The Cyber-Shot S650 fits well in your hand and can be easily tucked away in a pocket or purse. There are very few controls, but they are conveniently placed within reach of your fingertips. The S650 features a small 2.0-inch LCD, which I found a little hard to use. This is the only viewfinder on the camera, and I found the screen more or less impossible to see in bright sunlight. In marginal lighting, the display gains up nicely, making this digicam useful in low light conditions.

Shooting performance was quite good for an entry-level camera, as long as you are not using the flash. Power up to first image captured measured just 2.4 seconds. Shutter lag, the time between depressing the shutter release and capturing an image, was 1/10 second when pre-focused and only 2-4/10 second including autofocus time. The shot to shot delay measured a fast 1.2 seconds between frames without the flash. However, when the flash is enabled, it takes almost 8 seconds between frames, depending on subject distance and battery life. The S650 offers one sequential shooting mode: Burst. In Burst mode, I was able to capture 3 frames in 3.1 seconds before the buffer filled. It then takes less a second for the buffer to clear. Our tests were done using a Sony 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo card, Large/Fine quality, Program mode, flash off, auto review off, and all other settings at default (unless otherwise noted). Times may vary depending on lighting conditions, camera settings, media, etc.

Image quality is average for an entry-level 7-megapixel model, and very similar to what we saw on the S700. Our outdoor images were nice, showing good exposure and accurate colors. However, when viewing an image at 100%, you can see some traces of image noise, even at ISO 100, and many of our images seem a bit soft. Indoors, you'll have to work with in the limited range of the flash, approx. 11.5 feet at wide angle (ISO Auto.) For close-up portraits from about 5 - 6 feet away, the flash offered plenty of illumination, making this digicam ideal for indoor fun shots.

Even though this is an entry level digicam, I was pleased to see that the S650 is equipped with a versatile sensitivity range of ISO 100-1000, enabling hand-held photography in lighting conditions far lower than would be possible without the use of a good tripod. Indoor photos using higher ISO settings and the ambient light coming in through the windows, produced viewable photos that could be printed at 4x6-inch size. There was plenty of noise, but the images are far more usable than those ruined by camera shake.

As with the S700, I was disappointed to see that the S650 only features the same QVGA (320x240) resolution movie mode. Most new digicams use VGA (640x240) as a standard now, with many models recording in HD (1280x720). Overall our movie samples turned out good for short home videos with good lighting, sound, and good frame rate. The file size is also ideal for posting videos online, so there are still some positives aspects of this low resolution movie mode. Check out our famous "Flying Boat" in our Sample Photos.

The S650 is powered by two AA batteries, and Sony only includes a pair of Alkaline batteries in the package. We always recommend the use of rechargeable NiMH batteries, both to save you money and for their extended life. Sony claims you can capture 100 shots on alkalines or up to 460 on a set of NiMH batteries. I found battery life was quite good, capturing about 90 images, and several 10 second movie clips using a set of high-capacity NiMH cells.

Bottom line - While it has plenty of positive points like good image quality, performance, loads of exposure modes, and a durable all-metal body. We did find some negatives as well. very slow flash recharge, poorly placed (plastic) tripod socket, low quality movie mode, and small 2.0-inch LCD that is very difficult to see on a bright sunny day. However, with a street price of US$140 or less, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-S650 still offers a good value in the affordable "ultra-compact" category.