|
|
Reviews
|
Review
of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1
|
Review
based on a production Cyber-shot DSC-R1
|
In
August 2003 Sony revealed the latest in
a long line of split body swivel design
prosumer digital cameras, the eight megapixel
DSC-F828. Two long years have passed and
it's time for the new Sony prosumer digital
camera; the unique and radical Cyber-shot
DSC-R1. The R1 drops the split body design
of its predecessors in favor of an SLR-like
fixed body which is remarkably similar to
that of the then ground-breaking and some
consider legendary DSC-D700.
However
it's not the body design which makes this
camera unique (many have copied the DSC-D700),
it is the camera's sensor and lens. This
is the first all-in-one digital camera to
utilize a large (APS size) sensor, to be
precise a 10.3 megapixel CMOS unit measuring
21.5 x 14.4 mm which is essentially a slightly
smaller version of the sensor used in the
Nikon D2X. It's also the first APS size
sensor to provide full time live preview
to the camera's LCD monitor or EVF (electronic
viewfinder). This means that there's no
mirror box or prism making the camera more
compact and allowing the lens to be positioned
much closer to the sensor. Equally as important
and interesting is the lens which provides
a 24 - 120 mm (equivalent) five times zoom
with a maximum aperture of F2.8 - F4.8.
What
makes the DSC-R1 unique
- First
non-SLR (fixed lens digital) camera to
feature a large format sensor (APS-C size)
- First
use of a CMOS sensor in a non-removable-lens
digital camera
- First
large format sensor to provide full-time
live preview
- Widest
range of ISO sensitivity for a non-SLR
camera; ISO 160 - 3200
- First
digital camera to provide a top-mounted
LCD screen
- First
Sony digital camera to support Adobe RGB
- First
implementation of 'Auto Gamma Control'
on a Sony digital camera
Sony's
"flagship" prosumer line
As
I've already mentioned the DSC-R1's body
design is very reminiscent of the DSC-D700,
a 1.5 megapixel SLR-like digital camera
introduced in May 1999. Around six years
ago the DSC-D700 would have cost you $1,699,
today Sony are pitching the DSC-R1 at the
$999 price point.
- Sony
DSC-D700: July 1998
- Sony
DSC-D770: June 1999
- Sony
DSC-F505: August 1999
- Sony
DSC-F505V: April 2000
- Sony
DSC-F707: August 2001
- Sony
DSC-F717: September 2002
- Sony
DSC-F828: August 2003
- Sony
DSC-R1: September 2005
Advantages
of Large Sensor
As
noted above the DSC-R1 utilizes an APS size
CMOS sensor which is considerably larger
than that used in previous compact / prosumer
digital cameras. The DSC-F828 for example
had a 2/3" CCD which had effective capture
area of 8.8 x 6.6 mm, the DSC-R1's sensor
is approximately 2.4x wider and 2.2x taller.
This larger sensor facilitates larger photosite's,
the F828 had a 2.7 µm pixel pitch, the DSC-R1
has a 5.49 µm pixel pitch (and hence has
lower lens resolution requirements).
Key
technical advantages of the large CMOS sensor
(supplied
by Sony)
- Five
times the sensitivity compared to the
DSC-F828
- 2.5
times the dynamic range compared to the
DSC-F828
- No
smear effect
- Simpler
imaging system for live view
- Lower
power consumption (200 mW vs. 750 mW)
|
Sony
DSC-R1 vs. DSC-F828 specification differences
|
Sony DSC-R1 |
Sony DSC-F828 |
Sensor |
•
21.5 x 14.4 mm CMOS
• 10.3 million effective pixels
• RGB color filter array
• 5.49 µm pixel pitch
• 3:2 aspect ratio |
•
2/3" type (8.8 x 6.6 mm) CCD
• 8.0 million effective pixels
• RGBE color filter array
• 2.7 µm pixel pitch
• 4:3 aspect ratio |
Lens |
•
24 - 120 mm equiv. (5x zoom)
• F2.8 - F4.8
• Carl Zeiss T*
• Mechanical linked zoom
• 67 mm thread |
•
28 - 200 mm equiv. (7x zoom)
• F2.0 - F2.8
• Carl Zeiss T*
• Mechanical linked zoom
• 58 mm thread |
Image
sizes |
•
3888 x 2592
• 3264 x 2176
• 2748 x 1856
• 2160 x 1440
• 1296 x 864 |
•
3264 x 2448 (plus a 3:2 setting)
• 2592 x 1944
• 2048 x 1536
• 1280 x 960
• 640 x 480 |
Image
formats |
•
RAW (.SR2)
• JPEG |
•
RAW (.SRF)
• TIFF
• JPEG |
AF
Illumination |
Orange
lamp |
Hologram
AF (laser pattern) |
ISO
sensitivity |
•
Auto ISO
• ISO 160
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600
• ISO 3200
|
•
Auto ISO
• ISO 64
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800 |
Aperture
range |
•
Wide: F2.8 - F16
• Tele: F4.8 - F16 |
•
Wide: F2.0 - F8
• Tele: F2.8 - F8 |
Continuous |
3
fps, up to 3 images |
2.5
fps, up to 7 images |
Color
space |
•
sRGB
• Adobe RGB |
sRGB |
Image
parameters |
•
Color mode: Std, Vivid, Adobe RGB
• Saturation: -, 0, +
• Contrast: -, 0, +, AGCS
• Sharpness: -, 0, + |
•
Color mode: Real, Standard
• Saturation: -, 0, +
• Contrast: -, 0, +
• Sharpness: -, 0, + |
WB
Fine Tune |
Yes,
+/-3 levels |
No |
Movies |
None |
640
x 480, 30 fps, no limit *
640 x 480, 16 fps, no limit
160 x 112, 8 fps, no limit
* Can only be used with MS Pro |
Flash
compensation |
•
+/- 2 EV
• 0.3 EV steps |
3
levels |
Flash
sync |
•
Front
• Rear |
Front |
Electronic
viewfinder |
235,000
pixels |
235,000
pixels |
LCD
monitor |
•
2.0"
• ???,000 pixels
• Top mounted, flip-up and twist |
•
1.8"
• 134,000 pixels
• Rear mounted, fixed |
Grid
line display |
Yes
(option) |
No |
Zebra
display |
Yes
(option) |
No |
Weight
(inc. batt) |
995
g (2.2 lb) |
906
g (2.0 lb) |
Dimensions |
139
x 168 x 97 mm
(5.5 x 6.6 x 3.8 in) |
134
x 156 x 91 mm
(5.3 x 6.1 x 3.6 in) |
|
|
|
Swivel
body |
No |
Yes |
Play
mode |
Shooting
priority via button |
On
mode dial and 'Image Review' |
Control
dials |
•
Thumb dial
• Rear control wheel |
Thumb
dial |
ISO
button |
Top
of camera |
None |
WB
button |
Left
of camera |
Top
of camera |
Power
save option |
Yes |
No |
|
|
|
|
|
|