.5 mm (5x, 38 - 190 mm equiv.). Also of interest is that the new lens is quite a bit faster than the old, the old lens had maximum aperture of F2.8 at wide angle and F3.3 at telephoto, the new lens has a maximum aperture of F2.0 at wide angle and F2.4 at telephoto (that's a stop faster).
Review update (5th September 2001)
This review was originally based on a pre-production DSC-F707. I have now completed updating this review with results from a full production DSC-F707. As well as fully verifying the review text I have also re-shot a lot of samples and updated test results etc. For those who read the review before this update here's a log of changes:
| Section | Item | Action | Notes |
| Introduction | Review update | Add | Added this item |
| Body/Design | All | Verify | Green dot on nightshot switch |
| Operation | Top controls | Update | Updated text and image |
| Timings & Sizes | Performance | Verify | Faster: power up, shot to shot |
| Features | ISO | Re-shoot | |
| Features | Flash | Re-shoot | Identical result |
| Features | Night Shot | Re-shoot | Better night shots, almost no 'black holes' |
| Image Quality | Resolution Chart | Re-shoot | Identical result |
| Image Quality | White Balance | Re-shoot | No more green cast on daylight AWB |
| Image Quality | Clipped reds | Verify | Now with comparison to Canon G2, red is better |
| Compared to.. | DiMAGE 7 | Update | Added 'pre-production' notice, moved to end |
| Compared to.. | New page - G2 | Shoot | Added compared to Canon G2 |
| Compared to.. | 4-way comparison | Update | |
| Conclusion | All | Update | |
| Samples | New Gallery | Replace | Replaced gallery with production gallery |
F707 vs. F505V
Here's a quick summary of the primary differences between the DSC-F505V and the DSC-F707.
 Sony DSC-F707 |
 Sony DSC-F505V |
||
| CCD pixels |  |
5.24 megapixels | 3.3 megapixels |
| CCD effective output | |
4.92 megapixels | 2.6 megapixels |
| CCD size** | |
2/3" | 1/1.8" |
| CCD Colour Filter Array | |
G - R - G - B | G - R - G - B |
| Max resolution | 2560 x 1920 | 1856 x 1392 | |
| Lens max aperture | F2.0 - F2.4 | F2.8 - F3.3 | |
| Lens thread | 58 mm | 52 mm | |
| Auto Focus | Contrast AF, NightFraming, Hologram AF (laser) | Contrast AF (no AF assist lamp) | |
| ISO sensitivity | Auto & ISO 100, 200, 400 | Auto (ISO 100 - 300) | |
| Exposure modes | Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Full Manual, Scene | Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Scene | |
| Metering | Multi-Segment, Center-Weighted Average, Spot | Center-Weighted Average, Spot | |
| AE-Lock button | Yes (one shot) | None | |
| Exp. compensation | Button | Menu | |
| Shutter speed range | 30 - 1/1000 sec | 8 - 1/1000 sec | |
| Noise reduction | Clear Color and Slow Shutter | None | |
| Night mode | NightShot (removes IR filter) | None | |
| Continuous shooting | Burst 3 - 2.8 fps, 3 frames | None | |
| Exposure bracketing | Yes, 3 frames | None | |
| Movie mode | MPEG EX only limited by storage | MPEG time limited | |
| External flash | Dummy shoe 'holder', sync port | Sync port | |
| Viewfinder | EVF | None | |
| LCD | 1.8" LCD with anti-reflective coat | 2.0" Sunlight Hybrid | |
| Power | InfoLithium M (8.5 Wh) | InfoLithium S (4.1 Wh) | |
| Zoom controller | Side of lens barrel (dual speed) | Rear of main body (dual speed) | |
| Misc. | Jog-dial, No Position Sensor | Position Sensor |
4.92 megapixels
The
DSC-F707 becomes the second digital camera we've reviewed which uses the
new 2/3" 5.24 mp Sony
ICX282 CCD. The camera outputs a 4.92 megapixel image (2560 x 1920)
from this CCD. Coming from the 2.6 megapixel F505V this is certainly a
big step up, the diagram below will give you a visual scale display of
the difference between 2.6 megapixels and 4.92 megapixels.
Here are a few other ways of thinking about the increase in resolution (compared to the F505V's 2.6 megapixel image):
- The output image is 704 pixels wider and 528 pixels taller
- The output image has 2.33 million more pixels
- Prints at 150 dpi would cover an extra 4.7 inches horizontally and 3.5 inches vertically
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this review (it may help you
understand some of the terms used).
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Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (normally 960 x 720 or smaller if cropped) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
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This review is Copyright 2001 Phil Askey and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey.
