Sony DSC-H2 Review


Record Mode Screens & Menus
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
"6M"egapixels, the image folder is 101, there's space for 200 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 (partially depleted). You can see icons for ISO speed set to 80, the realtime histogram, along the bottom are icons for "S"ingle "A"uto "F"ocus, Shutter and Aperture values.
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 (in this case, 1EV overexposed). The live image is displayed
with the degree of under or over exposure that would result from current settings.
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. A description of the selected mode is displayed if the setup menu
Function Guide is set on.
The image resolution menu is called-up by depressing the resolution/delete button.
Available settings are 7M, 3:2, 5M, 3M, 1M, VGA (E-mail) and 16:9 (HDTV aspect ratio).
The display suggests maximum print size and number of images that can be stored
in the remaining available capacity of the Memory Stick.
Record mode options:
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 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000 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 - +/- 1 EV in 1/3 EV steps Saturation - Normal, + or - Contrast - Normal, + or - Sharpness - Normal, + 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.
![]()
The Movie quality menu is called-up by depressing the resolution/delete button. Options include VX Fine,
VX Standard (640x480 16 fps) or Video E-mail (160x120, 8.3 fps). The menu estimates the remaining
recording time on the installed memory Stick.
Movie mode options:
Metering - Multi-pattern (default), Center-weighted averaging or Spot White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, or One-Push custom |
Continue on to
Playback Features
Return To
Reviews Index
Visitors of Steves can visit the stores below for real-time pricing and availability. You can also find hot, soon to expire online offers on a variety of cameras and accessories at our very own Camera Deals page.