Toshiba PDR-M700Toshiba introduces 10x optical zoom and an updated user interface.<<Optics :(Previous) | (Next): Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests>> Page 6:Exposure & FlashReview First Posted: 08/26/2003 |
Exposure
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In Auto mode, the camera controls everything except flash, zoom, and a handful of capture settings, although you do have a choice of six preset "Scene" modes to choose from (detailed below). In Manual mode, you can choose between Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Full Manual exposure modes, through the Exposure Mode setting of the shortcut menu. Program mode puts you in control of everything except shutter speed and aperture, while the Aperture and Shutter Priority modes let you control one exposure variable while the camera sets the other. In Full Manual mode, you have complete control over the exposure. Shutter speeds on the PDR-M700 range from 1/2,000 to 16 seconds in Full Manual and Shutter Priority modes, with the maximum exposure decreasing to 1/2-second in the remaining exposure modes. In addition to the histogram which lets you quickly check the exposure, the PDR-M700 also reports the amount of over- or underexposure it thinks will occur with the Manual exposure mode settings, from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV). Because the histogram can be slightly difficult to read at times, this is slightly more helpful in determining how to adjust the exposure.
Six preset "scenes" are available while shooting in Automatic exposure mode, set through the Scene option of the shortcut menu. Choices include Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Portrait + Landscape, Night Scene, and Multi. The Portrait setting adjusts the aperture so that the background is blurred and the subject is the main focus, while Landscape mode adjusts the camera for distant scenes and landscapes. In Sports mode, the camera increases the shutter speed so that you can capture fast paced action such as sporting events. Portrait + Landscape mode adjusts the aperture and focus so that you can capture a sharply focused subject in front of an expanse of scenery, and have both the foreground and background in focus. As you might expect, the Night Scene setting allows you to photograph people against dark backgrounds, such as cityscapes, without losing any of the background's details. The flash is fixed at the Slow-Sync setting in Night Scene mode. Finally, Multi mode actually takes 16 small images continuously at 0.13-second intervals (7.5 frames per second), which are saved as a single 2,048 x 1,536 image, best used with moving subjects for a sort of timeline.
By default, the PDR-M700 uses a Center-Priority metering mode, which bases the exposure on a large area in the center of the frame. Through the Photometry option of the shortcut menu, however, you can opt for Spot metering, which reads from a small point in the very center of the frame, and is best for off-center or high-contrast subjects. The PDR-M700's Exposure Compensation adjustment ranges from -2.0 to +2.0 exposure equivalents (EV), in one-third-step increments. If you're unsure of the exposure adjustment, the camera's Auto Exposure Bracketing option takes either three or five images at different exposure settings with one press of the Shutter button.
White Balance options include Automatic, Sunlight, Cloudy, Daylight (Bluish) Fluorescent, Reddish Fluorescent, Incandescent, and two Preset options (manual settings). Sensitivity can be manually set to 70, 100, 200, or 400 ISO equivalents, with two Auto settings available. The first, Auto 200, automatically adjusts the ISO from 70 to 200 depending on conditions, while the second, Auto 400, adjusts it from 70 to 400. This is particularly useful if you want the camera to automatically set the ISO it needs, but want to limit how high it can go to prevent excess image noise.
Through the Record menu, you can adjust the image sharpness as well as the contrast. A fun feature on the PDR-M700 is the Color option on the Record menu, which allows you to choose between Standard color, Vivid color, Monochrome, and Sepia tones.A self-timer function allows you to set up a shot and then fire a delayed shutter, with either a 10 or two second countdown. The camera comes with an IR remote control, which lets you fire the shutter and control zoom from a maximum distance of 13.1 feet (4 meters). A Remote Control mode sets up the camera to receive signals from the remote unit. An optional quick image preview appears after firing the shutter, allowing you to delete an image if you aren't satisfied with it. This saves a little time, as you don't have to switch over to Playback mode to check your image.
Flash
The PDR-M700 features a pop-up flash unit on top of the camera, released by a small button on its side. A Flash button on the rear panel cycles between Automatic, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced, Suppressed, and Slow Synchro modes. Most of the flash modes are pretty self explanatory. Automatic fires the flash depending on the light level. Red-Eye Reduction fires a small pre-flash before firing the full flash to reduce the Red-Eye Effect. Forced mode fires the flash with the shutter, no matter what the light levels are. Likewise, Suppressed prevents the flash from firing at all. Finally, Slow Synchro fires the flash in conjunction with a slower shutter speed for night scenes. Toshiba reports the PDR-M700's flash range as effective from 1.6 to 14.4 feet (0.5 to 4.4 meters) in the telephoto setting. In my own testing, I found the flash to be rather dim at 14 feet, and so would rate its actual range at 10-12 feet or so.
Continuous Shooting
The PDR-M700 offers two continuous shooting modes, accessed through the on-screen menu. Normal Continuous Shooting mode captures as many as 14 frames at approximately one-second intervals while the Shutter button is held down. High Speed Continuous Shooting mode captures as many as six frames at 0.3-second intervals. In both modes, the actual number of frames in the series, and the approximate frame rate, depend on the resolution setting and amount of available memory card space.
Movie Mode
Movie mode on the PDR-M700 is accessed simply by turning the Mode dial to the movie camera symbol. The amount of available recording time will display on the LCD monitor, and depends on the battery power and available SD card space. To record, you simply press the Shutter button once and then press it again to stop recording. Movies are recorded with sound and saved as AVI files. Resolution is fixed at 320 x 240 pixels, with three compression levels available. You can use the zoom (both optical and digital) but the sound of the lens moving is quite apparent on the soundtrack.
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