'the L1's analogue controls are quick to learn and use, the Live View genuinely useful, the anti-dust system unrivalled, and the Leica zoom the best kit lens around.'
'the overall flash system is very slow, increasing shutter lag dramatically.'
'the camera should do fine with typical city night scenes.'
'It is however close to the result from the Canon 400D / XTi, which proves how its modest kit lens can really hold back its potential.'
'Both the shutter release and the refresh rate on the LCD screen are disappointing - and, surprisingly, the extra megapixel doesn't seem to add any extra sharpness at all.'
'The downside of proprietary batteries like the BP-511 is the cost ($50) and the fact that you can't use standard batteries (as you can with AA-based cameras) if you're in a bind.'
'the 32MB CompactFlash card seems stingy ??? fortunately, there's support for Microdrives too.'
'the DSC-F717 is an excellent, all-around camera.'
'this camera's sheer size and 1.5-pound weight hurt its ergonomics a bit'
'It's neither compact nor light, and it takes two hands to operate comfortably,'
'Armed with high-quality Carl Zeiss optics, ISO sensitivities of 100/200/400/800 and shutter speeds of up to 1/2000 second in auto mode, the DSC-F717 produces stellar results, even in the most demanding of shooting situations'
'the DSC-F707 lacks important prosumer features, like adjustable contrast and color saturation, a histogram, and even a black-and-white mode (an odd oversight).'
'Some may find the F707 cumbersome as the construction does not lend itself to point-and-snap photography.'
'Unfortunately, the documentation is often inaccurate and misleading, so learning to use the camera is more difficult than it should be.'
