Sony DSC-V3By: Shawn Barnett and Dave Etchells(none) <<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 8:Operation & User InterfaceReview First Posted: 09/09/2004, Updated: 11/30/2004 |
Operation and User Interface
The Sony DSC-V3's user interface is similar to previous Cyber-shot designs,
most closely resembling the control structure of the DSC-V1, with a range
of multi-functional external controls and an on-screen LCD menu overlay. That
said though, the control interface of the V3 has been significantly enhanced
and modified I always appreciate having as much external control as possible,
as it saves having to scroll through menu items for common settings, and the
Sony DSC-V3 definitely provides that. The Mode dial on top of the camera controls
the main exposure mode, while things like Flash mode, Macro mode, Exposure
Compensation, etc. are all controlled via small buttons on the rear panel.
The Command dial, located on the right side of the rear panel, lets you quickly
adjust aperture and/or shutter speed without accessing a menu system. Overall
camera operation is smooth and efficient, with an easy-to-navigate LCD menu
system and a user interface that doesn't require a long learning curve. You
may spend a few minutes reading through the manual, but once you get the hang
of things, the user interface is very intuitive.
Control Enumeration
Shutter Button: Located out on the grip, this button sets focus and exposure
when pressed halfway. Fully depressing the button fires the shutter. When
the Self-timer is enabled, fully depressing the Shutter button begins a 10-second
countdown before the shutter fires.
Mode Dial: Behind the shutter on the top panel, this knurled dial controls
the camera's operating mode. Choices are Full Auto (green camera icon), Program
AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Scene, Setup, Movie, and
Playback modes.
Power Button: To the left of the Mode dial on top of the camera, this
button turns the camera on or off.
NightShot / NightFraming Button: Located in front of the Power button
on the top panel, this switch activates either the NightShot or NightFraming
modes, for low-light and no-light shooting and framing.
Zoom Rocker Button: Situated in the top right corner of the rear
panel, this two-way rocker button controls the optical and digital zoom in
Record mode. In Playback mode, this button digitally enlarges the captured
image as much as 5x.
Exposure Compensation Button: Left of the Focus button, this button highlights
the exposure compensation adjustment on the LCD screen. Once highlighted,
the exposure compensation is adjusted by turning the Command dial. A second
press of the button removes the highlight.
Focus Button: To the right of the Exposure Compensation / Index button,
this button switches between Manual and Auto focus modes. In Manual focus
mode, turning the Command dial adjusts the focus setting from 0.1 meters to
infinity.
AE Lock Button: Adjacent to the Focus button, this button locks the exposure
reading until it's pressed again, or until the Shutter button is fully pressed.
Command Dial: Just below and to the right of the Command dial, this black,
ribbed dial controls various exposure settings in any Record mode. In Aperture
Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual exposure modes, it controls aperture
and/or shutter speed settings. Turning the dial moves the cursor between available
settings, while a quick press of the dial selects the setting for adjustment
(highlighting it in yellow on the LCD screen). Once the setting is selected,
it can be adjusted by turning the dial forward or backward.
Display Button: Located on the upper right of the LCD, this button controls
the LCD image and information display in all camera modes except Setup mode.
It also enables the histogram display. Repeated presses cycle through detailed
information, detailed information with histogram display, limited information,
and no display.
Five-way Arrow Pad: Located to the right of the LCD monitor on the rear
panel, this five-key pad has four arrows, one pointing in each direction (up,
down, left, right), and a center "OK" button. In any record mode
(except Movie), the Up arrow controls the Flash mode, cycling between Auto,
Forced, Suppressed, and Slow Sync (when available). The Left arrow controls
the Quick Review function, which provides a quick playback of the most recently
captured image. The Right arrow activates the Macro shooting mode, and the
Down arrow activates the Self-Timer mode.
In Playback mode, the Right and Left arrows scroll through captured images.
The Up and Down arrows control the playback volume. When an image has been
digitally enlarged, all four arrows pan the view.
In all camera modes, the arrow keys navigate through settings menus, highlighting
menu options. Pressing the center button confirms menu selections.
Menu Button: Beneath the Four Way Arrow pad is the Menu button, which
activates and deactivates the settings menus in all camera modes (except for
Setup mode, which automatically displays the menu upon entering the mode).
Image Size / Erase Button: To the right of the Menu button, this
button pulls up the Image Size menu in any record mode.
In Playback mode, this button lets you erase the currently-displayed image. During index display, pressing this button gives the option of deleting all images in the selected folder, with the exception of any write-protected images.
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