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
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