rate of 13MB per shot! Normal and
Fine settings for the 12.3MP image
size are offered, but Normal’s the
only choice for all other sizes and
resolutions. This really isn’t a huge
deal, because image quality is still
superb at the Normal 6MP setting.
Still, considering the generous
amount of control you have over
the camera’s other features, this
rigidity is a notable aberration.
Programmed auto, shutter-
priority, aperture-priority, and
manual-exposure modes are
available at the turn of a dial,
as are manual, multi-weighted,
spot, and center-weighted focus
options. (Limited burst-mode
options are included as well.) The
bright, sharp, and colorful 2-inch
LCD also lets you shift the area of
focus manually, or you can select
continuous auto-focus to track a
moving subject. The E550 is the
only one of the three cameras here
to offer an 800 ISO setting (in
addition to 100, 200, and 400).
The E550 is also the only
camera here to come with
rechargeable AA batteries—carry
a spare set of regular AAs and
you’ll avoid being left high and
dry if you lose power in the field.
The trade-off is a body that’s the
bulkiest of the group—you won’t
be cramming this camera in your
jeans pocket. We also didn’t like
the awkward flush-mounted
controls and the twitchy zoom.
And, like the Fujifilm S5100 we
reviewed in March, the E550 uses
only XD memory cards.
The E550 offers one of the
strongest bang-for-the-buck ratios
we’ve seen.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1
From an engineering perspective
only, Epson’s 500v is a Honda;
Fuji’s E550 is a truck; and Sony’s
new DSC-M1 is a Corvette.
Heads will turn when you pull
out this camera.
But you’ll find the “wow”
factor to be short-lived.
The M1 is capable of
doing double-duty as
both a camera and a
video recorder, but it
doesn’t excel in either
role. Picture quality is
good, but it’s not up to
Cyber-shot standards,
and while the new MPEG-
4 movie mode is decent,
you’ll still want to hang onto
your bulky camcorder.
Designed to be used vertically,
the M1 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen
that swings out and rotates 270
degrees. The LCD isn’t as sharp
as the others in this roundup,
but it’s good and does “gain up”
for easier viewing in low-light
situations. Dual shutter-release
buttons for movies and pics are
located in the center of the body,
within easy reach of your thumb,
and they’re replicated on the
left portion of the LCD itself.
Unfortunately, while the rest of
the camera controls—menu, mode,
zoom—are logically placed, they’re
too small to manipulate quickly
and confidently in the field (this
is particularly true of the zoom
control). The M1 looks cool—
and it’s extremely well built—but
it’s awkward to use. (Even the top-
mounted lanyard is a pain, because
it drapes in front of the lens.)
One of the M1’s claims to
fame is a fairly innovative hybrid
mode that records 320x200,
15fps video five seconds before a
picture is taken, and then three
seconds after. The theory behind
this feature is to capture a picture’s
context; unfortunately, awkward
playback pauses before and
after the still reduce the feature
to a gimmick.
The M1 performs respectably,
with a cycle time between shots
of about one second, and it suffers
little shutter lag. The M1’s battery
life, on the other hand, was the
worst of the group—we captured
less than 200 shots on a charge
(heavy video use drains the battery
quickly). Although there are seven
auto-program mode settings that
cover just about every shooting
condition, manual control options
for exposure, shutter, and white
balance are AWOL.
The M1’s 5.1 megapixel
image-sensor is paired with a
Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with
3x optical zoom, and the pairproduces pics with good color
balance and exposure. Images
nonetheless tended to be soft,
with background objects often
appearing “fuzzy.” Video captures
look—and sound—quite good (the
stereo microphone really helps).
It doesn’t approach the quality
of a conventional DV camcorder,
but the M1 would be handy in
a pinch—especially when you
consider that a 1GB Memory Stick
Duo or Pro card can hold up to 45
minutes of 640x480/30fps video.
The M1 includes a cradle that
must be used to connect to a PC
(USB 2.0) or TV, or to recharge
the battery. There’s no direct-
connection option to view your
pics and movies on a TV—you
must use the cradle, which is very
inconvenient.
Like a futuristic concept car
at an auto show, the M1 looks
impressive, but it’s just not
practical for road use.The M1
is stylish,
but its
performance
doesn’t live
up to its
price.MAY 200 5 MA XIMUMPC 77
MA XIMUMPCVERDICT 9
FUJIFILM FINEPIX E550FAT TIRE ALEBUDWEISERLots of advanced and manual control options; good
digital zoom; excellent image quality.Can only select image quality at highest resolution;
bulky design.
$350, http://www.fujifilm.comMA XIMUMPCVERDICT
CYBER-SHOT DSC-M16
OLESTRAGood video quality and sound; interesting design.Awkward to use; picture quality not up to snuff;
missing manual controls; expensive.
$600, http://www.sony.comZERO TRANS FAT4.^5
“2 “