Royal
Ontario Museum Mosaic:
16.5mm, 1/60 sec., F3.5 and ISO 100 with flash
The
Sony DSC-V1 Cyber-shot is a compact digital camera
with dimensions of 99.0W x 65.2H x 56.9D mm (3.9W
x 2.6H x 2.2D in.) and weighs 298g (10.9 oz.)
with the battery and recording media card.
With the V1, Sony has returned to a more traditional
styling that looks and handles very professional.
The first thing you notice when picking up the
V1 is how light it feels! Too bad it's not quite
pocketable due to the protruding lens and viewfinder,
but the dimensions just feel right for the features
it provides. [One thing I also notice is the size
of the lens: it seems bigger than the competition,
and certainly a 1/1.8 in. CCD image sensor does
not need such a large lens, eh? I wonder if Sony
is cooking something else with perhaps a bigger
sensor later on. I personally hope Sony could
fit a 2/3 in. sensor in there.]
The
V1 has a stylish handgrip that I find quite adequate,
but it's one of those things that you must try
out for yourself. The buttons and controls are
placed strategically on the back and top of the
camera, and are precise in operation.
If
you're still wondering about the size and weight
of the V1, here's the scoop that may put your
mind to rest. I find the V1 surprisingly light
so that it is not tiring to carry it in my hand
for a long time. This is surprising because, according
to specs, it is not necessarily any lighter than
other cameras I have handled and which felt heftier.
Maybe it has something to do with how the weight
of the V1 is distributed across its compact body.
Though the V1 will fit into my large pants pocket,
it is not very comfortable carrying it this way,
and I've only done it to free my hands for other
things. Your best bet is probably a belt case,
one of those bags that sling across the chest,
or to carry it in a coat pocket. I would recommend
a soft pouch for protection.
Wish
list:
Pop-up
flash. It's natural to put your left finger
on the flash when holding the camera, with the
result that the flash does not go off and an
underexposure results. The flash needs to be
redesigned or moved somewhere else.
To
review the pictures, you have to turn the Mode
Dial to the play symbol (that's 2 clicks anti-clockwise
from the P mode). I wish there was a dedicated
button that I could just press to go into quick
display.
With
some camera, I use the viewfinder; with others,
I prefer the LCD. With the V1, I use the LCD almost
exclusively. It's probably because the viewfinder
only covers about 85% of the frame and does not
give me the confidence that I am including elements
at the edges of the frame that I want to capture.
The V1's LCD is fortunately very clear, crisp
and so easy to compose with that I don't miss
rarely using the viewfinder.
The
V1 feels solid and everything works quite smoothly.
It gives excellent results and, combined with
its low-light hologram AF assist and program shift
function, there is now no excuse for not getting
the shot.
