Sony DSCF717 5MP Digital Still Camera w/ 5x Optical Zoom

I have had this camera for 5 years, and taken several thousand photos. It is as close to an SLR as you can get. The optics are very good, photos all come out excellent. It's not a compact pocket camera, but then neither is any really high quality camera with a first-class lens. The optical zoom range of 5x is very good and there is no discernible image deterioration at any focal length. The white balance feature is flexible and better than on many much more expensive cameras. The tilting lens-body combination is a great asset and very useful at events where you hasveb to take pictures over other people's heads. I have since added a Nikon D90 to get up to 300 mm; it has 12 MP but I rarely use more than 6.

Received camera with a bad CCD unit and Sony wants close to $150 to repair it. Soon as I turned on the camera the LCD screen and view finder have no picture other than graphics, I knew then the CCD was bad. Its all over You-Tube of this issue. Camera was in perfect condition. I had no choice but to order new CCD unit from Europe which will take weeks to receive and I will attempt the repair myself ($35 US dollars). Bummer.HOWEVER since the camera was in perfect condition and it came with a Sony deluxe camera bag, 2 batteries, patch cables, Sony shoulder strap , and original owners manual I am sure I will be pleased when I hopefully repair it.UPDATE: One of the battery packs is also defective, camera has a flashing yellow charge lamp. According to the manual it is defective, it was properly installed and seated. Seems vendor did not check it's functions very well.

bought new battery does not hold charge, will not charge to capacity.

Camera was in good physical condition but was not usable. The LCD and viewfinder were nothing but a rainbow of colors. Supplier responded immediately with a return label and refunded my money, however you would think a quick check on functioning of the product would have saved a few steps.

Being a gardener I like to document what grows at different times of the year from miniscule buds to flowers, shrubs & trees. This camera is an easy to use general workhorse for me. Because of the rotating body I no longer need to kneel down in the mud to capture an up close portrait of a snowdrop as it emerges in the spring. I can hold the camera over my head and capture a shot of a flower posed higher than I've grown.The 5mg image capture size is perfect for the documentation I'm looking for in this context.It is easy to use, no fuss, no frills.There are many cameras to choose from since I bought my original DSC F707 but, when I made a major mistake and left in out on the garden bench for a few days in the rain, I was lost without it. My other cameras just didn't fill the bill for this type of work.So I bought the newer DSC F717, even though it is no longer being manufactured by Sony. That's how much I like the style and simplicity of the camera.

After having an old film SLR for years (won't say how many), I resisted going digital. When I finally decided it was time (new baby) I thought I would have to go with a digital SLR. A friend loaned me the DSCF717, and I was relieved to see that the quality was as good as I was used to with film, even on the 8x10+ enlargements we do of baby portraits. The real plus is that my husband is able to use this when set to auto. (He never mastered the controls of our old Nikon.)You can add on lens accessories to expand capabilities, and the price is so far below entry digital SLR's that you can really afford to splurge on those goodies. (Especially extra memory, battery and car charger.)Many reviews mention the awkward size, but I have not found it to be a bother at all. I hardly ever took the zoom off my old camera, so this feels normal to me.

every thing is loose and to solve this problem I tried tightening the screws of it's body, more over it has a lot of scratches even most of the writing on the body and marks are gone!! it was not in a good condition

DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA. Although, it is an awesome camera and will take amazing pictures, it will without a doubt break after 2 or 3 years of use for no reason whatsoever. I bought this camera brand new about 3 years ago, and absolutely LOVED it. The pictures were amazing...crisp, colorful etc.BUT...There are deffective pieces that are used in this camera that have not been recalled by sony. Google it, you'll find plenty of reading material about it.I used my camera about 3 weeks ago and everything was fine...took it out again about a week later and it would not work. The pictures were over-exposed regardless of any settings I used. This was not user error...I've had this camera for 3 years and used it all the time, I knew this camera about as well as anyone could...the camera just stopped functioning properly. I've given up trying to read online how to fix it. It's a bit out-dated anyways at this point and instead I'm looking at an upgrade. I recommend Canon or Nikon. They may cost more, but at least they'll last.Hope this helps. It's a shame Sony won't correct their problem...otherwise I'd be upgrading to a new Sony instead of switching brands.