Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-F828 is another camera that falls into a gray area between higher-end compacts and DSLRs in terms of features and control options - but the F828 has the dubious distinction of looking just plain weird. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 7x optical zoom lens is housed in an enormous barrel, which swivels on an axis on the back of the camera and captures up to 8-megapixel images on its 2/3-inch CCD. This lens swivels in relation to the camera body up to nearly 140 degrees.  This advantage becomes a drawback when additional lenses or filters are added, since this will weigh the already large barrel down and throw off the camera’s balance even more. Other than the gigantic lens barrel, the F828 has well placed controls and features and the comfortable grip lets users securely hold the camera while navigating the intuitive and simple to use in-camera menu. This camera isn’t going to slide into a pocket at 5.3 x 3.6 x 6.1 inches and its weight of slightly less than 2 lbs (more with an external flash connected to the hot shoe) is enough to never be forgotten.