Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F717 5.0 MP Digital Camera - Silver

It's so hard choosing a digital camera today. With models changing soon after they're reviewed, how do we? Well if you like a super fast lens (lets lot a light in, even at full 5x zoom), then maybe this is the camera. It's not compact,but similar to a SLR except the Zeiss lens is not removable and you can't look directly through the lens. And try to buy an SLR with a 5x precision lens and a 2.0 to 2.4 aperture. You'd pay around $800 just for the lens. You can add a wide angle or zoom tele-conversion lens, but this increases the weight. Like the new Sony DSLR's, you can view at an angle, but instead of the display pivoting, the lens pivots.It has a fast focus,even uses a laser grid. It's durable magnesium/aluminum alloy frame can take a beating.I can see the two claws at the end of a grasshopper legs using macro.I love the night shots, so easy to see in the dark and compose great photos that would be It's almost impossible to get a second shot.I have taken several great photos of stars using time exposure.It takes awhile for the camera to process, but love seeing green grass, trees at midnight.When shotting the moon, try to have something else in the shot like interesting clouds, outline of tress,etc. Remember the moon is lit with reflected sunlight, so use manual modes and set like a daylight shot, i.e. 1/250th or 1/350 of a second.
This Sony only has 5 MP, but I'm not making billboards and the great 5x lens more than makes up for this lower number.What's the good of a camera with 10 MP, if the lens is poor ( small diameter, inferior optics,etc). This camera can be used as a point and shoot camera or for more advanced photography. So it doesn't have facial recognition or image stabilization, but then it doesn't have lag time to take the shot. It does not have RAW or split image focusing, but it's rare that I'll need it. So if you want a camera that's so much more than a point-and-shoot, but don't want go the SLR route that'll cost you over $1,000 with a good lens then maybe this cameras for you. These are some of the reasons it's still top rated by DPReview and so many others.

If you are looking for a reasonably priced great camera check out the Sony DSC-F717. I'm always amazed at the sharpness of my photos at highest telephoto magnification. At the time these cameras came out there was nothing that matched it in ease of use and quality. No cheap plastic parts to wear on this camera. Be sure to get one that had the CCD replaced from the factory to avoid any future problems.

I've had a DSC-F707 for 10 years with NO problems, nothing even loose. The DSC-F717 is the same quality product with the helpful addition of a working hot shoe for flash or fill lighting.

The lens is physically long, but that adds to the stability in hand holding the 10x optical zoom. The length also makes it makes it very convenient to carry the camera by the lens. The pivoting lens is a handy feature to hold the camera either very high or low and still see what you are shooting. Battery life is very good.

I just purchased a Hoya 720nm filter for infrared photography. Not many cameras can do this or shoot in complete darkness with real time infrared preview too. Sony hit it out of the park with this one. Older is not necessarily bad in this case. You don't need all the newest bells and whistles to take EXCELLENT quality photos.

I thought about upgrading, but I am STILL too impressed with this camera to change.

There are at least hundreds of new digital cameras of all types on the market right now, with every possible bell & whistle among them, not to mention megapixels galore. So why did I buy an older Sony F717 when I already have an Olympus E-410 dSLR? One word: infrared.

The F717 was a fairly high-end camera at its introduction, with a Carl Zeiss lens, multiple shooting modes, the ability to save images in either JPEG or TIFF format, and a unique body style that lets you work from pretty much any angle. And 5 megapixels was nothing to sneeze at. By today's standards, though, it's entry level, and many cameras have excellent optics and movable screens to allow shooting at odd angles. It's the infrared, or IR, that makes this camera still stand out.

In Nightshot mode, the camera flips an internal filter out of the way and the camera's sensor records light in the near-infrared range (approximately 750-900nm), which the human eye can't detect. It also uses a pair of small infrared sources around the outer edge of the lens to provide infrared illumination to focus and take pictures in total darkness. Handy for taking pictures when you're literally in the dark, but not what I was after.

Landscape images taken in infrared have an otherworldly quality. In black & white IR, the blue sky goes nearly black, and the green of the trees, shrubs, and grass becomes white. A tropical scene can become a wintry wonderland. You can spend a lot on an IR-capable SLR or to convert a normal one. If you just want to check out IR, the F717 is a great starting place at a very reasonable secondhand price.

Normal color pictures show that the Carl Zeiss lens is indeed good, and the adjustable angle of the lens comes in handy. Autofocus is fairly snappy, and the zoom can be managed with the typical rocker or using the ring on the outer end of the lens. In JPEG mode, images write to the proprietary Sony Memorystick quickly. However, TIFFs move painfully slowly: 30-40 seconds per image. Naturally, they also fill up the 'stick in a hurry, given their much larger uncompressed size.

Sony 'crippled' the NIghtshot mode somewhat after it hit the press that some people were using Sony's IR still & video cameras to shoot pictures through people's clothing. That's right, some fabrics are nearly transparent to IR; so are most sunglasses. Iin Nightshot mode, the aperture is locked at its largest size and the shutter works no faster than 1/60th of a second. In the dark, this won't be a problem. For daylight landscape images, this makes it nearly impossible to get an image that isn't heavily overexposed.

The solution: stack a good IR filter (try the Hoya R72) and a neutral density filter to block out most of the light. I use an ND8, but you can stack multiple filters of lower density. The lens takes 58mm filters; I strongly recommend 67mm filters and an adapter ring to avoid vignetting.

The image you see in the electronic viewfinder or on the LCD is coming straight from the sensor, so you're seeing the IR image that will be recorded. The images come out green, so you'll want to postprocess with Adobe Photoshop or another photo editor. Whether you convert the image to BW or to a toned image, the results can be both beautiful and eerie.

Downsides: This camera's JPEG artifacts are very heavy in IR images. If you print very large, this can be a problem. Writing TIFFs takes FOREVER but the landscape isn't running away. Just get a larger 'stick to hold those big files.

I bought this camera used around 3 years ago. I've taken lot of pictures and I love the quality of pictures and all the cool features. Manual modes are really useful if you want to take night pictures without flash. I've used it to take pictures of decorated houses on Christmas wit excellent results. The only negative comment I have is that a month ago I had a problem with the CCD sensor and the camera stopped taking pictures. I learned that there is a problem with the F717 but Sony will replace the sensor at no expenses to the owner. I contacted Sony service and they sent me shipping label to return my camera. I got it back repaired 5 days after without spending a single penny and it works like new. This offer for free repair will end on October 2007, so tke this in consideration before buying it.

I have one of these and my daughter wanted it - bought her this one instead. Much better than the newer digital cameras, fast, dependable outstanding lens and near perfect auto white light balance. I've been a professional photographer for over 30 years and when no one is looking, I ditch my Nikons and use the old Sony for smoother, better exposed and faster candid shots. She has used hers and found the same to be true. Excellent color, focus and color saturation. Unerring focus even in the dark. A simple to use digital with great zoom and easy to use functions,including a macro that knows no "too close" even on auto focus. Sony tech with Carl Zeis Optics is a winner. Modes from full auto to full manual, shutter, aperature - plus video. It's all there and all works perfectly. Tough camera - mine has withstood rain, freezing cold, heat, an occassional bump or two and rough handling on location. No problems. If you want a great and reliable digital that actually takes professional quality photos - get a Sony F-717. You won't be disappointed.