Sony Cybershot DSC-V1 Review: Digital Photography Review

Record Menu (P/A/S/M exposure modes)


Pressing the MENU button in record mode overlays the record menu over the live scene preview (black background used for clarity). Menu options along the bottom of the screen, use the 4-way controller left/right to move along the menu and press up/down to change a setting.	Note that Image Size has now been split off from the main record menu and appears as a 'pop-up' when you press the image size button on the rear of the camera. Sizes are: 5.0M (2592 x 1944), 4.5M 3:2 (2592 x 1728), 3.1M (2048 x 1536), 1.2M (1280 x 960), VGA (640 x 480).

Record Menu Options

With the advent of the DSC-V1 Sony appear to have 'softened' (using mixed case) the menus slightly but the overall layout is virtually the same, and has been since the first Mavica. At long last Sony has listened to the complaints of reviews and owners and added control over the image parameters saturation and contrast. While I'm very pleased to see these options I would have liked a little more latitude of control over these settings (-2 to +2 would be ideal).

Record menu	Options	Notes
Metering Mode	• Spot • Center • Multi
White Balance	• Preset • Flash WB • Incandescent • Fluorescent • Cloudy • Sunny • Auto	- Press up to set
ISO	• 800 • 400 • 200 • 100 • Auto
Picture Quality	• Fine • Standard	JPEG only, no TIFF or RAW option
Record Mode	• TIFF • Voice • E-mail • Exposure Bracketing • Burst 3 • Normal
Flash Level	• High • Normal • Low
Picture Effect	• Solarize • Sepia • Negative Art • Off
Sharpness	• + • 0 • -
Saturation	• + • 0 • -
Contrast	• + • 0 • -

Other record mode menus


Auto record menu, a limited number of options for the camera's point-and-shoot mode. Useful for handing the camera to a complete novice.	Scene record mode, select the scene mode plus almost all the options of the P/A/S/M menu apart from ISO sensitivity and sharpness / saturation / contrast control.

The movie clip record menu allows you to change metering mode, white balance and picture effect. Press the image size button on the rear of the camera to select 640 x 480 or 160 x 112 frame sizes.

Play Menu

Pressing the MENU button in play mode overlays the play menu over the displayed image (black background used for clarity).

Menu layout is quite similar to record mode, press the 4-way controller left/right to choose an option then press the select button.

Play Menu Options

Record menu	Options	Notes
Folder	• Select folder	[clip]
Protect	• Protect • Exit	Protects / Un-protects current image then enters a Protect browsing mode [clip]
DPOF	• DPOF • Exit	Marks / Un-marks current image then enters a Protect browsing mode [clip]
Slide	• Interval: 3, 5, 10, 30 sec, 1 min • Image: Folder, All • Repeat: On, Off • Cancel • Start	[clip]
Resize *	• 5.0M (2592 x 1728) • 3.1M (2048 x 1536) • 1.2 M (1280 x 960) • VGA (640 x 480) • Cancel	[clip]
Rotate	• 90° CCW / 90° CW • Ok • Cancel	[clip]
Divide	• Movie clips only	Allows you to split a movie clip into two

* Options available vary depending on the size of the current image