Sony · Cyber-shot

Cyber-shot DSC-S50

Released 2000

An early Memory Stick compact with a 1600×1200 maximum image, 3× zoom, rotating 2-inch screen and MPEG movie recording with sound.

Type: Compact
Sensor: 1/2.7-type
Megapixels: 2.02
Lens: 39–117 mm equivalent
Video: 320 × 240
Body weight: –

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Specifications

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Image and sensor

Camera type: Compact
Sensor format: 1/2.7-type
Sensor type: Super HAD CCD
Effective resolution: 2.02 MP
Largest image: 1600 × 1200
RAW recording: No
Sensor detail: Optical 1/2.7-type Super HAD colour CCD with approximately 2.11 million total / 2.02 million effective photosites in exact Sony Japanese announcement. Maximum output 1600×1200 contains 1.92 million image pixels; contemporary review output-pixel figures are not transferred as maker sensor count. Optical format is not physical dimensions
Image formats: JPEG, uncompressed TIFF plus simultaneous JPEG, or black-and-white GIF Text mode. Maximum 1600×1200, also 1600×1072 (3:2), 1024×768 and 640×480. Email mode adds a 320×240 JPEG. No RAW. Supplied 4 MB Memory Stick is too small for TIFF; exact guide lists approximately two full-resolution TIFF/JPEG pairs on 16 MB

Lens and shooting

Built-in lens: 39–117 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture: f/2.8–2.9
Optical zoom: 3×
Stabilisation: None
Lens detail: Sony 3× zoom, physical 6.1–18.3 mm F2.8–2.9; 35 mm equivalent 39–117 mm. Normal autofocus approximately 25 cm wide / 60 cm telephoto; macro approximately 3 cm wide / 60 cm telephoto. Digital processing beyond 3× extends total zoom to 6×, not an additional 6× optical range
Autofocus: Autofocus and macro autofocus, plus approximate preset manual distances 0.5 m, 1 m, 3 m, 7 m and infinity. Half-press locks autofocus and automatic exposure
Shutter: Sony exact announcement: Auto 1/30–1/725 second; shutter priority 8–1/725 second. Exact operating instruction confirms still shutter-priority range
Stabilisation detail: No optical lens or sensor-shift stabilisation. Orientation sensor controls vertical-image playback, not camera-shake correction
Flash: Built-in flash, recommended range 0.3–2.5 m, Auto/red-eye Auto/forced on/off with High/Normal/Low flash level. No external flash terminal; S70 external-flash feature does not apply
Exposure controls: Automatic exposure plus seven Program AE settings: aperture priority, shutter priority, twilight, twilight plus, landscape, panfocus and spot metering. Aperture-priority selection across nine steps F2.8–F11, with telephoto restrictions; shutter-priority 18 still-image steps 8–1/725 second, or 12 movie steps 1/8–1/725. ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps. White balance Auto, Indoor, Outdoor or Hold; five sharpness levels; solarise, monochrome, sepia and negative-art effects. ISO control not published in exact instruction

Video

Highest video resolution: 320 × 240
Video detail: MPEG-1 movies with monaural audio at 320×240, maximum 15 seconds per clip; 160×112 video-mail mode up to 60 seconds. Exact frame rate not stated in read maker sources and left unpublished. Separate Voice mode attaches 5–40 seconds of audio to a still photograph. S30 has no movie/audio recording; S70 higher-quality MPEG mode is separate

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder: None
Screen size: 2″
Screen dots: 123,200
Touchscreen: No
Tilting screen: Yes
Display detail: Free-angle 2-inch TFT, 123,200 component dots (560×220); dots are not image pixels. Screen rotates for face-to-face/self-portrait and high/low-angle shooting, with normal/bright backlight. No touchscreen or separate optical/electronic eyepiece

Connections and design

Release detail: Conservative actual-sale year 2000 supported by contemporary Digicamera June 2000 news describing current DSC-S50 retail prices in Shinjuku. Sony announcement of 2 February 2000 planned Japanese sale on 15 April; that plan alone does not establish actual first-sale day/month. No exact official predecessor relationship inferred
Recording media: Full-size Memory Stick, supplied 4 MB. No SD slot. JPEG, TIFF and movie capacities depend on image size; approximately four 1600×1200 JPEGs on supplied card. No internal image storage published
Ports: USB digital I/O, monaural A/V OUT minijack with NTSC/PAL selection, and DC IN for AC-L10 adapter. Built-in microphone and speaker. No HDMI or external-flash terminal
Battery life detail: NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM rechargeable lithium-ion pack: nominal 7.2 V, 1180 mAh / 8.5 Wh. Exact pre-CIPA instruction claims approximately 2500 VGA photographs / 150 minutes at 25°C, normal LCD, fully charged battery, about five-second intervals and replacement Memory Sticks; normally charged pack 2300 / 140 minutes. This rapid single-frame test is not CIPA or a continuous burst. Separate playback and low-resolution movie runtime are not still-shooting endurance; no unqualified shot headline
Charging: In-camera charging with supplied AC-L10 adapter through DC IN, camera switched off. Approximately 90 minutes normal charge or 150 minutes full charge for completely discharged NP-FM50. No USB charging claimed
Dimensions: Exact operating instruction maximum dimensions 113×68×69 mm width×height×depth. Early Japanese announcement gives 113.1×67.8×68.8 mm excluding maximum projections
Weight detail: Exact operating instruction approximately 370 g including NP-FM50, Memory Stick, wrist strap and lens cap. Early Japanese release prints 315.6 g body / 423 g loaded in shared S50/S30 table, conflicting with later instruction loaded weight; optional body-only headline omitted rather than infer a subtraction
In the box: NP-FM50 battery, AC-L10 AC adapter and power cord, USB cable, A/V cable, lens cap and cap strap, wrist strap, 4 MB Memory Stick, CD-ROM/software and operating instructions; exact shared manual distinguishes S30 video-only cable

Pros and cons

Pros

Rotating screen for self-portraits and high or low angles
Aperture and shutter priority
Uncompressed TIFF recording

Cons

No optical viewfinder or stabilisation
Memory Stick storage only
320×240 movies limited to 15 seconds

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Sensor	Megapixels	Lens	Video	Body weight	Released
SonyCyber-shot DSC-S30	Compact	1/2.7-type	1.25	39–117 mm equivalent	–	–	2000
SonyCyber-shot DSC-P20	Compact	1/2.7-type	1.11	42 mm equivalent	320 × 240	187 g	2001
SonyCyber-shot DSC-P30	Compact	1/2.7-type	1.25	41–123 mm equivalent	320 × 240	214 g	2001

Sources

Photo: Sony / Pixinfo

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