So, I ended up with a Sony DSC H1 thanks to the recent promotion and their free gifts (512mb memory stick pro, extra batteries and S$20 accessories voucher - I knew I will end up with a free gifts loaded camera). The complexity of the cameras in the sheer number of buttons (16 buttons and 3 dials) required to access all the functions of the DSC H1 almost overwhelmed me. But thanks to my experience with the P3, I had no problem shooting photos in auto mode as they work almost the same.

So here I am, taking my free time to slowly explore the various functions of the H1 bit by bit and documenting those findings in this multi-part review. (I don't know when I will stop).

Note, most photos are resized and compressed to save time uploading so the image quality seen here may suffer a bit.

Image quality

Program mode at 5 megapixels, resized, wide photo (no zoom) and compressed. Objects about 1m from the camera.



Same picture as above, zoom in view of object, click on image for original size, compressed


Same picture as first one, zoom in view of game cartridge, original size, compressed

The overall image quality is good. The camera was able to pick out the details of the cartridge quite well as I could make out the type of game it offered , though the pictures on the cartridge were not very clear.

12X Optical Zoom

Same cartridge as above, taken at same position, same mode but with 12X optical zoom, resized.


Same picture as above, zoom in view of object, click on image for original size, compressed

It's amazing what 12X optical zoom will do to your image. The graphics on the cartridge is now clearly visible along with the fine prints. In fact, the camera managed to catch those glittering line design on the cartridge. In fact, the poor printing quality of the cartridge could be seen on the image when zoom in to the normal size.

Also, the lenses move within the camera while zooming, so the lense barrel would not get longer as you zoom, thank goodness! Ladies, beware, there's no hiding your pimples and black heads from this mean beast.

Focusing

Toothpicks, focus using flexible spot AF. Picture is under exposure as flash is disabled due to close proximity to objects near the flash (a few cm away). The background toothpick is focus but the foreground one is blur.


Toothpicks, focus using multi point AF in aperture priority to focus on both the foreground and background toothpicks.


Toothpicks, focus using center AF in macro mode. The foreground toothpick is focus while the background is out of focus here.

The DSC H1 offers plenty of ways to change how you want your picture to look like for that added touch. Here, I'm experimenting the differences in getting the camera to focus on different parts of the picture. There are 4 ways to tell H1 how you want to focus on you picture, including a manual focus where you specify the distance from the camera. In manual focus, the camera zoom into the centre for you to set the distance accurately. I have to admit that I face some degree of difficulty using the flexible spot AF to focus on the first image. Perhaps the background toothpick was not sufficiently small or that the foreground toothpick were affecting the AF.


Tagged: singapore digital camera dsc h1