Sony MVC-CD200 Mavica 2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [3.55mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 3.7 x 5.7 x 3.7 inches ; 1.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005LVW9
• Item model number: MVCCD200
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,567 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 18, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The unique feature of Sony's CD200 Mavica is a built-in mini CD recorder, a clever solution that simultaneously provides affordable portable memory and long-term archival storage. The camera also features a 2-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom lens, jumbo 2.5-inch display, and long-life rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Optics and Resolution

The CD200's 2-megapixel sensor captures enough detail for sharp prints at sizes up to 8 by 10 inches. For the typical family photographer, 2 megapixels is a great balance between price and performance. However, if you're looking for a model with more resolution, Sony's CD300 is essentially a 3-megapixel version of the CD200.

A 3x optical zoom lens (39-117mm equivalent) helps you to capture exactly the picture you want, and an additional 2x digital zoom (6x total) further magnifies your image. Remember, however, that digital zoom tends to reduce the sharpness and detail of your image, so it's best used sparingly. In low-light situations (a particular weakness of many digital cameras), a focus-assist lamp sends out a small patterned beam to help the camera accurately determine distance.

To save space, there's no traditional optical viewfinder to look through. Instead, to compose your images or review shots you've already taken, the CD200 uses a big 2.5-inch color display. The advantage of using the LCD to frame your shots is that the screen lets you see exactly the picture you'll be capturing. The disadvantage is that you can't turn off the screen and just use the optical viewfinder to extend battery life. Fortunately, the included rechargeable battery holds a relatively good charge.

More Features

The engineers at Sony have gone out of their way to make it as easy as possible to share your images online. For example, e-mail mode stores a lower-resolution version of your picture on the disc in a separate folder than the full-size version. This compact file lacks the detail of the original, but the smaller size makes it ideal for attaching to e-mail. In addition, a video e-mail mode captures highly compressed, less detailed movie clips that are also small enough to be easily e-mailed. With time, expertise, and the right software, owners of any digital camera can create these more compact files on their home computers, but Sony saves you the trouble. The camera also includes a voice memo mode for attaching spoken notes to each picture, a text mode for capturing printed pages in the GIF format for minimum file size, and an MPEG movie mode with sound for creating brief film clips.

More advanced photographers will appreciate aperture-priority and shutter-priority modes, a 14-bit A/D processor that captures more gradations in color than most digital cameras, and an uncompressed TIFF mode for recording the highest-quality photos.

Power

The CD200 uses Sony's excellent InfoLithium battery system, which not only holds a respectable charge but also displays onscreen how many minutes of power remain. Both the battery and the charger are included. Because the battery is unique to specific Sony models and can be nearly impossible to find when on the road, we strongly recommend getting a spare if you're planning to take the camera on extended outings.

Movie Mode

In movie mode, the camera captures video clips with sound. Depending upon resolution, these clips can last from 5 to 15 seconds. The limited length and resolution of these clips guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.

Storage and Transfer

With a traditional digital camera, images are stored on memory cards, then transferred to your computer via a cable or card reader, and ultimately archived by recording on a CD-R or other high-capacity medium. Sony's CD Mavicas simplify this process by recording images directly to CD, using a 3-inch miniature CD recorder integrated into the back of the camera (hence the camera's rounded shape). These discs are substantially smaller than traditional 5-inch CDs, and hold only about one-fourth as much information (156 MB instead of 650 MB), but this is still enough space to store over 100 photos at the camera's highest-quality compressed mode. Each disc costs a couple of dollars. To transfer pictures to your computer, simply remove the disc from the camera and insert it into your computer's CD-ROM drive. Unlike images recorded on memory cards, pictures taken on a CD-R are permanently burned into the disc, instantly providing a digital "negative" for archiving your photos.

If you prefer to transfer your images in the traditional way, just use an erasable/re-recordable CD-RW disc and connect the camera to your computer with the included USB cable. After transferring the images, you can erase the CD-RW disc to ready it for another batch of photos.

Size

At 5.6 by 3.6 by 3.6 inches and 22 ounces, this one won't slip into your shirt pocket, but it's still one of Sony's smallest disc-based cameras. The CD200 fits nicely into most SLR camera carrying cases.

Contents and Recommended Accessories

The package includes the CD200 camera, NP-FM50 battery, AC-L10 cable for in-camera charging, one 3-inch CD-R, one 3-inch re-recordable CD-RW, shoulder strap, A/V cable, USB cable, and software on CD.

Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we recommend these accessories to make the most of your camera: a carrying case, additional 3-inch CD-R or CD-RW discs, and a second battery (especially if you're taking the camera on extended trips). Compatible accessories for this camera are listed near the top of this page. --Shane Burnett

Pros:

• Integrated CD recorder provides inexpensive storage and image archiving
• Big 2.5-inch screen makes it easy to preview and review photos
• E-mail modes simplify sharing of photos electronically

Cons:

• 2-megapixel sensor is adequate for most users but starting to look low by today's standards
• CD drive makes the camera bigger and heavier than cameras using memory cards

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a winner!!, July 22, 2001

By 

"mgoril" (The Land of Lincoln) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony MVC-CD200 Mavica 2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

After spending several weeks researching the digital camera market I finally settled on the Mavica CD 1000. The only problem was it was a whole lot more camera than I really needed. So what does Sony do? They bring out the CD-200. Problem solved. Still more camera than I really needed but boy, what a camera!! I've been using my new 200 for a little over a month now and am just as impressed and excited with it as I was on the first day. It has almost all of the features of the CD1000, even the ability to take short MPEG movies, without the extra weight and size. Image quaity, ease of use, features, flexibility.... it's got it all. Much smaller than the 1000, even my 7 year old son has no problem handling it. The viewfinder screen is sharp, clear, and easy to see in almost all lighting conditions. The only exception is very dark flash conditions and the built-in twilight light takes care of that.

As with the 1000, the CD storage makes digital photography effortless. Transfering pictures using your CDR-RW drive or the USB cable is a no-brainer. Sony's CD's are a little pricy but Memorex's Pocket CD's work just as well, and their capacity is a little bigger. While on vacation I was able to get 165 large image (1600x1200) shots at high resolution on a single CD. The 5-pack of Memorex CD's cost about $1.80 ea vs 6 rolls of film at $5-6 ea plus processing. Using this camera has actually saved me money in film and developing.

As with the 1000 there is a lag time between pressing the button and taking the photo. Pressing the button to Half-Shutter and waiting for your picture pretty much solves that. Excellent zoom, the manual says the image degrades the more zoom you use but I can't tell the difference. The picture quality is still excellent. Battery life is about 2-1/2 hours of shooting time. Carrying an extra battery will keep you shooting from dusk to dawn and then some. Sony has a camera that has taken point and shoot to point, shoot and print. It's that easy.

Contrary to what geekysteve from Arkansas says it is not necessary to finalize a disc before picking photos from it. Just pop it into your CD-RW drive and you can copy over one photo, all photos or whatever you choose. I still use this camera almost every day and it's still the best camera in its class.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable Camera!, August 13, 2001

By 

robert lerman (woodbridge, ct USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony MVC-CD200 Mavica 2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

I have never written a review, and always wondered what kind of person would take the time to write. Here I am taking the time to write because this camera is the BEST camera I have ever owned -- bar none. Loaded with the features you need to take great shot -- its worth taking a few minutes to read the manual. This camera takes the best pictures ever. I selected the camera for the cd writing capability and have not been disappointed. You can pop the cd's in any computer anywhere for instant access; or just throw the cd's in a drawer for a rainy day. Last point: i was concerned about 2 megapixels, but have found the image quality to be more than ample. I cant say enough good things about this camera!

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sony MVC-CD200 -- A breakthrough in digital cameras, October 9, 2001

By 

DL Day (Georgia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony MVC-CD200 Mavica 2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

I researched digital cameras for six months before buying the Sony MVC-CD200. The CD is what sold me on this one. I didn't want to have to deal with USB connections and special software just to view my pictures. I was also worried that whatever digital camera I bought might become quickly outdated. I don't think that's going to happen with the Sony CD cameras. This is an absolutely incredible camera for both serious and casual photographers. I'm an artist and had wanted to be able to take daily pictures of my work in progress, as well as reference photos. For me, this is the ultimate. The 2.1 megapixels provide photos that are actually superior in many ways to the ones I've taken with my film cameras. For instance, I can see thickness of paint, brush strokes and a full range of color in my paintings. I haven't even bothered to install the software that Sony provides with the camera. All I do is finalize the CD, pop it into the CD-ROM and pull up the pictures either through Microsoft Publisher 2000 or Quark Express. One disc easily stores 70 pictures shot at maximum file size of 1600-1200. I don't think I'd really want more than that on one disc because it makes looking through all of them faster. I print them on an HP Deskjet 1220C using their premium photo paper. I've been amazed at the results I've been able to get indoors with no flash. For instance, I took one of the light from a single lamp in a room on an overcast morning. Gorgeous. The camera is very easy to use. I would recommend going through the manual at some length to take full advantage of all it can do. I really think the Sony CD cameras represent a breakthrough in digital photography for a wide range of people.