Sony DSC F-828

[boristhemoggy]

Anyone using this camera?

[HalfPress]

I used several Sony compact cameras. They all take great pictures, although too "sharp" for some. Why are you considring this?

[boristhemoggy]

I would hardly call this a compact camera, I wish!
I do have one and am not exactly thrilled with the results.
I would be keen to know what others think of it in terms of usability, but more importantly in terms of quality, especially when compared with the Digital Rebel (D30 I think) and the canon Powershot.

[Paul Shields]

I don't have a F-828 - I remember reviews all taked about some purple fringing, is this still an issue?

I have a Sony DSC-F525V which was my first ever digital camera - god that was expensive in 2001 :-\ Despite the lack of pixels it could produce pretty good A4 prints.

Unfortunately, I'm about to sell it on eBay - lucky if I get £100 UKP, but ce la vie I suppose.

[thekoala]

I own a 717 and 828 as well as a Canon 10D. Happy with both the Sonys. Yes the 828 is prone to some PF in occasional certain conditions* (extreme lighting) but nothing that can't be easily fixed with one click in the post processing and I'm very happy with the quality of photos it produces.

What issues are you having with your 828?

In terms of use, you get the best results not relying on auto settings. Auto settings are great up to a point but to get the best out of any camera (and especially the 82, a good working knowledge of all the settings and then actually using them, really makes a huge difference. I used auto settings a lot with my 717* so I was in for a shock when I first got my 828. Down the track, I'm confident shooting fully manual with the 828. The experimenting was worthwhile and it gave me an easy entry into DSLR.

Cheers Ko.

[boristhemoggy]

Well so far I haven't used it manually, partly cos I haven't found out where the light meter is!
The purple fringe I deal with with a PShop action which I run on each file. I'm trying to find a way of doing it during the conversion from RAW to JPG and will get there eventually.
I think my main gripe is the fact that despite the low F value, I never seem to have enough light to get sharp pictures. I know I'm not stable on handheld shots, but sometimes on a reasonably bright day I don't seem to even get above 200th sec.
Hence a lot of my results are not pin sharp.
That's the main gripe cos apart from that I love the camera.

[thekoala]

Originally Posted by boristhemoggy

The purple fringe I deal with with a PShop action which I run on each file. I'm trying to find a way of doing it during the conversion from RAW to JPG and will get there eventually.

How much purple fringing do you get? I might get some in perhaps 1 in 100 photos and only then if I have extreme light conditions which cause this effect to appear on say tree branches etc.* That doesn't sound right if you get it all the time, unless of course you shoot* constantly in these light conditions .

I don't shoot raw with the Sony(but I do with my Canon 10D)..I find it too slow and cumbersome so I can't help you with the conversion.

Originally Posted by boristhemoggy

I think my main gripe is the fact that despite the low F value, I never seem to have enough light to get sharp pictures. I know I'm not stable on handheld shots, but sometimes on a reasonably bright day I don't seem to even get above 200th sec.
Hence a lot of my results are not pin sharp.
That's the main gripe cos apart from that I love the camera.

I haven't had a problem as such in reasonable light conditions with the 828 but in low light with the camera in P mode, you will find it sets a much slower shutter speed* than say the 717 does.The green fully auto mode works much better with shutter speed in low light conditions but then you can't adjust any other setting so that's useless and I refuse to use it for that reason.* Try using the shutter priority mode and set your shutter speed yourself and see what results you get. If the 828 isn't giving you the shutter speeds you want in P mode, this is the only other option other than going fully manual.


Cheers Ko

[MIRACLE]

Hello boristhemoggy,

I purchased a Sony DSC F-828 about a year ago. This has been my entry camera into photography. It certainly is not a DSLR but it can capture great photos.
As thekoala posted earlier purple fringing occurs but in extreme light condition and is easily dealt with in Pshop.
I usually shoot people/portrait. I get tack sharp photos when shooting aperture priority mode and center AF.

Good luck
Andy D.

[scoundrel1728]

Originally Posted by thekoala

Try using the shutter priority mode and set your shutter speed yourself and see what results you get. If the 828 isn't giving you the shutter speeds you want in P mode, this is the only other option other than going fully manual.

I know it's counterintuitive, but you might try shooting in aperture priority mode instead with the lens wide open. That will give you the fast shutter speed you can get at the current light level and ISO setting that won't underexpose the picture.

[Latinbob]

Originally Posted by boristhemoggy

Well so far I haven't used it manually, partly cos I haven't found out where the light meter is!
...
I think my main gripe is the fact that despite the low F value, I never seem to have enough light to get sharp pictures.

This is an old thread, but just in case anyone needs to know, the meter on the 828 is shown at the bottom right of the viewfinder/LCD screen. Its the EV setting. "Perfect" metering is when its at 0EV. Minus values are underexposed, and Plus values are overexposed.

Since the lowest ISO on the 828 is 64, you might have to bump it up to 100 or 200 to good shutter speeds, even with the fast lens.

Although I mostly use my D70 now, I can't bear to get rid of the 828. It is a little smaller that a DSLR, and very capable in many circumstances.

[Stormdancing]

I love my F828. But I do agree, if you don't have the light it's tough to get crisp sharp shots.
I will soon move up to the 20D, but this camera has been an exceptional learning tool for me and I will be keeping it.

http://www.photocamel.com/index.php/topic,9524.0.html