Digital Camera Review

First Impressions Review

Jan 05, 2006 - By Emily Raymond
Sony announced the Cyber-shot DSC-M2 in January as the successor to the hybrid M1. The M2 has 5.1 megapixels on its 1/2.5-inch Super HAD CCD and the power of a Real Imaging Processor – just like the M1. Both models have Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lenses as well. They share similar dimensions and the same vertical design that makes them reminiscent of cell phones. The Sony M2 has not only still and video recording modes, but adds a Hybrid Record Mode that merges them further. The mode records 5 seconds of video, takes a full resolution shot, then finishes with 3 more seconds of video. The hybrid camera has a nice movie mode complete with editing functions, stereo audio, and optical zoom. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M2 also claims to have “advanced circuitry for bright, low noise images,” according to the Sony web site. The digital camera has 57 MB of internal memory which it uses as a pocket album to hold up to 1,100 VGA-quality shots. Users can play slide shows complete with transitions on the 2.5” LCD screen and even listen to background music while they do so. The Sony M2 comes with a Cyber-shot Station cradle and will be available in January for about $500.
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Viewfinder
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M2 does not have an optical viewfinder, but opts for the view on the LCD screen instead to serve as the method to frame shots. The LCD monitor flips outward from the camera body so users can get a better view without having to smash their noses into the camera, as they would with a conventional viewfinder. When a picture is taken, the live view on the screen blacks out for almost a half second. Many digital cameras black out, but usually not for this long.

On the LCD, users can check out the following information: the number of pictures left on the card or memory, mode used, a live histogram, image size, and the auto focus mode used. When manual selections like ISO are made, they also show up on the screen. The LCD has a decent view and provides plenty of info. The best part is that users won’t have to get too close to see what’s going on.

LCD Screen
With a transmissive, reflective LCD monitor that flips up and out to the left side, the Sony M2 provides decent views while recording and in playback. The screen is a large 2.5 inches, but its resolution isn’t up to par with some of its competitors. While some models with similarly sized screens have 230,000 pixels, the M2 only has 123,000. The low numbers show in the images. Users can see the stair-step-like patterns where straight diagonal lines are supposed to be. Still, the image is good enough that users can tell whether the image is in focus or not.

On a better note, the Sony M2’s LCD can be viewed from almost any angle. There is no backlight control, but the LCD looked decent in the dim Las Vegas convention center. Bright daylight could yield different results though. The LCD screen still provides decent views in live and playback modes because of its 100 percent field coverage and its decent color and contrast. Its only area of improvement could be the screen resolution.

To the left side of the LCD are some buttons that look like very flat icons at first glance. The top button plays slide shows with music when pushed. The middle button changes the LCD display to include grid lines and file information. The bottom button accesses movies.

Flash
A tiny built-in flash radiates from the front of the M2. It has four simple flash modes: Auto, Forced On, Slow Sync, and Forced Off. The red-eye reduction, which sends out about three pre-flashes, can also be turned on and off in the setup menu. This feature seemed to work quite well, as I didn’t get any red eyes while testing the camera at the CES booth. The flash is only effective from 0.3-8.5 feet, so it is quite weak even though there are Auto, Low (-), and High (+) flash level adjustments. I didn’t see much difference between the Low and the High levels. The flash is located directly above the lens and it lights the entire frame fairly evenly unless the subject is too close (then you get that shiny-forehead look).

Zoom Lens
The zoom lens isn’t incredibly impressive on this digital camera. It is a standard 3x optical zoom lens that ranges from 6.3-19mm, which is equivalent to 38-114mm. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens is constructed from 11 elements – 3 of them aspheric - in 8 groups that do not protrude from the camera body.

A 3x optical zoom lens may not be enough to satisfy users who want a single device for both video and still image capture. In a “hybrid” model, more zoom is expected. Image stabilization is also becoming more common and almost expected, even if it’s digital. Unfortunately, the Sony M2 does not have this feature.

Perhaps the best aspect of the M2’s lens is that the focal length remains variable in both still and video recording modes. Many compact models still have only digital zoom available in the movie mode, and some still force a fixed focal length when recording video. The Sony M2 does have 2x digital zoom, but it degrades the picture quality and shouldn’t be used.

The Carl Zeiss-branded lens has maximum apertures of f/3.5 in the wide angle and f/4.4 in the telephoto. At a time when most compact models are offering wider f/2.8 aperture openings, the Sony M2 doesn’t live up to the standard. This will compromise low light capture and force more reliance on the flash. Another complaint: the zoom lens is controlled by an unnecessarily tiny toggle. Users will have to file their fingernails down to get to the ‘W’ or the ‘T’ end. The tiny toggle is very sensitive as well. It takes 12 taps of the fingernail to get from one end of the zoom range to the other. As you tour the range, a bar appears on the LCD screen with a ‘W’ on one end and a ‘T’ on the other. Many cameras with a 3x optical zoom lens will only allow about 6 stops within the range, so the Sony M2’s sensitive zoom control allows twice the flexibility of most—provided you have the physical dexterity to utilize it.

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