Casio QV-2300UX PlusA 2 megapixel swivel-lens design with lots of creative options and a 340-megabyte Microdrive included (US only)<<Optics :(Previous) | (Next): Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests>> Page 6:Exposure & FlashReview First Posted: 1/29/2001 |
Exposure
The QV-2300UX Plus offers a variety of Recording modes, including a wide range of preset "Scene" modes for shooting in special situations. A switch on the camera's back panel controls whether the camera is in Record or Playback mode, while depressing the Menu button on top of the camera brings up a selection of nine icons on the camera's LCD that represent difference Record modes. These include Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, and Scene modes, plus two Movie modes, a Panorama mode, and Interval (or time-lapse) recording. Portrait mode uses a larger lens aperture to decrease the depth of field and blur the background. Landscape mode uses a smaller lens aperture to keep both the background and foreground in sharp focus. Night Scene mode uses a longer exposure to allow more ambient light into the camera. (Because of the slower shutter speed, a tripod is recommended to prevent any blur from camera movement.) Night Scene can be used in combination with the camera's flash to produce a slow-synch effect with nighttime portraits.
The Scene mode offers 31 presets for shooting in specific situations. A library of 28 scenes are available in menu form, allowing you to choose a preset for any type of subject you want to photograph. Some of the choices include: Landscapes with People, Floral Close Up, Bright Beach, Fireworks, Flowing Water, Stopped Action, Food, and Text. Scenes 29 through 31 are available for you to register your own preset exposure parameters. In other words, you can select your own picture as a Scene preset, and record all of the available parameters for that particular photo: Focus, aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, ISO, filter, exposure mode, metering mode, white balance, enhancement, flash intensity, sharpness, saturation, and contrast. To register a new preset, you must select the Scene mode, scroll through the options until you reach one of the three User Setup Scenes, and press the Self-Timer/Trash button below the LCD monitor. The camera will pull up a menu of images you've already recorded on the memory card. Scroll through the images until you've highlighted the image you want to register as a User Setup. The camera will store all of the exposure information from that image and register it as a preset Scene. (Note: the image you choose as a template for the User Setup will not be imported into the Scene menu, so you will have to write down or remember the photographic information for that particular Scene.) Once a new user-defined Scene has been recorded, it cannot be deleted. It has to be overwritten by repeating the registration process.
The QV-2300UX Plus offers four Exposure modes, each accessed through the Record menu (Record > Function > Exposure Mode). Choices include: Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, and Manual modes. In Program AE, the camera controls both the shutter speed and aperture settings, while you control the remaining exposure variables. Aperture Priority allows you to set the lens aperture to f/2.8 or f/5.6, while the camera determines the best shutter speed. Shutter Speed Priority lets you set the shutter speed from 1/2,000 to 60 seconds, while the camera chooses the best aperture setting. (While the Bulb setting keeps the shutter open as long as you hold down the shutter button, the maximum exposure time is still limited to 60 seconds). In both Aperture Priority and Shutter Speed Priority exposure modes, the designated variable is set by holding down the Shift/Info button and using the +/- buttons to scroll through the settings displayed in the lower left corner of the LCD monitor. Manual mode places you in control of both the shutter speed and aperture settings. In Manual mode, you use only the +/- buttons set the shutter speed, and the Shift/Info button, plus the +/- buttons, to set the aperture.
Exposure Compensation is available in Program AE, Shutter Speed Priority, and Aperture Priority modes. It is adjustable from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV), in one-third increments, by pressing the +/- buttons. The Self-Timer mode is activated by pressing the Self-Timer/Erase button on the camera's back panel -- one time for a 10-second countdown and twice for a two-second count. Once the Self-Timer is activated, fully depressing the shutter button triggers the countdown, and the remaining seconds flash on the LCD monitor until the shutter is released. The QV-2300UX Plus also features three Metering options: Multi, Center, and Spot. These can be set using the Record menu (Record > Function > Metering) or by holding down the Shift/Info button, and scrolling through the choices with the Macro/Infinity/Manual Focus button. Multi metering divides the image area into five segments, then reads the light level in each segment, averages the readings, and determines the overall exposure. The Center mode takes its readings from a large area in the center of the scene, while the Spot meter determines the exposure by reading a very small area at the center of the image. Spot metering is good for photographing high-contrast or backlit subjects, where the camera may misjudge the exposure if it averages light readings from the entire scene. It allows you to select the portion of the image that you want metered, by centering it in the LCD monitor. ISO sensitivity is also adjustable through the Function menu, with equivalent settings of 80, 160, and 320 ISO. The ISO setting automatically reverts to 80 when shooting with the flash and in Shutter Priority mode.
White Balance (WB) is available in six operating modes -- Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Manual -- to match a variety of light sources. It can be adjusted through the Record menu (Record > Function > White Balance), or by using one of the camera's three Shortcut Features: Hold down the Shift/Info button and scroll through WB options using the Self-Timer/Erase button. When you select the Manual option, an "Adjust Shutter" prompt comes up on the LCD screen. Make your manual adjustment by placing a white card in front of the lens, holding down the Shift/Info button, and depressing the shutter button to record the white value. The camera retains the last manual white balance adjustment in its memory and recalls it the next time the Manual white balance mode is selected. The Casio instruction manual recommends shooting with Daylight or Manual white balance when working in Night Scene mode, for more accurate color balance.
A Filter function (also accessible through the Record > Function menu), allows you to choose among eight special effects filters: B&W, Sepia, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink, and Purple. The B&W filter records images in black and white. The Sepia filter records images in a monochrome sepia color that resembles old-time photographs. The color filters produce an effect similar to placing a piece of colored cellophane in front of the lens. If you'd rather emphasize a specific color in the image, the Enhance function allows you to boost Red, Green, Blue, or Flesh Tone. Color Saturation and Contrast functions are adjustable by selecting either High, Normal, or Low options, while the Sharpness function offers High, Normal, and Soft options.
FlashThe QV-2300UX Plus built-in flash offers four operating modes (controlled by the Flash button on the back panel): Auto Flash, Flash Off, Flash On, and Red-Eye Reduction. Auto Flash lets the camera judge when to fire the flash, based on existing light levels and exposure conditions. The Flash Off setting disables the flash no matter what the surrounding conditions, Flash On sets the flash to fire with every exposure, and Red-Eye Reduction fires a small pre-flash before firing the full flash, to constrict the subject's pupils and prevent the dreaded Red-Eye Effect. Red-Eye Reduction mode is also automatic, meaning that the flash will not fire if the subject is well lit.
The small LED lamp on the camera's back panel blinks amber when the flash unit is charging, and lights green when it's ready to shoot. The instruction manual notes that the flash could take up to 10 seconds to charge, depending on the type of batteries being used and the operating temperature. If the LED is flashing red, then the camera cannot charge the flash unit, either due to low battery power or a malfunction. While there is no Slow Synchro flash setting, you can get the same effect by choosing the Flash On option in the Night Scene mode. Three Flash Intensity levels are available through the Function menu: Strong, Normal, or Weak. Casio estimates the QV-2300UX Plus' flash power to cover from 6.6 to 16 feet (0.5 to 2m).
Casio rates the QV-2300's flash as being effective at a range of 1.6 to 6.5 feet (0.5 to 2.0m). This agreed with our own testing of the camera, but represents a more limited range than we're accustomed to seeing on cameras competing in this price/capability range. The built-in flash will be useful for taking fairly close shots of individuals or couples indoors, but forget about larger groups. (We really can't understand why Casio chose such an underpowered flash unit for such an otherwise capable camera.)
Movie Mode
The QV-2300UX Plus also provides two Movie recording modes, both without sound. Images are saved as AVI files, with a fixed 320 x 240 pixel resolution, and a maximum movie length of 16 seconds. Normal mode begins recording as soon as you press the shutter button. Recording stops when the shutter button is pressed a second time. Movie (Past) mode begins recording images to a memory buffer as soon as you enter the mode. Once the shutter button is pressed, the camera records the last 16 seconds of whatever is in the buffer to the memory card. All exposure modes and settings are available in Movie mode, with the exception of Flash. Digital Zoom is only available at the 2x setting.
Panorama Mode
Also accessible through the Record menu, Panorama mode records up to 10 consecutive images to be "stitched" together later as single panoramic image. After the first image is recorded, a small portion of the image remains on the left side of the LCD screen, helping you line up the next shot. Exposure compensation and white balance are set with the first shot and maintained throughout the series. Panorama Editor software is supplied for stitching together the images on a computer. All exposure modes and camera settings are available in Panorama mode, except flash. Digital Zoom is only available at the 2x setting.
Interval Mode
The Interval shooting mode allows you to record a series of images at specified time intervals. Accessed through the Record menu, Interval mode provides three types of Interval shooting: Interval, Timer, and Interval + Timer. Standard Interval records multiple exposures at fixed intervals, starting as soon as the shutter button is fully pressed. When selected, the Interval menu brings up three option fields: The Shots field allows you to set the number of interval shots to be taken, from two to "Max Shots," which records images until the memory card is full. The Interval field specifies the time between shots, from one to 60 minutes, adjustable in one-minute increments. Start Time allows you to choose the time (within 24 hours) when you want the shooting to begin. All exposure modes and settings are available in Interval mode, except for Bulb. Additionally, if the shutter speed is set to 20 seconds or slower, and the time interval is set to one minute, the camera may not be able to record at true one-minute intervals because of the processing time required.
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