[orangepeel]

Sorry Sony issues recall again
Cyber-shot screens are shot
By Martin Veitch: Friday 24 November 2006, 13:26

SONY HAS SAID it has a problem with LCDs on its Cybershot digital cameras.

Screens on eight models sold between 2003 and 2005 can suffer in humid conditions, the Japanese giant said, offering to replace affected models. Users will notice problems displaying images or the camera might not work at all.

If you work for Sony, telling the bosses that you've got another problematic component after *that* battery recall is a job you really don't want. The better news for the firm is that the firm only expects about 4,000 units – half a percent of units shipped -- to have been affected so there will be no material effect on financials.

Still, the damage to the iconic brand caused by dubious QA testing is surely having an unwanted impact. µ

Sorry Sony issues recall again

[Rob Barron]

I always hated the styling of the Sony Cybershots but the worrying thing for them as to be what another recall might do for sales of their flagship camera now, the Sony Alpha DSLR. Must say it isn't a camera I would buy just because I don't consider Sony to be a specialist camera designing company but having said that I have read some prefectly reasonable reviews of it. Nothing outstanding but enough to suggest their first foray into the world of digital SLRs has been well planned.

Anyone now or has been a Cybershot user? Be interested to hear what you think of them generally.

Cheers,
Rob

[abirkill]

I had a Sony DSC-F717 (technically a 'bridge' camera, although at the time there were no consumer-priced DSLRs so there was nothing for it to be bridging) and it was superbly good. Got some stunning photos with it, and it had some features that my 350D even now doesn't have (0 lux focusing/framing, spot metering!).

My Mum has a DSC-T9, which is a super-slim point and shoot jobby - does a very good job, with a high-ISO mode and image stabilisation allowing you to get tolerably good non-flash shots in dark environments (restaurants, etc.) Obviously no patch on my 350D with 50mm f/1.8, but equally it's so small and light she always has it with her, which is more than can be said for my 350D!

And finally my Dad has the Sony DSC-H5, another, much newer, bridge camera - he wanted something that would give him the manual control his old film SLR had, but that had a nice large LCD screen for composing shots, and was small and light. Considering the range the lens has it's amazingly compact. Again, the photos from it are pretty damn good, and the lens is nicely matched and gives impressively sharp photos if you pixel-peep. OK, it's no SLR, but considering the price, the zoom capability, and the convenience, it's more what he wanted.

If I was downgrading from a DSLR I might not buy a Sony, but I'd certainly look at their range first. Compared to the Canon non-SLR range they're far superior, in my opinion. There are a lot of things that Sony aren't much good at, but digital still cameras are an exception in my experience.

If I started again now, would I buy an Alpha? Probably not, but it wouldn't be the camera that stopped me, it would be the relatively small number of lenses currently available.