Customer Reviews: Read 49 more reviews...
 The little camera that could August 8, 2008
I got this camera about two years ago and it's still going! Broken battery cap and all! I have a tendency to drop things, and this camera is no exception, but it never breaks on me. It's cracked in a couple places and, yes, the battery cap is falling off, but it still takes stunning pictures! I'm constantly impressed by the quality of the photos. I take it everywhere with me and it refuses to break (no matter how badly I want one of those fancy new ones). So, if you're a klutz like me, this is the camera for you!
 Bad luck or bad camera July 22, 2008
Cons: On speed is slow. Auto focus is slow and take several blur images. It's not durable. The front finish wear in less than a year. The battery fail to connect. And the Sony service is very bad at least in Panama.
Pros: Great Screen, small size, good quality pictures (when take focused).
 An amateur's opinion March 19, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I got this camera as a birthday present from my folks a little over a year ago. At first I was enthralled, though I thought I was really bad at it because most of my pictures would always come out blurry.
Nope, turns out it's mostly the camera. If you want one for making simple videos or taking pictures of your friends and family posing in good light, then this camera may be the one for you. However, if you're like me and want to take more artistic photos, look elsewhere because this camera will majorly discourage you from persuing the art.
The flash is extremely bright, but that can be turned off. What you see in the screen when you're getting ready for the shot isn't want you'll get when you preview it later, when suddenly it's grainier and off-color. The macro is fine if you want the object you're taking an extreme closeup of to be blurry and the background in focus, as opposed to the other way around which is impossible with this camera. Don't even think of taking night shots.
This guy is also rather delecate. A couple of months into owning it, it took a small bump and broke the screen. Hooray warranty! However, while sitting in my empty purse a few months later, a small part of the battery compartment lid chipped making me sometimes have to hold it down just so with my thumb. And now for no reason one of the lens covers sticks a little meaning that I have to risk touching the lens in order to move the cover out of the way. I won't even get started with how the user manual didn't mention that there's an option for black and white and sepia photos, or that it takes a few seconds for the camera to take a picture after you push the button.
All in all, a good camera if you're in good lighting, have a steady hand or a tripod, and everything is absolutely still and not too close or too far. Otherwise, look at something else, especially if you plan on making photography your hobby.
Worst camera ever; do not buy. February 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I researched before I bought this camera and based on the features and value, as well as a recommendation and photos I saw from another owner of the Sony, I purchased this camera. I am very disappointed in the clarity, quality and consistency of the photos. I have set, reset parameters and even taken the camera back to the store where I purchased it to have them figure out why the pictures have sections that are fuzzy. No one can explain it. I do not even take pictures anymore because I know they won't live up to my expectations of resolution, clarity or depth of field. I previously owned a Canon with less pixels and lost it, and replaced it with this one, which does not come near to the quality of the Canon. This one is going in the trash.
Inexpensive Camera--and Cheap, too! November 5, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For about $150 you can't expect too much from a digital camera... and the Sony S500 certainly meets those expectations. I bought this camera because at the time it was one of the only sub-$200 cameras with a larger LCD display (2.4"). I wasn't expecting such low picture quality however--particularly in low light applications. In most applications, both day and night, you have to hold the camera very still to avoid blur... but in even slightly low level light it is almost impossible to get a clear image without setting the camera down or using a tripod. However, if you do that, the photos are fairly decent.
Other good features is the AA batteries instead of proprietary rechargables that a lot of manufacturers are using... when you're out taking pics all day and your battery dies, it's nice to be able to just pop in some AAs and keep going--vs. having to either plug back in to recharge or have to buy a $20-30 2nd battery from Sony.
The zoom also kind of sucks on this camera. If you zoom at all--even if you are still in the optical range (vs. the digital), the picture quality really plummets and gets very grainy very fast.
Color balance seems to also be an issue with this camera--again especially in low light levels. I find myself spending a LOT of time correcting and tweaking the colors, brightness, and contrast on my pics with this camera... which ultimately screws up the image quality (since the adjustments are done post photo and digitally).
Bottom line, if you are just looking for a cheap, basic point and shoot to keep handy for miscellaneous but not overly complicated or technical shots--and quality is not an big issue--this camera will suffice. If you are going on vacation and value your images--or need higher quality images--go with something like a canon digital elph... a little more money but a much higher image quality...
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