It would be fair to say that Sony's new 5-megapixel DSC-F707 has
been awaited impatiently. Built on the base of the very successful and
popular DSC-F505 and F505v, the F707 retains the same all metal body and
the swing lens concept, but adds a fairly impressive number of features
including a larger lens, and a capability for infrared
photography.
The
use of a bigger lens — necessary as the surface area of the 5-megapixel
CCD is larger — means the F707 is in turn larger, and weighs more
than the F505/5050v. Moreover, additions such as a much larger grip area,
an electronic viewfinder, and even an accessory shoe, add to the overall
gain in weigh and bulk of the F707 making it a much more stable camera
to hold.
The
roomier back of the F707 now supports the addition of an EVF (electronic
viewfinder) and a number of controls, all placed above the 1.8 inch LCD
screen.
The
EVF provides a sharp display, albeit LCD, which allows using the camera
menu without having to resort to the rear screen. The exit pupil is fitted
with a large and comfortable rubber eyecup, and a diopter correction.
A lot of attention to detail has gone into the design of the F707, noticeable
in such things as the enhanced thumb rest and the spring-loaded cover
for some of the jacks.
The
controls arranged just above the screen start with the Display
button, which can remove most of the potentially distracting information
overlaid on either the EVF, or the LCD screen.
Next
comes a thumbnail view button identified by a checkerboard icon;
followed by the Menu button.
Below, a slider switch controls which of the 2 — EVF or LCD screen
— will be used. Finally, close to the thumb rest, a new and now much
more precise 4-direction controller is used, not only to make selections
in the menus, but also select the Flash modes, engage the Macro
mode, the Self-Timer, or Review the last photo taken.
The
bigger grip not only provides a platform for the shutter release
and a full-function Mode dial, but also for an exposure compensation
button, and the recently introduced Jog Dial which is used to make
changes to camera settings. While the Jog Dial is a highly effective tool,
the position of the shutter release is less practical and one's finger
tends to look for it closer to the edge of the camera, where the EV button
happens to be.
The
F707's bigger lens means a larger and longer lens barrel, and more space
to put additional controls. The zoom control is near the front of the
lens, with Telephoto (5X) at the bottom and Wide at the top. To its right,
a slider switch is used to shift between Autofocus and Manual
focus, itself adjusted using the large ring around the lens. Moving towards
the back of the camera comes an AE Lock, followed by the Metering
mode button (3 modes), and the White balance. Below the white
balance is the One-Push white balance button
which allows the white balance to be set for ambient conditions.
The
pivoting lens can be rotated 77° upward and 36° downward.
Although the placement
of controls on the F707 is an improvement over the F505(v), the camera
still requires some practice to be used effectively. For example, the
vertical position of the zoom control makes it easily activated accidentally
— it falls precisely where one holds the lens — something which
would have been avoided had the control been placed horizontally, and
slightly closer to the top of the lens barrel.
