Sony DSC-P8 Review

The Auto Record mode screen with data overlay. Starting in the upper left corner is the battery condition icon and numeric "33 minutes" remaining display. The image size is 3.1M .The image record folder is 101. The Memory Stick has space for 266 more pictures and the icon graphically shows the space available. The rectangle brackets in the center denote the focusing area.

The Auto Record screen after half-pressing the shutter release to set the exposure and lock the auto focus. The green "dot" and the AF area marks turn green when the auto focus is locked. The aperture is F3.5 and the shutter speed is 1/50 sec.

AUTO Record options:

Image Size - 2048x1536, 2048(3:2), 1632x1224, 1280x960, 640x480

Record Mode - Voice, E-mail, Burst 2 or Normal

Program AE screen with data overlay. Starting in the upper left corner is the battery condition icon and numeric "31 minutes" remaining display. The image size is 3.1M Fine .The image record folder is 101. The Memory Stick has space for 266 more pictures and the icon graphically shows the space available.The "P" icon is for the Program AE mode the ISO is 100. The rectangle brackets in the center denote the focusing area.

Program AE mode options:

Exposure Compensation - Override the metering +/-2EV in 1/3EV increments

Focus - Multi AF, Center AF or 0.5m, 1m, 3m, 7m or infinity

White Balance - Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Sunny or flash

Metering - Spot or Multi

ISO - Auto or fixed at 100, 200 or 400

Image Size - 2048x1536, 2048(3:2), 1600x1200, 1280x960, 640x480

Picture Quality - Fine or Standard

Record Mode - Voice, Burst 2, Normal, or E-mail

Flash Level - High, Normal or Low

Picture Effect - None, Negative Art, Sepia, B&W, Solarize

Sharpness - Normal is 0 but may be +1, or -1

Saturation - Normal is 0 but may be +1, or -1

Contrast - Normal is 0 but may be +1, or -1

The DSC-P8 is basically an automatic point-n-shoot type of camera but it does have several pre-programmed modes available when the Mode Dial is turned to the SCN (Scene) position. Night mode which is chosen here, Night Portrait, Landscape, Snow, Beach, Sports and Fireworks. The SCN modes will allow you to select all the settings the same as AE Program mode except for ISO, Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness.

The recording screen in the "VX" Movie mode which is new for 2003. The VX mode is 640x480 VGA resolution @ 16fps and the length is limited only by the space available on the Memory Stick. The DSC-P8 records both audio and video thanks to a builtin microphone.

Movie clips can also be recorded at 160x112 resolution, 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:

Exposure compensation - Override the metering +/-2EV in 1/3EV increments

Focus - Multi AF, Center AF or 0.5m, 1m, 3m, 7m infinity

Meter - Spot or Multi

White Balance - Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Sunny

Picture Effect - None, Negative Art, Sepia, B&W, Solarize

Image Size - 640(VX), 160x112

SETUP options - CAMERA menu:

MOVING IMAGE - Sets the mode for the Movie position of the Mode Dial:
MPEG MOVIE
CLIP MOTION (capture 2-10 images at 160x120 or 120x108 and save them as an animated 256-color GIF image)
MULTI BURST (shoots 16 - 320x240 frames in a single JPEG file, can select 3 intervals: 1/30, 1/15, 1/8 sec)

AF MODE - Sets auto focus to: Single, Monitor or CONTinous

SMART ZOOM - Enable or disable smart zoom

DATE/TIME - Enable date or time+date stamping on the image

RED EYE REDUCTION - Enable/disable the flash Red-Eye mode

AF ILLUMINATOR - Enable/disable the autofocus illuminator

FORMAT - Format the Memory Stick

FILE NUMBER - SERIES (sequential auto number) or RESET

CREATE REC FOLDER - Ok or Cancel

CHANGE REC FOLDER - Ok or Cancel

POWER SAVE - On/Off

LCD BRIGHTNESS - Bright, Normal or Dark

LCD BACKLIGHT - Bright, Normal or Dark

BEEP - Enable camera "beep" sounds when buttons are pushed

LANGUAGE - English or Francais

CLOCK SET - Set Clock or Cancel

VIDEO OUT - NTSC or PAL signal timing

USB CONNECT - USB protocol, PTP or Normal