Sony Cybershot DSC-W1... Bad Camera...Bad Customer Service by Sony... Read on...

I bought a Sony Cybershot DSC-W1 the other day. I tested it out, and the
indoor photos with flash were dismal. I was replacing an Olympus C-3000,
and at 3.2 megapixles, it blew the Sony away in picture quality. Almost
every shot I took with the new Sony W1 was soft, and the white balance was
off, leaving every white wall in my house either yellow or green. I was not
impressed at all.

Worse than that, I contacted Sony's 800 number to ask them a couple of
questions about the camera. I found out that they have NO technical
experience or information whatsoever. They can merely regurgitate what is
already printed in the manual. I tried to ask them if I can use Lithium
batteries in the camera (not the rechargeable type, just the energizer light
blue and silver batteries that are AA lithium batteries made specifically
for digital cameras,) they said no, you can only use Alkaline or the
rechargeable NiMH batteries. When I asked them why, they said they don't
know, and there are no technical resources for them to ask. (Energizer said
they would work, since they are made to work wherever you would normally use
alkaline) but Sony said NO, they won't work strictly because that what was
printed in the manual. I can't figure out why, but the manager of customer
service for Sony said there was nobody to ask the question to at Sony.

The other question I had for them was can I use a Memory Stick Pro Duo in
the camera and they also said no. (I found out later that in the manual it
says you can, but that's not the point.) The point is, they said no you
couldn't use it because it was a "smaller" memory card and it wouldn't fit.
I even tried to "teach" the guy at Sony that the whole purpose of the duo
card is so that you can use it in equipment that takes EITHER size card, and
that you would use it with the adapter in the W1, but he insisted that you
couldn't use it in that camera. What an idiot.

The bottom line is that when you call Olympus' technical support, they have
TECHNICIANS on the other line that are capable and willing to answer your
technical questions, and if they don't know the answer, they will put you on
hold and try to find it out. (I imagine that other companies like Cannon
and Kodak would as well.) Sony on the other hand was UNWILLING to do that.
They could tell you what was in the manual, (and sometimes not even that)
and then tell you they can't help you anymore.

That left a very bad taste in my mouth (what would I do if I actually needed
service on the camera??) and I promptly returned the camera to the store and
bought the new Olympus C-60 for the same price from Sams Club (but 6
megapixles instead of 5.) I tested the Olympus out and already my first
impression is that it is way better than the Sony. I am now very happy.

I just wanted to post this because maybe I can save some of you from making
the same mistake of buying the Sony W1 camera that I did. It is not a good
model, and SONY is NOT a good company to buy a digital camera from if you
would like any kind of customer service or support.

I've always been happy with Sony, and frankly I was shocked at how much
their company has changed recently with it's customer service, but It will
be a while before they will regain my trust again. And I was just about to
go out and buy a Sony 50" LCD Big Screen TV. Now I'm going to consider a
different company.

Just a word to the wise... STAY AWAY FROM SONY.

 

Good points. I found the same lack of quality support with Sony Vaio laptops. Therefore I
won't buy Sony.

As for using Lithium AA's in the camera. There is absolutely NO reason why you should not
be able to use them. Electrically they are the same as any other AA batteries, they just
last longer. I buy mine from Sears at ~$10.00 for 4 x AA batteries (better price than Radio
Shack).

I use them in my Quantaray QTB-9500A external flash module and I previously used them in my
Olympus D460-Z camera (gave camera to parents). I also use them in portable CD player and
other equip't. and they last so much longer than alkaline batteries.

Dave




| I bought a Sony Cybershot DSC-W1 the other day. I tested it out, and the
| indoor photos with flash were dismal. I was replacing an Olympus C-3000,
| and at 3.2 megapixles, it blew the Sony away in picture quality. Almost
| every shot I took with the new Sony W1 was soft, and the white balance was
| off, leaving every white wall in my house either yellow or green. I was not
| impressed at all.
|
| Worse than that, I contacted Sony's 800 number to ask them a couple of
| questions about the camera. I found out that they have NO technical
| experience or information whatsoever. They can merely regurgitate what is
| already printed in the manual. I tried to ask them if I can use Lithium
| batteries in the camera (not the rechargeable type, just the energizer light
| blue and silver batteries that are AA lithium batteries made specifically
| for digital cameras,) they said no, you can only use Alkaline or the
| rechargeable NiMH batteries. When I asked them why, they said they don't
| know, and there are no technical resources for them to ask. (Energizer said
| they would work, since they are made to work wherever you would normally use
| alkaline) but Sony said NO, they won't work strictly because that what was
| printed in the manual. I can't figure out why, but the manager of customer
| service for Sony said there was nobody to ask the question to at Sony.
|
| The other question I had for them was can I use a Memory Stick Pro Duo in
| the camera and they also said no. (I found out later that in the manual it
| says you can, but that's not the point.) The point is, they said no you
| couldn't use it because it was a "smaller" memory card and it wouldn't fit.
| I even tried to "teach" the guy at Sony that the whole purpose of the duo
| card is so that you can use it in equipment that takes EITHER size card, and
| that you would use it with the adapter in the W1, but he insisted that you
| couldn't use it in that camera. What an idiot.
|
| The bottom line is that when you call Olympus' technical support, they have
| TECHNICIANS on the other line that are capable and willing to answer your
| technical questions, and if they don't know the answer, they will put you on
| hold and try to find it out. (I imagine that other companies like Cannon
| and Kodak would as well.) Sony on the other hand was UNWILLING to do that.
| They could tell you what was in the manual, (and sometimes not even that)
| and then tell you they can't help you anymore.
|
| That left a very bad taste in my mouth (what would I do if I actually needed
| service on the camera??) and I promptly returned the camera to the store and
| bought the new Olympus C-60 for the same price from Sams Club (but 6
| megapixles instead of 5.) I tested the Olympus out and already my first
| impression is that it is way better than the Sony. I am now very happy.
|
| I just wanted to post this because maybe I can save some of you from making
| the same mistake of buying the Sony W1 camera that I did. It is not a good
| model, and SONY is NOT a good company to buy a digital camera from if you
| would like any kind of customer service or support.
|
| I've always been happy with Sony, and frankly I was shocked at how much
| their company has changed recently with it's customer service, but It will
| be a while before they will regain my trust again. And I was just about to
| go out and buy a Sony 50" LCD Big Screen TV. Now I'm going to consider a
| different company.
|
| Just a word to the wise... STAY AWAY FROM SONY.
|
|

 

About the Lithium batteries... You're absolutely right. there's no reason
why you can't use them in the Sony W1 camera. However, Sony Swears that you
can't use them. They specifically call for Alkaline or NiMH only. Sounds
fishy doesn't it?

 

Just to balance things up a bit. I had a Sony LCD monitor that
developed a patch of missing pixels after nearly three years. It was
just in the guarantee period. Sony no longer made the same monitor so
they exchanged it for a new larger one. It arrived the following day.


Steve

 

Seems to me you are nothing than a absolute Idiot and got what you deserved..

 

David H. Lipman wrote:

Don't top post

When the camera manufacturer puts in a warning:
"AA Lithium batteries cannot be used" it is there for a good reason.

 

If it is not a voltage issue, could it be a temperature issue?

Jeff

 

Yes, but what?

Lithium batteries, in my experience have a remarkably constant voltage
throughout their long, useful life. Ohm's Law is relevant here.

My Olympus E-10 works just fine on Lithium batteries as well as NiMH.
Alkaline would probably be fine for a short while, too.

Alkaline start off about 1.6 volts per cell and drop to about 1.4
before becoming useless for most digital cameras. NiMH start off about
1.4 volts max and they hold their charge well until the voltage drops
to <1.28 volts or thereabouts.

Lithium keep going for ages at a pretty constant voltage, and hold
their voltage for years. The battery in your motherboard is lithium.

Lithium ion rechargables have lots of electronics inside them as well
as chemicals and are usually device-specific. Nonetheless the
manufacturers class them as consumables and only give a 6 month
guarantee.

Dave.


2000 hi-resolution photos especially Edinburgh &
Scotland. Also 3D rendered art & altered images.
* No advertisements * http://www.henniker.org.uk

 

That's brilliant Alan. You sound like you work for Sony's customer service.
Highly technical answer! Now mr. smartypants, do you want to fill us in on
what the good reason you have is?

 

I almost *always* Top Post and will continue to do so !

If they state it -- there has to be a reason. Please provide it.

Dave




| David H. Lipman wrote:
|
| Don't top post
|
| > Good points. I found the same lack of quality support with Sony Vaio laptops.
Therefore I
| > won't buy Sony.
| >
| > As for using Lithium AA's in the camera. There is absolutely NO reason why you should
not
| > be able to use them. Electrically they are the same as any other AA batteries, they
just
| > last longer. I buy mine from Sears at ~$10.00 for 4 x AA batteries (better price than
Radio
| > Shack).
|
| When the camera manufacturer puts in a warning:
| "AA Lithium batteries cannot be used" it is there for a good reason.
|
|
|
|
| --
| --e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--
|

 

Any batteries will work in a camera as long as they do not exceed the
voltage specs for the camera as put out by the manufacturer. If they are too
low in voltage the camera won't work, but it won't harm the camera, since
any battery you use will begin to put out a too small voltage when near the
end of its useful life. I use a home-made lead acid battery pack on my Nikon
F5. It only uses 5 cells, since 6 cells will charge up to 14.5 volts, and I
was afraid that this might over voltage the camera circuits. Fortunately, I
was able to find individual cells that only charge to about 2.1 volts each,
and build a 5 cell pack that only charges to about 10.5 volts, which is well
within the manufacturers 12 volt specs. I have to wear this pack on my
waist, and connect it to my camera with a two conductor cord, but it will
provide the camera with plenty of power for a long time, since it holds
about 3500 ampere-hours. I use it for a back-up if the eight 1.55 volt
lithium's die when I am on a location somewhere out in the sticks.

 

William:

Go back to using 6 cells and then obtain and implement a LM7812, 12v regulator. More than
12 volts can go into the regulator but, only 12 volts will come out of the 3 pin active
device.

Other chips to use; National Semiconductor LM25xx family -
http://www.national.com/parametric/0,1850,1758,00.html

Full schematic of a 12v, low voltage, regulated power supply:
http://www.drbob.net/project/powersupply/linear/12v1alvdfxd/default.html

Voltage regulation concept:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_5/7.html

Dave




|
| | > I almost *always* Top Post and will continue to do so !
| >
| > If they state it -- there has to be a reason. Please provide it.
| >
| > Dave
| >
| Any batteries will work in a camera as long as they do not exceed the
| voltage specs for the camera as put out by the manufacturer. If they are too
| low in voltage the camera won't work, but it won't harm the camera, since
| any battery you use will begin to put out a too small voltage when near the
| end of its useful life. I use a home-made lead acid battery pack on my Nikon
| F5. It only uses 5 cells, since 6 cells will charge up to 14.5 volts, and I
| was afraid that this might over voltage the camera circuits. Fortunately, I
| was able to find individual cells that only charge to about 2.1 volts each,
| and build a 5 cell pack that only charges to about 10.5 volts, which is well
| within the manufacturers 12 volt specs. I have to wear this pack on my
| waist, and connect it to my camera with a two conductor cord, but it will
| provide the camera with plenty of power for a long time, since it holds
| about 3500 ampere-hours. I use it for a back-up if the eight 1.55 volt
| lithium's die when I am on a location somewhere out in the sticks.
|
|

 

Thanks, Dave. - I may just try building one of these. I am using gell-cell 2
volt cells that I found on line pretty cheap, but I would prefer a regular
12 volt gell cell because they are very common, and I can plug them into my
car cigarette lighter socket and recharge them while I am driving around. I
have to charge my home-made pack with a 6 volt wall wart supply that really
puts out 10.65 volts under no load. This works, but it takes several days to
recharge the 10.5 volt pack back up if it is nearly discharged.....12 volt
gell-cells are really neat for this application because they come in all
sizes. The ones used for bicycle lights are a nice size......

 

No idea. Unfortunately they don't explain why. The body 123
batteries I use are lithium, but the vertical grip instructions
say "thou shalt not" without explanation as to why. A
possibility is that the instructions were generated at about the
time lithiums came on the market, perhaps with some
characteristic that the engineers at Minolta were wary of, hence
the warning ... but no "why". Possibly it can be used with
lithiums without trouble at all...

 

I know every time I've used a set of my Lithiums to power up a flashlight,
the bulb doesn't last very long (e.g. minutes at most). Therefore I'd be
cautious of using them in anything that says not to.

 

Really? Wow. Any web references you can point me to? I'm not
about to 'test' the batteries in the grip (US$200 or so) in any case.

Cheers,
Alan

 

Energizer silver/blue lithium batteries are designed for digital cameras
specifically. I don't think they intended to use them in flashlights.

 

Alkaline batteries voltage drop as a function. Therefore the filament receives a lower
voltage as a function of time and burns less hot as a function of time.

Lithium batteries provide a constant voltage as a function of time until its life has been
spent then its voltage drops off rapidly to zero. Therefore the filament receives a
constant voltage as a function of time and burns hot consistently over the life span of the
battery thus reducing the life span of the bulb.

Cameras, CD players, DVD players or other electronic devices are active devices as opposed
to bulbs which are passive device which are electrical not electronic devices. Therefore
the two, cameras and flashlights, can NOT be compared equally.

Dave




| Energizer silver/blue lithium batteries are designed for digital cameras
| specifically. I don't think they intended to use them in flashlights.
|
| | >
| > | > > Dave wrote:
| > > > On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 09:54:54 -0400, Alan Browne
| > > > <> somehow managed to impart:
| > > >
| > > >
| > > >>David H. Lipman wrote:
| > > >>
| > > >>Don't top post
| > > >>
| > > >>
| > > >>>Good points. I found the same lack of quality support with Sony Vaio
| > laptops. Therefore I
| > > >>>won't buy Sony.
| > > >>>
| > > >>>As for using Lithium AA's in the camera. There is absolutely NO
| reason
| > why you should not
| > > >>>be able to use them. Electrically they are the same as any other AA
| > batteries, they just
| > > >>>last longer. I buy mine from Sears at ~$10.00 for 4 x AA batteries
| > (better price than Radio
| > > >>>Shack).
| > > >>
| > > >>When the camera manufacturer puts in a warning:
| > > >>"AA Lithium batteries cannot be used" it is there for a good reason.
| > > >
| > > >
| > > > Yes, but what?
| > >
| > > No idea. Unfortunately they don't explain why. The body 123
| > > batteries I use are lithium, but the vertical grip instructions
| > > say "thou shalt not" without explanation as to why. A
| > > possibility is that the instructions were generated at about the
| > > time lithiums came on the market, perhaps with some
| > > characteristic that the engineers at Minolta were wary of, hence
| > > the warning ... but no "why". Possibly it can be used with
| > > lithiums without trouble at all...
| > >
| > >
| > > --
| > > --e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--
| > >
| >
| > I know every time I've used a set of my Lithiums to power up a flashlight,
| > the bulb doesn't last very long (e.g. minutes at most). Therefore I'd be
| > cautious of using them in anything that says not to.
| >
| >
|
|

 

Oooops...

I meant to state... "Alkaline batteries voltage drop as a function of time."

Dave




| Alkaline batteries voltage drop as a function. Therefore the filament receives a lower
| voltage as a function of time and burns less hot as a function of time.
|
| Lithium batteries provide a constant voltage as a function of time until its life has been
| spent then its voltage drops off rapidly to zero. Therefore the filament receives a
| constant voltage as a function of time and burns hot consistently over the life span of
the
| battery thus reducing the life span of the bulb.
|
| Cameras, CD players, DVD players or other electronic devices are active devices as opposed
| to bulbs which are passive device which are electrical not electronic devices. Therefore
| the two, cameras and flashlights, can NOT be compared equally.
|
| Dave

 

If the voltage is correct for the bulb, the battery type can't hurt it. I
suggest you look up Ohm's law, and take a few minutes to learn some basic
electrical theory.....Believe me, it should only take an hour or less, and
the information will be invaluable to you, regardless of what you choose for
your profession.......