Compared to the Minolta DiMAGE 7
As only the DSC-F707 is only the second 5 megapixel digital camera on the market there's really only one other camera we can compare it to, Minolta's DiMAGE 7. Both cameras use the Sony 2/3" 5.24 megapixel CCD, both cameras have large zoom lenses (though the DiMAGE 7 has 28 mm wide angle). The most significant differences are in the actual camera design, storage media and price.
Feature comparison
In the comparison chart below I have highlighted any feature / detail which I see as an advantage / improvement. Other features which are different but may be more of a personal choice (or marketing hype) have been left for you to decide which you feel is more important to you.
| Sony DSC-F707 | Minolta DiMAGE 7 | |
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| Street price | US$ 999 | US$ 1399 |
| Case | Magnesium Alloy | Magnesium Alloy / Plastic |
| Body design | Split lens / body & LCD | Fixed 'compact camera' type |
| CCD | 2/3" 5.24 megapixel, RGB CFA | 2/3" 5.24 megapixel, RGB CFA |
| A/D converter | 14 bit | 12 bit |
| Resolutions | 2560 x 1920, 2560 x 1712 (3:2), 2048 x 1536, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 | 2560 x 1920, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 |
| Image formats | TIFF, JPEG | RAW, TIFF, JPEG |
| Lens | 5x optical (38 - 190 mm) | 7x optical (28 - 200 mm) |
| Lens max aperture | F2.0 - F2.4 | F2.8 - F3.5 |
| Zoom type | Electro-mechanical (dual speed) | Mechanically linked |
| AF Assist Lamp | Yes, Hologram AF (laser) | None |
| AF modes | Contrast detect (wide area) | Contrast detect (3 area), Spot AF |
| Lens thread | 58 mm | 49 mm |
| Manual focus | Focus-by-wire ring | Focus-by-wire ring |
| Manual focus zoom | Yes, 2x | Yes, 4x |
| ISO sensitivity | Auto, 100, 200, 400 | Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800 |
| Metering | Multi-Segment, Center-weighted, Spot | Multi-Segment, Center-weighted, Spot |
| AE Lock | Yes, button | Yes, button |
| AE Bracketing | Yes, 3 images | Yes, 3 images |
| Shutter speed | 30 - 1/1000 sec | Bulb, 4 - 1/2000 sec |
| Shutter priority | 46 shutter speeds | 27 shutter speeds |
| Aperture priority | 13 apertures | 7 apertures |
| Noise reduction | Yes (2.5 seconds or slower) | No |
| White Balance | Auto, Indoor, Outdoor, Manual | Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Manual |
| Picture controls | Sharpness | Contrast, Colour, Sharpness |
| Continuous | 2.8 fps for 3 images | 1.2 fps for 5 images |
| Movie clips | 320 x 240, 160 x 120, unlimited with audio | 320 x 240, 60 secs max, no audio |
| Self timer | Yes | Yes |
| Timelapse | No | Yes |
| Remote control | Yes, optional | Yes, optional |
| Flash | Pop-up (automatic) | Pop-up (manual) |
| External flash | Sony flash via ACC connect & shoe | Minolta flash via hot-shoe |
| Storage media | Memory Stick | Compact Flash Type I & II |
| Supplied storage | 16 MB Memory Stick | 16 MB Compact Flash card |
| Viewfinder | EVF 180,000 pixels | EVF 71,000 pixels |
| LCD | 1.8" 123,000 pixels | 1.8" 112,000 pixels |
| Connectivity | USB, A/V out | USB, Video out |
| Power | Lithium-Ion Batt & Charger | 4 x AA batteries (NiMH recommended) |
| Print compliance | DPOF, Print Image Matching | DPOF, Print Image Matching |
| Weight (inc. batt) | 667 (1.5 lb) | 603 g (1.3 lb) |
| Dimensions | 120 x 67 x 148 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 5.8 in) |
117 x 91 x 113 mm |
| Startup time | ~ 4.0 sec | ~ 4.0 sec |
| Battery life | 4 hr 20 mins | 1 hr 14 mins |
| Colour space | sRGB (approx.) | Proprietary (can be converted to sRGB, Adobe RGB etc.) |
A quick glance through the features shows us that both cameras are well equipped in slightly different ways. Considering the price difference the F707 is certainly looking like the more attractive choice.
Note: Comparison shots below were made with a pre-production Sony DSC-F707, a production comparison can be found here. (In the comparison below the major difference with a production camera would be the removal of the visible green cast).
Outdoor landscape comparison
The scene below was shot from a tripod with both cameras literally seconds apart. Both cameras were set to ISO 100, aperture F8.0 and automatic white balance. Scene was shot at a variety of similar focal lengths and the best two matches selected.
| Sony DSC-F707 (pre-production) | Minolta DiMAGE 7 (v021e) |
| ISO 100, F8.0, 1/500 sec, JPEG FINE Straight from camera |
ISO 100, F8.0, 1/750 sec, JPEG FINE Converted to sRGB |
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| Sony DSC-F707 | Minolta DiMAGE 7 (v021e) |
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First off I'd better make it clear that the DiMAGE 7 shot has been run through the Minolta Image Viewer application to convert it to the sRGB colour space, this is something we discovered during its review as a requirement for optimum colour. You can download the original (unconverted) image here (2,263 KB).
Overall the balance (tone) of the images is quite similar, looking at white balance it's clear that the F707 was just slightly closer to the mark, the DiMAGE 7 shot looking a little 'warmer'. The F707 seems to handle highlights a little better too, showing a more gradual stepping before overexposure than the DiMAGE 7. Colour wise the F707 shows more vivid colours (though maybe a little too strong).
Resolution appears similar at first, though scanning over the image as a whole I'd have to give the F707 the edge, less effected by noise and a lens that seems to be a little sharper it's managing to resolve those few additional pixels which can make the difference between a smooth angular transition and 'blockiness'.
Noise crop (broken down into red, green and blue components)
| Sony DSC-F707 | Minolta DiMAGE 7 (v021e) |
| ISO 100, F8.0, 1/500 sec Straight from camera |
ISO 100, F8.0, 1/750 sec Converted to sRGB |
| Full Colour RGB (below) | |
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| Red Channel (below) | |
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| Green Channel (below) | |
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| Blue Channel (below) | |
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Breaking the image down to its RGB components it's easier to see noise. The F707 definitely seems to have noise under control (thanks to its 'Clear Colour Noise Reduction'), there's the very slightest hint of some in the red channel crop but certainly not as much as is visible in the DiMAGE 7 crop. Keeping the noise levels low also leaves the F707's images looking sharper and smoother and enhances the cameras ability to resolve detail.
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