With a large 2.5 inch LCD monitor,
the DSC-W1's interface which makes use of a few contrasting colours
to improve visibility is even more legible. Menus are clear and
well-designed, and while retaining a common look, each menu is
sufficiently distinct from the others that it cannot be confused.
The Setup menu, accessed at the SETUP position of the Mode dial,
is likewise distinct from the others, but still clearly a part
of the overall design. It is divided into 4 sections, each fitting
on a single screen.
The first section is labeled with a camera icon
and contains the Setup menu functions that are the are most likely
to be routinely accessed:
AF Mode selects whether the auto focus system will
be activated when the shutter release is pressed halfway (Single),
or will operate continuously (Monitor).
Digital Zoom offers 3 options: Smart, Precision, or
Off. Smart Zoom is only avaialble when the image size
is set smaller than 5M or 3:2 since it works by cropping the
full size image so that the view it shows is similar to what
a longer telephoto lens would show. Precision is the more traditional
digital zoom. It crops the middle of the frame and interpolates
it to the current image size (For more information on digital
zooms, see our article).
Date/Time provides options for Day and Time, Date,
or Off. Selects whether or not the day/date/time will be permanently
superimposed on the images.
Red-Eye Reduction: On or Off. Activates the pre-flashes
to reduce the Red-eye effect.
AF Illuminator: Auto or Off. Decides whether or not
the W1 will use its AF assist lamp when the ambient light is
too low for the auto focus to function reliably.
Auto Review: On or Off. Decides whether or not a photo
is displayed for approximately 2 seconds on the LCD monitor
immediately after capture.
The next section of the Setup
menu is called Memory Stick Tool and is identified with a Memory
Stick icon :
Format: is used to fromat the Memory Stick.
Create Rec. Folder: allows creating a new folder
into which images will be stored.
Change Rec. Folder: serves to switch back and
forth between folders containing images.
The third section of the Setup
menu is identified with a toolbax icon, ,
and is called Setup 1:
LCD Backlight has three options: Bright, Normal or Dark,
making it possible to adjust the brightness of the LCD
monitor.
Beep decides whether or not the camera makes a
sound when an operation is performed, or when the shutter
release is pressed (Shutter, On, or Off).
Language: selects the interface language (Enlish,
Japanese, simplified Chinese, Spanish, French , Italian).
The last part of the Setup menu, ,
offers options for:
File Number: Series or Reset. Controls the way
photos are numbered, either in series, or restarting from
1 every time a blank Memory Stick is inserted or formatted.
USB Connect provides three options: PictBridge,
PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) or Normal (mass storage).
Video Out selects the video out signal: NTSC or
PAL.
Clock Set: serves to set the internal clock and
calendar of the W1.
The DSC-W1 is retailed with a printed manual. The manual
covers all the functions of the W1, but could be better organized
so as to make is simpler to find a specific section.
Software
As with other recently released
Sony digital cameras, a single CD is included with the DSC-W1.
Called Sony Picture Package, the software provides a rudimentary
picture viewer; an Automatic Slide Show Producer, and a component
that allows backing up photos to a CD-R.
As with other recently released
Sony digital cameras, a single CD is included with the DSC-W1.
Called Sony Picture Package, the software provides a rudimentary
picture viewer that allows images to be rotated but little else.
No editing is possible. The package also includes an Automatic
Slide Show Producer, and a component that allows backing up photos
to a CD-R.
Regrettably, the program is in its first version (this is version 1.0)
and is of limited use.
The disc also includes Pixela's ImageMixer a
program that is intended to create Video CD, DVD discs containing
photos which can be then viewed on a DVD player that supports
these formats. However, a word of caution is in order, the program
supports a limited number of recorders, and can crash a high
end Windows XP Pro machine that has a DVD burner that is not
configured the way the program expects.
Compare Prices for NEW NP-BG1 2x Battery + Charger for Sony BC-CSGB BC-CSG
Interface & Software
icon
and contains the Setup menu functions that are the are most likely
to be routinely accessed:
:
,
and is called Setup 1:
,
offers options for:
