"First Look" review posted for Sony DSC-V3
By
Dave Etchells
(Friday, September 10, 2004 - 14:31 EDT)
Sony's new DSC-V3 brings a majority of the unique features of their flagship DSC-F828 model down into a compact, rangefinder-style package.
The V3 uses the same unique RGB+E filter technology on its imager for truer rendition of some blues and reds, as well as the F828's unique Night Shot and Night Framing modes. While its zoom lens has "only" a 4x ratio, and its imager is a 7.2 vs 8.0 megapixel CCD, the camera has an impressively fast shutter response, and cycle times are very good for a 7 megapixel camera as well, and battery life is impressive for a compact rangefinder model.
Our "First Look" is based on a prototype model at this point, so we can't share sample photos with you yet (but its images looked pretty good in the limited shooting we did with it), but we have a pretty full report available, with a number of observations about how the camera works and feels, a full description of its operation, extensive timing data, and preliminary battery life numbers.
All in all, a very impressive camera: If production models of this camera deliver on the promise that we've seen in the prototype sample, the DSC-V3 will be a powerful competitor in the high-end "enthusiast" end of the digicam market. Stay tuned, we'll have a full report as soon as we can get hands on a production model! (But meanwhile, check it out!)
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