Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V1A no-excuses "enthusiast" camera from Sony: 5 megapixels, 4x zoom, fast AF, and features galore<<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 9:Camera Modes & MenusReview First Posted: 04/18/2003, Updated: 7/1/2003 |
Camera Modes and Menus
Full Auto: Indicated on the Mode dial by a green camera icon, this mode
puts the camera in control of everything except flash, zoom, resolution, and
Record mode. (Think of this as a quick way to get back to the camera's default
settings, without disturbing all the settings you've made in various menus.)
Program AE (P): This mode puts the camera in control of aperture and shutter
speed, while you control all remaining exposure decisions.
Shutter Priority (S): Shutter Priority mode lets you control the shutter
speed, from 1/1,000 to 30 seconds, while the camera selects the best corresponding
aperture setting. You retain control over all other exposure variables.
Aperture Priority (A): As the opposite of Shutter Priority mode, Aperture
Priority mode lets you adjust the aperture setting, from f/2.8 to f/8, while
the camera chooses the best shutter speed. All other exposure controls are
under your control.
Manual Exposure Mode (M): This mode provides total control over the exposure,
as you're able to select both aperture and shutter speed independently of
each other, as well as control all other exposure variables.
Scene (SCN): Scene mode offers six preset shooting modes to choose from
(Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Portrait, Snow, and Beach) which
set the camera's exposure controls for photographing each specific subject.
The available exposure settings depend on the scene selected. Twilight and
Twilight Portrait both adjust exposure settings to optimize for after-dark
photography. Twilight mode disables the flash, while Twilight Portrait enables
it. Landscape mode sets the exposure system to prefer smaller apertures, for
greater depth of field. Portrait mode is the opposite, setting a bias toward
larger apertures, for less depth of field. Snow and Beach modes optimize the
camera for better color in extremely bright situations.
Movie Mode: Marked on the Mode dial with a film strip icon, this mode
lets you capture moving images with sound. If enabled through the Setup menu,
this mode also provides access to Clip Motion and Multi-Burst modes.
Record Menu: In each of the above recording modes, pressing the Menu
button calls up the following menu selections. Some options are not available
in all modes.
Metering
Mode: Sets the exposure metering mode to Multi, Center, or Spot.
- White Balance: Adjusts the color balance for specific lighting. Options are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, and One-Push (manual setting).
- ISO: Sets the camera's light sensitivity to Auto or 100, 200, 400, or 800 ISO equivalents. (Not available in Scene mode.)
- Scene: (Scene mode only.) Determines the preset shooting scene. Choices are Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Portrait, Snow, and Beach.
- Picture Quality: Changes the JPEG compression level to Fine or Standard.
- Record Mode: Enables the V1's special recording modes. Choices are TIFF, Voice, E-Mail, Exposure Bracketing, Burst 3, and Normal. (See the earlier portions of this review for descriptions of these options.)
- Flash Level: Adjusts the flash brightness to High, Normal, or Low.
- Picture Effect: Accesses the V1's creative effects menu, with options for Solarize, Sepia, and Negative Art.
- Sharpness: Adjusts the overall image sharpness with settings of Plus, Normal and Minus.
- Saturation: Lets you increase or decrease the level of saturation with settings of Plus, Normal and Minus.
- Contrast: Controls the level of contrast with settings
of Plus, Normal and Minus.
Movie Mode Menu: The following limited menu is available:
Metering
Mode: Sets exposure metering to Multi, Center, or Spot modes.
- White Balance: Adjusts the color balance for specific lighting. Options are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, and One-Push (manual setting).
- Flash Level: (Clip Motion mode only.) Adjusts the flash brightness to High, Normal, or Low.
- Interval: (Multi-Burst mode only.) Sets the interval between successive frames in the Multi-Burst sequence. Options are 1/7.5, 1/15, and 1/30 second. (That is, available frame rates are 7.5, 15, or 30 frames/second.)
- Picture Quality: (Multi-Burst mode only.) Changes the JPEG compression level to Fine or Standard.
- Picture Effect: Accesses the V1's creative effects menu, with options
for Solarize, Sepia, and Negative Art.
Playback Mode: Indicated on the Mode dial with the traditional green arrow Playback symbol, this mode allows you to scroll through captured images on the Memory Stick. Images can be deleted, protected, copied, resized, rotated, or set up for printing on DPOF devices. Movie files and Clip Motion animations can also be played back. Pressing the Menu button displays the following options:
Folder:
Selects which folder is to be used for playback, and displays the number of
files, creation date, and folder name for each.
- Protect: Write-protects the current image, preventing it from being erased or manipulated in any way (except from card formatting). Also removes protection. A set of arrows appears on the LCD display, letting you scroll through captured images and mark others for protection as well.
- Print: Marks the current image for printing on a DPOF device, or removes the print mark. Like the Protect option, lets you scroll through other images on the card.(Only works for still images.)
- Slide: Activates an automated slide show of captured images. You can set the frame interval and whether or not the show repeats. (An interesting note: Slide shows will play back movie files stored on the memory card too, so you can mix movies with still images in a slide show.)
- Resize: Resizes the currently displayed image, with all resolution settings available.(Only works with still images.)
- Rotate: Rotates the currently displayed image 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. (Only works with still images.)
- Divide: Activates the in-camera movie editing function. (Only works
with MPEG movie files.)
Setup Mode: This mode lets you change a variety of camera settings. The Setup menu is displayed immediately upon entering the mode. Five separate screens of options are available, selected via a tabbed interface running down the left hand side of the screen.
- Camera 1:
Moving
Image: Sets the type of file that will be recorded in Movie mode.
Options are MPEG movies, Clip Motion animations, or Multi Burst sequences.
- AF Mode: Choices are Single, Monitor, and Continuous.
- Smart Zoom: Enables or disables the Smart Zoom digital zoom.
- Date / Time: Determines whether the Day and Time or Date is overlaid on the image.
- Red-Eye Reduction: Enables or disables the Red-Eye Reduction flash mode.
- Hologram AF: Enables or disables the Hologram AF system.
- Camera 2:
Bracket
Step: Determines the amount of exposure variation in an Exposure Bracketing
series. Choices are +/- 0.3, 0.7, or 1.0 EV steps.
- Hot Shoe: Turns the external flash hot shoe connection on or off.
- Zoom Lever: Determines the direction of operation for the Zoom
lever, whether wide angle is up and telephoto is down, or vice versa.
- Memory Stick Tool:
Format:
Formats the Memory Stick, erasing all files (even "protected"
ones).
- File Number: Determines whether the V1 continuously numbers files from one Memory Stick to the next, or resets numbering with each new Memory Stick.
- Create Record Folder: Creates a new folder for recording images. (The camera assigns the name to the folder although.)
- Change Record Folder: Selects the folder for recording images.
(The display for choosing the active folder is quite useful, showing the
folder name, the number of files it currently contains, and the date and
time it was created.)
- Setup 1:
Power
Save: Turns the automatic power save function on or off.
- LCD Brightness: Controls the brightness of the LCD display. Options are Bright, Normal, and Dark.
- LCD Backlight: Controls the backlight for the main LCD, options are Bright, Normal, and Dark. (This option only appears when the camera is running from battery power. Connecting the AC adapter automatically sets the brightness to "Bright," and removes this option from the menu.)
- Beep: Turns the camera's beep sounds on or off. The "Shutter" option enables only the shutter release sound.
- Language: Selects either French or English as the menu language.
- Clock Set: Sets the camera's internal clock and calendar.
- Setup 2:
USB
Connect: Sets the USB connection type to PTP or Normal. (PTP requires
no host driver software, and is supported by Windows XP and Mac OS X.)
- Video Out: Sets the A/V Out signal timing as either NTSC or PAL.
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