Sony DSC-P9 Review: Digital Photography Review

Top of camera controls

Controls on the top of the camera are limited to the mode dial which surrounds the shutter release and the power button. The power button itself is suitably different in design and recessed into the body so as not to be confused with the shutter release.

Exposure / Camera Mode Dial

SET UP	Setup Enters camera setup mode (described in more detail later).
	Movie Mode The P9 features the new MPEG HQX movie system which allows you to record long movies only limited by the amount of space on your Memory Stick. MPEG HQX improves on EX in that it allows full screen (LCD monitor) 320 x 240 video clips with audio of unlimited length (limited only by storage).
	Playback Enters playback mode, this displays the last image/movie recorded. Cursor arrows or jog-wheel can be used to scroll through images (other functions described later).
	Program Auto Exposure Automatic exposure mode, camera meters the scene and selects best combination of aperture and shutter speed (and ISO if set to Auto) to properly expose the image. Slowest shutter speed is 1/30 sec.
SCN	Scene Exposure Mode The DSC-P9 features three scene modes: • Twilight (slowest shutter speed of 2 sec) • Twilight Portrait (Slow Sync Flash; slowest shutter speed of 2 sec) • Landscape

Rear of camera controls

The rear of the camera is logically laid out, with a 4-way controller which doubles as flash / macro / self-timer and quick view buttons, LCD related buttons (display / menu) and the zoom controller.

Buttons

W / T	Zoom / Magnify Zooms the camera lens towards telephoto (117 mm) or towards wide (39 mm). The zoom control itself is a single position button (non-proportional). In playback mode the zoom control doubles as a control for magnifying the displayed image or displaying thumbnails.
	Flash Selects flash mode: Auto Flash, Flash Fill-in, Flash Cancel
	Image review Instantly reviews the last image / movie, in this mode you can zoom into the image but not scroll between images on the Memory Stick, you'll have to switch to playback mode for that (why it wasn't implemented via the jog-dial I'm not sure).
	Macro Focus Switches between normal; 50 cm (2 ft) - Infinity, and macro focus; 4 cm (1.5 in) - 50 cm (2 ft) range.
	Self-Timer Engages / Disengages the self-timer. Self-timer is cancelled after the next shot is taken.
MENU	Record Menu Enters record menu (detailed later).
DSPL/ LCD	Display Toggles LCD display mode either live preview with full detail overlay, live preview with simple detail or LCD off.