Rating: 
Summary: Thumbs Up
Review: This is my introduction to the digital camera. So far, I'm very pleased with the results. The Mavica is programmed with five picture formats: Fine, Sepia, B&W, Negative Art, and Solarize. It is easy to use, even for the beginner. I disagree with some of the reviewers regarding its size. I was able to shove it in my purse when I wasn't using it; however, for the price, I would've liked to see it come with an extra battery and a carrying case. It does come with a shoulder strap, which isn't uncomfortable. The camera has zoom capability, but I found that you have to be careful with blurring. I don't fault the camera, but the photographer. I have had some experience with blurred pictures and red-eyes. Photo-enhancing software such as PhotoShop will take care of that. I know because I've tried. The Mavica works well with Macs and PCs. The only problem I came across was sending the pictures after editing them with PhotoShop. If your mother doesn't have the same software that you do, then you will have to send that blurry or red-eyed picture of Junior. Oh, well. I like this camera, but if I win the lottery someday, I will go out and buy a CD camera because of the memory constraints that these floppy-based cameras have.
Rating:
Summary: FD73 an okay, fun camera
Review: The Sony Mavica FD73 is lots of fun and easy to use. The convenience of being able to use 3 1/2" discs as your storage media is worth a lot. The zoom and macro capability is excellent. Having said that, the picture quality is acceptable for snapshots, email, and auction sites, but is a far cry from photo quality. The images get very grainy in low light, and are quite pixelated if enlarged at all. Reflections and very bright spots are not handled well...light to dark transitions are coarse. You'll be able to get decent prints up to about 5X7, but beyond that things start to get a bit fuzzy. I've had great fun with this camera and enjoy using it, but I'm currently shopping for an FD88 to improve the image quality.
Rating: 
Summary: If you like hard copies...this camera isn't for you
Review: If you are looking for easy storage of pictures without the hassle of uploading them to your PC, this is the camera for you. It is big and bulky. Pictures are terrific, cam is easy to use.Best: Easy to use.
Worst: Big & Bulky.
Rating:
Summary: FD 73 - Best Camera I've Had
Review: I have had the FD 73 for three years now. When it was brand new, my wife got hit by a wave at the tip of Cabo San Lucas with the camera around her neck. The camera was in a case but the wave was so strong, water and sand actually got in the camera. We dried it out and it didn't affect camera function at all. That was a huge relief because three years ago this camera sold for $500. I use it at work a lot to take pictures at office functions. Everyone is amazed I can pop the disc in any computer and email or print the pictures instantly. I have used it on vacations outside the US in Internet Cafe's to email pictures home. It's best features are it's so easy to use and you can view the pictures on any computer anywhere in the world simply by inserting the floppy disc. The only problem I have had with the camera is getting consistent picture quality in very light or very dark settings. That may be operator error but after three years it still happens. I have looked at upgrading to a MVC with more megapixels but I have learned for each feature you add you lose some of the simplicity of the FD73.
Rating:
Summary: It has been a good three years.
Review: This camera was a gift to me by my parents before I set off to study abroad in Japan three years ago. It was given to me with the promise that I would email photos back home on a frequent basis. Since then I have spent two years in Japan and have taken over 12,000 photos with the Mavica. It is extremely durable -- I have dropped it at least a half-dozen times from a standing height, and has been exposed to mist and humidity countless times -- and it still functions perfectly to this day. The function of the floppy disk easily makes it the most convenient camera for email and quick uploading. Though because of the size it is to accommodate the floppy disk, the camera is a little on the bulky size. And the zoom is incredible! The 10x optical zoom is still the function that has most impressed people who have seen the photos I have taken. Yes, the camera has poor picture resolution compared to most cameras on the market, and it has been the one function that has frustrated me when I wish to take detailed photos, but the camera has served me well; a great rough and tumble digital camera. Ultra convenient and superb in LCD viewing with quality and speed (most cameras have a jerky reaction to movement when viewing, not this camera), this is a perfect camera for a person new to digital cameras or needs one for quick and snappy photography. I would have rated it 5 stars, but with the plethora of cameras out there today, this camera's glory days are over.
Rating:
Summary: Good camera, but the resolution...
Review: The Mavica FD73 is a good camera if you're just getting started out. But the low 0.3 megapixel resolution is a problem. Even on the "fine" setting, it's still not enough detail to really satisfy. Love the removable-media method of storing pictures - allows extended sessions by giving you an unlimited and easily-replenishable supply of media (you can make a quick dash to a local Wal-Mart in a pinch). All in all, great camera for casual photo-shooting, or if you're shooting photos for a personal Web site or small-business Web site. But if you're really into photography, and need the resolution, get one of the CD Mavicas.
Rating: 
Summary: Perfect For A Beginner!
Review: This camera is perfect for what it is meant to do....provide a user-friendly, quality introduction to digital photography for the beginner. I had never used a digital camera before, and the very first day that I had the camera, I was snapping away like a pro. (And I bought the camera at an on-line auction site for an excellent price, so it's an even better bargain!) I am even pleased with the quality of the printed-out pictures; I've noticed that the quality of the photos improve if I edit the pictures down to a smaller size (my computer's pre-loaded photo software program will do this.) It's important to remember that, if a shot doesn't come out perfectly, you can always view it through the LCD display, delete it, and re-take the shot. If I ever get more seriously into digital photography, I will consider an upgrade to a higher-resolution Mavica, but for now I am having a ball with this camera!
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