Sony DSC-R1

Reviewed December 2005

Characteristics

A CMOS sensor is at the heart of the DSC-R1. Measuring 21.5 x 14.4 mm (a size that is similar to an APS film camera) and having a 3:2 aspect ratio, the sensor is composed of 10.8 million pixels, of which 10.3 million are effective to capture a maximum image size of 3888 x 2592 pixels.

The CMOS sensor's sensitivity starts at 160 ISO but can be increased to 200, 400, 800, 1600 and even 3200 ISO when the camera is set to P, S, A or M modes. In addition, an Auto setting is also available — the only setting available with the Auto shooting mode and the Scene modes — which allows the R1 to adjust the sensitivity over a range that covers from 160 to 400 ISO.

The 5X optical zoom is produced by Carl Zeiss, as are the lenses used on a number of other high-end Sony cameras. The zoom covers a focal length range of 14.3 to 71.5 mm, the equivalent of a 24 to 140 mm. It is composed of 12 elements arranged in 10 groups, and includes 4 aspherical surfaces to correct curvilinear distortion.

The camera is retailed with a specially shaped lens shade that can be used at all focal lengths. In addition the lens trim is threaded to accept 67mm filters, or an adapter for the optional lens converters, VCL-DEH08R which converts the wide angle to a 19.2 mm, or VCL-DEH17R which converts the maximum telephoto setting to a 238mm.

As noted in the Ergonomics section of the review, the DSC-R1 is equipped with a digital zoom that can operate in either one of two ways:

• Smart Zoom: a cropping system that uses the full 10-megapixel resolution of the sensor to crop the image it captures according to the field of view different focal lengths would capture, and saves them at the closest image size to the cropped section;
• Precision: which is a standard digital zoom that, as with the Smart Zoom, crops the image to show a field of view comparable to what a focal length longer than is physically present on the camera would capture, but then interpolates the cropped image to the currently selected image size, lowering the image definition.

The Carl Zeiss zoom lens' apertures start at f2.8 at the widest angle, decreasing to f4.8 at the maximum magnification of the optical zoom, and close down to f16. This aperture range works in conjunction with a shutter speed range that tops out at 1/2000 second but whose low end varies along with the capture mode in use. With the Auto, Landscape and Portrait modes, the slowest shutter speed available to the camera is 1/8 second, while the Twilight modes extend to 2 seconds. With the Program mode, the shutter speed bottoms out at 1 second, while with the S, A, and M modes 30 seconds is possible and a Bulb mode limited to 3 minutes is added to the Manual mode.

For all exposures captured using sensitivities ranging from 160 to 400 ISO, noise reduction is applied to any exposure captured with a shutter speed of 1/6 second or longer. But, with exposures captured using the range of 800 through 3200 ISO, noise reduction is applied to exposures captured at shutter speeds of 1/25 second or longer.

Five image sizes are available with the DSC-R1, all of them using a 3:2 ratio, ideal for prints:

• 10M: 3888 x 2592 pixels
• 7M: 3264 x 2176 pixels
• 5M: 2748 x 1856 pixels
• 3M: 2160 x 1440 pixels
• 1M: 1296 x 864 pixels

Two JPEG compression levels are offered at all image sizes Fine, which yields the highest image quality applying a compression with a ratio of approximately 6:1, or Standard, a stronger compression with a ratio that is on average around 12:1.

A RAW format is also offered, recording images at the maximum resolution without any in-camera processing, but nevertheless recording the camera settings used to capture the image, thereby making it possible to either apply the settings to the image later, or modify them. In addition the R1 records a JPEG version of the image, at a selectable size and using either Fine or Standard compression.

The contents of the R1's menu is dependent on the mode in use, with the P, A, S, and M modes offering the greatest number of controls over the camera:

• Image Size: to select the image size, as outlined above.
• Image Quality: Fine or Standard (applies to JPEG only).

• Rec. Mode: serves to select the RAW (*.SR2) format or Normal, which records a JPEG format image.
• Bracketing Step: selects the bracketing increment to use during exposure bracketing (± 1 EV, ± 0.7 EV, or ± 0.3 EV).
• Flash Level: controls the output of the built-in flash over a range of ± 2 EV in increments of 1/3 EV.
• PFX (picture effects): makes it possible to record images in black and white, or sepia tones.

• Colour selects the colour reproduction mode:
  • Adobe RGB: designed primarily for printing.
  • Vivid: records images using sRGB, but with a slightly accentuated saturation.
  • Standard: records images using sRGB without any particular accentuation.

• Saturation: controls colour saturation in images (More, Normal or Low).
• Contrast: to increase or decrease image contrast (More, Normal, Low) or A.G.C.S. (Advanced Gradation Control System) is designed to bring out detail in the dark zones of images, such as those captures with a strong back light. This function does not operate when the flash is used.
• Sharpness: controls the post-capture sharpening applied to the image (More, Normal or Low).
• Setup: is the access to the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review for more information about the options contained in this menu).

When the R1 is set to the Playback mode, the menu that is presented when the MENU button is pressed contains options that are related to the captured images:

• Folder: serves to select a folder from which images will be read for playback.
• Protect: to prevent images from being accidentally erased by making them read-only.
• DPOF: (Digital Print Order Format) allows selecting images for printing.

• Print: is intended for printing photos using a PictBridge compliant printer when the camera is connected to it via USB. When connected to a PictBridge printer a menu is displayed that offers options to print index sheets, select the print size, the number of prints to make of the image, and choose whether or not the Day and Time, or just the Date on which the photo was captured should be imprinted atop the image.

• Slide: plays back recorded images with a selectable interval (3, 5, 10, 30 seconds or 1 minute). And allows the selection of images from specified folders.
• Resize: makes it possible to select a photo, resize it downwards, and re-save it as new image. This option is not available with images captured in the RAW format.
• Rotate: serves to rotate an image 90° to the right or left. The option is not available for RAW format images.

• Setup: is the access to the basic configuration of the camera. (See the Interface and Software section of the review for more information about the options presented in this menu.)

An additional option is available when an image is under review and magnified on screen: pressing the MENU button presents a Trimming option that makes it possible to save the magnified section of the image as a new photo.

Although supplied without a memory card in North America, the DSC-R1 is equipped with two memory card slots, both covered by a solid door that follows the contour of the camera's right side. The slot nearest the R1's back is dedicated to Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO or Memory Stick Duo in a Duo PRO adapter. The slot closer to the front of the camera is reserved for CompactFlash Type I or II, or Microdrives (1, 2, 4 and 6 GB).

As a guide the chart below shows capacities with a 1 GB CF card:

Moreover, the battery, an Info-Lithium that makes it possible to show its charge precisely, is held in place by a blue plastic spring latch that prevents it from falling out unexpectedly.

The battery is recharged while in the camera, by plugging the R1 to its charger/transformer (AC-L15), included with the kit. Recharging a fully depleted battery takes approximately 180 minutes.

At the top is a connection labelled ACC (accessory) which serves to plug in an optional connection such as the cable for the HVL-F1000 flash, or the optional remote control (RM-VD1).

Below is the USB port 2.0 (Hi-Speed), and its communication protocol can be set in the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review) so that it is compatible to PictBridge, PTP or Mass Storage.

Next, and trimmed in yellow, is the Audio/Video (A/V) out port. The signal it outputs (NTSC or PAL) is determined in the Setup menu.

Finally, at the bottom, is the AC/DC jack (AC100-240V ~ 50/60Hz) which makes it possible to power the R1 from household current.