The camera then captures a still image, then if enabled in the setup menu records a further three second video clip. This is in a way reminiscent of the still image burst mode in some cameras, in that it allows the camera to help you in capturing unexpected action that happened before you pressed the shutter button, albeit in the form of a lower resolution video clip, rather than a high resolution still image.
The main goal of this mode is to "surround" still images with several seconds of video that effectively 'set the scene' for the photo, although how useful this will be in real life, I'm not sure. Certainly the idea of being able to capture still images during video recording seems attractive, but there are a couple of things I'd like to see changed. For one, there is currently about a one second gap on either side of the still image where no video is recorded; it would be nice to see this gap reduced greatly.
I'd also like to see it become possible to record a still image at any time during a video recording, simply by pressing the Photo shutter button - something the DSC-M1 cannot do. Still, the Hybrid mode is certainly an interesting idea, and could capture some fun moments with which to surround your still images Through a Record menu option, the DSC-T1 also offers a Multi Burst mode, which captures an extremely rapid frame burst of images, at a selectable rate of 7.
Multi Burst shots are played back as a slow-motion animation on the camera, but appear as a single large file with 16 sub-images in it when viewed on a computer. This is a useful tool for analyzing golf and tennis swings. The same menu option also offers Exposure Bracketing and Speed Burst options. Exposure Bracketing mode captures a series of three images at different exposure settings, and you can set the exposure step size that's applied between shots. Speed Burst mode works like a motor drive on a traditional 35mm camera, capturing a maximum of four images in rapid succession.
A Self-Timer mode provides a second delay between the time the Shutter button is pressed and the time that the camera actually takes the picture, giving the photographer time to run around and get into the picture. A 32MB Memory Stick Duo comes with the camera, but I'd recommend immediately purchasing a larger capacity card so you don't miss any shots.
An included USB cradle also acts as the battery charger and AC adapter, and connects the camera to a computer as well. Compact and versatile, the Cyber-shot DSC-M1 offers some of the capabilities of a digital video camera combined with those of a digital still camera -- great for when you want to record a combination of video clips and still images.
A useful feature for say, a ballet recital, where you'd like to record a decent amount of footage, but capture a few stills of the performers. The camera sports a completely new design aesthetic compared to the rest of the line, and though it's fairly compact, offers excellent features like a Carl Zeiss zoom lens, large LCD monitor, and 5.
It offers the convenience of point-and-shoot simplicity, but with enough advanced features to make it possible to take photos in otherwise challenging situations low light, fast action, etc.
A unique Hybrid shooting mode captures a combination of still images and video, all with a single press of the shutter button - effectively surrounding your still photos with video that helps "tell the story" for you. All in all, an easy to use camera that offers an eye-catching design and some rather unusual features. Sony's Cyber-shot line of digital still cameras spans a wide range, including models in most categories - whether you're looking for something at the entry level or packed with features, and regardless of whether you place an emphasis on size and fashion-consciousness or versatility.
The new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1 takes the line in a completely new direction, focusing on the integration of movie capture functionality into a digital still camera. Most digicams offer movie recording as an option nowadays, but such features are frequently hidden as a selection on a mode dial or in a menu - not promoted by the manufacturer, and infrequently remembered or used by the owner.
Several recent models from a variety of manufacturers have taken tentative steps towards changing this - including the addition of separate shutter buttons for still image and movie recording, for example - but the fact remains that at the end of the day, most of these models are clearly aimed at still recording, with movie almost an afterthought.
The M1, says Sony, has been designed with a form factor, control layout and feature set aimed at improving the movie functionality. The company still makes it very clear that it considers this a digital camera with enhanced movie functionality, though, rather than a camcorder or a "convergence" device the latter long being a buzzword in some quarters of the digicam industry, among those who feel that eventually one product will satisfy the demands of both still and movie capture.
The DSC-M1 packs a variety of features into a fairly small package. The body design is totally different, though. The camera body has a vertical design similar to a cell-phone, but with two sections connected at the top by a degree swivel.
Measuring 2. With the battery and memory card installed, the DSC-M1 weighs only 7. The thicker of the two body sections contains the lens, flash, battery, connectivity, and most of the controls. The thinner section swivels outward 90 degrees clockwise for image capture, such that the camera as a whole forms an inverted L shape. Swivelling this section outwards also acts as a power switch, starting the camera up in record mode. This section houses the LCD display itself able to swivel degrees to face either directly upwards, downwards, or even towards the subject in front of the camera , as well as two microphones for stereo sound recording , a mono speaker, Memory Stick PRO Duo slot, and a few more controls.
When shooting, you wrap the fingers of your right hand around the base of the vertical portion of the camera, and use your right thumb to press the various controls on the camera's rear. While the camera could be controlled single-handed, your left hand will tend to hold the end of the LCD display for steadiness, putting your left thumb within reach of the controls at the end of the display. This way of holding the camera gives a good, secure grip, along with keeping your hands away from the lens and flash.
Two shutter buttons are within reach of your right thumb one for still images, and one for movies , plus there are a further two buttons part of a group of three at the left of the LCD that double as shutter buttons in reach of your left thumb - serving the exact same purpose.
I had the opportunity to play with a preproduction sample of the DSC-M1 fairly extensively, while preparing this article. Here are some of my observations:. An internally-actuated, motorized lens door protects the lens when the camera is powered off, or when it is in playback mode.
With the swivel opened, and the LCD display facing towards the rear of the camera, you can also see the two separate microphones used to provide stereo sound for movies. The main swivel swings upwards on the right-hand side of the camera body as seen from the rear , when opened.
With the swivel closed, you can see the Memory Stick PRO Duo slot on this side of the camera; with the swivel opened, the slot ends visible from the top of the camera. The only other detail on this side is the connector for the bundled camera dock, covered by a small, hinged plastic door which requires the use of a fingernail to open. Almost all of the DSC-M1's controls and features are located on the back of the two panels.
Most of the time, you'll have the main swivel opened - with no less than fourteen buttons, two switches and a zoom slider visible between the two panels. A small recessed Reset button, which can be pressed with a fine-tipped object such as an unfolded paperclip, is located at the top of the main panel. This allows you to reset the camera in the event of a problem, and will reset to the defaults all settings, including the date and time.
Directly below the reset button, on the edge of the panel, three LEDs wrap around the side of the camera. The lower two LEDs, Record and Play respectively, will light green to indicate the camera's current operating mode. Next in order down the main panel are two large circular buttons, the left being the Photo shutter button, and the right being the Movie shutter button.
These surround the Zoom slider, which controls the optical and digital zoom functions of the camera. Below the Photo shutter button, the Hybrid switch changes the camera between regular and Hybrid shooting modes. The "5SEC" switch below the Movie shutter button changes the camera between recording movie clips of unlimited length, and clips limited to 5 seconds per press of the Movie shutter button. A group of four arrow buttons with a central "Set" button at the bottom of the camera are used to navigate menus and select options, as well as to view images and movies in Playback mode.
The four arrow buttons also each have second functions in Record mode - the Up arrow doubling as a Flash button, the Right arrow as a Metering button, the Down arrow as a Timer button, and the Left arrow as a Macro button. The LCD display itself is located on a stalk which allows it to swivel 90 degrees upwards, or degrees downwards resulting in it facing forwards, towards the subject - ideal for self-portraits.
This swivel can obviously only be turned when the main swivel has been opened, allowing the panel space to turn. The main swivel can be closed regardless of whether the LCD display is facing outwards suitable for image review or inwards to protect the LCD when the camera is powered off. To the left of the LCD display, a group of three buttons duplicate the effect of buttons located on the main panel.
In record mode, the top button acts as a second shutter release for capturing still photos, and the bottom button acts as a second shutter release for capturing movies, while the middle button has no effect. In playback mode, the top and bottom button scroll through the available images and movies in the same manner as the left and right arrows on the Four-Way Controller, while the middle button duplicates the function of the Set button located in the center of the Four-Way Controller.
All three of these buttons are constructed from one piece of soft plastic through which you can press a small microswitch, so they give very little tactile feedback especially the smaller, triangular top and bottom buttons. With the main swivel closed, you can see only the Memory Stick PRO Duo slot peeking around from the side of the camera, the speaker, the 2.
Given the large LCD display, it would be quite good for showing movies and images to friends and family, serving as a portable image viewer of sorts, though. The bottom panel of the DSC-M1 features only the battery compartment and the tripod mount. The battery compartment is covered by a plastic door which slides outwards and then remains attached to the camera by a flexible plastic hinge. On our prototype, this door didn't really 'click' in place when closed, making it very easy to bump open.
The battery itself is held in the slot with a good spring-loaded catch, so there's no chance of it falling out, but we'd still like to see the door improved on production models. Given the tiny size of the camera's bottom panel thanks to its vertical design, it is not surprising to see the tripod mount at the very edge of the camera, and still right on top of the battery compartment as well.
It seems unlikely that users will often put the M1 on a tripod or use it in a studio, so neither is likely to be of much importance in the real world. With a large number of external controls given the size of the camera , the Cyber-shot DSC-M1's user interface may take a little time with the user's manual to learn, but the LCD menu system is quick and easy to understand.
A Four-Way Controller on the rear of camera lets you adjust a range of exposure features without activating the LCD menu. The operating mode is selected by the Mode switch on the camera's rear panel, and the Exposure Mode is set through the camera's menu system.
You can capture still images or record movies at any time when in record mode by pressing either the Photo or Movie shutter button on the rear of the camera, or the duplicate buttons to the left of the LCD display. When it is necessary to enter the LCD menu system, you'll find it simple to navigate.
Three menus are available - a menu each for the Record and Playback settings only accessible in the appropriate operating mode , plus the Setup menu, which is available in any mode and accessed through the other two menus. The arrow keys of the Four-Way Controller scroll through each selection, and the Set button, located in the center of the Four-Way Controller, confirms any changes. It shouldn't take much more than half an hour to an hour to become familiar with the camera setup, as it's reasonably intuitive.
Record Mode Display : The DSC-M1's LCD monitor reports a fair amount of camera information in Record mode, including the battery level and approximate operating time left a feature unique to Sony digicams, thanks to their "InfoLITHIUM" battery technology , image resolution and quality, exposure mode, flash mode, autofocus mode, and any other basic settings.
A set of focus brackets is in the center of the frame. A half-press of the Photo shutter button adds the shutter speed and aperture settings to the bottom of the display. The Display button cycles through a range of display modes, enabling a histogram, as well as eliminating the information overlay.
A fourth display mode turns off the LCD's backlight, presumably to save power although this mode also disables the battery-life display, so we're unsure as to the extent of the gain in battery life. Playback Mode Display : In Playback mode, the LCD monitor reports basic information such as the image resolution, battery level and time, folder number, image series number, file name, and the date and time the image was captured.
Pressing the Display button enables an expanded information display with basic exposure information and a small histogram. You can also cancel the information display entirely, by pressing the Display button a third time.
Sliding the zoom control to the wide-angle side brings up a 9-image thumbnail display of previously-captured images, and doing it a second time switches to a image display. Pressing the telephoto side of the zoom control reverses the process, and continued pressing smoothly zooms in on the currently-displayed image.
When zoomed, the arrow keys scroll the enlarged view around the image as a whole. Power Button : Recessed slightly to reduce accidental activation, this button on the right side of the camera powers it on and off.
The camera can also be powered on by swivelling LCD section 90 degrees outwards, but swivelling it back inwards will not turn the camera off unless you do it immediately after swivelling it out in which case, the power light turns on and back off, but the camera never starts up. Mode Button : Located on the upper right rear of the main section of the camera. Switches the camera between Record and Playback mode, indicated by the green LEDs directly above this button.
Zoom Slider : Located to the left of the Movie Shutter button, this slider moves upwards and downwards several millimeters, controlling the optical and digital zoom, as well as the playback multi-display and playback zoom.
A small ridge on the button serves to give a little purchase on it, but it can still be a little difficult to move accurately with the pad of your thumb. In Record mode, moving the slider upwards zooms out, and moving it downwards zoom in. In Playback mode, sliding it downwards enables the playback zoom function, which zooms into the image from 1. When zoomed in, you can pan around the images with the Four-Way Controller, and zoom back out by moving the Zoom slider upwards.
When zoomed out, pushing upwards on the Zoom slider switches the camera to a 9-image thumbnail display on the first press, and to a image thumbnail display on the second press. Photo Shutter Button : Directly to the left of the Zoom slider, this button sets focus and exposure when halfway pressed, and fires the shutter when fully pressed. Hybrid Switch see above : Directly below the Photo shutter button, this switch sets the camera to regular or hybrid shooting modes.
The camera then captures a still image, then if enabled in the setup menu records a further three-second video clip. Movie Shutter Button : Directly below the Mode button, this large circular button starts movie recording on the first press, and stops it on the second press.
There is no separate movie mode on the DSC-M1; movies can be recorded whenever the camera is in record mode. When in the five second mode, movie clips are limited to five seconds in length.
The time remaining is shown on the LCD display as a series of five dots which disappear one by one, at one-second intervals. Menu Button : Located below the Hybrid switch, this button displays or dismisses the settings menu in Record or Playback mode.
Each of the four buttons also has a second action when in Record mode; the Up arrow doubles as a Flash button, the Right arrow as a Metering button, the Down arrow as a Timer button, and the Left arrow as a Macro button.
The M1's brushed-black-metal surface feels good in your hand, and at 7. One of the M1's quirky charms is its one-handed grip design, a configuration that borrows from compact MiniDV camcorders and allows for some novel shooting angles. Though there's no optical viewfinder, the big, bright 2. Sony has given movie capture equal footing with photo capture on the device's main control area, so there are separate shutter buttons for each function, both within reach of your thumb; two additional shutters can be found to the left of the LCD screen, for convenient snapping when the screen is facing away from the main buttons.
We're glad that Sony avoided the confusing 3D menu that comes with its camcorders, instead going with a simple lineup of settings that you can deftly tweak using the four-way selector at the bottom of the camera's grip. Unfortunately, the bundled Picture Package software is underpowered and amateurish, making downloading and working with movies and stills a chore. Though it lacks manual aperture and shutter-priority modes, the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-M1 does offer a respectable array of consumer-targeted features.
In addition to taking straight 30fps, VGA-quality x MPEG-4 videos, the M1 also incorporates a hybrid video mode that uses the camera's recording buffer to store five seconds of video before and three seconds after any image you take, giving you additional context for particularly important shots. You can play the MPEG-4 movies using QuickTime we couldn't get it to work with Windows Media Player , and the nature of the MPEG-4 format--highly compressed with keyframes and differential frames--makes editing the movies both difficult and ill advised.
The collection of preset scene modes isn't exhaustive, though the M1's set of nine includes such standbys as Landscape, Fireworks, and High-Speed Shutter. A nice slate of manual focusing options rounds out the package, allowing you to select your own focal point if you don't want to let the M1's five-point autofocus do the work for you.
The M1 sports an internal 3X optical zoom lens, with a protrusion-free design that should be familiar to anyone who coveted Sony's popular DSC-T1. The lens has a focal-length range of 38mm to mm 35mm equivalent ; we normally consider 38mm to be a bit narrow for a wide-angle focal length, but given the M1's one-handed design and its versatile LCD screen, you shouldn't have trouble composing even tricky indoor shots. Zooming with the M1's lens can be a bit slow, so in sudden photographic situations, you'll have to settle for a wide-angle picture or risk losing your shot while creeping toward maximum telephoto.
Its 1. Out of the box, the M1 posts lackluster shot-to-shot times of 3. But disabling the M1's default autoreview feature dramatically improves shot-to-shot performance: without autoreview, the M1's speed improves to 1. Though the M1's shutter lag comes in at an impressive 0. That's slow enough that you may catch some trailing feet if you plan on shooting lots of moving subjects in the dark.
The camera's proprietary InfoLithium battery held up quite well in our battery tests, powering the M1 for more than 1, shots before it died. You should expect significantly lower performance out of the battery if you're taking lots of videos, though at maximum resolutions most photographers will run out of media space before they run out of battery power. Sony's postprocessing algorithms did smear some of our images' more intricate details, but we noticed the smudges only after magnification and generating letter-size prints.
Noise predictably became an issue at the M1's highest ISO setting of , but at lower sensitivities, the camera performed quite well. The majority of our shots exhibited good dynamic range, with detailed highlights and shadows; furthermore, in high-contrast situations, we didn't see a lot of the purple fringing that sometimes plagues highly compact cameras.
The camera's white balance tended toward the warm side of the spectrum, and the lack of a manual white-balance setting will frustrate those who are used to getting their whites just right. The M1 also did a nice job when we challenged its macro capabilities; our test shots looked sharp in the foreground and appropriately blurred in the background.
In an increasingly crowded field of cameras with the ability to take VGA-quality x videos at 30fps, the M1 stands out with the best MPEG-4 movies we've seen so far. We noted occasional hiccups and dropped frames, but by and large, playback was crisp, and the movies themselves had the same good color as the M1's images.
May 5, a.
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