The 8 mp 4 colour (red, green, blue and emerald -- unique to Sony) sensor delivers sharp pictures, through the brilliant Zeiss lens. Even at the 200mm extension the maximum f stop is 2.8. The lens is the equivalent of at least two interchangeable lenses for a conventional SLR.

There is manual zoom and manual focussing. Sony gets a pat on the back for this, but not for the electronic viewfinder, which is a miserable affair, as they all are, and makes manual focussing pointless. And the ergonomics of the camera, which is curiously shaped, are a matter of taste. Controls are fiddly and not intuitive.

Some reviewers claim the 8mp 4 colour sensor has too many light receptors on a small chip causing increased noise and optical aberrations. dpexpert didn’t see any problems in our 30 cm by 40 cm prints, so we conclude that for use in the real world, as long as the ISO rating is not pushed too high, you can make superb pictures. Auto focus, exposure and tonal range are as good as we have seen on any digicam. Auto white balance is about the best we have seen in any camera.

Like this: The terrific Zeiss lens the excellent manual zoom and the super resolution, “film-like” pictures. The solid all-metal build speaks quality of design and construction.

Dislike that: Ergonomics (a personal matter) and the electronic viewfinder. The price is high by comparison with other cameras in its class.

Parting shot: The Sony DSC-F828 was the first of its type and it is still one of the best. The Olympus 8080 challenges the Sony on some points, particularly responsiveness. And the Olympus is $500 cheaper.

SAMPLE images from the SONY DSC F828