Sony DSC-S85

Review Date
December 17, 2003

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
11-20 years

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
jagee228 , Intermediate , from Lincoln, NE, USA

Price Paid
$450.00 at Best Buy

Summary
After I found the limits of my older floppy disk based Sony camera, I decided on this camera as the replacement. It has almost all of the features I want on a digital and image quality is great when things go right. I find that the auto-focus system works very well except in low-light or low contrast conditions, and can not be rushed. For that matter, the whole camera can not be rushed since it takes about 2 seconds for the lens to extend and everything to get ready for action. Aside from these two complaints, everything else about the camera is top notch, from the metal construction to the placement of most of the controls. To use filters and the like, a special adapter ring must be fitted to the camera which costs an additional $25+. Basically, so long as you take a little time in situations where the light or contrast is low, it's a great little camera.

Strengths
Many exposure modes AP, SP, Manual, Auto
MPEG movie mode
Adjustable sensitivity (ISO Equivalents)
Zeiss optics with fairly fast f/ratio
Good zoom range
Exposures up to 8 seconds for night photography

Weaknesses
Don't rush it - takes about 2 seconds to ready itself. Doesn't sound like much, but it can be an eternity
Auto-focus system has trouble in low light/contrast
Accessories are on the expensive side
requires a special adapter ring ($25 US)to use filters
Won't fit in case with adapter ring installed
Not Memory Stick Pro compatible

Similar Products Used
Earlier Sony FD-Marica
Agfa 1280
Several different film cameras

Customer Service
Sony's website is pretty good about putting up solutions to common issues, updates and the like. I have not needed support beyond that.

Review Date
October 12, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
2-5 years

Reviewed by
Gsrracer , Intermediate

Price Paid
$500.00 at best buy

Summary
This camera is Great! I love it. the quailty is excellence. The fit and feel is excellent also. the controls are easy to use and it looks good. Overall i would recommend this camera to anyone that is coming into digital camera world or is upgrading from a 2-3megapixels camera.

Strengths
It has a super long battery life! on average i can use it for 1week before i have to charge it again.(shooting about 20-50shoots a day) the quailty is excellent also. the print out is second to none.

Weaknesses
it's kinda slow when you take a picture and try to shoot again. it's ok, it's better than my old camera.

Similar Products Used
Sony DSC-P1

Customer Service
I haven't had anything happen yet. Sony's super Quailty!

Review Date
September 10, 2003

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
21+ years

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
Donfabien , Professional , from Lindsay, Ontario, Canada

Price Paid
$759.00 at Local Retailer

Summary
Bought this to try out digital as it was a good deal when I bought it last December.
Have used camera for travel and some fashion and portrait work - actually found a way to use with studio lights!
Quality of pictures is really good for a 4 megapixel camera.
Find flash only works with auto or manual settings, at least indoors.
Have enlarged prints to 8x10 and cropped out centre for 8x10's and they are still really good.
Have used camera to train assistants in composition and posing at weddings and some shots were worth printing and have been included in albums when printed by my lab.
Very solid and seems to run well on single charge. Dual sided memory sticks are making it more useful for travel and other uses when many shots taken.

Strengths
Good quality pictures outdoors, and indoors if you know how to light them properly. Will work well indoors with some work with flash settings.
Well built and good lens.
LONG battery life.
Compact for travel.
Easy to use for beginners if they read the manual.
Selectable B&W and Sepia. Other options are frills.

Weaknesses
Flash on aperature priority setting. Really doesn't work. Could be my camera is deficient.

Memory stick limits image storage, but double sided memory stick addresses this fairly well (2x128=256).

Similar Products Used
Olympus E20-N good, but slow to record images. Good studio camera but not a good field camera.

Customer Service
Not needed or used.

Review Date
June 6, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
ArturN , Expert , from Portugal

Price Paid
$850.00 at local store

Summary
This camera its an excellent little bugger. Lens quality and speed is 1st rate, very good construction - fell once very hard and nothing happened - bateries do stand what they claim for. Excellent image quality.

Strengths
Carl Zeiss lens
Solid construction
Battery
features

Weaknesses
none for the kind of camera that is

Similar Products Used
have a Nikon F2 SLR 35mm

Customer Service
Not needed so far

Review Date
April 17, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Reviewed by
Klaus , Beginner

Price Paid
$500.00 at Best Buy

Summary
Purchased after experience with a friend's DSC S75. Had held off purchase of a digital camera for some time, as I could not find one which had the right combination of features. The S85 has excellent resolution, a Zeiss lens, durable body, extensive features, and effective operator and computer interfaces. I treat mine like a piece of fine china, but my friend's has been dropped several times with no ill effects. Very dependable, high quality product.

Strengths
Zeiss optics
High resolution
Numerous features
Clean design
Durability

Weaknesses
Slow shutter response
Slow AF
Exposed LCD on back prone to scratching

Similar Products Used
Sony Mavica
Sony DSC S75

Customer Service
none necessary