Being a bigger guy, I like that it's not TOO small (like many of P&S shoot cameras have gone.) I found it was very solid feeling.

I was really impressed with the quality of photos that it took.

There is a digital zoom that is usable in the lower MP settings, but the camera won't allow you to zoom in so far digitally as to affect picture quality. A nice feature for people that don't want to learn the differences between optical/digital zoom.

I find the start up time and the refresh time to bit a bit long, especially when taking low light pictures with a flash. Don't expect to take a lot of rapid shot one after another with the camera. Sometimes there would be a 3-5 second refresh time (even without using the flash.) I missed several opportunities due to this.

After working with a SLR in school, I really began to notice the limitations of the camera, but this wasn't due to the camera itself; I had just progressed beyond the cameras capabilities.

My g/f would complain that it is too big and too heavy. I completely disagree. This comes to the users preference.

The included 32mb memory stick is kinda of pointless. It's enough to demonstrate it, but but not enough to use it. A 64mb would have been much better, with very little cost difference. (at that point, also remember, you were paying close to $90 for 128mb stick)

At the time, this was one of the few 5mp that had a 4x optical zoom. I knew enough I didn't want to have a digital only zoom.

My g/f didn't like that it was so heavy and bulky (read: it made her purse too heavy) yet I appreciated the size and weight. So this camera became the epitome of a point and shoot camera. She would point, I would shoot.

For a point and shoot camera, I have to say it is great and works very well for a beginner and also has the manual settings so you can do some of the longer night shots. It served it's purpose excellently for what we purchased it for very well. Now having a dSLR, I still keep it with me as a backup.

I would recommend this camera for any beginner. It has the simplicity of the point and shoot, and also has the capabilities of the manual settings.

Customer Service

Never had to use it so can't comment.

Similar Products Used:

Kodak 1.3mp point and shoot

Good resolution. Replacable battery. Great in auto mode. Quick preview button. Night framing feature.

Shutter lag and delay

The DSC V1 has been a very good camera for me. Most of my photography is of kids and family, with some landscape and architecture pictures during travel. I have also used the video features of the DSC V1, and although the quality is not as good as my camcorder, the convenience of one device has won over.

The manual controls of the DSC V1 are a plus for the creative impulses, such as long exposure night shots. However, I mostly use the automatic setting and it works great.

The night framing setting is a great feature that I use often.

The only negatives of the camera are its shutter lag between shots.

I bought and extra battery at the time i purchased the camera and it is a great thing to have with you (charged!).

I also recently bought a 1GB memory stick. Very convenient, especially for video sequences.

I also have a Sony notebook PC with a memory stick slot, so it makes everything very convenient.

As I am only a casual photographer, I can only recommend at my own level. I think this is a very good camera and a reasonable video recorder. But since I bought this a few years ago, I personally would evaluate one of the more compact Sony's at this point.

Note: the price paid was about 3 years ago.

Customer Service

Never used it.

Similar Products Used:

Fujifilm Finepix. But a 3.2 megapixel resolution.

In addition to fully automatic and program modes, this camera can be used in shutter priority, aperture priority and complete manual control over shutter and apertures. Image quality is excellent, partly due to the Zeiss Sonnar lens that covers a 35mm equivalent of 35-120mm. If you like infrared photography, you know that 35mm infrared film is rather grainy. The infrared images of the v1 are less grainy (noisy) than 35mm images. You can actually see the infrared image on the screen! That's something you can't see in a 35mm SLR camera because the infrared filter is opaque to visible light. In addition to the built-in flash, the camera has a hot shoe for accessory flashes. All this capability in a small pocket size camera! This is a camera you'll take everywhere with you. Too bad it's discontinued.

The small size can also be a liability. My hand kept the pop-up flash from popping up until I learned to hold the camera a different way. The lcd screen is bright enough even in daylight; I just wish it was bigger. The Sony v3 has all the features of the v1 plus 8 megapixels and a bigger screen. Unfortunately the v3 is not pocket size. I never use the optical viewer because it doesn't show 100 percent of the picture. Battery life is said to be short so I bought an extra battery; I've needed it!

I bought this camera primarily for my work which is real estate. Even though it's a 5 megapixel, I use it at 1.3 megapixels for real estate work. At that size, the picture quality is more than enough. I have used it at 5 megapixels up to 11 x 14 enlargements, and the picture quality is equal to 35mm. One feature worth mentioning is the 'Nightshot' feature. It is exclusive to Sony and they only have it on the 707, 717, 728, v1 & v3. It permits you to shoot monochrome (greenish tinge) pictures in near total darkness without a flash. The other limitations are that it won't use a shutter speed faster than 1/30 or any aperture other than the widest. Nightshot is meant to be used only in darkness because sunlight will wash everything out. In all digital cameras there is a filter built into the camera that absorbs infrared light. Preventing infrared light from reaching the sensor improves the quality of regular photography, but it makes infrared photography nearly impossible. Some people have had this filter permanently removed in order to have an infrared capable camera. With Sony cameras, the 'Nightshot' feature slides this filter out of the way allowing infrared light to reach the sensor. When you use the nightshot mode in daylight with a filter over the lens that blocks all light EXCEPT infrared light you get hauntingly surreal images. The v1 and the other Sony cameras mentioned above are the only digital cameras that can shoot infrared images without expensive modifications.

Customer Service

Have not needed it.

Similar Products Used:

No other digital cameras, but I've used many pocket 35mm cameras, the best of which is the Olympus XA.

Good picture. Good price

Shape, messed with array of buttons

am using V1 for last couple of months. I read the good reviews and comment that dpreview, steeve camera site state. Here's what I think. For those who have used v1 it will be helpful if they come up with their views too. 1. I feel V1 is a great camera. Takes good pics. But the main drawback is its shape. Sony boasts of its size - calls it a power pack compact camera. I feel that if that camera body is a bit bigger then it would have been easy to use. I don’t like to huge array of switches. A ring movement for zoom and if possible aperture would have been much better. The grip of the camera is so troublesome that it’s difficult to hold the camera while taking pictures. 2. Now some points that advance photographers face. Accessories. Yes there is a telelens (1.7X) and wide angle lens (0.7x) for this camera. But none is that powerful. And they are fixed lens with no front thread. Can you tell me how can you attach a polarizer or filter to this camera? 3. Battery life is really poor. 4. Aperture range is poor. I cannot achieve shallow DOF to good extent. I believe digital SLRs like F828 or D70 gives better result. 5. I find the pictures taken with V1 bit dull (or better call that soft) compared to the ones taken with canon. What so you feel? V1 users please some up with your view. Thanks Aurobindo

Customer Service

Did not need yet.

Similar Products Used:

telelens VCL-DEH17V and wide angle lens VCL-DEH07V