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Sony MVC-CD500 Sony further expands its CD-equipped camera line, adding a five megapixel CCD and a host of other features to last year's top-of-the-line CD Mavica model. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet CD-500 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 CD-500 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Video, Power, Software :(Previous) | (Next): Reference: Datasheet>> Page 12:Test Results & Conclusion Review First Posted: 06/09/2003

Test Results
In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only my key findings. For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the Sony Mavica MVC-CD500's "pictures" page.

As with all Imaging Resource product tests, I encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the camera performed. Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how the CD500's images compare to other cameras you may be considering.

• Color: Overall, the CD500 produced very accurate color in my testing. Color casts with various white balance settings were generally minor, hues were accurate, and saturation appropriate. Skin tones were slightly cool in the outdoor portrait shot, and there was a bit more purple in the always-difficult blue flowers than I'd ideally like to see, but the color rendition was still pleasing overall. The CD500 did a pretty good job with the difficult household incandescent lighting on the Indoor Portrait test as well, its Auto white balance setting leaving about the right amount of color cast to preserve the original "mood," and the Manual option producing a more neutral tone with a slight greenish cast. The large color blocks of the "Davebox" test target were very accurate and appropriately saturated.
  
  
• Exposure: The CD500's metering system seemed slightly more accurate than average, requiring less positive exposure compensation on the Outdoor Portrait test than most cameras I've tested. I found the default tone curve of the CD500 rather contrasty though, as it tended to lose detail in strong highlights under harsh lighting conditions. (This is a perpetual dilemma for camera makers - Higher contrast tends to produce the snappier colors that most American consumers prefer, but at the cost of lost detail in deep shadows and strong highlights.) There is a reduced-contrast setting though, that helps somewhat with the contrasty tone curve.
  
  
• Resolution/Sharpness: The CD500 performed very well on the "laboratory" resolution test chart. It started showing artifacts in the test patterns at resolutions as low as 1,000 lines per picture height, in both horizontal and vertical directions (though you might argue for 800 or 900 lines in the horizontal direction). I found "strong detail" out to at least 1,300 lines, although you could argue for slightly more in the horizontal direction. "Extinction" of the target patterns didn't occur until about 1,700 lines.
  
  
• Closeups: The CD500 did exceptionally well in the macro category, capturing a tiny minimum area of only 1.6 x 1.2 inches (41 x 31 millimeters). Resolution was very high, with strong detail in the dollar bill. The coins and brooch were soft due to the reduced depth of field that comes with such short shooting distances, but that's entirely to be expected. There was a lot more softness in the corners of this shot, extending down the entire left side of the frame. This is a very common failing of digicam lenses in ultra-macro shots though, most likely caused by the optical phenomena called "curvature of field." The CD500's flash almost throttled down for the macro area, but at the closest shooting distance, created a shadow from the lens.
  
  
• Night Shots: Overall, the CD500 is a stellar performer for low light photography. - It has a maximum shutter speed of eight seconds, ample for most low-light shooting situations, including normal city street lighting at night. A long maximum exposure time isn't enough for topnotch low-light performance though, as noise and focusing issues must also be addressed. The CD500 is strong on both counts though, with an excellent noise-reduction system and a really fantastic autofocus-assist illuminator, in the form of Sony's "Hologram Autofocus." The net result is a superb low-light performance on all fronts. The shots below show the results at ISO settings from 100 to 400, as well as using the camera's "Twilight" scene mode.
  
  
• Viewfinder Accuracy: The CD500's LCD monitor is very accurate, showing almost exactly 100 percent of the final frame. Given that I like LCD monitors to be as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, the CD500's LCD monitor is essentially perfect in that regard.
  
  
• Optical Distortion: Optical distortion on the CD500 is very low at the wide-angle end, where I measured an approximate 0.2 percent barrel distortion. The telephoto end also fared well, as I measured only a 0.1 percent pincushion distortion there. These figures are much lower than average among digicams I've tested, particularly the figure for barrel distortion. Chromatic aberration was very low as well, showing only about two or three pixels of coloration on either side of the target lines in the corners of the resolution target. (This distortion is visible as a very slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.) - I did observe more chromatic aberration in my Far Field test though.
  
  
• Battery Life: The CD500's battery life is excellent, with run times of 151 minutes in record mode and 217 minutes in playback mode. I still recommend purchasing a second battery along with the camera, but the basic run time is much better than average.
  

Conclusion

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The original CD1000 CD Mavica was a revolutionary digicam, with inexpensive storage provided by CD-Rs and the trademark "universal media" appeal of the Mavica line. The CD500 expands an already excellent series, adding significant enhancements, including a larger CCD and the convenience of a very large buffer memory, not to mention audio recording and the (surprising) ability to record MPEG video and audio in real time to the CD-RW drive. I also appreciated the inclusion of the Hologram AF feature. - And most particularly, I liked the inclusion of a conventional flash hot shoe on top of the camera, a feature that turns the CD500 into a true "enthusiast's" camera. Along with its updated features, the CD500 still offers the well-designed user interface and flexible exposure control seen in other top-end Sony models. The CD500 is really one of the most "universal" cameras Sony has yet created, offering easy, fully automatic exposure and "scene" modes when you want them, or full manual control when you don't. It's really a camera that could be used about as well by a rank novice as by an advanced amateur, a fact I think will contribute to its popularity in the marketplace. I'd really like to see a less contrasty default tone curve, but the available reduced-contrast setting helps with harshly-lit subjects. Overall, another nice job on a CD-based digicam, with useful improvements over last year's top-end model, and at a lower cost to boot. Highly recommended!