Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G1 First Impressions Review

by Richard Baguley
Published on March 10, 2007

Navigation
Intro	Physical Tour
Components	Design/Layout
Modes	Control Options
Image Parameters	Connectivity / Extras
Overall Impressions	Conclusion
Specs

The G1 is an intriguing camera with a lot of things on its side. For one, there is the excellent screen; it is high resolution, bright and has a great viewing angle for showing your photos to the world. If you’re a proud parent looking to show your newborn to friends and family, it will show off the apple of your eye at maximum cuteness. And the unusual design is surprisingly effective; the G1 is easy to operate and closes into to a convenient package. But it’s not a compact camera since it won’t fit into a shirt pocket or small handbag.

 

The wireless features really aren’t that useful. We’ll have to wait for the final camera to judge how well it connects to a PC, but the camera to camera tools are really just gimmicks. The DNLA support is an intriguing feature, but it’s hamstrung by the lack of other DLNA devices. As this new standard becomes more popular, this could be a big selling point, but right now there are only a handful of devices it can connect to.

 

It is also expensive compared to higher resolution cameras with longer zooms going for a couple of hundred dollars less, you have to really want that screen to justify the extra expense. We’ll have to wait until we can run some more tests on the image quality before we draw any real conclusions, but if you’re looking for a large screen to show off your photos, the G1 looks to be the one to beat right now.