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Sony MVC-FD87 Sony announces an affordable 1.3-megapixel digicam with basic features, good quality pictures, and a dual-media storage drive! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet MVC-FD87 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 MVC-FD87 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 9:Camera Modes & Menus Review First Posted: 5/4/2001

Camera Modes and Menus
Still Photography Mode: The Still Photography mode sets up the camera for capturing still images. All of the camera's exposure capabilities are available, including the following Program AE modes:

• Automatic Exposure (no icon): In this mode, the camera controls both aperture and shutter speed, basing the exposure on existing light levels. The user has control over Exposure Compensation (EV), Flash, White Balance, and Picture Effects.
• Twilight: In this mode, the camera selects the best aperture and shutter speed settings for night scenes. It's designed to maintain color and detail in bright objects against dark backgrounds, including neon signs, sunsets, and fireworks.
• Twilight Plus: This mode performs the same function as Twilight mode, but increases the camera's light sensitivity, allowing higher shutter speeds under dim conditions.
• Landscape: This mode sets the camera focus to infinity for shooting faraway subjects.
• Panfocus: In this mode, the camera's focus is set to cover both close-up and faraway subjects, good for action photography.
• Spot Metering: Switches the camera's default averaging metering system to spot metering, which bases the exposure on a reading from the very center of the frame.

Playback Mode: This mode allows you to review captured still images and movies on the LCD panel. An index display puts as many as six images on the screen at one time for quick review, while a playback zoom function enlarges captured still images as high as 5x. Images can also be trimmed, write-protected, deleted, played back in a slide show, set up for printing on DPOF devices, or resized.

Record Menu: Pressing the up arrow on the Arrow rocker button calls up the Record settings menu in Still capture mode. From there, you have the following submenus:

• Self-Timer: Activates the 10-second self-timer mode.
• Effect:
  • Picture Effect: Accesses the Solarize, B&W, Sepia, and Negative Art picture effects.
  • Date/Time: Turns the date and time LCD display on and off.
• File:
  • Disk Tool: Allows you to Format the disk, copy the images from one disk to another (Disk Copy), or Cancel the selection.
  • File Number: Sets the file numbering to Series or Normal.
  • Image Size: Sets the still image size to 1,280 x 960, 1,280 (3:2), 1,024 x 768, or 640 x 480 pixels.
  • Record Mode: Sets the Record mode to Text, E-Mail, or Normal.
• Camera:
  • Digital Zoom: Turns the 2x digital telephoto function on and off.
  • Sharpness: Sets the sharpness level from -2 to +2.
  • White Balance: Adjusts the camera's White Balance to match the light source. Options are Indoor, Outdoor, Hold and Auto.
  • Flash Level: Sets the flash intensity level to High, Normal, or Low.
  • Exposure: Sets the exposure compensation from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments.
• Setup:
  • Demo: Displayed in the menu only when the AC adapter is connected. Demo runs through the camera's features.
  • Language: Sets the menu language to English or Japanese.
  • Clock Set: Changes the camera date and time settings.
  • Beep: Turns the camera's beep sound on or off, also has a Shutter option for shutter noises only.
  • LCD Bright: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.

Playback Menu: Activating the Playback menu pulls up the following submenus:

• Index: Calls up a six-image index display.
• Delete: Deletes the currently displayed image with an option to cancel.
• File:
  • Disk Tool: Allows you to Format the disk, copy the images from one disk to another (Disk Copy), or Cancel the selection.
  • Slide Show: Allows you to view captured still images in a slide show format, display the slide show once or repeatedly, and set up time intervals between images.
  • Print Mark: Marks the currently displayed still image for printing on a DPOF device.
  • Protect: Write-protects the currently displayed image.
• Tool:
  • Copy: Copies the current image to a new floppy disk.
  • Resize: Allows you to resize captured images.
• Setup:
  • Language: Sets the menu language to English or Japanese.
  • Clock Set: Changes the camera date and time settings.
  • Beep: Turns the camera's beep sound on or off, also has a Shutter option for shutter noises only.
  • LCD Bright: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.