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Toshiba PDR-M70 Toshiba brings true photographic features to their new 3 flagship model! Select a topic 13. Reference: Datasheet 14. M70 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 --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Viewfinder :(Previous) | (Next): Exposure & Flash>> Page 5:Optics Review First Posted: 8/17/2000

Optics
A 3x, 7.0 to 21.0 mm lens comes with the PDR-M70, the equivalent of a 35 to 105 mm lens on a 35 mm camera. The lens is protected by a plastic lens cap, which unfortunately doesn't attach to anything, making it rather easy to lose. When the camera is turned on and the mode dial is set to any of the capture modes, the lens extends outward from the camera body into its operating position. Once the camera is shut off, or left in Playback mode for any length of time, the lens then retracts. The autofocus uses a contrast detection system with a focal range from 31 inches (80 cm) to infinity in normal mode. Macro mode is controlled by the Macro/Infinity button on the back panel, and offers focal ranges from 4 inches (9 cm) to infinity at the wide angle setting and from 8 inches (20 cm) to infinity at the telephoto setting. Hitting the Macro/Infinity button twice sets the focus at infinity, perfect for landscape shots. Six aperture settings are available, ranging from f/2.0 to f/8.0 and can be manually or automatically selected. (NOTE: As with most zoom lenses on digicams, the effective aperture of the PDR-M70's lens varies as you zoom from wide angle to telephoto. The stated maximum aperture of f/2.0 is valid only for the widest angle focal length setting: As you move to maximum telephoto, the maximum aperture drops to f/2.5. Likewise, the minimum aperture varies from f/8.0 to f/9.9 over the full focal length of the lens, the wider f/8.0 aperture corresponding to wide angle focal lengths.)

In our business, we test a lot of digital cameras, and so were interested to note that the outward characteristics of the PDR-M70's lens appears essentially identical to that on the Sony DSC-S70 and Epson PhotoPC 3000Z. The Sony lens is loudly advertised as being manufactured by Zeiss, and was one of the sharpest lenses we'd seen to that point on a digicam. In the case of the PDR-M70, the raw resolution of the camera didn't seem to quite measure up to that of the Sony S70, but we discovered that it improved considerably if additional unsharp masking was applied after the fact in Photoshop(tm). On our laboratory resolution test target, we "called" the horizontal visual resolution as 850-900 lines per picture height, although there was some slight aliasing apparent as early as 650-700 lines, and good detail was visible all the way to 1000 lines, with color artifacts appearing at about 1100 lines per picture height. In the vertical direction, we again saw slight aliasing as early as 650 lines per picture height, called the visual resolution as 800 lines, saw good detail all the way to 900, and color artifacts beginning at about 950 or so. Overall a very good performance, easily among the top three-megapixel performers in this particular test.

A 2x digital telephoto extends the camera's zoom capabilities to 6x, but remember that the quality of the image will suffer in the form of reduced resolution when the digital telephoto function is engaged. The digital telephoto can be turned off and on through the Record menu. A set of filter threads on the lens accommodates a variety of auxiliary lenses via an optional adapter tube accessory. When the lens cap is in place, it firmly grips the inside of these threads, protecting them from damage.

An unexpected bonus on the PDR-M70 was a manual focus option, as detailed on a Toshiba FAQ web page for the camera. To gain manual control of the focus, you first must place the camera in manual exposure mode, through a somewhat complicated series of control actuations. See the following section on "Exposure" for the procedure to enter manual mode. Once in manual exposure mode, the "Focus" LCD menu item that normally just has options for "Auto" or "Infinity" gains a "MF" or manual focus position as well. The PDR-M70's manual focus option isn't quite as robust as we'd like to see, since it relies entirely on the LCD screen for focus feedback: There is no distance readout showing the current focus distance, nor is there any enhanced focus feedback of any sort provided. Still, it's a useful feature, particularly when you focus with the lens wide open (set to its largest aperture) and then stop down to increase depth of field (and therefore improve focus on your intended subject).