Russ' Sony DSC-F717 Page

I recently got back into photography with the help of a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-F717 digital still camera, and have compiled a collection of useful resources about it. Much of this information also applies to its successor the DSC-F828, predecessor DSC-F707, and other members of the Cyber-Shot family. Though hand-picked and regularly checked, the content and availability of these links are the responsibility of their owners, not mine. Use this information at your own risk

Official Sony commercial websites

• Sony Canada's list of features, specifications, optional accessories, related items and manuals
• Sony USA's list of features, specifications, accessories and promotions
• Sony Japan's list of features, specifications and accessories (rough Japanese to English text translation)
• A few early '717s had low-light focusing problems and were repaired for free by Sony. USA service info.
• Some later Cybershots (including mine) had CCD trouble causing black or distorted images, also repaired for free. USA and Canadian service info.

Detailed hands-on, in-depth reviews of the DSC-F717

• Digital Photography Review
• Steve's Digicams (including a neat 360° QuickTime VR tour)
• Imaging Resource
• Digital Camera Resource
• Megapixel.net
• Shay Stephens
• Digital Photo User
• Peter iNova's Digital Secrets
• Digit Life
• Photo Net
• A Digital Eye
• ZD-Net
• Consumer opinions: Better Photo, PC Photo Review, Epinions.com, BizRate and Amazon.com

Discussion forums

• The Sony Talk Forum at Phil Askey's Digital Photography Review (this is the place to learn about the '717 - I'm often there under the name Tekkie)
  Some notable postings there:
  • The infamous Pillsbury flash and white balance diffuser
  • Archived posts from Shay Stephens
  • Post-processing techniques and more post-processing techniques by Gordon W
  • Post-processing, landscape, infrared, indoor, black & white, Tri-X, compositing and tourist photography tips by Andy Williams
  • Infrared, cross-tone and color portrait techniques from Daniel Chui
  • Non-dedicated and bounce flash tips from Mike Fitzgerald
  • Favourite advice and infrared techniques from many users
  • Selective color: Changing parts of pictures from color to black and white
  • How to disassemble the '707/'717
  • Sony Talk Forum Challenges and Galleries at PBase
  • Free Photoshop Actions from the DPReview Retouching Forum
  • Other informative DPReview forums on lighting, storage, printing and retouching
• The F717/F707 Forum at Photo Forums
• Yahoo Groups: Sony 717, DSCF717, Sony 7X7 and other digital and general photography groups
• Usenet newsgroups: rec.photo.digital (Google web version)

Useful resource lists and tips

• Sony DSC-F707,F717,F828 Links from TimTim Net
• Sony F707 and F717 Unofficial Accessory List
• Mustafa Demirhan's DSC-F828 Page
• The Digital Photography FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) List
• Photoshop Tutorials and More Photoshop Tutorials
• Thomas Niemann's Photoshop for Photographers, Lens Tool, Monitor Calibration and Panorama Tips
• The Hayes Island Effect, Bud Guinn's HIE Photoshop Action and many other Photoshop actions
• Digital Photography For What It's Worth
• Photography tutorials and The Understanding Series from The Luminous Landscape
• Guidelines for Better Photographic Composition
• Flash Strobe Trigger Voltages (only models under 12 volts should be used with the '717!)

Other handy documents (some may require the free Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader) - use your browser's right mouse/Save Target As... function to keep a copy

• Sony DSC-F717 Owners Manual (free, local copy, 4 MB)
• Sony DSC-F717 Sales Brochure (free, local copy, 270 kB)
• A Short Course Pocket Guide to the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-F717 (free, 315 kB, part of Dennis P. Curtin's Sony Short Course)
• The Sony Advanced Cyber-Shot eBook by Peter iNova
• Sony Cyber-Shot Training Videos by Joe Correia (sold through eBay)
• Shay's Focus Target (free, local copy, PNG format, 68 kB)

Hardware projects, software and accessories

• A Time Elapse Project for the DSC- F707 and DSC- F717
• Remote Control for Sony DSC-F828 (F717, F707)
• JG-RC1 Wireless Radio Remote Control
• ELM624 Control-L to RS232 Interpreter from Elm Electronics in Toronto
• How the Sony LANC Protocol Works
• Outboard Sony Batteries
• Buy spare parts from Sony Direct Accessories & Parts and PartSolver
• Underwater cases from Amphibico and 10bar
• MaxMax sells '717s modified for full-time infrared use, or will modify your camera (reviews here and here)
• Useful commercial software: Adobe Photoshop/Elements/Album, Neat Image and Noise Ninja
• More fun with your photos: panoramas, mosaics and collages
• Display photos on your web server with Gallery - don't miss mine

Notable galleries of Sony photographers and other sources of inspiration

• Andy Williams' Moon River Photography
• Shay Stephens
• Gordon L. Wolford
• Isabel Cutler
• Yuri Pautov
• Daniel Chui's Chewy Photography
• Icenine Photography
• Windoze
• Harry Behret
• Tony Georgiadis
• Norman Rich
• Peky
• Sascha
• Daniel Dumont
• Jamie Cashin (and his PBase gallery)
• General challenges/contests: The Digital Photography Challenge, Shutterbugs, PhotoSIG and Kodak's Picture of the Day

Local camera stores, galleries, organizations and other resources in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

• Henry's
• Galaxy Camera
• Ginn Photographic
• Canadian Camera
• The Camera Exchange
• The Camera Trading Company
• Throop Photographic (with online digital printing services)
• The Camera Club of Ottawa
• The RA Photo Club
• The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography and The National Gallery of Canada
• National franchise chain stores and print services: Black's, Japan Camera Centre, Future Photo, PhotoLab, Moto Photo, Process Photo and London Drugs
• Photo courses and campus clubs: Carleton University, University of Ottawa, Ottawa School of Art and Algonquin College

My current equipment lineup

• Sony DSC-F717 camera with standard accessories (32 MB Memory Stick, NP-FM50 InfoLITHIUM battery, AC-L10A charger, neck strap, lens cap, cables, etc.)
• One Sony 256 MB Memory Stick Pro and one Sandisk 256 MB Memory Stick Pro
• Sony RM-VD1 wired remote control
• Unomat BC28T external bounce/swivel flash with telephoto lens (auto/manual, Guide Number 28m/92ft)
• Canon Speedlite 155A and Vivitar 1800 slave flashes, optical slave trigger, hot shoe adapter, cables, etc.
• Hoya R72 infrared, neutral density 8, linear polarizer and ultraviolet 58mm filters, Kenko 55mm close-up lens set, step-down ring
• Canon 58mm f/1.2 FL lens with reversing ring (for macro photography, like this)
• Lowepro D-Res 40AW camera bag
• Apacer 7-in-1 USB 2.0 internal 3.5" memory card reader
• Optex VideoMate, Black's Mini and tabletop tripods
• Lens hoods, filter stacking caps, flash diffusers, lens brushes/cloths, etc.

My digital photo gallery

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