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Sony DSC-P1

Sony packs a 3 megapixel CCD and a full 3x optical zoom lens into an exceptionally compact digicam!

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Page 4:Viewfinder

Review First Posted: 9/12/2000

Viewfinder
The DSC-P1 features both a real-image optical viewfinder and an LCD monitor for composing images. On the left side of the optical viewfinder eyepiece, three LEDs report the camera's status. The top, red LED lights when the camera is recording. The second, green LED lights when focus and exposure are locked, and the bottom, orange LED reports when the flash is ready.

The 1.5 inch, color, Pixel Precision LCD monitor features 123,000 pixels, a pixel count usually found in much larger LCD screens. The increased pixel density enables the LCD monitor to provide more detailed, sharper images. The result is a display with such fine detail that we found ourselves needing to squint sometimes to see all the detail (we're entering that uncertain age where small objects up close are harder to see), but the LCD was overall one of the most impressive we've seen to date. Unlike most LCDs we've tested, we found that on the DCS-P1 genuinely usable in bright lighting, even in direct sunlight. Don't get us wrong, it's still easier to use the optical viewfinder if the sun's at your back, but the LCD was surprisingly visible in sunlight compared to most others we've seen. A Display button to the right of the LCD monitor cancels and recalls the information display, which reports camera settings, the number of available images and battery power. A separate LCD On/Off button resides at the lower left corner of the monitor, enabling you to shut off the LCD monitor to conserve battery power. You can adjust the LCD's brightness through the camera's Setup menu. In Playback mode, the LCD monitor allows you to view six thumbnail images at a time in the index display, as well as enlarge a captured image to check the details. In both Record and Playback modes, the settings menu is available at the bottom of the LCD display and can be dismissed by pressing the down arrow button on the jog control. Pressing the up arrow button brings it back, or enters the menu system to change camera settings.

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