Sony DSC-H1 Review

(All screens can be displayed on the LCD or EVF)

Here is the Auto mode screen display. Minimal information is displayed and only a few parameters such as image size or recording mode can be changed. Upper left is the battery level that's constantly displayed. The image size is "5M"egapixels, the image folder is 101, there's space for 180 shots, a graphical icon of the Memory Stick and in the center are the Auto Focus area target marks.

This is a "P"rogram AE screen. Top left shows the battery level (very low). You can see icons for ISO speed set to 64, the realtime histogram, along the bottom are icons for "S"ingle "A"uto "F"ocus, Shutter and Aperture values, and Exposure Compensation.

The Program AE mode also allows the user to "shift" the shutter speed and aperture settings. By rotating the command dial you can select other combinations of shutter speed and aperture values.

When you half-press the shutter release the AF marks will turn green indicating the area of focus, it will also show the selected shutter speed and aperture.

Here's the screen when using Shutter speed priority mode. It allows you to select the desired shutter speed and the camera automatically selects the proper aperture. A slower shutter speed will allow you to show motion, where a faster one will freeze the action.

In Aperture priority, you select the desired aperture and the camera selects the proper shutter speed. A large aperture (small f/stop number) will create a shallow depth of field, where a smaller aperture (larger f/stop number) will create a larger depth of field.

Here's the screen when using Manual mode, it allows users to select both the shutter speed and aperture value, and displays exposure compensation to inform you if you are about to take a under or over-exposed picture.

When you rotate the mode dial a "virtual mode dial" is displayed. Select from: AUTO, Program AE, Shutter-speed priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Scene Modes (Night, Night Portrait, Candle, Beach, Sports, Landscape, Portrait) Movie and Playback.

Record mode options:

Resolution - 5M, 3:2, 3M, 1M, or VGA (E-mail.)

Metering - Multi-pattern (default), Center-weighted or Spot

White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash or One-Push custom

ISO - Auto or fixed at 64, 100, 200, 400

Picture Quality - Fine or Standard

BRK - AE Bracketing step value +/- 0.3, 0.7 or 1.0 EV (option appears only when mode is AE Bracketing)

MULTI BURST - 1/7.5, 1/15 or 1/30 (option appears only when mode is Multi Burst)

Flash Level - High, Normal or Low

Picture Effect - Off, Sepia, Black & White

Saturation - Default is 0 but may be + or -

Contrast - Default is 0 but may be + or -

Sharpness - Default is 0 but may be + or -

The recording screen in the VX Fine Movie mode. VX Fine mode is VGA resolution 640 x 480 full screen @ 30fps with audio and the length is limited only by the space available on the memory card.

Movie clips can also be recorded using VX Standard (640x480 16 fps) or Video E-mail (160x120, 8.3 fps), these movies will playback in a smaller window. The advantage is that the file sizes are smaller and more practical for email purposes.

Movie mode options:

Metering - Multi-pattern (default), Center-weighted averaging or Spot

White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash or One-Push custom

Picture Effect - Off, Sepia, Black & White

Image Size - Press the Image size button and choose from 640 Fine, 640 Standard, or 160 for E-mail