Just released, the Sony DSC-P100 packs
a 5.1 megapixel CCD and a 3X Carl Zeiss zoom into a small and
sleek metallic body.
While retaining many of the elements
of previous P series cameras, the new P100 adds some new design
touches.
Only two controls are located on the top of the P100, embedded in a pearl
coloured plastic section that separates the front and back metallic covers
of the camera: the power switch and the two-stage shutter release.
On the back of the camera, the
optical view has three LEDs on its right:
At the top is a red LED that flashes red when the camera
is recording an image, or when the self-timer is in use.
In the middle is a green LED that indicates AE/AF Lock.
At the bottom is an orange LED that indicates the flash
is charging.
The Mode dial is further
to the left. It adds a new element when compared to previous
P-series cameras, a Manual mode.
When the 1.8 inch, 134,000 pixel, LCD monitor is on, turning the
Mode dial displays an animated screen overlay that spins as the dial is
turned and which indicates the current mode (see image at right).
The Mode dial has seven positions:
Auto: allows the P100
to be used as a simple point and shoot. User control is
limited to flash and burst modes.
Program: lets the
user adjust all parameters except for aperture and shutter
speed.
Manual: provides control
for all camera functions with the exception of exposure
compensation. The mode allows selecting the shutter speed
and one of 2 apertures.
Scene modes: Once set
to this mode, the menu of the camera offers a selection
of 9 scene modes:
Twilight
Mode: forces the flash to Off. Noise reduction
is applied to images captured at low shutter
speeds and the speeds can be as long as 2 seconds.
Sensitivity is set to 100 ISO.
Twilight Portrait
Mode: forces the flash to Slow Synch. If
Red-eye Reduction is desired, it must first
be enabled in the Setup menu. The shutter speed
can be as long as 2 seconds.
Landscape Mode: has
a shutter speed range of 1/8 sec to 1/2000 sec.
and allows 2 flash modes, Off or Forced On. With
this mode, sensitivity is controlled by the P100
and will vary according to light available to
the camera over a range of 100 to 320 ISO.
Soft Snap Mode is
a Portrait mode which softens the image and accentuates
skin tones and has a shutter speed range of 1/8
to 1/2000 sec.
Snow Mode: forces
the camera to use a slightly lower shutter speed
than it would normally so as to brighten whites,
and adjusts colour slightly. Sensitivity is forced
to Auto, and the camera will adjust it from 100
to 320 ISO as required. The flash can be set
to Off or Forced On, and the shutter speed range
is from 1/8 to 1/2000 sec.
Beach Mode: ensures
that the camera records blue tones accurately,
and limits the flash to Forced On or Forced Off.
Sensitivity is set to Auto (between 100 and 320
ISO). Here again, the shutter speed range is
between 1/8 and 1/2000 sec.
Sport mode
is to freeze action. The shutter speed range
is from 1/250 to 1/2000 sec and sensitivity is
automatically adjusted by the camera.
Fireworks Mode sets
the focus to infinity, forces the flash off,
sets sensitivity to 100 ISO, and the white balance
to Daylight. Exposure compensation remains available
and the shutter speed range extend to 2 seconds.
Candle Mode has
a shutter speed range of 1 sec to 1/2000 sec.,
forces the focus to the centre, the white balance
to daylight, sensitivity to Auto ISO, and cancels
the flash.
Setup: sets to configure
the basic settings of the DSC-P100. (See the Interface
and Software section of this review for an overview
of the available options of the Setup menu.)
Movie: serves to
record videos in any 1 of 3 formats:
640 (Fine): offers a 640 x 480 pixel frame
size but is only available if a Memory Stick Pro
is used.
640 (Standard) also records a 640 x 480
pixel frame, but with a stronger compression. Standard
Memory Sticks can be used.
160 has a frame size of 160 x 112 pixels
and a standard compression.
In all cases, movies are recorded at 25 frames per
second and the optical zoom is disabled during recording.
Focus, exposure and white balance are adjusted as necessary
during the recording. Recording lasts as long as there
is space on the Memory Stick.
Playback: serves to
see images and videos.
At the far right is the zoom control which is also used in Playback to
display thumbnails (9
per screen) when pressed to the wide angle side ,and magnify a photo up
to 5X so details can be seen clearly, when pressed on the telephoto side .
Next below the Mode dial is the Monitor button:
The Monitor button controls the LCD monitor
On or Off and, as intermediate steps between the On and Off, the
information that is overlaid on the image, including a real-time
histogram.
Calls up the menu which corresponds
to the mode in use.
In the Capture modes the button
displays a menu which serves to select the image size.
In Playback the buttons serves to selectively erase unwanted photos.
The four-way control is composed
of four buttons arranged in a circle around a central button.
These buttons serve for all navigation, be it menus, or images
in playback and the central button serves to confirm specific
functions.
Beyond this, the four buttons that provide directional controls have additional
uses:
The up arrow controls
the Flash modes: Auto, Forced On (fill-in), Off and
Slow Synch. Red-eye reduction, which fires pre-flashes, must
turned on and off in the Setup menu.
The right arrow engages
the Macro mode which lets the camera focus as close
as 6 cm (2.4 inches) from the lens at the wide angle setting,
and 30 cm (1 foot) when the lens is at the telephoto end.
The down arrow starts
the 10 second Self-timer. The Self-timer is cancelled
after a shot and must be reactivated if needed again.
The left arrow starts
the Quick Review Mode which avoids having to switch
from a shooting mode to the Playback mode using the mode
dial. The Quick Review mode only shows the last captured
image, but allows the photo to be magnified for a closer
look, or deleted.
The ergonomic design
of the DSC-P100 makes the camera easy to get used used to. The
external controls are well-positioned and responsive, the viewfinder,
albeit a bit small and lacking in diopter correction, provides
a bright and sharp image.
But the most noticeable aspect of the P100 is the speed at which it is
ready to shoot. The lens deploys in less than 1 second, and the camera
is ready to take pictures in approximately 1.5 seconds.
Introduction
(9
per screen) when pressed to the wide angle side ,and magnify a photo up
to 5X so details can be seen clearly, when pressed on the telephoto side 
.
