Here are a few images that accurately reflect the abilities
of any given camera model. The images are altered only in
terms of size and sharpness after reduction and by the JPEG
compression used. Unless otherwise mentioned, assume that
any marbling or artifacts visible in the images are due to
the compression required to display them here. We feel however,
that they still faithfully represent the results we experienced.
STILL LIFE PHOTO
This subject is photographed in a room that has
a mix of fluorescent and incandescent light, but which is not
brightly lit. The camera's flash is used to add fill light.
The backdrop is 1.95 m (6.5 ft) from the camera.
Left to its default settings and with the sensitivity set to
80 ISO, the image the DSC-W100 yields with this subject is
a touch too dark.
Setting the sensitivity to Auto allows the camera to boost
the sensitivity up to 125 ISO, and in turn the camera yields
a brighter image.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f2.8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter
Speed:
1/40 sec.
Resolution:
3264 x 2448
Flash:
On
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
125
File Size:
2.9 MB
Focal Length:
38 mm (35 mm Eq.)
The mix of lighting causes the
auto white balance to produce a image with a slight yellow
cast, but with good colour saturation overall. Sharpness is
a bit soft, possibly as a result of the compression, and some
noise, the result of the increase in sensitivity, is detectable.
ZOOM PHOTO
The intent with this photo is to test the sharpness of the image
at the zoom's maximum setting, with the camera remaining at the
same distance as in the preceding photo.
Zoomed in, although the aperture available to the camera
is smaller than at the wide angle end, the DSC-W100 captures
an image that is sufficiently bright that the Auto ISO setting
is not required.
Sharpness is reasonable, making it possible to discern the
texture of the cloth, but the compression has softened some
of the smaller details.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f5.2
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/50
sec.
Resolution:
3264 x 2448
Flash:
On
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
80
File Size:
3.2 MB
Focal Length:
114 mm (35 mm
Eq.)
Aperture: f5.6, shutter speed: 0.4
sec., 80 ISO.
MACRO PHOTO
Set to the macro mode, the DSC-W100 can focus at a minimum
distance of 6 cm (2.4 in) from the subject when the zoom is
at the wide angle end. At this distance, the camera captures
a field of view measuring 6.4 cm (2.5 in) horizontally.
To be able to control the depth of field — the zone
of sharpness in the image — it is best to use the Manual
mode and as small an aperture as possible.
Moreover, the lowest sensitivity
level, 80 ISO, should be used to prevent the intrusion of noise.
It is worth noting that with the lens set the macro mode, there
is no detectable barrel distortion.
BUILDING PHOTO
This image is our outdoor test. The architecture
of the building, in particular the angled girders, immediately
show the presence of jaggies. The shadowed entrance can also
often reveal the quality of the exposure.
As noted above with the macro shot, the lens of the DSC-W100
does not have any barrel distortion at the wide angle end.
Similarly, there is no visible chromatic aberration, even
when the subject contains strong contrasts.
The default Multi metering yields an exposure that avoids
any overexposure, although the major parts of the building
are directly lit by the sun and only its entrance is in shadow.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f5.6
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/250 sec.
Resolution:
3264 x 2448
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
80
File Size:
3.5 MB
Focal Length:
38 mm (35 mm Eq.)
Overall sharpness is uniform and
noise remains discreet, appearing only as a slight grain in
the deeper shadows.
ZOOM PHOTO
Zooming in on the entrance of the building,
the shadowed entrance takes on a greater importance for the
metering and can cause an overexposure of sections that are
directly lit.
At the full telephoto setting of the lens, the exposure remains
very consistent with the wide angle shot shown above.
The image is distortion free and there is no visible chromatic
aberration. Sharpness is a bit soft however, particularly
as the camera selected the widest aperture available.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f5.2
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/80 sec.
Resolution:
3264 x 2448
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Fine
ISO:
80
File Size:
3.1 MB
Focal Length:
114 mm (35 mm
Eq.)
NIGHT PHOTO
As this camera is capable of long exposures,
a photo taken at night is included.
Used in the Manual mode, the DCS-W100 is able to capture
exposures as long as 30 seconds, making it well suited to
night photography.
With the camera's white balance set to Incandescent,
which helps capture colours that are closer to reality when
photographing urban scenes at night, and using the 80 ISO
sensitivity setting to minimize noise, it is possible to capture
very bright images with very little ambient light.
Aperture: f2.8; shutter
speed: 30 sec., 80 ISO.
The DSC-W100 automatically
applies noise reduction to all long exposures. The noise reduction
process captures a second image after the actual exposure,
but does not open the shutter which lets the camera record
the background noise picked up over the course of the exposure.
This noise information is then used to remove the noise from
the first exposure prior to saving the image.
The process is extremely effective, having little impact
on the overall sharpness, and the noise processed image shows
no trace of any residual noise.
As can be seen in the image below, cropped from the full-size
image, the camera captures a excellent level of detail that
cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Test Photos
