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Newbie alert. I have inherited an old Sony DSC-F1 digital camera.
Although it is an old model, it seems to be well made and would be
ideal as my first camera, for taking the odd holiday snap etc.

However, there are some problems:

* Battery does not hold charge -- a replacement would be 12 UK pounds.
* No file transfer cable -- the DSC-F1 uses a Camera-to-Serial port
cable. Newer Sony models seem to use a Camera-to-USB cable. Would it
be OK to buy a newer cable and use that? Are there any general purpose
cable out there that I could use. Or do I need a Sony branded cable?
* No Camera-to-PC file transfer software -- Is this available for
download on the web? I don't suppose it is available for Linux? Again,
are there any general purpose file transfer programs I can use, or do
I need the specific Sony software?

A final question -- would it be uneconomic to try to "repair" this
camera? Should I just get a newer, cheapo model that uses USB memory
sticks?

Answers to any of these *newbie* questions welcomed.

<> wrote in message
news:77f09b23-0ab2-42d5-8056-...
> Newbie alert. I have inherited an old Sony DSC-F1 digital camera.
> Although it is an old model, it seems to be well made and would be
> ideal as my first camera, for taking the odd holiday snap etc.
>
> However, there are some problems:
>
> * Battery does not hold charge -- a replacement would be 12 UK pounds.
> * No file transfer cable -- the DSC-F1 uses a Camera-to-Serial port
> cable. Newer Sony models seem to use a Camera-to-USB cable. Would it
> be OK to buy a newer cable and use that? Are there any general purpose
> cable out there that I could use. Or do I need a Sony branded cable?
> * No Camera-to-PC file transfer software -- Is this available for
> download on the web? I don't suppose it is available for Linux? Again,
> are there any general purpose file transfer programs I can use, or do
> I need the specific Sony software?
>
> A final question -- would it be uneconomic to try to "repair" this
> camera? Should I just get a newer, cheapo model that uses USB memory
> sticks?
>
> Answers to any of these *newbie* questions welcomed.


All the problems may be solved by buying a Cheap USB Card Reader along with
a new Battery. Just make sure the reader can take whatever kind of Memory
Card that particular model uses.

Cameras don't use USB Thumb Drives, which is what I think you meant by USB
Memory Sticks.

Repairing an old model is practically never worthwhile.

Roy G

On 14 Aug, 12:25, "Roy G" <roy.gibs...@virgin.net> wrote:
> <bruce_phi...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> news:77f09b23-0ab2-42d5-8056-...
>
>
>
> > Newbie alert. I have inherited an old Sony DSC-F1 digital camera.
> > Although it is an old model, it seems to be well made and would be
> > ideal as my first camera, for taking the odd holiday snap etc.
>
> > However, there are some problems:
>
> > * Battery does not hold charge -- a replacement would be 12 UK pounds.
> > * No file transfer cable -- the DSC-F1 uses a Camera-to-Serial port
> > cable. Newer Sony models seem to use a Camera-to-USB cable. Would it
> > be OK to buy a newer cable and use that? Are there any general purpose
> > cable out there that I could use. Or do I need a Sony branded cable?
> > * No Camera-to-PC file transfer software -- Is this available for
> > download on the web? I don't suppose it is available for Linux? Again,
> > are there any general purpose file transfer programs I can use, or do
> > I need the specific Sony software?
>
> > A final question -- would it be uneconomic to try to "repair" this
> > camera? Should I just get a newer, cheapo model that uses USB memory
> > sticks?
>
> > Answers to any of these *newbie* questions welcomed.
>
> All the problems may be solved by buying a Cheap USB Card Reader along with
> a new Battery. Just make sure the reader can take whatever kind of Memory
> Card that particular model uses.
>
> Cameras don't use USB Thumb Drives, which is what I think you meant by USB
> Memory Sticks.
>
> Repairing an old model is practically never worthwhile.
>
> Roy G

The DCS-F1 doesn't use memory cards AFAIK. It's a pretty old model.
The camera stores about 30 pics internally. But you need a cable +
software to get them out of the camera to a PC.
There are no memory card slots on the camera.
As I don't have the Sony camera-to-Serial port cable it may be
cheapest just to bin it. Shame, it seems a well made camera.

Bruce

<> wrote in message
news:3b98a095-8dbc-474c-93ee-...
> On 14 Aug, 12:25, "Roy G" <roy.gibs...@virgin.net> wrote:
>> <bruce_phi...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:77f09b23-0ab2-42d5-8056-...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Newbie alert. I have inherited an old Sony DSC-F1 digital camera.
>> > Although it is an old model, it seems to be well made and would be
>> > ideal as my first camera, for taking the odd holiday snap etc.
>>
>> > However, there are some problems:
>>
>> > * Battery does not hold charge -- a replacement would be 12 UK pounds.
>> > * No file transfer cable -- the DSC-F1 uses a Camera-to-Serial port
>> > cable. Newer Sony models seem to use a Camera-to-USB cable. Would it
>> > be OK to buy a newer cable and use that? Are there any general purpose
>> > cable out there that I could use. Or do I need a Sony branded cable?
>> > * No Camera-to-PC file transfer software -- Is this available for
>> > download on the web? I don't suppose it is available for Linux? Again,
>> > are there any general purpose file transfer programs I can use, or do
>> > I need the specific Sony software?
>>
>> > A final question -- would it be uneconomic to try to "repair" this
>> > camera? Should I just get a newer, cheapo model that uses USB memory
>> > sticks?
>>
>> > Answers to any of these *newbie* questions welcomed.
>>
>> All the problems may be solved by buying a Cheap USB Card Reader along
>> with
>> a new Battery. Just make sure the reader can take whatever kind of
>> Memory
>> Card that particular model uses.
>>
>> Cameras don't use USB Thumb Drives, which is what I think you meant by
>> USB
>> Memory Sticks.
>>
>> Repairing an old model is practically never worthwhile.
>>
>> Roy G
>
> The DCS-F1 doesn't use memory cards AFAIK. It's a pretty old model.
> The camera stores about 30 pics internally. But you need a cable +
> software to get them out of the camera to a PC.
> There are no memory card slots on the camera.
> As I don't have the Sony camera-to-Serial port cable it may be
> cheapest just to bin it. Shame, it seems a well made camera.
>
> Bruce

In that case, hand it in to a museum.

Roy G

Rikki Ward wrote:
> I've just 'Googled' DSC-F1 and found
>
> "Sony also has an entry-level digital camera, the DSC-F1, priced at
> $499. The compact DCS-F1 features an Infrared wireless image transfer
> with a 1.8-inch color LCD, progressive scan, 4 MB built-in flash memory,
> a rotating camera head and several recording modes."
>
> from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...s_/ai_50267696
>
> As the article is dated August 24 1998 I agree with Roy G about handing
> it to a museum.

"The mega-pixel war begins
....
Kodak is releasing two mega-pixel digital cameras, including the first
digital camera to offer 1.6 million pixels of resolution for under $1,000."

[walky]

Originally Posted by Roy G

<> wrote in message
news:3b98a095-8dbc-474c-93ee-...
> On 14 Aug, 12:25, "Roy G" <roy.gibs...@virgin.net> wrote:
>> <bruce_phi...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:77f09b23-0ab2-42d5-8056-...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Newbie alert. I have inherited an old Sony DSC-F1 digital camera.
>> > Although it is an old model, it seems to be well made and would be
>> > ideal as my first camera, for taking the odd holiday snap etc.
>>
>> > However, there are some problems:
>>
>> > * Battery does not hold charge -- a replacement would be 12 UK pounds.
>> > * No file transfer cable -- the DSC-F1 uses a Camera-to-Serial port
>> > cable. Newer Sony models seem to use a Camera-to-USB cable. Would it
>> > be OK to buy a newer cable and use that? Are there any general purpose
>> > cable out there that I could use. Or do I need a Sony branded cable?
>> > * No Camera-to-PC file transfer software -- Is this available for
>> > download on the web? I don't suppose it is available for Linux? Again,
>> > are there any general purpose file transfer programs I can use, or do
>> > I need the specific Sony software?
>>
>> > A final question -- would it be uneconomic to try to "repair" this
>> > camera? Should I just get a newer, cheapo model that uses USB memory
>> > sticks?
>>
>> > Answers to any of these *newbie* questions welcomed.
>>
>> All the problems may be solved by buying a Cheap USB Card Reader along
>> with
>> a new Battery. Just make sure the reader can take whatever kind of
>> Memory
>> Card that particular model uses.
>>
>> Cameras don't use USB Thumb Drives, which is what I think you meant by
>> USB
>> Memory Sticks.
>>
>> Repairing an old model is practically never worthwhile.
>>
>> Roy G
>
> The DCS-F1 doesn't use memory cards AFAIK. It's a pretty old model.
> The camera stores about 30 pics internally. But you need a cable +
> software to get them out of the camera to a PC.
> There are no memory card slots on the camera.
> As I don't have the Sony camera-to-Serial port cable it may be
> cheapest just to bin it. Shame, it seems a well made camera.
>
> Bruce

In that case, hand it in to a museum.

Roy G

Don't. It is a great piece of Sony and digital camera history. Still think there must be an adapter that links the serial type of those days to modern USB. That would be the only way to get those pictures out.

The battery substitute can be had for less than $20 USD. I have one of these cameras, was my second digital camera, but it is missing the transfer cable. I wish I could buy one. I am sure a very ingenious engineer can produce that transfer cable if it still does not exist. Hang on to it!