Sony’s original zoom-equipped digital Mavica records VGA JPEG photographs on standard floppy disks, with a 10× optical zoom and autofocus.
Type
Bridge
Sensor
Other
Megapixels
–
Lens
40–400 mm equivalent
Video
–
Body weight
600 g
What reviewers say
Both reviews valued straightforward operation and floppy-disk transfer. PC Watch praised the useful 10× zoom, close-focus ability and long battery endurance, while criticising slow recording, uneven sharpness and some indoor colours. Electronics Now also found it convenient and easy to use, but considered the grip awkward and noted the wait to save each picture.
1/4-inch CCD is an optical-format designation, not a published physical diagonal. Contemporary PC Watch coverage gives 410,000 total CCD pixels; effective still-image sensor pixel count is not specified.
Image formats
JPEG (.JPG) with camera-only .411 index files; Standard and Fine quality settings; 640 × 480 maximum image size
Lens and shooting
Built-in lens
40–400 mm equivalent
Maximum aperture
f/1.8–2.9
Optical zoom
10×
Lens detail
Built-in 10× zoom; actual focal length 4.2–42 mm; f/1.8–2.9 maximum aperture. Equivalent focal lengths are Sony’s published 35 mm still-camera equivalents.
Autofocus
Autofocus with manual-focus switch and near/far dial; approximately 1 cm minimum distance at wide angle and 100 cm at telephoto. Some Program AE modes restrict close focusing.
Stabilisation detail
Field mode reduces camera-shake blur; Frame mode captures more detail but can blur moving subjects. This is the manual’s capture-mode distinction, not a claim of optical or sensor-shift stabilisation.
Flash
Built-in flash, manually selected; Sony specifies a recording distance of 2–4 m. Flash recording uses Field mode even when Frame is selected.
Exposure controls
Automatic exposure and white balance; ±1.5 EV compensation when Program AE is disabled; Soft Portrait, Sports Lesson, Beach & Ski, Sunset & Moon and Landscape Program AE modes; Pastel, Negative Art, Sepia and Black & White effects
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
None
Screen size
2.5″
Screen dots
61,380
Display detail
2.5-inch TFT LCD with 61,380 dots, brightness controls and six-image index playback; framing uses the LCD
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)
500 photographs
Body weight
600 g
Release detail
Japan on-sale date 1 August 1997 and announcement date 11 June 1997 reported by contemporary PC Watch launch coverage; the linked Sony press release is no longer available
Recording media
3.5-inch 2HD floppy disk, MS-DOS formatted, 1.44 MB. Approximately 30–40 images per disk in Standard or 15–20 in Fine, depending on subject. The removable medium is not built-in storage.
Battery life detail
Sony NP-F530 InfoLITHIUM rechargeable battery; approximately 500 shots / 90 minutes without flash on a full charge, under Sony’s continuous recording test at 25°C with 10-second intervals. This is not a CIPA rating.
Charging
Included BC-V615 external charger; approximately 165 minutes for a normal charge or 225 minutes for a full charge, starting with an empty battery
Dimensions
Approximately 126.5 × 110.5 × 73.3 mm (width × height × depth)
Weight detail
Approximately 600 g excluding battery and floppy disk, from Sony’s manual
In the box
NP-F530 battery, BC-V615 charger, mains cable and shoulder strap, plus lens cap; floppy disk is not supplied
Video
Video detail
Still photographs only; no movie recording described in the manual
Pros and cons
Pros
+Built-in 40–400 mm equivalent optical zoom
+Autofocus, manual focus and close-ups at approximately 1 cm
+JPEG files transfer using a compatible computer floppy drive
