Floppy or Mem Stick w/adapter for
easy computer interface
EZ Print Link Readers have
requested free-formatted versions of our reviews (without the graphical
accouterments of our page design), to make printing easier. We are accommodating
this request with special copies of each review, formatted to allow the text
flow to be dictated by the browser window. Click here for a print-optimized
page.
Manufacturer Overview More than
any other single company, Sony has dominated the digital camera market the last
few years, thanks in large part to the easy computer interfacing offered by
their Mavica(tm) line of floppy-disk based cameras. They've also been active at
the high end of the market, with products like the DSC-D770 and DSC-F505, which
caught the eye of many pros and advanced amateurs for their excellent optics and
exposure control.
This spring (February, 2000),
Sony stunned the digicam world by announcing no fewer than six new
models. Part of this was a significant extension of their Mavica line, bringing
the higher end up to the 2 megapixel resolution range, while incorporating a
number of enhancements in the basic camera electronics and signal processing as
well. To accommodate the larger image sizes that come with the new 2.1 megapixel
resolution, they cleverly used a special version of the "FlashPath" floppy disk
memory card adapter in conjunction with their Memory Stick technology to deliver
"floppy disk" cameras with potential storage capacities as high as 64 megabytes.
On the signal-processing front, they incorporated 12-bit digitization, which
results in exceptional tonal range, excellent preservation of detail in strong
highlights, and excellent low-light capability. This review covers the new high
end of the floppy-based Mavicas, the MVC-FD95.
Highlights
1/3 inch CCD delivering up to 1600 x 1200 resolution images.
2.5 inch, color, TFT LCD monitor.
Smaller, LCD optical viewfinder with data display.
10x, 6 to 60mm lens (equivalent to a 39 to 390mm(!) lens on a 35mm camera.
2x digital telephoto.
Steady Shot option to decrease camera shake.
Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Twilight, Twilight Plus,
Landscape and Panfocus capture modes.
Shutter speeds from 8 to 1/500 seconds.
Automatic, Outdoor, Indoor and "One-Push" manual white balance
settings.
Built-in, popup flash with Automatic, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced and
Suppressed modes and manually adjustable intensity settings.
Spot metering option.
10 second self-timer.
MPEG movie record mode.
Voice Memo record mode.
E-Mail and Text (GIF) still image record modes.
Manual focus option.
Image storage on 3.5 inch floppy disks or Sony MemorySticks with
adapters.