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Sony Mavica CD200 Sony expands its CD-equipped camera line, adding erasability, buffer memory, and a more compact case! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet CD200 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on CD200 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 8:Operation & User Interface Review First Posted: 3/9/2001

Operation and User Interface

As we discussed in the Design section of this review, the CD200 offers the same new and improved user interface that debuted on the CyberShot DSC-S75 model. Additional external camera controls reduce the reliance on the LCD menu system and greatly simplify overall camera operation. The ready access to exposure controls and other camera functions, and the less complicated LCD menu system, mean that you spend less time scrolling through LCD menu screens and options. Though the LCD menu is still required for some settings, overall camera operation is much faster and easier. The Command wheel allows you to adjust the exposure compensation, aperture, and shutter speed settings quickly. The Mode dial and the method by which some functions were assigned to the four-way Arrow key pad (very clearly marked we might add), provide even swifter operation. The revamped control system struck us as being very well thought out, and very conducive to fluid use of the camera as a photographic tool.

Control Enumeration

Shutter Button: Located on the right side of the top panel, this button sets focus and exposure when pressed halfway. Fully depressing the button fires the shutter. When the Quick Review (the shot just taken) is displayed on the screen, a half press of the shutter button returns the LCD to the normal image display. When the Self-timer is enabled, fully depressing the shutter button kicks off the 10-second countdown.

Power Switch: Just behind the shutter button and underneath the Mode dial, this switch turns the camera on and off.

Mode Dial: Stacked on top of the Power Switch, this dial controls the camera's operating modes. Options include Program (camera symbol), Shutter Priority (S), Aperture Priority (A), Manual (M), Scene (SCN), Setup, Movie (film frame), and Playback modes.

Command Wheel: Located on the top right side of the camera's back panel, this wheel controls aperture and shutter speed settings in Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Manual modes. When Manual Focus is enabled, turning the wheel adjusts focus and displays the focus distance on the LCD monitor. When the Exposure Compensation adjustment is activated, turning the wheel adjusts the exposure from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments.

Zoom Buttons: To the left of the Command wheel, the Zoom buttons control the optical and digital zoom (when enabled) in any capture mode. In Playback mode, the wide angle button activates the Index Display mode, while the telephoto button controls the Playback Zoom up to 5x (the wide angle button also zooms back out). Once in Index Display mode, pressing the wide-angle side again displays the image information for the highlighted thumbnail, including exposure information.

Four-Way Arrow Rocker Pad (also: Flash, Quick Review, Macro, and Self-Timer Buttons): Situated just below the zoom buttons, this button serves a variety of functions. On its surface, the pad features four arrows, one pointing in each direction. When any settings menu is engaged, these arrows navigate through the menu options. Once an option is selected, you confirm the selection by pressing on the center of the button. (You will hear a dual tone when you press the center, as opposed to the single tone you hear when you press an arrow.) In Playback mode, the right and left arrows scroll through captured images, while the up and down arrows control the playback volume. If a movie file is displayed, pressing the center of the button triggers the movie playback. When Playback zoom is enabled, pressing the center of the button returns the LCD to the normal 1x image display.

In addition to menu scroll functions, the Arrow Pad also controls certain exposure and camera settings. The Up Arrow button is marked with a flash symbol, and cycles between the Auto, Forced, and Suppressed Flash modes (in all capture modes except Movie). The Right Arrow button, marked with the macro flower symbol, enables and disables the camera's Macro mode. The Down Arrow controls the Self-timer mode, cycling between Normal and Self-timer capture modes. Finally, the Left Arrow activates and deactivates the Quick Review function, which displays the most recently captured image on the LCD screen.

Menu Button: Located directly below the Arrow Rocker Pad, on the left side, this button activates and deactivates the settings menus in any camera mode except Setup (which automatically displays the menu upon entering the mode).

Display Button: Just beneath the LCD monitor, the Display button controls the LCD display in all camera modes except Setup. Pressing the Display button sequentially cycles through three modes: No display; image and information display; and image display only.

Focus Button: Located over the top left corner of the LCD monitor, the Focus button cycles between Automatic and Manual focus modes.

Exposure Compensation Button: Directly to the right of the Focus button, the Exposure Compensation button (+/-) activates the exposure compensation adjustment, which is changed by turning the Command wheel.

Spot Metering Button: To the right of the Exposure Compensation button, the Spot Metering button ( [•] ) switches between Spot and Normal (averaged) metering modes. When Spot Metering is enabled, a crosshair target appears in the center of the LCD screen.

AE Lock Button: Just over the top right corner of the LCD monitor, the AE Lock button locks an exposure reading until the shutter button is fully depressed.

Open CD-R Compartment Button: Resting on the side of the CD-R compartment, just above the external flash connection jack, this sliding button opens the CD-R compartment door.

Camera Modes and Menus

Program AE: Noted on the Mode dial with the green camera symbol, Program mode places the camera in control of both the aperture and shutter speed settings, allowing you to set the remaining exposure variables (White Balance, ISO, Exposure Compensation, Image Size, Picture Quality, Flash, and Normal or Spot Metering).

Shutter Priority: In Shutter Priority mode, you set the shutter speed (from 1/1,000 to eight seconds), while the camera selects the best corresponding aperture. All other exposure variables can also be adjusted.

Aperture Priority: In Aperture Priority mode, you set the desired lens aperture (from f/2.8 to f/11.0) while the camera selects the best corresponding shutter speed. All other exposure variables can also be adjusted.

Manual: Manual exposure mode offers full user control over exposure, including aperture and shutter speed settings. All exposure variables except for exposure compensation are available in this mode.

Scene: Scene mode provides access to three preset shooting modes: Twilight, Landscape, and Portrait. The actual scenes are changed through the Setup menu (in Setup mode). Twilight mode uses a slow shutter speed to accommodate darker shooting situations. If used with a flash, this becomes a slow sync mode, capturing the illuminated subjects in the foreground with the flash, and using the longer shutter speed to record ambient light from the background. Landscape mode uses a small aperture opening to keep both the foreground and background settings in focus. The Portrait mode uses a large aperture opening to decrease the depth of field, thereby keeping the subject in sharp focus and slightly blurring the background. Most exposure variables, except for aperture and shutter speed settings, are available in the Scene modes.

Setup: Setup mode lets you change basic camera settings.

Movie: Movie mode, marked on the mode dial with a film strip symbol, captures MPEG movies with sound. Most exposure variables are available, except for flash and ISO. If the Clip Motion option is selected from the Setup menu, Movie mode will capture up to 10 frames of still images at a time, to be played back in succession to create an animated effect.

Playback: Captured images and movies can be reviewed and played back in this mode. Images can also be erased, write-protected, copied, resized, set up for printing on a DPOF device, or played back in a slide show. A rudimentary editing function (Divide) allows you to chop up movie files into smaller segments.

Record Menu: The Record menu is accessible in all capture modes by pressing the Menu button, however, not all menu options are available in all capture modes.

• White Balance: Adjusts the camera's white balance to accommodate a variety of light sources. Options include: One Push (manual setting), Auto, Indoors, and Outdoors.
• ISO: Changes the camera's light sensitivity level. Choices are Auto, 100, 200, and 400 ISO equivalents.
• Image Size: Sets the image resolution to 1600 x 1200, 1600 x 1072, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480, or 320 x 240 pixels for still images. Movie file sizes are 320 x 240 and 160 x 112. Clip Motion file sizes are Normal (160 x 120 pixels) or Mobile (80 x 72 pixels).
• Quality: Sets the JPEG compression level to Fine or Standard.
• Record Mode: Accesses the following recording modes:
  • TIFF: Records images in the uncompressed TIFF file format (at the 2,048 x 1,536 pixel size, in addition to another image at the pixel resolution and JPEG compression levels set under Image Size and Quality submenus).
  • Text: Captures black-and-white images of text on black board or white board background. Images are saved in GIF format.
  • Voice: Records up to 40-second sound clips to accompany captured images.
  • E-Mail: Captures a separate image file size of 320 x 240 pixels for easy e-mail transmission in addition to another image at the pixel resolution size set under the Image Size submenu.
  • Exposure Bracketing: Takes three images, each at different exposure settings (one at the normal meter reading, and two more at different EV steps). Exposure variation is established through the Setup menu, under the Bracket Step option.
  • Burst 3: Allows the camera to record a maximum of three frames in rapid succession. Actual frame rates vary with file size and the amount of image information being recorded.
  • Normal: Returns the camera to normal still capture mode.
• Flash Level: Assigns the flash intensity level to High, Normal, or Low.
• Picture Effects: Activates a variety of creative picture effects modes, including Solarize, Black and White, Sepia, and Negative Art. The Off setting returns the camera to normal capture mode.
• Sharpness: Adjusts the image sharpness from -2 to +2 in five available settings (zero is the normal sharpness level).

Setup Menu: The four-panel setup menu is automatically displayed on the LCD monitor upon entering Setup mode:

• Finalize: Finalizes the CD-R or CD-RW, making it readable to a computer's CD-ROM drive.
• Format: Erases all the images on the CD-RW (CD-RW only, not CD-R), even write protected ones.
• Initialize: Initializes new CD-Rs or CD-RWs, so that the camera can write images to the drive.
• Unfinalize: Undoes the effects of a Finalize operation, allows the CD-RW (not CD-R) to be written to again.
• Scene Selection: Specifies which Scene mode is activated when the mode dial is in the Scene position. Options are Landscape, Twilight, and Portrait.
• Moving Image: Establishes the recording mode to be used when the mode dial is set to the Movie position: MPEG Movie or Clip Motion.
• Date/Time: Determines whether or not the date and/or time is recorded with the image. Choices are Off, Date, and Day & Time.
• Digital Zoom: Turns the 2x digital telephoto function on or off.
• Bracket Step: Designates the EV step that the exposure bracketing shots will vary by. Choices are +/- 1.0, 0.7, and 0.3 EV.
• Red-Eye Reduction: Enables or disables the Red-Eye Reduction flash mode.
• AF Illuminator: Turns the AF Illuminator lamp on the front of the camera on or off.
• File Number: Determines the file number sequence. Normal resets the file numbering with each new CD-R inserted into the memory slot. Series continues file numbering from one CD-R to the next.
• Conversion Lens: Turns the lens conversion function on, which allows the camera to focus with an accessory lens kit.
• Language: Sets the menu language to English or Japanese.
• Clock Set: Sets the camera's internal clock and calendar.
• LCD Brightness: Adjusts the LCD's brightness level (really more of a contrast adjustment) to Bright, Normal, or Dark.
• Beep: Controls the camera's operating sounds. Choices are Shutter (noise with shutter only), On (activates all camera noise), and Off (silences the camera).
• Video Out: Sets the A/V Out signal to NTSC or PAL timing.
• USB Connect: Establishes the type of USB connection: Normal or PTP. (PTP is a new connection option, supposedly requiring no host driver software. We're awaiting further info from Sony before we can review this.)

Playback Menu: As with the Record menu, the Playback menu is accessed by pressing the Menu button when in Playback mode. The following options are available:

• Delete: Deletes the current image, with an option to cancel.
• Protect: Write-protects the currently displayed image from accidental erasure or manipulation in any way (except for CD formatting, which deletes all images).
• Print: Marks the current image for printing on a Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compatible device.
• Slide: Activates an automatic slide show of all images on the CD-R. You can define the picture interval and whether or not the slide show repeats itself.
• Resize: Resizes the currently displayed image to 2,048 x 1,536, 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, or 640 x 480 pixels.
• Rotate: Rotates the displayed image 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise.