Sony DSC-R1

[badbob]

I just recieved my new Sony DSC-R1 digital camera yesterday. Has anyone on this forum got one yet? Every feature that I have used so far is great except the display on the lcd and the viewfinder is jerky when panning around,is this normal or is there a setting I havent found yet to stop this effect?:confused:

[TheObiJuan]

By jerky do you mean there is an image delay?
I don't think anything can be done about that other than pan slower.:p
That's what's sad about an EVF camera, the limitation of live preview.
Have you tried turning off the LCD and using the viewfinder alone.

I would have figured that Sony would have safeguarded against this, especially considering how much they charge for the camera.

[jbonnie]

I just placed my order today [a few hours ago as a matter of fact]. I have read only good things about it thus far. I printed off the materials from a discussion review of it. As for the LCD display, all it says is:

"The DSC - R1 has a unique top-mount s" LCD display. The screen has about 100 degrees of motion as it flips up and it can rotate 270 degrees".

It states nothing about it being loose though. Perhaps you should consult someone in the sales department in the store where you purchased it.

But please tell me something, how long did it take for your camera to arrive?

[badbob]

I ordered my camera on Oct 18th from Sony and recieved it on Nov.9th it was the 94th to be sent out.Im still on the learning curve I will get back to everyone in a couple of days on my review,but so far I have used most of the functions but not enough to comment on yet.

[jbonnie]

Oh Mercy Me! I love this camera. Actually, it is more than a camera, it is a machine. I have played around with it, learning the features bit by bit, and thus far, this "Baby" is a gem. My LCD screen is not loose, nor the view finder. If it wasn't for the Ravens/Pittsburg : 49ers/Seahawks game, it would have went out on its "maiden run" yesterday.

But as soon after the Turkey is carved and the guest "shooed" out the door, the romance shall begin.

[puddingh]

No problem with my R1 as well.

By the way, there was a negative review of someone hating the R1 for automatic dimming LCD screen as soon as the viewfinder approached his or her belly. They just missed the option to fix it on LCD, finder or automatic.

Writing a solid review is not just that easy.
Just get your hand on the R1 and you might like it at once.

[loupiote]

I'm disapointed by the short zoom of the DSC-R1, only 24-120mm equiv (the DSC-F828 has 28-200mm equiv).

has anyone tried the Raynox DCR-2020PRO 2.2x telephoto converter on the DSC-R1?

the DCR-2020PRO has a slightly smaller lens diameter, which could cause some vignetting, but it could still work.

[Rex914]

I'm disapointed by the short zoom of the DSC-R1, only 24-120mm equiv (the DSC-F828 has 28-200mm equiv).

has anyone tried the Raynox DCR-2020PRO 2.2x telephoto converter on the DSC-R1?

the DCR-2020PRO has a slightly smaller lens diameter, which could cause some vignetting, but it could still work.

It's a fairly normal lens for a DSLR, and the reason why it's shorter is because it's a fairly fast lens. If you tried searching for a 24-120mm f/2.8-4.5 zoom, you'd be paying quite a bit for it. Also remember that since the sensor is APS-C sized, it's impossible given today's technology to replicate the F828's zoom and its fast f/2-2.8.

[loupiote]

yes, i understand that there are technical reasons for the optical limitation of the R1 compared to the F828, given the larger size of the R1 sensor.

I see that SONY has an expensive and large/heavy 1.7x telephoto extension to get to 200mm, but I have had a good experience with the excellent japanese Raynox extension lenses, so I was wondering if the DCR-2020PRO would work with the R1 (provided that you can find the correct 67mm to 62mm adaptation ring - i saw one on ebay).

of course the better performances at low lights (high ISO) is a big plus for the R1. as the F828 is disapointing there (but the F828 works very well with long exposure).

another thing that i find very disapointing with the R1 is the poor performances with continuous shooting (only 3 exposures with the R1, up to 7 with the F828).

continuous shooting is a feature that I find extremely useful and that I use almost every day (to capture people's expression or moving scenes). And there is no technical limitation here, the only limitation is the size of the internal RAM memory in the camera, and SONY wanted to save a few bucks there. bad move, IMHO.

i wonder if the "orange light" night-focus technology works really better that the laser pattern. anyone did some tests? what about focussing on objects that are 3 to 8 meters or more, in total darkness (i.e. cave photography)?

the only big plus that i see with the R1 is the better performances with low light (and slightly higher resolution), but there are so many "minuses" compared to the F828 that i don't feel compeled to upgrade (yet).

[David Hinson]

Among regular conservative photographers the F717 / F828 models are called odd and quirky. Not to mention "Klutzy" and weird. Their groundbreaking technology made the normal guy shrink away in fear. This was gear that only equipment freaks bought and displayed to the public, their actual photographic prowess was never revealed or even discussed. They were almost like your tailor telling you to "never mind the quality, feel the length".

Well now at last we have the DSC R-1 - after TWO YEARS note! This is surely a good sign when so many digital cameras and equipment these days break down through lack of testing - usually just after the (in my case) one year warranty. My Ricoh R1V had to be exchanged: the Nikon 5700 is given back to some service shop to fix the image sensor and believe me I would reach out for my trusty 25 year old Canon A1 if my troublesome Acer Scanwit hadn't finally given up the ghost! - -

- - As I was saying, Sony has taken two years to develop this one, and I hope that I will buy myself a totally reliable camera as a consequence. The camera has been designed by a team with a conservative mindset this time. No super duper focal length zoom ranges. No movie mode - (what real photographer uses it?) Adobe RGB mode! great! A moderate exposure bracketing feature is there for those that cannot expose properly. What more does and long-time film SLR user want? - - Manual zoom and focus! - - and guess what? You got it! The EVF with its steerable and zoomable focussing spot is new - and from my viewpoint (ha!Ha!) very welcome.

And the joke is, it is STILL being called quirky for NOT having all those super macro, 7x bracketing, voice recording, movie-making doo-dads and other facilities that guys like me will miss one little bit, because I will be carrying another tiny accessory that will cover most of that requirement. It is called a Ricoh R1V.

The Sony DSC R-1 is a serious contender for Camera of the Year, and available at a bargain price, so if you are used to hefting cameras that weigh more than 5 ounces go take a look.

[loupiote]

> As I was saying, Sony has taken two years to develop this one, and I hope that I will buy myself a totally reliable camera as a consequence.

the F828 is very reliable and sturdy (i banged it many times, it went in mud, desert dust, rain, etc), the only (minor) problem i have is dust in the view-finder and some screws getting lose. hopefully the R1 will be as robust as the F828.

> The camera has been designed by a team with a conservative mindset this time.

a bit too conservative, IMHO.

> No super duper focal length zoom ranges.

I don't think 200mm (equiv) is super duper. this is a focal length that I use frequently, and now I cannot live without it, really.

unfortunately the R1 has a very large lens diameter, which means that 1.7x or 2x telephoto converters are enormous, very expensive, and weight as much as the camera itself, if not more! that's a big downer for me.

> No movie mode - (what real photographer uses it?)

Some photographer understand that in some cases, there are events that cannot be fully captured with photo, and video can be useful. but i agree, a move mode is not the most important thing to have in a good photo camera, so this one is low on my list, although i don't understand why they couldn't make one, since this is a "bridge-type" camera, and those cameras can technically record video, unlike digital SLR's.

but i use more often the "photo + audio" feature of the F828, which I use to capture some interresting audio (like some animal sounds, people singing, etc), when i take a photo. i find it quite nice to have, and it uses very little storage compared to video.

> What more does and long-time film SLR user want?

continuous shooting is a feature that I find extremely useful. If you had a SLR with a motor, you know what i mean. The R1 is very inferior to the F828 with only 3 frames in continuous shooting (F828 has up to 7 frames, with a higher rate, too). very sad.

> And the joke is, it is STILL being called quirky

i don't call the R1 quirky, i call it disapointing. and i am probably not gonna buy one, given the marginal improvements and many frawbacks, compared to the F828. Maybe if the R1 was 12 megapixel, I would have less problems accepting all the drawbacks. But it is only 10.3 megapixels, and if you clip a R1 photo into the 4x3 aspect-ratio of the F828, you end-up with about 8 megapixel, so the resolution gain is marginal. yes, the optic is better, the sensor is larger, i.e. less noise and higher ISO, i know that's a big plus, but a noticeably better resolution would have been really nice.

> for NOT having all those super macro,

I really love the very good macro of the F828, and I have used it many times to make amazing photos. it's a shame they couldn't do that with the R1, but i do understand that it is due to the optical limitation when having a larger lens. still...

> 7x bracketing,

There is no 7x braketting on the F828, only the usual 3x braketting. But there is a up-to-7 frames continuous shooting mode, which is VERY useful for capturing things or people that move fast or expressions.

> voice recording,

The audio recording of the F828 is not just for voice, in fact I rarely used it for voice, really. but i really like this feature, since i rarely travel with other equipment to record audio.

> The Sony DSC R-1 is a serious contender for Camera of the Year, and available at a bargain price, so if you are used to hefting cameras that weigh more than 5 ounces go take a look.

I'm not so convinced, really. The R1 is not on my christmas wish list, and I'm certainely NOT gonna sell my F828 on ebay any time soon :)

[Steve K]

It's superb.

That's all I have to say.

Remember, it isn't a DSLR, it's a prosumer camera, and nothing short of amazing for the price.

The lens alone is worth the money.

If you're in the non-professional market looking for a camera that can bridge the gap, it's the best that money can buy.

Steve.