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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V1 A no-excuses "enthusiast" camera from Sony: 5 megapixels, 4x zoom, fast AF, and features galore Select a topic Reference: Datasheet V1 Photo Gallery! V1 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on V1 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Design :(Previous) | (Next): Optics>> Page 4:Viewfinder Review First Posted: 04/18/2003, Updated: 7/1/2003

Viewfinder
The V1 offers both a real-image optical viewfinder and 1.5-inch, color LCD monitor. Three tiny LEDs line the left side of the optical viewfinder, and indicate the status of camera functions by blinking or lighting solid. For example, the middle LED lights green when focus is set, and the bottom blinks orange when the flash is charging. The top LED lights red to indicate that the camera is accessing the card, or that there is an error with the camera (an explanation of which appears on the LCD monitor).

The Display button on the back panel controls the LCD monitor's detailed information display, with a choice of full or partial readings in Record mode. The basic information display reports Flash mode, metering mode, exposure settings (aperture and shutter speed), and Focus mode. The detailed display also shows the remaining battery power and image quality and resolution. A third mode includes a live histogram display, which graphs the tonal distribution of the scene (useful in determining under- or overexposure before snapping the shot). You can also shut the display off entirely. An adjustable brightness function offers Dark, Normal, and Bright settings, and the Backlight setting is particularly helpful when shooting in bright, sunlit conditions.


In Playback mode, the histogram is also available, as well as an Index Display mode that shows as many as nine thumbnail images at a time. Pressing the Index button a second time displays exposure information about the selected thumbnail, including aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, ISO, metering mode, flash, and white balance (in two screens). The Zoom control on the rear panel controls the playback zoom, enlarging captured images as much as 5x.


The V1's LCD monitor offers NightShot and NightFraming modes, controlled by a switch on the camera's top panel. Both modes take advantage of the CCD's sensitivity to infrared (IR) light, which is normally filtered out because it tends to skew color rendering in bright sunlit scenes. Sony's NightShot technology uses a movable IR filter that lets the camera takes advantage of IR sensitivity in low-light situations while blocking it out at other times.

In NightShot mode, the camera flips the IR filter out of the way for both framing and exposure. Any natural IR light in the scene is augmented by two powerful infrared LEDs on the front of the camera, which project IR beams onto the subject. The built-in illuminator lamps let you shoot in total darkness, but the pictures you capture will be monochromatic, with the majority of light areas of the subject showing a green cast (as is typical with Night Vision goggles). Some colors will render as different shades of gray than they would in a normal black-and-white photo. This is because the reflectance of objects is often different in IR than in visible light, so a "dark" color in daylight may actually appear quite bright in IR. (Note that when shooting reflective surfaces close-up, you'll be able to see the glow of the camera's IR lamps in the center of the image.)

In NightFraming mode, the camera also flips the IR filter out of the way and turns on the illuminator lamps, but only while you're framing your shots. As soon as you half-press the Shutter button, the IR filter flips back down, and the camera takes a normal visible-light photo, using the built-in flash. This is particularly handy for nighttime flash shooting, when you couldn't otherwise see (or focus on) the subject.

Trimming
This isn't really a "Viewfinder" function, but I didn't know where else to mention it. Since it at least uses the LCD display, I figured I'd go ahead and talk about it here.

One of the best things most amateur photographers could do to improve their photos would be to simply crop them a little, cutting out distracting objects, and filling more of the frame with their primary subject. It turns out that virtually all Sony digicams let you do this right on the camera! (No computer required.) Zoom in on an image in playback mode, and use the Four Way Arrow pad to adjust the framing to your preference. Then hit the Menu button, and you'll see options labeled Return and Trimming. Select Trimming, and you'll see further options to select an image size. (Keep in mind that blowing the image back up to full size after cropping it down only softens the detail, since no detail is added to the photo.) Select a size option, and the camera will save the image as zoomed/cropped on the LCD display into a separate file on the Memory Stick. Very slick!