Good low-light cutting after advice from a beam is a rarely accomplished ambition in the apple of bunched cameras. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 does it with three of the company's own components: a new sensor design, a high-end lens, and a fast angel processor. The aggregate pays off for low-light photos as able-bodied as several added features. However, admitting the WX1 is able of carrying fast achievement and some actual acceptable photos, those assured amazing after-effects according to its appearance will acceptable be let down.
Key specs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1
Price (MSRP) $349.99
Dimensions (WHD) 3.6 x 2 x 0.8 inches
Weight (with array and media) 5.2 ounces
Megapixels, angel sensor size, blazon 10 megapixels, 1/2.4-inch Exmor R CMOS
LCD size, resolution/viewfinder 2.7-inch LCD, 230K dots/None
Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) 5x, f2.4-5.9, 24-120mm (35mm equivalent)
File architecture (still/video) JPEG/MPEG-4 (.MP4)
Highest resolution admeasurement (still/video) 3,648x2,736 pixels/1,280x720 at 30fps
Image stabilization blazon Optical and digital
Battery type, rated activity Li-ion rechargeable, 350 shots
One of the best arresting things about the WX1 is the bulk of technology Sony awash into such a tiny, failing body. Due to its back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor and a fast Sony G f2.4 wide-angle lens, the camera has best of the aforementioned capabilities as the appreciably beyond HX1. Both the sensor and the G lens are of the affection begin in Sony's dSLR and prosumer camcorder lines.
Sony managed to get about all of the controls on to the aback of the camera after authoritative it feel awkward and ambagious and while acceptance for a defended one-handed anchor that doesn't aftereffect in adventitious button presses or approach punch changes. There are aloof three buttons on top: the accepted ability and shutter-release buttons, and one at the far appropriate for axis on accelerated shooting. The ability button is abnormally far from the bang release, aloof larboard of the camera's center. While this quickens axis the camera on with your larboard hand, it additionally makes it accessible to accidentally about-face the camera off.
A distinct Menu button gives you admission to cutting controls as able-bodied as a alternative for seeing all settings. What's additionally nice is the camera's adequacy to acquaint you about adjusting assertive settings. For example, if you set the WX1 to atom beat light, you won't be able to about-face on Face Detection. The WX1 tells you onscreen that Face Apprehension is not accessible because of Atom metering actuality selected. Cameras from added vendors about accomplish you assumption what needs to be shut off in adjustment to about-face on a blacked-out option.
General cutting options Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1
ISO acuteness (full resolution) Auto, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
White antithesis Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent 1, 2, and 3, Flash, Underwater 1 and 2, Custom
Recording modes Program Auto, Arena Recognition Auto, Easy, Sweep Panorama, Anti Motion Blur, Handheld Twilight, SCN, Movie
Focus modes 9-point, Atom AF, Center-weighted AF, Macro AF
Metering Multipattern, Center-weighted average, Spot
Color furnishings None
Burst approach attempt absolute (full resolution) 10 photos
Outside of a few specialty cutting modes, Sony keeps cutting options analytic basal on the WX1. Admitting you won't acquisition abounding ascendancy over breach or bang speed, you do get article on the Approach punch for aloof about every point-and-shoot user. Going about the dial, you accept a Movie approach able of 720p HD-quality video with use of the optical zoom (you will apprehend the motor moving, however); Program Auto with admission to ISO, exposure, white balance, focus, and metering; Sony's Intelligent Auto; Accessible approach that takes abroad all but a brace basal cutting options; and SCN, which lets you baddest from 11 arena situations, but automatically handles all added settings.
Then, there are the added specialized modes. The Sweeping Panorama advantage lets you shoot accumbent or vertical panoramas with one columnist of the bang release; this is clashing added cameras that crave you to booty several shots. The aftermost two are the Anti Motion Becloud and Handheld Twilight modes. Both use the camera's adequacy to bound abduction six images and amalgamate them into one photo with beneath becloud and bigger detail than you would contrarily get with aloof one shot. The after-effects are absorbing as continued as you don't attending too carefully at the images at abounding size. They are absolutely accessible at 8x10 inches or smaller, though.
If you tend to leave it in Auto mode, Sony's Intelligent Auto angry in reliable results, as it picks from eight arena types (branded iSCN) and turns on face apprehension and angel stabilization. Sony's iSCN can be set to Auto or Advanced, the aberration actuality that in difficult lighting the camera will automatically booty two shots with altered settings so you accept a bigger adventitious of accepting a acceptable photo. There are three levels of accelerated full-resolution shooting, too, that all alive up to Sony's achievement claims. However, already the photos are attempt you accept to delay for them to be stored to the anamnesis card--roughly 2 to 3 abnormal for anniversary photo taken. Additionally account advertence is that the WX1 has acknowledgment bracketing that will booty three photos, one at the acknowledgment you baddest and again two added at additional and bare 0.3EV, 0.7EV, or 1.0EV.
