Front
The front of the V800 is dominated by the telescoping lens, which protrudes about an inch from the body when in use. On the left side of the camera (looking from the front) is a raised rubber bar that acts as a finger hold and the large, rectangular flash. Above the lens is a red AF assist light, and there’s a small microphone for recording sound in movies below the lens. There’s also a sensor for the optional remote control.
Back
The highlight of the back of the camera is the 2.5-inch LCD: half an inch larger than the display on theV700. Four multi-purpose buttons by the screen are used for switching to manual focus (and switching between photo albums in playback mode), auto exposure lock, a +/- button that gives access to RGB, ISO, white balance and exposure compensation (and deleting images), and playback mode (and flagging images for printing). To the left of these buttons is the 4-way control panel with a central OK button, which is used to navigate the menus as well as to add narration to photos, set the shooting mode, set the focus mode and the flash mode. At the top of the case is the zoom control. The USB 2.0 and DC inputs are under a plastic panel on the bottom right corner of the case.
Left Side
On the left side of the camera is the cover for the battery and SD Card slot. The cover fits on tightly and should protect the battery and card from moisture and dust. The camera is not waterproof, though. Next to the cover is the loop for the wrist strap.
Right Side
The right side is featureless except for a logo that advertises the MPEG-4 capabilities of the camera, in case you’ve forgotten what it is you’ve bought.
Top
On the top of the camera are the shutter button and a rotating control dial that’s used for setting aperture and shutter in manual mode. There’s also the mode dial and the power button.
Bottom
Except for the tripod socket, the bottom of the camera is a desolate wasteland, void of form or function.
