Sony DSC-F88 Review

Playback screen has icons for battery condition, number of minutes left for continuous playback, image size, folder name / total number of pictures. Across the bottom is the folder name-image file number and time and date captured.

Pressing the Monitor button toggles the amount of overlay information. Here you can see exposure compensation, ISO speed, flash mode, white balance, aperture, shutter speed and the histogram. Press it again to clear all of the overlay information for playback on the TV screen.

Playback index mode, nine thumbnail size images are displayed per page. You can quickly search through the stored images and display one full screen.

While viewing a picture fullscreen you can toggle the telephoto zoom control and zoom-in to the image in multiple (17) steps up to 5x. Once magnified you can scroll around inside of the image using the 4-way selector.

You can also Trim the magnified image and save it back as a new image in your choice of image resolution from 5M down to VGA.

Still image playback mode options:

Folder - Change the current image folder

Protect - Protect/unprotect images from accidental erasure

DPOF - Attach DPOF printing information to image(s)

Print - PictBridge USB direct printing (see next frame)

Slide - Start slideshow, set interval time between images

Resize - Resize image to 5.0M, 3.1M, 1.2M or VGA

Rotate - Rotate portrait mode images for TV display

Divide - Divide MPEG movie clips

The DSC-F88 can be connected to the new Sony DPP-EX50 Picture Station photo printer. This is a personal 4 x 6" dye sublimation printer that makes photo-quality prints with the same permanence as regular film photos. (Note: Sony W1 camera shown in photo above)

Plug the regular USB cable into any PictBridge compatible printer and you can make photo prints without need of a computer. Here are the screens shown during a PictBridge printing session.

The Resize option lets you create a smaller image when needed. A 5-megapixel image can be down-sized to 3M, 1M or VGA size.

The Rotate option lets you rotate portrait mode images for correct playback on the LCD or TV screen.

Movies are played back full-screen, with the audio played through the speaker.

The Divide option allows you to edit the length of movie clips.

SETUP - Camera / Memory Stick menu:

AF Mode - Single, Monitor (continuous when LCD is on)

Digital Zoom - Enable or disable the Smart or Precision digital zoom

Date/Time - Enable date or time&date stamping on the image

Red Eye Reduction - Enable/disable the flash Red-Eye mode

AF Illuminator - Auto or Off

Auto Review - On, Off (auto review after capture)

Format - Format the Memory Stick

CreateREC.Folder - Create a new folder for storing images

ChangeREC.Folder - Select a different folder

SETUP options:

LCD Backlight - Bright, Normal or Dark

Beep - Camera "beep" sounds: Shutter, On, Off

Language - Menu language

File Number - SERIES (sequential auto number) or RESET

USB Connect - PictBridge, PTP or Normal

Video Out - NTSC or PAL signal timing

Clock Set - Set the internal clock