Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F717

Sony DSC-F717

Type	Bridge digital camera
Sensor	8.80 mm × 6.60 mm CCD
Maximum resolution	2,560 × 1,920 (5 million)
Lens	Fixed, Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar, 38–190 mm equiv. (5× zoom)
Shutter speed range	30–1/2000 s
Focus areas	Multi-Segment, Center weighted, Spot
Focus modes	Single, Monitor, Continuous
Continuous shooting	3 frames @ 2.0 frame/s
Viewfinder	Electronic with dioptre adjustment, TFT-LCD
ASA/ISO range	100, 200, 400, 800
Rear LCD monitor	1.8" / 123,000 pixels
Storage	Memory Stick (PRO)
Weight	659 g (including battery)

The Sony DSC-F717 is a bridge digital camera announced by Sony in 2002. It features a 5.0 megapixel CCD sensor (8.80 × 6.60 mm). It has a 38–190 mm equiv. Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens with an aperture of f/2.0-f/2.4 which can be considered as a very fast lens in its class.

Photos taken can be saved as JPEG or TIFF. Recording movie clips in MPEG EX/HQX is also possible.

It was made in Japan, uses the Sony infoLITHIUM M-size battery and saves to Memory Sticks.

Special features

The camera uses a swivel body, good for complicated situations. It can be rotated in 36 degrees angled down (for overhead shooting) or 77 degrees angled upwards.
The DSC-F717 uses the relatively rare "Hologram AF Assist" which helps the contrast detect AF system to lock AF in low light.
It also features NightShot and NightFraming which removes the IR filter from the CCD thus making the camera "able to see in the dark" and enabling two infrared LEDs illuminating the scene at short range. Aperture and similar settings are forced to auto and are limited (this might be due to the fact, that it was possible to photograph through thin clothing with an additional IR filter). Because of the limitations it's giving the opportunity to be used in IR photography only partly.

References

DP Review