Sony · Mavica
Digital Mavica MVC-FD71
Sony’s second zoom-equipped digital Mavica combines a 10× optical zoom with a progressive CCD and faster saving to standard floppy disks.
Model history · 2 models, 1997–1998
- 1997Digital Mavica MVC-FD7Compare
- 1998Digital Mavica MVC-FD71
- Type
- Bridge
- Sensor
- Other
- Megapixels
- 0.33
- Lens
- 40–400 mm equivalent
- Video
- –
- Body weight
- 480 g
What reviewers say
Both reviews valued straightforward floppy-disk transfer and found the camera enjoyable to use. ATPM praised colour, zoom flexibility and battery endurance but criticised small controls, LCD-only framing and low-light autofocus. DPReview’s retrospective highlighted the useful 10× zoom and responsiveness for its time, while noting the large body and limited VGA resolution.
From atpm.com and dpreview.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specImage and sensor
- Camera type
- Bridge
- Sensor format
- Other
- Sensor type
- Progressive CCD
- Effective resolution
- 0.33 MP
- Largest image
- 640 × 480
- RAW recording
- No
- Sensor detail
- 1/4-inch progressive CCD; Sony’s launch table specifies 350,000 total and 330,000 effective sensor pixels. Individual output photographs remain 640 × 480 pixels.
- Image formats
- Normal JPEG and uncompressed Bitmap recording at 640 × 480; Bitmap also saves a JPEG. Email mode adds a 320 × 240 JPEG. Multi mode saves a 960 × 720 composite of nine frames, not a photograph with that individual image resolution. Standard and Fine JPEG compression settings.
- Image processor
- RISC image processing; Sony claims approximately four-second JPEG saving, around 60% shorter than the MVC-FD7
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, equivalent to 40–400 mm on a 35 mm still camera; f/1.8–2.9 maximum aperture
- Autofocus
- Autofocus or manual focus using the lens ring; approximately 1 cm minimum focus distance at wide angle and 100 cm at telephoto
- Burst detail
- Multi mode captures nine small frames at approximately 0.25-second intervals into one 960 × 720 composite. Focus and exposure settings remain fixed and flash is disabled; this is not full-resolution continuous shooting.
- Flash
- Built-in flash with automatic, forced-on and off settings; Sony specifies 0.5–2.5 m subject distance. High, Normal and Low flash-level settings.
- Exposure controls
- Automatic exposure and white balance; ±1.5 EV compensation in 0.5 EV steps. Program AE modes include Soft Portrait, Sports Lesson, Beach & Ski, Sunset & Moon, Landscape and Panfocus. Negative Art, Sepia, Black & White and Solarize picture effects; approximately 10-second self-timer.
Screen and viewfinder
- Viewfinder
- None
- Screen size
- 2.5″
- Screen dots
- 84,260
- Display detail
- 2.5-inch TFT LCD with 84,260 dots, brightness controls, six-image index playback and switchable backlight; a rear solar window can illuminate the LCD using external light
Connections and design
- Battery life (maker's claim)
- 950 photographs
- Body weight
- 480 g
- Release detail
- Japan on-sale date 1 July 1998, announced 3 June 1998 in Sony’s press release
- Recording media
- 3.5-inch 2HD floppy disk, MS-DOS formatted, 1.44 MB; two-speed drive. Approximately 25–40 Normal-mode images per disk in Standard or 15–20 in Fine, depending on subject. Bitmap mode holds one image set per disk; Multi mode approximately 10–15 composites. Image Copy and Disk Copy functions.
- Battery life detail
- NP-F330 InfoLITHIUM battery supplied in the English manual; compatible NP-F530 and NP-F550 batteries and AC-V700 adaptor. Approximately 950 shots / 70 minutes without flash on a fully charged NP-F330 at 25°C, Normal/Standard recording with four-second intervals; not CIPA. Optional NP-F550 gives approximately 2,000 shots / 150 minutes under the same conditions.
- Charging
- BC-V615 external charger; NP-F330 approximately 150 minutes normal charge or 210 minutes full charge, starting empty
- Dimensions
- Approximately 137.5 × 103 × 62 mm (width × height × depth)
- Weight detail
- Sony’s launch release gives approximately 480 g body weight. English manual’s approximately 590 g includes NP-F330 battery, CR2025 cell, floppy disk, shoulder strap and lens cap; Japanese launch’s approximately 600 g figure includes NP-F550 battery, floppy disk and lens cap.
- In the box
- English manual lists NP-F330 battery, battery charger, mains cable, shoulder strap and lens cap. Japanese launch lists the NP-F550 battery/charger kit separately; regional contents differ.
Video
- Video detail
- Still photographs and Multi image composites; no movie recording described in the manual
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built-in 40–400 mm equivalent optical zoom
- Autofocus and manual focus with a lens ring
- Two-speed floppy drive and faster image processing
Cons
- Individual photographs are limited to 640 × 480 pixels
- Saving a JPEG still takes approximately four seconds
- Framing uses the LCD with no separate viewfinder
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Sensor | Megapixels | Lens | Video | Body weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge | Other | 2.02 | 38–190 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 | 435 g | Sept 1999 | |
| Bridge | Other | – | 40–400 mm equivalent | – | 600 g | Aug 1997 | |
| Bridge | 1/1.8-type | 2.62 | 38–190 mm equivalent | 320 × 240 | 424 g | Jun 2000 |
Previous model: Digital Mavica MVC-FD7.