Sony Mavica MVC FD71

Sony Digital Mavica – MVC-FD85.
I’ve not had mine long and don’t know if I’m qualified to write an opinion yet! – But here goes anyway!!
I bought my FD85 in the June of 2001 it cost me £449:98 from Dixon’s (a bit pricey for a digital camera these days) I could have bought one for about £30:00 less, mail order but had itchy fingers and like any “big kid” I couldn’t wait the week ...
...(Buy a carry case? A Sony case will knock your pocket an extra £30 at least, I picked up a padded shoulder case new on a market stall for a £1 and it’s the BIZZ).
As all the pictures are stored on floppy disk they are instantly compatible with your computer and no software is needed. This Mavica has a 1.3 million Mega-Pixel capability (not a lot by today’s standards but “enough”) this allows picture image sizes to ... more

Sony Digital Mavica – MVC-FD85.
I’ve not had mine long and don’t know if I’m qualified to write an opinion yet! – But here goes anyway!!
I bought my FD85 in the June of 2001 it cost me £449:98 from Dixon’s (a bit pricey for a digital camera these days) I could have bought one for about £30:00 less, mail order but had itchy fingers and like any “big kid” I couldn’t wait the week for delivery (how sad?). Anyway I’d been looking at loads of digital cameras and opted for the one I thought should be the easiest to use for all the family and also because my two eldest sons had already used a Mavica at school.
At first you notice that this isn’t no small camera, not by a long chalk! It weighs 1lb 7oz but does come with a shoulder strap. OK! first, The big selling feature> this isn’t no ordinary Digital Camera it has a 4X Quick Access Floppy –Drive (which accounts for its bulk) and so that tells us that the pictures are saved to floppy discs and not digital memory sticks, this can be quite a saving as a box of 10 floppy discs costs £2 as opposed to £70 for a 8 MB memory stick (no contest)! But on the other hand can you be bothered to carry camera and box/s of discs around? (Buy a carry case? A Sony case will knock your pocket an extra £30 at least, I picked up a padded shoulder case new on a market stall for a £1 and it’s the BIZZ).
As all the pictures are stored on floppy disk they are instantly compatible with your computer and no software is needed. This Mavica has a 1.3 million Mega-Pixel capability (not a lot by today’s standards but “enough”) this allows picture image sizes to be set as high as 1280 X 960 this allows only 6 piccies per disc, 1024 X 768 this allows up to 10 piccies per disc or 640 X 480 this allows up to 30 piccies per disc. (Less piccies higher quality more piccies lower quality). You may also buy a special floppy disk adapter, this is a floppy disc that holds a memory stick, this may allow you to store up to 150+ piccies (about £80 with 8MB stick). (“6 ordinary floppy discs will hold more) Err! That’s only £1:20p”)). All pics are stored in JPEG image file.
Another rather snazzy feature of this camera is that you can store moving pictures on to a floppy disk, you can get up to 1 minute of movie on an ordinary floppy or up to 5 minutes on a 8MB floppy disc thingy, this is stored in MPEG1 movie file and sound in MPEG Audio (monaural). Hmm!! “Clever Sony people”.
There are loads and loads of features on this camera far to many to go into in-depth so I will just try and list them or you will be here still reading this when it’s discontinued.
Flash – On / off or you can set the camera to make it’s own decision!!
3X Zoom / 6X Digital Zoom
Info Lithium Battery and Charger – this is a smart Sony battery it can communicate with the camera!! It takes about 90 minutes to charge from dead and you should get at least an hours continuous use before recharge is needed.
A/V connecting cable – use this to look at your pics as a slide show on your T.V.
L.C.D. Screen – used to see what you’re shooting. Sometimes hard to see in bright sun light. Does have a Back - Light for use in low - light.
Lens Cap
Volume + / - button
Disc Formatting Feature – Formats discs
“Destruction” manual – Easy to follow well written & informative.
+ Loads & loads of other smart features.

I must admit this is a good camera for a beginner or a know – it – all, But it is a bit on the pricey side there’s loads of features, although you could pick it up from new and be shooting away within a couple of hours (take the time it takes to charge the battery to read and take in the “destruction” manual).
I think I would recommend this camera to almost anybody.
“Sony had to make a Digital camera with a Floppy Drive”.
“After all they invented the BLOODY thing”!!..
 

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