Sony CyberShot D700

The NTSC video out connector is the only I/O port on the entire camera. There is no serial port or external DC power plug on this bad boy.

A cushioned eyecup and diopter adjustment control completes the SLR viewfinder.  Note the hot shoe flash mount on top of the viewfinder.

This is the view "inside" of the viewfinder. Like an expensive 35mm SLR, the D700 (and D770) has a digital display readout of important camera settings. You don't need to take your eye out of the viewfinder to know what the camera is doing.

The "heart" of the D700's user controls, the Auto/Manual Focus switch and the Mode Dial. You turn it to the desired function and then press and hold the Shift Button in the center while rotating the Shift Dial to change the settings which are displayed on the LCD.

The controls on the back of the camera. At the top is the Power/Mode dial that turns the camera on in "CAMera" or "PLAY" mode. The Menu button brings up the main menu on the LCD and then you use the Up and Down arrows to navigate it and make selections with the Execute button and when you're through, you Exit.

The top data LCD displays the ISO speed, focus mode, shutter speed, aperture, battery condition, CAMera/PLAY mode, number of pictures taken, flash status, image size, picture quality, white balance settings, interval / selftimer / single picture / continuous picture modes.

Top view of the hand grip shows the shutter release button, the EV compensation button, the Spot metering button and the Shift Dial. To change EV values or to go in or out of Spot metering you hold down the appropriate button and rotate the Shift Dial with your thumb.

Images are stored on PC ATA Type II cards which means that any CompactFlash, SmartMedia or MemoryStick card may be used if it is placed in its PCMCIA adapter. You can not use a Microdrive, the D700 will not recognize it, sorry.

The D700 comes with an 8MB Sony MemoryStick, the Type II PCMCIA adapter, and the Sony MSAC-PR1 External PC-Card Reader that hooks up to your parallel port.

If you've used any of Sony's camcorders or Mavica still cameras then you probably recognize this InfoLITHIUM battery. It's a 7.2v rechargable battery with a "brain" that actually tells the camera how many minutes of operation are left at the current consumption level.

The D700 comes with a rapid charger to charge the NP-F550 battery in about 170 minutes. The camera may be powered directly from the AC wall socket if you buy the optional AC-V700 charger, it comes with a DC power unit that replaces the battery.

Steve's Conclusion

The D700 has shutter (4 secs to 1/2000 sec) and aperture (F2-F32) priority modes, a fully automatic mode and a full manual mode. It can shoot in single frame or continuous mode (640x480-pixel images using an internal 3MB buffer @ 2fps in CONT2 mode), it's got auto or manual white balance and center-weighted or spot metering.

And what really makes a digital camera a digital camera?  You bet, a color LCD to see your picture seconds after you take it and the D700 has got a HUGE, 2.5-inch screen that rivals any found on Sony's latest digital camcorders.  It isn't as good as the one they just put on the new F505 but it's a beauty all the same.  Useable anywhere but in the high-noon sunshine and even then just a little shading from your hand and voilla!

It comes with one of Sony's new 8MB MemoryStick cards and an appropriate PCMCIA adapter.  I'm sure that I am not the only one who tossed it back in the box and used a large CF card instead. Besides being too small capacity-wise, the current crop of MemorySticks are incredibly slow devices, both at reading and writing. The D700 performed fantastically with my Lexar 8X 80MB CF card. See Mike Chaney's D700 FAQs, he has a chart showing the speed of various types of memory devices when used in the D700. The MemoryStick comes in last in the race...

I can't say enough about the Sony InfoLITHIUM batteries, they're just great!  I've been using one in my Sony TRV10 digital camcorder, my Sony DKC-ID1 still camera and in several Mavica cameras. They just keep going and going, even when running a power-hungry 2.5-inch color LCD. You get a readout in minutes of remaining battery time on the LCD and it is extremely accurate. After being completely discharged, the NP-F550 battery only take about two and a half hours to charge in the supplied BC-V615 rapid charger.

Using the D700 is just like operating any semi-pro 35mm SLR except with digital you get to see your pictures immediately on the LCD screen. After using dozens of the less expensive digicams it's so nice to grab a lens and twist it to zoom in and out or to focus manually. Some people may like it done for them automatically, but I'm a control freak and like doing it manually -- the D700 lets you do as much as you want.

Almost forgot to mention that Sony included one of my favorite things with the D700 and D770, a wireless remote control. Every digicam maker should include a remote, it doesn't cost that much and it really adds to the value of the overall package. There's no substitute for a wireless pushbutton shutter release when doing tripod-mounted macro shots!

The DSC-D700 and the new CyberShot DSC-D770

The D700 is being replaced by the newer D770 CyberShot Pro. It uses the same CCD imager and lens, improvements are a histogram display like the Kodak / Canon / Nikon pro cameras, a faster autofocus system plus an improved optical viewfinder for manual focusing, image sharpening refinements and as you can see, they made the case a darker gray color so that white lettering around the buttons and knobs is now much more readable.

But, there's very little wrong with the original D700 cameras and maybe with the newer model coming out there might be some really good deals on the older D700's if there's any of them left. If you get a chance to use one of these beauties or even better, if you get a chance to buy one at $1100 or less -- grab it! You'll love the way this camera feels and once you get used to how it focuses and functions the pictures are really quite nice. Many people when they first start using one will complain of "soft" or out of focus images but once they figure it all out it's difficult to get it away from them.