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Sony DSC-F505V Sony updates their popular DSC-F505V with a 3 megapixel sensor (2.6 million effective pixels) and all-new electronics! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet Sony DSC-F505V Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Design :(Previous) | (Next): Optics>> Page 4:Viewfinder Review First Posted: 06/01/2000

Viewfinder
Sony again left off the optical viewfinder on the DSC-F505V, eliminating the option to save battery power by not using the LCD. The LCD monitor itself is an unusual two inch TFT hybrid variety with a total resolution of 122,980 (559 x 220) pixels. Two LCD buttons (- and +) no longer control the brightness of the display, as they did in the DSC-F505. These buttons now adjust the volume in playback mode and the apeture/shutter speed in AE mode...more on this later. (However, an option does exist in the menus to alter the LCD brightness). A Display button to the left of the monitor turns the information and menu display on and off (helpful when you're trying to compose an image).

The LCD monitor used on the DSC-F505V is rather unusual, in that it's a "hybrid" transmissive/reflective design. That is, it can operate normally (transmissive), with the backlight panel providing the illumination you view the image with. It also provides a reflective mode, where it works by reflecting light from the surroundings back at the user. This works reasonably well in very bright direct-sunlit situations, where a backlit LCD would be completely useless. In these situations, you can switch the backlight completely off, and rely on the ambient light to view the LCD by. The downside of this LCD design is that there seems to be an intermediate range of ambient light levels where neither the reflective or transmissive modes work very well. We thus found the LCD rather difficult to view in medium-bright outdoor settings.