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Sony MVC-CD250 Sony adds features, and brings the price down on a 2 megapixel CD Mavica! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet MVC-CD250 Photo Gallery! MVC-CD250 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 on MVC-CD250 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, Software Review First Posted: 02/20/2002

Video Out
Both United States and Japanese models of the CD250 come equipped with an NTSC video cable for connection to a television set. (I assume that European models come with a PAL cable, since there is a PAL setting on the camera.) Once connected to the TV, you can review images and movies or record them to video tape.


Power
The CD250 is powered by an NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM battery pack (M series) and comes with an AC adapter which doubles as an in-camera battery charger. The InfoLITHIUM battery packs exchange information with the camera, reporting approximately how many minutes of battery life are left. This information is displayed on the LCD monitor with a small battery graphic. The AC adapter plugs into a small socket on the camera's hand grip (just beside the neck strap eyelet). It can run the camera without a battery inserted, or charge the battery when the camera isn't in use.

The Li-Ion battery packs used in Sony cameras prevented me from making my usual power measurements, but the good news is that the InfoLITHIUM system reports projected camera runtime while the battery is being used in the camera. The following runtimes were reported by the CD250 with a freshly charged battery, in Capture and Playback modes. (Note that the runtime with the LCD backlight turned off will doubtless be longer than what is indicated on the LCD monitor, but since the time-remaining readout is only shown on the LCD screen, that information is unavailable.) While these are some of the best runtime numbers I've seen among digicams I've tested, I still always recommend users purchase and pack along a second battery. (Another advantage of the Li-Ion technology used in the InfoLITHIUM batteries is that they don't "self-discharge" like conventional NiMH rechargeable cells do, and so can hold their charge for months on the shelf or in your camera bag.)

Operating Mode	Battery Life
Capture Mode, w/LCD	176 minutes
Image Playback	244 minutes

Included Software
The Sony Mavica-CD250 comes with a software CD loaded with a package called ImageMixer, and PTP manager (Picture Transfer Protocol, a protocol used by Windows XP). As of this writing, I haven't had a chance to evaluate this software package, so will defer comment on it until I've tested a full production version of the CD250

In the Box
Included in the box are the following items:

• Sony MVC-CD250 digital camera
• Neck strap
• Lens cap (w/strap)
• NP-FM50 rechargeable InfoLITHIUM battery pack
• AC adapter / battery charger
• NTSC video cable (PAL for European models)
• USB cable for connection to PC and Mac computers
• Software CD containing Pixella Image Mixer software and USB drivers
• One CD-RW disc, six CD-R discs, for a total of nearly 1 gigabyte(!) of image storage.
• Instruction manual