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Sony DSC-S50 2MP CyberShot Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

Sony DSC-S50 2MP CyberShot Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

List Price: $699.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great photos - better than a film camera!
Review: I think this camera is really great. It takes excellant photos, the resolution is plenty for most any photos, and I like the display that flips up and turns 180 degrees so you can take your own photos (the new Cybershot models don't do this). The MPEGs with sound are really cool and everyone I have shown this too has been amazed that it takes videos with sound. The display is sometimes difficult to see in bright light, and it does not have a viewfinder, but I seem to adapt to this limitation without any problems. I like it more than most other brands of digital cameras and the memory sticks are priced right and hold a lot of photos. I bought the memory stick floppy disk adapter and it makes it easy to read the photos even though the USB interface is really simple to use also, if your computer has one. Just plan to have a CR-RW drive so you can save your photos and clear off the memory stick for taking more. It puts the time and date on your photos for recording when they were taken right on the print, which I have heard most other digital cameras don't do this. It is the perfect size, not too big, and it takes photos that make me look like a professional. I have taken beautiful sunsets that the exposure would not have been right if I had taken them with a 35mm camera. The menu system is great, and the camera has a large display (larger than the new Cybershot models) and a way to flip it around so it is protected from being scratched. I really like it and recommend buying it over the new equivalent model.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Snappin Fool
Review: I've been looking at Digital Camera's for about a year now. The Sony has always won my heart because of their Great reputation and Excellent Quality! I was shooting for the DSC-F505 which has a lot of the same qualities as this model. I decided to go for the middle of the road in price and chose the DSC-S50. I am thoroughly satisfied with what I have acquired! The picture quality is OUTSTANDING! I was used to receiving pictures that were 1.3mega pixels.. well this blows them away! This camera makes details crisper and cleaner than anything I've seen before.. it's an Excellent camera and a must-have for sharing your life through e-mail! Enjoy!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Just Right...
Review: My dad was the one who first bought this Sony Cybershot. At the time he used it a lot but now he's letting me have a go at it. The zoom is phenomenal and the 2.1 MP resolution is perfect, and allows the photos to be crisp and clinical. It can take reasnable MPEG movies and is very simple to use. Downloading the pictures onto computer proves to be quick and simple. The LCD screen is flexible allowing you better photos from awkward positions. The only small draw-back is that the shutter takes a bit too long too catch a fast moving object such as a bird. This camera was a really pleasent experience for me!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: All around GREAT camera
Review: Quick facts about this camera: It's light, battery life lasts roughly 3 hours of straight use, and the 4MB Memory Stick supplied is decent. The user interface is so simple I NEVER had to get the instructions. There are so many personal tweaks you can adjust to the camera (white balance, black and white mode, timed exposures, 10 second timer, great zoom lens, macro mode... the list goes on!). The movable LCD screen is crisp and is very convenient to use. The camera feels solid and well-built.

I personally bought a 32MB Memory Stick to gain more picture storage- this camera can now take 80-90 pictures at 1024x768 resolution. Also bought the Floppy Disk Adapter... but stick with the USB if you already have it on your computer.

Also, one side note- this camera will be able to link to your Sony Playstation2 video game console in the future!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent companion to the Sony Digital Camcorder Series
Review: Since my purchase of the Sony DCR-TRV10 camcorder earlier this year, I found that the 640x480 resoution wasn't enough for all of my digital imaging needs. The CyberShot DCS-S50 not only takes excellent pictures on it own, but is an excellent companion to this digital camcorder. The memory sticks are interchangeable between the Camcorder and the CyberShot. Since the DSC-S50 has higher resolution capability I can take my still images stored on the Memory Stick from the camcorder and increase their resolution with the CyberShot without having to first download them to my PC. (keep in mind that your Sony Memory Stick must have enough space to add these higher resolution images, also remember, high res. means higher memory consumption) These two products also share the same rechargeable battery pack, lens size (.37mm), memory sticks and recharger. Since my earlier camcorder purchase, I have aquired more Memory Sticks and after market zoom and wide angle lens. All of these devices are interchangeable.

The main reason that I didn't go ahead and purchase the DCS-S70 (3.3 Megapixel) was the incompatibilty between lens and sizes. This DCS-S50 (2.1 Megapixel) made a lot more sense once you weighed in the interchangeability factor.

I am pleased that this manufacturer decided to maintain this compatability an allow me to enhance my digital photography collection.

I also agree with some others and wish it had a supplemental fixed view finder like the DSC-S70, for bright sun and very low light occasions. But all in all, I believe it is an excellent digital camera value.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Delivers the goods
Review: The DSC-S50 is my second digital camera and I have been very satisfied with it. It is very easy to use and has the power user features that you expect for a camera of it's class. I use it for capturing pictures for the web and it's 2.1 megapixel resolution is more than adequate for that purpose. It comes with only 4 megs of storage, but is easy to upgrade. Lexar noew makes memory sticks and the price is close to the compact flash prices. I picked up a 32 mb stick and I can take about 80 pictures at the medium resolution of 1024x768. The big drawback is the lack of an optical viewfinder. The LCD display is very nice, but drains the battery. It's also very difficult to see in bright daylight.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The good and the bad
Review: The good news is this camera is packed with alot of great features and is extremely simple to use. The LCD screen is the best I've had the privledge of viewing. Also, the screen twisting capability makes it really easy to compose regardless of subject position. The on screen display and joystick control make it a snap to navigate between options. The picture taking is fast compared to other cameras I've used that have a 2-3 second delay. Also, power on and zoom is fast. The battery life is fantastic for a digital camera. At this point, the perfect camera for me...

Unfortunately, the bad makes this camera completely useless for me. The pictures are awful, even though others have written good reviews. At first I thought it might be user error, so I went through all the manuals, tried a bunch of different settings, took flash and ambient light pictures... all had the same result... dark pictures and lacking definition. So, then I thought it was the camera so I exchanged and got a second one -- same thing. I'm returning this camera tomorrow for good.

The Kodak DC290 has a relatively short battery life, a mediocre display and is slow, but takes amazingly beautiful pictures with perfect color rendition. I'm staying with it... If Sony could get better picture quality it would be the perfect camera for my needs.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sony Comes Through
Review: The Sony DSC-S50 may not be the cheapest digital camera you can buy, but it certainly has to be one of the best. The USB port makes loading your pictures on a computer really easy. The controls and menu layout are similar to the Mavica, so if you have used that camera then you already know how the menu system on this one works. The small size and storage capacity are what sold me on this camera. As noted in some other reviews, a viewfinder would be nice, because if you are taking pictures outside, it can be difficult at times to see the image on the flip-up screen. But those are about the only drawbacks to this camera I can think of. I have taken most of my pictures at the lowest resolution, and even then, they are still EXCELLENT pictures. I even posted a picture of a book cover on ebay, and you could read every word that was printed on the book cover. I used the Macro mode and it worked great. I have used a Kodak and Mavica (not owned) in the past, and found the Kodak to be OK, but it isn't in the same league with SONY. I also have to give AMAZON a plug here too. They gave me great service, shipping costs were reasonable, and you save at least $50 or so compared to a typical retailer. This camera comes with a 4mb Memory Stick and I bought a 16mb for additional storage capacity, and I would definitely recommend getting at least that. They are a little pricey right now, but I'm betting the price will drop in the future. Overall, this is a great camera and you won't be disappointed if you buy it. Don't waste your money on off-brands.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: consumer friendly
Review: the sony dscs50 cybershot digital camera is a much improved design on the mavica series, while giving high resolution and delivering a compact stylish case. the resoulution is good for web pages, home photos transfer, and comes with good editing resources. The other advantage is the easy storage on the memory stick and of course the adaptors make it easy to insert as a floppy into your pc. to summarise the advantages are:

1. good resolution 2. easy to carry 3. easy storage 4. no complicated software 5. easy to transfer onto the pc

The disadvantages are:

1. The resolution is not as good as the 3+ mega pixel cameras available today. 2. THe price is not competitive enough

i would reccomend this camera to anyone who's starting out with digital cameras and wants a easy to use,stylish, camera which yields above average resoultion pics by digital camera standards. This concludes my review

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GREAT Camera with TWO minor drawbacks
Review: This is my first digital camera. I origionally intended to purchase the Mavica 90 however when I found the Cybershot, I fell in love with the SIZE and the 2.1 megapixel. The battery life on this camera is fantastic, 2 1/2 hours. The batteries and memory sticks interchange with most of Sony's newer model video cameras. The flash works great in TOTAL darkness up to about 5 feet, after that, it's not much good. In low light, the flash works great. One fantastic feature is the screen, it is clear, sharp and when not in use, turns inward so it is protected from getting scratched ect., a definate PLUS! The screen is some what dark when shooting in low light but you can take your shot and look at it right away in "play" mode to see how the shot came out. For me, a minor inconvenience when shooting in LOW LIGHT. The controls are easy to figure out and after playing with them for about 15 minuites, I was ready to go. The video mode will record up to 60 seconds and the sound is really good, given the size of this little baby. Now for the few MINOR drawbacks. First, the 4 meg memory stick supplied with the camera is a joke. Plan on getting at least an 8 meg but I would suggest no less than a 32 meg. Second drawback is the Memory stick/Floppy Disk adaptor. When I purchased it, I was told it worked just like the Mavica - it DOES NOT. Without the software, the adaptor does not work, so if you plan on popping it into a friends computer to look at your pics (Like the Mavica), forget it, unless you carry the software disk around with you. All in all though, this is a great little camera. Smaller, higher pixels and cheaper in price than the Mavica. It performs as advertised by Sony and I was not disappointed. One suggestion, look at the sony starter kit, it includes a carry case, 8 meg memory stick and extra battery, well worth the money in my opinion. If you do get it, I would place a piece of foam in the bottom of the carry case to better padd the camera. Bottom line, if you have been looking at the Mavica's, look at the Cybershot 50 before you make your purchase. If you can do without throwing the floppy disk format into anyone's computer then the cybershot is better, smaller and lighter. For me, it was a minor trade off. EVERY person I have showed this camera to now wants one !


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