The interface of the DSC-T7 is
typical of most current Sony cameras: information is presented
on the T7's large LCD monitor through a combination of icons
and abbreviations that for the most part positioned at the
top and on the right side of the display. Menus on the other
hand, for both recording modes or playback, are aligned at
the bottom of the screen, superimposed on the image.
The one exception is the presentation of the Setup menu which
is reached through the last option of all menus. The Setup
menu, while it too has a presentation that is common to other
Sony cameras, is not superimposed on the image, and instead
takes up the entire screen. The Setup menu, which is entered
and exited using the right and left arrows of the 4-direction
control, is composed of 5 distinct sections each identified
by tabs that appear in the left margin of the display.
Camera 1, the first section, provides controls over:
AF Mode serves to select how the autofocus operates:
Single (S-AF): focuses only when the shutter
release is pressed.
Monitor (M-AF): focuses continuously when the
shutter release is pressed and held halfway.
Digital Zoom which offers 3 options: Smart,
Precision or Off(see the Characteristics
section of the review for more information).
Date/Time: selects whether or not the Day and Time,
or the Date, are permanently stamped on the image.
Red Eye Reduction: turns On or Off the red-eye
reduction pre-flashes.
AF Illuminator: to turn On of Off the AF assistance
light that comes on when the ambient light is insufficient
for the autofocus to function reliably.
Auto Review: On or Off. Decides whether or not
the image is shown for 2 seconds on the LCD monitor immediately
after capture.
Camera 2 offers only one option:
Enlarged Icon: On or Off. Controls whether or not
icons representing settings on the monitor are enlarged
for a few seconds after the setting they represent has been
modified.
The third section is called
Memory Stick Tool and it contains three options:
Format: serves to format a Memory Stick Duo, or
Memory Stick Pro Duo.
Create REC. Folder: to create a new folder into
which stills and movies will be stored.
Change REC. Folder: to change the folder that is
currently in use to record images to another.
The last two sections of the Setup menu contain basic configuration
options:
Setup 1:
LCD Backlight: serves to adjust the brightness
of the monitor's backlight (Bright or Normal).
Beep selects if and when the T7 produces sounds
while being operated:
Shutter only.
Shutter and operation.
Off.
Language: selects the interface language (English,
French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese).
Initialize: returns all camera settings to their
factory defaults.
Setup 2:
File Number: selects how images are numbered:
Series: numbers images sequentially, irrespective
of the the memory card.
Reset: restarts numbering from 1 when a new
Memory Stick Duo is used, or the Memory Stick is formatted.
USB Connect provides 3 settings:
Normal: to connect the camera to a computer.
PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol): to automatically
transfer images to a Windows XP or Mac OS X computer.
PictBridge: to connect and print images directly
from the camera to a PictBridge compliant printer, by-passing
the need for a computer.
Video Out: selects the signal output by the camera
NTSC or PAL.
Clock Set: to set the time and date on the DSC-T7.
A printed manual entitled "User's Manual/Troubleshooting"
and a folded single sheet entitled "Read This First"
are included with the DSC-T7. The manual provides a light
explanation of the camera's functions and their use, avoiding
any repetition of the simple starting instructions contained
in the foldout. Overall however, neither the foldout nor the
manual provide very detailed information about the camera.
Software
A single CD is bundled with the DSC-T7 in North America.
Titled Cyber-shot Application Software it contains
the following programs:
Picture Package version 1.6.
USB Drivers for all operating systems that require
it.
ImageMixer VCD2 from Pixela for Windows and Macintosh
OSX.
Picture Package opens on a window that offers the
choice to create slide shows, show videos captured with the
camera, or record images on a CD-R, or create Video CDs.
The image viewer
portion of the program presents images as thumbnails or as
an index sheet, and any image can be opened into a separate
window which provides access to image editing tools.
There images can be processed for automatic red eye removal,
or re-sized, or cropped, or edited in another part of the
program called Image Editor.
With Image Editor it is possible
to adjust the image brightness, contrast, tint, saturation
and sharpness.
Picture Package also links to Pixela's ImageMixer VCD2,
a program designed to create slide shows and albums that can
be burned onto CD ROM.
ImageMixer VCD2 is also able to be used to create DVD's but
the full version of the program must be bought for it to be
operational.
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Interface & Software
