Most Impressed by this quality camera (Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S50)

Member Name: markgregs

Product:	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S50
Date:	05/04/01 (444 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Battery, Build Quality, Attention to Detail

Disadvantages: Nothing that should put you off

I had been toying with buying a digital camera for a while. I wanted a decent one, but was unable to persuade my girlfriend that we needed one enough to spend a few hundred on one. So when Argos offered the Sony DSC-S50 at a knockdown price of £350 I couldn't resist. Plus (I told my girlfriend) 'If we don't use it we can take it back after 16 days.' So the deal was done & I had my new toy.

First impressions were of a compact, robustly built, quality camera, with no case ! I amazes me that manufacturers feel that they must supply a leather case with the cheapest 35mm, but not with a digital camera costing hundreds.

There are a couple of minor niggles with the camera, like the lack of a case, and the fact that at maximum resolution you can only store approx 5 images on the memory stick supplied.
But initial impressions were good, especially when we took it to a dinner party & after taking a few shots (on lowest res)around the table, we passed it around the table & were able to enjoy the shots there and then. Even on the lowest resolution you can zoom right in on parts of the image, whilst viewing on the LCD, which impressed the hell out of everyone.
After that the girlfriend was actually quite keen to keep it, much to my surprise so I bougt a case for £4 from jessops & ordered a 32 mb memory stick off the net for about £75.
The things about the Sony that I appreciate the most are;
Tha battery, as it is like a Camcorder battery, showing the number of minutes remaining and will last for approv 3 hours, which is actually plenty enough for a weeks holiday, without worring about taking lead to re-charge. No worries or expense in buying batteries.
The way that you can easily drag and drop images on and off the camera onto your PC.
The slide show, where you plug into your TV & set it off, it will show images for the time you specify, and kick in video clips in sequence. (much more fun than flicking through photos.

Build quality, as I am a bit clumsy & have dropped it or knocked it off a chair arm a few times already & it just give a solid thud on the carpet, no worries.

I love this little camera & take it everywhere. Photos come out really well & can be printed or I would also recommend Photobox.co.uk on-line printing.

Will win over even the most cynical girlfriends !

Summary: