Sony DSC-F828 8-megapixel digital camera

General Features
Recording Images
Viewing, Editing and Printing Images
Supplied Software

General Features

Dual Media Compatibility: The Sony DSC-F828 is compatible with both Memory Stick and CompactFlash cards (Type I or II) for recording images. You can also use Microdrive, a compact, lightweight hard disk drive that complies with CompactFlash Type II standards. CompactFlash and Microdrive must first be formatted before using in this camera. Note: You cannot copy images from one type of media to another with this camera.

Memory Stick Compatibility: This camera is compatible with Memory Stick, MagicGate Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick Duo recording media. All four types of Memory Stick can be used to record still pictures and moving images with audio. Although this unit is compatible with MagicGate Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO media, it cannot be used to record or play back music protected by copyright signals. A Memory Stick Duo adapter is required to use Memory Stick Duo media with this camera. Note: No Memory Sticks or CompactFlash cards are included with the camera.

Imaging Device: For optimal image quality, the camera uses a 2/3" 8.0 Mega-Pixel Super HAD CCD imaging device with approximately 8.314-million gross pixels and 8.068-million effective pixels. The DSC-F828 is the first camera to incorporate four-color filter CCD technology. The new RGB+E filter adds an emerald-colored pixel to the filter pattern to give you color fidelity that is closer to human color perception.

Real Image Processor: The DSC-F828's Real Image Processor delivers increased speed with lower power consumption to enable the camera to capture an 8-megapixel image in almost half the time required by typical 5-megapixel cameras.

Analog-To-Digital Conversion: This camera uses a 14-Bit Digital Extended Processor (DXP) which captures the range between highlight and shadow with up to 16,384 values, for extended dynamic contrast and detail.

Viewfinder and LCD Screen:  The DSC-F828 has a 235,000-pixel viewfinder for accurate framing at eye level, great for added stability and for following fast moving objects. The camera also has a 1.8" color LCD screen with 134,000 pixels and an anti-glare coating. For best viewing, you can adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor, and increase the amount of backlight in the monitor or the viewfinder when using the camera outdoors. A switch on the back panel allows you to switch between the viewfinder and LCD monitor.

Carl Zeiss Lens: The camera has a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, featuring 12 elements in 9 groups with 3 aspheric elements and 7-blade aperture. The fast f2.0 aperture allows you to shoot images in low light situations. The lens angle orientation can be adjusted upward to 70? and downward to 30?.

Optical/Digital Zoom: The lens has a 7.1x optical zoom and a focal length of 7.1mm to 51mm, which is equivalent to 28mm to 200mm in 35mm photography. Sony's Precision Digital zoom provides an additional 2x magnification without the jagged edges of other designs, resulting in smoother images. The zoom is adjusted by manually turning the zoom ring until the desired image size is attained.

Smart Zoom: The digital zoom can be switched from "Precision" to "Smart" in the Setup menu. The Smart Zoom intelligently uses the full CCD to let you zoom into the portion of interest by cropping the image size, thus avoiding the image degradation found in most digital zooms. The maximum zoom scale depends upon the image size. When the image is VGA size (640 x 480), the Smart digital zoom is up to 5x, and coupled with the optical zoom gives you a total zoom of up to 36x. For larger images, the digital zoom (and total zoom) is less. When the image size is set to 8M (3264 x 2448) or 3:2 (3264 x 2176), the smart zoom does not function, leaving you with only the optical and precision digital zoom.

Image Recording Format: The camera records still images using JPEG compression. In addition, you can shoot still images in RAW or TIFF uncompressed formats. Moving images with audio (monaural) are recorded in MPEG1.

RAW/TIFF Formats: When you want to record the raw data directly onto the recording medium as it is, you can select the RAW recording mode. It requires the use of the supplied software to reproduce the RAW data file on a computer. You can also choose to record an uncompressed image in the TIFF format without quality degradation. When shooting in the RAW or TIFF formats, the camera also records a compressed JPEG image in the size selected. Note: The RAW and TIFF file sizes require enormous amounts of memory (you can store only one image on a 32MB Memory Stick), and the time to write the data to the storage media is longer than normal.

Image Size/Compression: When recording digital still images, the DSC-F828 allows you to choose from six image sizes and two compression (image quality) settings--Fine and Standard. The larger the image and the higher the image quality you choose, the better the image will be, but it also takes a larger amount of data to preserve the image. The image sizes include:

Auto Focus: The camera has three auto focus methods using the AF range finder. These methods are easily selectable from the back panel.

• 5-area Multi-point AF: The camera calculates the distance in five areas to the left, right, top, bottom, and in the center of the image. This method is helpful when your subject is not centered in the frame.
• Center AF: The camera focuses only on the subject framed in the AF range finder in the center of the image
• Flexible Spot AF: You can move the AF range finder frame to the area of the frame that you want in focus. This method is for focusing on an extremely small subject or a narrow area.

Auto Focus Modes: In the setup menu, you can choose one of three AF modes: Single AF, Monitoring AF, or Continuous AF. Single AF only begins to focus on your subject when you press the shutter button halfway down. Monitoring AF automatically focuses on the subject before you press the shutter button halfway down, but does not adjust the focus after the AF lock is complete. Continuous AF adjusts the focus from the time the camera is turned on until the moment of exposure, even after AF lock is completed. Note: Battery consumption increases when the camera is set to Monitoring AF or Continuous AF.

Macro Focus: For close-ups of small objects such as flowers and insects, this camera has macro focus capability. With the zoom set all the way to wide, the camera can focus on objects as close as 13/16" from the end of the lens. With the zoom set all the way to telephoto, the camera can focus on objects up to 23-5/8" from the lens. Note: Minimum distances needed to focus on a subject when not in the Macro mode are 19-3/4" (wide) and 23-5/8" (tele).

Manual Focus: The camera allows you to adjust the focus manually if desired. When the camera is switched to manual focus, you can rotate the manual focus ring to bring your subject into sharp focus. As you turn the focus ring, the Enhanced Focus feature enlarges the subject 2x normal size for easier focusing, then returns the image to normal size when you stop turning the focus ring. If desired, Enhanced Focus can be turned off in the setup menu.

Hologram AF: The DSC-F828's Hologram AF is an auto focus fill light system that applies laser holograms to enable you to shoot images in dark places. The camera reads the contrast between the pattern's edge and the subject for precise focuses, even in low or no light situations. Hologram AF can be switched off in the setup menu, if desired.

NightShot/NightFraming Systems: The camera's NightShot infrared system allows you to capture digital images in total darkness at up to 10 feet by illuminating the subject with infrared light and removing the CCD's IR cut filter. Images shot with NightShot have a greenish monochrome look. The NightFraming System allows you to capture color images in low or no light. NightFraming illuminates the subject with the NightShot system for proper framing, focuses with Hologram AF and lights the scene with the flash.

Auto Power-Off: If you do not operate the camera for approximately 3 minutes during recording or playback, it will turn off automatically to conserve battery power. Note: The Auto Power-Off function will not operate when playing back moving images, playing back a slide show, or when a connector is plugged into the USB or Video Out jack.

Battery Information: This model uses the Sony NP-FM50 InfoLithium battery pack (7.2 Volts/1180 mAh). This battery exchanges data with the camera about its power consumption and calculates the remaining battery life based on the actual power consumption. The remaining battery life is displayed in the LCD Monitor. The approximate time to charge a completely discharged battery pack is 150 minutes (charging in-camera using the supplied AC-L15A AC power adapter at a temperature of 77? F).

Battery Performance: The image capacity of the battery is almost the same whether you are using the viewfinder or the LCD monitor. Under normal operating conditions the batteries have the following capacity:

AC Adapter: When using the camera for long periods of time for downloading or viewing images, you can power the camera using the supplied AC-L15A AC power adapter. The AC adapter also allows you to charge the battery in the camera.

Recording Images

Shooting Modes: Using the Mode Dial, you can choose one of the following shooting modes:

• Auto: The camera automatically adjusts the focus, exposure and white balance. Image quality is set to Fine.
• Program: Auto shooting with manual adjustments for focus and exposure. You can access functions from the menu.
• Shutter Speed Priority: You select the shutter speed, the camera makes other adjustments. Functions available from the menu.
• Aperture Priority: You select the aperture value, the camera makes other adjustments. Functions available from the menu.
• Manual Exposure: You can manually adjust the shutter speed and aperture value. Functions available from the menu.
• Scene Selection: You can select from the following modes to shoot according to the scene conditions. (Functions available from the menu):
  • Twilight: For shooting a distant night view. Tripod recommended.
  • Twilight Portrait: For shooting subjects in the foreground at night. Tripod recommended.
  • Landscape: For shooting far away images.
  • Portrait: For shooting people in foreground with blurred background.

Picture Effects: When desired, you can select one of the following picture effects:

• Solarize: The light contrast is clearer and the picture looks like an illustration.
• Sepia: The picture is sepia-toned like an old photograph.
• Negative Art: The color and brightness of the picture are reversed as in a negative.

Voice Mode: The Voice Mode allows you to record a still image with an audio file (MPEG1). In this mode, if you press and release the shutter button, it will record 5 seconds of audio. If you press and hold the shutter button, it will record audio up to 40 seconds, or until the button is released.

Multi Burst Mode: When shooting in the Multi-Burst mode, pressing the shutter once records 16 frames in a row. You can set the interval between frames at 1/7.5 second, 1/15 second, 1/30th second. All 16 frames will be recorded as one 1M image (1280 x 960). When you play back images recorded in Multi Burst mode with this camera, the 16 frames will be played back in order, either continuously with a fixed interval, or manually frame-by-frame in either direction. When the images are played back on a computer or a camera without Multi Burst, the 16 frames will all be displayed at the same time as part of one image.

Shooting Images in Succession: You can shoot up to seven images in succession while pressing the shutter button only once. You can select a Speed Burst (images not displayed on LCD monitor, interval about 0.38 seconds) or a Framing Burst (images displayed on the monitor, interval about 0.42 seconds).

MPEG Movie VX: Besides recording still images, you can also record moving images with sound. Moving images are recorded in MPEG1 format. Three image sizes are available, 640 Fine (available only when using Memory Stick PRO or Microdrive media), 640 Standard, and 160. You can also record movies in macro mode for excellent closeups. If you want to be in the movie, you can use the camera's self-timer feature. Note: The unit's flash will not operate in movie mode.

E-Mail Mode: In E-Mail mode, the camera records a small size image (320 x 240) at the same time as a normal-sized still image. Small size images are convenient for e-mail transmission.

Flash Modes: The flash can be set to Auto, Forced Flash, Slow Synchro, or No Flash. In Auto mode, the flash automatically strobes when the surroundings are dark. When the flash is set to Forced Flash, it strobes with every shot. In Slow Synchro, the flash is used regardless of the amount of ambient light, but the shutter speed is slower under dark conditions, allowing you to clearly shoot a background that is out of the flash-lit area. In addition, this camera has a "red-eye reduction" setting, which causes the flash to pre-strobe before shooting to reduce the red-eye phenomenon. In the Auto mode, when you shoot against a light source, the camera automatically flashes (daylight synchro), even when there is sufficient light around the subject.

Flash Range: The recommended distance using the flash is 19-3/4 inches to 14 feet 9-1/4 inches (zoom set to wide) and 23-5/8 inches to 10 feet 10 inches (zoom set to telephoto) when ISO is set to Auto.

Flash Intensity: When Normal flash is too much or not enough, you can set the flash to High or Low to increase/decrease the intensity.

External Flash: If desired, you can mount an external flash to the advanced accessory shoe on top of the camera.

ISO Speed: The ISO speed can be set to Auto, 100, 200, 400 or 800. When shooting under dark conditions or shooting a fast-moving subject, you should use a high number setting. When recording high-quality images, use a low number setting.

Metering Modes: You can select Multi-Pattern, Center-Weighted, or Spot Metering. When Multi-Pattern metering is used, the image is divided into multiple regions and metering is performed in each region. The camera judges the subject position and background brightness, and determines a well-balanced exposure. Center-weighted metering is performed with priority given to the center of the image. Spot metering lets you adjust the exposure to the subject, even when the subject is a backlit or when there is strong contrast between the subject and the background.

Exposure Adjustment: Besides auto exposure, you can manually adjust the exposure from +2.0EV to -2.0EV in steps of 1/3EV.

Exposure Bracketing: In addition to an image with the exposure automatically set by the camera, two other images are recorded with exposure values one step over-exposed and one step under-exposed. You can choose a bracket step of 1.0EV, 0.7EV or 0.3EV.

White Balance: When the white balance is set to auto, the white balance is set automatically in response to the condition of the subject, and the overall color balance is adjusted. When shooting under special lighting conditions, you can select the settings manually. In addition to Auto, the white balance can be set to Incandescent, Fluorescent, Daylight, Cloudy, Flash, and One Push (which can be manually set and stored in memory).

Color Reproduction: You can set the Color Reproduction to Standard or Real. The Standard setting makes the resulting shot easier on the eyes by making the image more vivid and the contrast higher. The Real setting is more faithful to the actual color and texture, while the contrast, brightness and saturation are lower. The Real mode is suitable for modifying the image on a computer.

Approximate Recording Capacity: The number of images that can be saved in Fine (Standard) image quality:

Note: No specific information given on capacity of Compact Flash cards. Results should be slightly higher than Memory Stick.

Viewing, Editing and Printing Images

Viewing Images: Still and moving images can be played back on the camera's color LCD screen, or the images may be transferred to a computer, where they can be displayed or manipulated with the use of compatible software. In addition, the images can be played back on a television (NTSC or PAL), if the television has an RCA composite video input.

Viewing/Editing Movies: Movies shot in 640 Fine or 640 Standard are displayed in full screen on the LCD monitor, while movies shot in 160 are in a frame smaller than the full screen. Movies can be deleted entirely, or edited to cut unnecessary portions, leaving only the portions of the movies you wish to save.

Index Mode: In addition to viewing images one-by-one in full screen, you can view multiple images at once in the index mode. This feature lets you to display nine images at a time, allowing you to easily find the image you want.

Slide Show: The Slide Show function lets you play back images one after the other. The interval between the pictures can be adjusted, allowing you to choose 3, 5, 10, and 30 seconds or 1 minute. You can select Folder play (all images in the selected folder) or All play (all images on the recording medium). When repeat is selected, the images are replayed in a continuous loop.

Deleting/Protecting Images: You can delete a selected image, or you can delete all the unprotected images at once. In order to avoid accidentally deleting an image, it can be protected.

Playback Zoom: You can enlarge a recorded still image up to five times the size of the original image. You can also record the enlarged item as a new file (Trimming). To select the area to be enlarged, you can move the enlargement "frame" up/down/left/right with the arrow buttons, and adjust the zoom with the W/T button. You cannot use Playback Zoom with movies or images shot in the Multi-burst mode.

Resizing Images: After an image is captured (still images only), you can resize the picture and save it as a new file. Images can be resized to 8M, 5M, 3M, 1M or VGA. The original image is retained even after resizing. You cannot resize a picture to a 3:2-sized image, and if you resize a 3:2-sized image, black bands will appear at the top and bottom of the image.

Print Mark: You can place a print mark on still images recorded with this camera. This mark is convenient when you have images printed at a shop that conforms to the DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standard.

PictBridge Compatible: You can easily print images recorded on this camera by connecting it to a PictBridge-compliant printer. You can connect the camera via the supplied USB cable. Note: You must first select "PictBridge" as the USB Connection type in the Setup menu.

Exif Print (Exif 2.2): The DSC-F828 conforms to "Exif Print", a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos that can be even better than the originals.

PRINT Image Matching II: PRINT Image Matching II (P.I.M. II), a technology developed--and recently updated--by Seiko Epson Corporation, ensures that P.I.M. II-enabled digital cameras and printers work together perfectly to produce the best possible prints. After an image is captured, the camera automatically tags the picture with 14 optimal image settings and includes it as part of the Exif Print header in the JPEG file. A P.I.M. II-enabled photo printer reads and utilizes the information in order to make the most accurate print. Note: Cameras with P.I.M. II are completely backward-compatible with printers with the original P.I.M. technology.

Supplied Software

Software: The camera includes the following CD-ROM software:

• Pixela ImageMixer Ver.1.5 for Sony (for Windows and Macintosh): This software includes a USB driver, an Image Transfer application, and ImageMixer for displaying and editing images stored on the computer.
• Sony Image Data Converter Ver.1.0 (for Windows only): This software includes an application for converting images shot as RAW data to be displayed and stored on the computer. Note: Software for Macintosh computers is scheduled to be released in or after February 2004.

Minimum System Requirements (ImageMixer):

Minimum System Requirements (Image Data Converter):