Sony MVCFD100 FD Mavica 1.2MP Digital Still Camera w/ 3x OPtical Zoom

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Product Details

Product Manual [5.27mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 3.1 x 5.6 x 4.1 inches ; 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000063S3Z
• Item model number: MVCFD100
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,204 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 5, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Sony brought simplified digital photography to the masses when it introduced the Mavica--a digital camera that stored digital pictures on standard floppy discs. This updated version boasts a 1.2-megapixel sensor and a Memory Stick slot, plus the charm and simplicity that made the original a hit.

Optics and Resolution
The FD100's 1.2-megapixel sensor captures four times the detail of the original Mavica, providing enough detail for sharp 5-by-7-inch prints. For the typical family photographer, 1.2 megapixels is a bit low, though if you primarily plan to view your pictures on a computer monitor and don't plan to make prints bigger than 5 by 7 inches, the F100 is a great choice. If you want a camera with even more resolution, try the 2-megapixel MVC-FD200 or drop the floppy format altogether and step up to a CD-recording model like Sony's MVC-CD300 or MVC-CD400.

The autofocus lens features both a 3x optical zoom and a 2x digital zoom. Remember, however, that digital zoom tends to reduce the sharpness and detail of your image, so it's a good idea to use it sparingly.

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 FD100 uses a big 2.5-inch color display. The advantage to using the LCD to frame your shots is that the screen lets you see exactly the picture you'll capture. 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 FD100 is clearly designed for point-and-shoot simplicity, but there are several options for more adventurous photographers, including manual focus with macro, adjustable ISO and white-balance settings, exposure compensation, and the ability to shoot black-and-white, sepia, solarized, and negative images.

Power
The FD100 uses Sony's excellent InfoLithium battery system, which not only holds a respectable charge, but also displays on screen 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 silent video clips. The limited duration and resolution of your movies 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
Images are stored on standard floppy discs, which makes transferring pictures to your computer a snap. Take the picture, wait for the disc to stop whirring, then eject the disc from your camera and pop it into your computer's floppy drive. For safekeeping, it's best to transfer images to your hard drive and periodically archive your photos using a CD-R drive.

Though they're available everywhere and have gotten dirt cheap, floppies aren't without their problems. First, their 1.4 MB capacity is dismal by today's standards. A 1.2-megapixel photo actually contains 3.6 MB of information, which means a disc can't hold even a single uncompressed photo. Using standard JPEG compression, only seven photos fit on each disc, so plan to bring a big stack of bulky floppies on each outing. To make matters more frustrating, some new computers (iMacs, for example) don't even come with floppy drives anymore.

To get around these problems, the FD100 also includes a slot for Memory Sticks, Sony's proprietary memory card format. A 128 MB stick is approximately one-fifth the size of a floppy disc, yet it holds over 300 images at the camera's default settings. To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera. Your computer should automatically recognize your camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive. If you own a Sony desktop or laptop, your computer may already have a built-in Memory Stick reader.

Most folks will probably buy the Mavica for the simplicity of its floppy drive, but switch to the Memory Stick slot when on extended outings.

Size
Considering the internal floppy drive and nonretracting 3x zoom lens, the Mavica is reasonably compact at 5.6 by 4.1 by 3.1 inches, but weighs in at a hefty 19 ounces.

Contents and Recommended Accessories
The package includes the camera, lithium-ion rechargeable battery, NPF-330 AC adapter/battery charger, video and USB cables, shoulder strap, and lens cap.

The camera does not come with any storage media, so you'll need either a floppy disc or a Memory Stick to start shooting. Otherwise, everything you need to get started is included in the box. To make the most of your camera, we recommend: a carrying case, a high-capacity Memory Stick or stack of floppy discs, and, for extended outings, a spare battery. Compatible accessories for this camera are listed near the top of this page. --Shane Burnett

Pros:

• 1.2-megapixel resolution is a step up from original Mavica and is great for e-mails and snapshots
• Floppy disc storage for ultimate simplicity
• Lithium-ion battery holds a good charge

Cons:

• Movie mode lacks sound
• Floppies are big, bulky, and low capacity, though the Memory Stick slot solves this problem.

Product Description

Choice is good. And with Sony's MVC-FD100, you're able to choose between the simplicity of storing your images to an economical floppy disk or convenient Memory Stick Media. Or, copy images from your Memory Stick Media to a floppy disk and share your memories on the spot! Dual media functionality is built right into the body of this powerful, megapixel camera. Other great features include 12-bit DXP analog/digital conversion, multiple image and video modes, MPEG movie function, high-speed auto focus, and an intelligent flash with red-eye reduction.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Camera, Good value for money..., May 1, 2002

By	William A. Heckel (New York ,USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great camera, I give it 4 starts only beacuse [does not] include a diskette or a memory stick..
Overall the camera is very nice, the superfine resolution is great. But it eats floppys so get a 64 or 128 mb memory stick.
Also be sure to get another battery pack... No sound on the movies, but its not ment to be a camcorder. Included are lens cover, shoulder strap, video out cable, a/c adapter & charger & USB cable....

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Gadget, and it's Easy to Use!, April 17, 2003

By	Michael Crane (Orland Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Well, thought it was time for me to get with the times so I finally got myself a digital camera. I've always wanted one, but just really never had the money for one. I was able to get my hands on the Sony MVC-FD100 Digital Camera a couple of weeks ago, and I can say that I am very pleased with it.

You don't have to be a computer wiz to know how to operate it, which is one of the best qualities. It is VERY easy to use and I seriously think that anyone can learn to use it in a matter of minutes. It's a little bigger than most cameras, but this is because it allows you to save pictures to a floppy disk (which means that you really never have to hook up the camera to your PC to view or share your pictures). You can also use memory sticks as well (they're expensive, but can hold lots of memory and is more convenient than switching floppies non-stop).

There's a lot of neat things you can do with the camera. You can zoom in and out with ease, change the effects to make your pictures look different, and you can make short MPEG videos (with no audio). All of these features are very easy to use and are easy to learn.

A main drawback to this digital camera is the price. It is rather costly, but I think it's worth it. If this seems to be out of your price range then you should look at some others. There are plenty of others that are less expensive.

All in all, I am very pleased with the Sony MVC-FD100 Digital Camera. It's easy to use and is very convenient. If you're looking for a high quality digital camera that can be operated by just about anyone, then I highly recommend that you check this one out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Because It's Big...!, July 25, 2003

By	Matsugawa J. Andrews (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

There was a little piece of advice I always gave people upon choosing their first digital camera, that being: 1)Take the megapixel count you are interested in, and 2)Multiply it by 100 3)If you spend within 50 dollars of that, you have basically gotten a good deal. If you pay less, you are probably missing some fundamental feature (a zoom is often the first thing to go) and if you pay more, you are getting more than you probably wanted (some special lens made from a glass that NASA uses to make the microwaves on the shuttle or something like that). With the Mavica FD series, the extra 100 or 200 dollars is going to its method of storing pictures, on simple, inexpensive floppy disks.
If that still does not seem to justify the price, consider this: a floppy disk drive runs anywhere from 40 to 60 dollars, now take that drive and stick it on the back of a digital camera (thus making it self-powered).
And then there is the media itself: Smartmedia and CompactFlash cards are down in price (averaging less than a dollar per megabyte) and are available in sizes in the giga-range. That all seems fine and dandy, until you consider the phrase "don't put all your eggs in one basket." The cards are like any other data storage media, and thus prone to corruption and electromagnetic interference. So, because of a simple error in the camera (it is a computer like any other, and thus prone to all the same weaknesses), a whole 64+ megabytes of memories can be lost forever. And, to add insult to injury, that card was really expensive! Meanwhile, a box of 40+ floppy disks (at about 1.44MB per disc) costs a little less than 10 dollars. Now get out your calculators....Okay....PENCILS DOW--I MEAN, CALCULATORS DOWN!
Of course, the problem with floppy disks is that there are so many of them that lugging them around your vacation spot can be a complete pain. Fortunately, unlike the FD-75, you have the option of using Memory Sticks. In fact, if you take someone's picture on the MemStick, but want to give them one of the photos, simply insert a floppy disk and copy (just like in a computer) the picture to the floppy and give them that disk. Beats making them wait for a print.
Also, Sony's sensibility guided them toward making the FD Mavicas out of HandyCam parts, meaning that some of the accessories you got for/with your Handycam (if you have one)can be used with the mavica, namely the battery (that little crummy one that came with it that you have probably not used since you got that even better 8-hour one!) which is exactly the same as the battery that comes with the FD! So, out of the box, you have doubled the battery life of the camera. Also, the camera has a 37mm filter thread, which allows you to attach neat accessories like color filters and fisheye lenses.
Final word: a little pricey and not much for resolution, but for Handycam owners, it is a new lease on life for those old batteries!