The Sony
Cyber-shot
Cyber-shot is Sony's line of point-and-shoot digital cameras introduced in 1996. Cyber-shot model names use a DSC prefix, which is an initialism for "Digital Still Camera". Many Cyber-shot models feature Carl Zeiss trademarked lenses, while othe ...
DSC-R1 is a
bridge digital camera
Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between relatively simple point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable-lens cameras such as mirrorless cameras and single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs). They are often comparable in size and weight t ...
announced by
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
in 2005. It featured a 10.3
megapixel
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the smal ...
APS-C
Advanced Photo System type-C (APS-C) is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System film negative in its C ("Classic") format, of 25.1×16.7 mm, an aspect ratio of 3:2 and Ø 31.15 mm field d ...
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOSFE ...
sensor (21.5 × 14.4 mm), a size typically used in
DSLRs
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between ...
and rarely used in bridge cameras (which were using at that time 2/3" (= 6.6 × 8.8 mm) or 1/1.8" (= 5.3 × 7.1 mm)). This was the first time such a large sensor was incorporated into a bridge camera.
["Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 announced" by ePHOTOzine]
/ref> Besides the APS-C sensor, the DSC-R1 also featured a 14.3–71.5 mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, providing for an angle of view
The angle of view is the decisive variable for the visual perception of the size or projection of the size of an object.
Angle of view and perception of size
The perceived size of an object depends on the size of the image projected onto the ...
equivalent to 24–120 mm on a full frame Full frame may refer to:
* 35mm format
* Full frame (cinematography)
* Full-frame type charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor
See also
* Full-frame digital SLR
* Full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera
A mirrorless camera ...
camera.
Advantages
Compared to a standard DSLR
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between ...
the Sony DSC-R1 had the following advantages:
* since there is no mirror between the sensor and the lens, the lens can be positioned closer to the sensor, which improves the performance at wide angle. The back focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light; it is the inverse of the system's optical power. A positive focal length indicates that a system converges light, while a negative foca ...
of the DSC-R1 in wide-angle mode is 2.1 millimeters, which is much smaller than the wide angle back focal length found typically in DSLRs (up to 30 millimeters and more)
* the image in the EVF and LCD screen is bright and the light is amplified. An optical viewfinder instead does not amplify the light, so that it becomes difficult to frame and manually focus when there is not sufficient light.
* Less dust problems, since the DSC-R1 can't change lens; nevertheless dust can enter while zooming for the volume change 'pumping' the air in and out.
* silent operation, as there is no swinging mirror or physical shutter system
* as there is no shutter system there is essentially no limit to flash sync; photographs can be taken in broad daylight with fill flash at speeds of 1/1,000" or faster
* fewer movable parts, therefore greater reliability
* With histogram screen display 'on' the screen/viewer displays the output from the processor, enabling very accurate exposure control - Full-time Live Preview (serial no 4534457).
* supports RAW
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
[Sony DSC-R1 review by ''Luminous Landscape'']
/ref>
Disadvantages
and the following disadvantages:
* no interchangeable lenses: the supplied lens only covers the 24–120 mm zoom range.
* no optical viewfinder. Furthermore, there is some small time shift, i.e. the image appears with a small delay.
* Low frame rate
Frame rate (expressed in or FPS) is the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (frames) are captured or displayed. The term applies equally to film and video cameras, computer graphics, and motion capture systems. Frame rate may also be ca ...
and slow contrast-detection autofocus
An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical syste ...
.
See also
*Sigma DP1 The Sigma DP1 was a high-end compact digital camera introduced by the Sigma Corporation. It featured a 14-megapixel Foveon X3 sensor (2652 × 1768 × 3 layers), a fixed 16.6 mm F4.0 lens (28mm equivalent), a LCD and a pop-up flash. It was the first ...
* Micro Four Thirds
*Sigma DP2
The Sigma DP2 is a high-end compact digital camera introduced by the Sigma Corporation. It features a 14-megapixel Foveon X3 sensor (2652 × 1768 × 3 layers), the same sensor used in its predecessor, the Sigma DP1 and in the Sigma SD14 DSLR, a f ...
References
External links
Let's Go Digital review
Imaging Resource
DP Review
Comparison between the R1 and its successor RX10 by ePHOTOzine
R1
Bridge digital cameras
Cameras introduced in 2005
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