Sony Cyber-shot DSC S85 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S85A great 4.1Megapixel Super HAD CCD.

Verdict: The DSC-S85 needs more storage, and some of the buttons are too small, but it offers sharp, unbiased image capture, extended movie and GIF modes, and aperture/shutter priority at a reasonable price.

Pros: High resolution; great manual control; good ergonomics; broad features.

Cons: Memory Stick format is pricey and the slot won't take IBM's MicroDrive.

Verdict: Sony has essentially upgraded its S75, which was already a great camera. The resulting S85 may be pricey, and only work with Memory Stick media, but it offers great control and wonderful quality.

Review summary: I first got a taste of Sony's DSC-S85 at a private "show and tell" with Sony, high up in a San Francisco skyscraper. Like a magic trick slowly unfolding, things got better and better as the presentation went along. At first, I figured it was just an enhan

Pros: 4 million pixels for under $800!Feature packedVery good photo qualityVery good bundle (except for Memory Stick)Manual white balanceGreat movie mode with sound!

Cons: No zoom in movie modeProprietary Memory Stick, external flash port, and batteryNightshots could be betterNo true continuous shooting mode

Verdict: What can I say? The DSC-S85 is the first 4 Megapixel camera priced for the masses, and it's excellent. The photo quality, features, and price are all standouts. My major concern with many of Sony's cameras, is the Memory Stick format. I'm not a fan of pro

Pros: High resolution; excellent image quality in brightly lit shots; lots of features.

Cons: Poor low-light image quality; slight shutter delay.

Verdict: While its performance isn't always stellar, the feature-rich DSC-S85 represents a good value among 4-megapixel digicams.