Sony DSC-M2 5.1-megapixel digital camera

Image Size/Compression: When recording digital still images, the DSC-M2 allows you to choose from five image sizes and two compression (image quality) settings--Fine and Standard. The larger the image and the higher the image quality you choose, the better the image will be, but it also takes a larger amount of data to preserve the image. The image sizes include:

Auto Focus: The camera has the following auto focus methods using the AF range finder. These methods are easily selectable from the menu:

• 5-area Multi-point AF: The camera calculates the distance in five areas to the left, right, top, bottom, and in the center of the image. This method is helpful when your subject is not centered in the frame.
• Center AF: The camera focuses only on the subject framed in the AF range finder in the center of the image
• Spot AF: This method is for focusing on an extremely small subject or a narrow area.

Focus Presets: When it is difficult to get the proper focus in the auto focus mode, you can use one of 5 preset focus distance settings. You can select from 0.5 meters, 1.0 meter, 3.0 meters, 7.0 meters, or infinity.

Macro Focus: For close-ups of small objects such as flowers and insects, this camera has macro focus capability. With the zoom set all the way to wide, the camera can focus on objects as close as 3-1/4" from the lens. With the zoom set all the way to telephoto, the camera can focus on objects up to 9-7/8" from the lens.

AF Illuminator: The AutoFocus Illuminator, located on the front of the camera near the lens, emits red light to allow the camera to more easily focus on a subject in dark surroundings. Focus is achieved as long as the AF Illuminator light reaches the subject. The AF Illuminator has a range of up to 5 feet 10-7/8 inches when the zoom is at full Wide position, and up to 6 feet 10-11/16 inches at full telephoto position.

Auto Power-Off: If you do not operate the camera for approximately 3 minutes during recording or playback, it will turn off automatically to conserve battery power.

Battery Information: This model uses the high-stamina Sony NP-FT1 Lithium-Ion battery (3.6 Volts/2.4Wh).

Battery Performance: The capacity of the NP-FT1 battery under normal operating conditions is as follows:

Still Image Shooting Modes: You can choose one of the following shooting modes:

• Auto: The camera automatically adjusts the focus, exposure and white balance.
• Program: The necessary adjustments are made automatically like still image auto shooting, but you can also change the focus and other adjustments as desired.
• Scene Selection: You can select from the following modes to shoot according to the scene conditions. (Functions available from the menu):
  • Magnifying Glass: The subject appears on the LCD screen magnified by up to 3.5x to let you see details that would otherwise be difficult to confirm with the naked eye. The focal distance is approximately 13/32" to 7-7/8". The optical zoom is locked, and the image is enlarged using the digital zoom.
  • Twilight: For shooting a distant night view. Tripod recommended.
  • Twilight Portrait: For shooting subjects in the foreground at night. Tripod recommended.
  • Landscape: For shooting far away images.
  • Snow: For shooting snowy scenes or other places where the whole screen appears white.
  • Beach: For shooting seaside or lakeside scenes. The blue of the water is clearly recorded.
  • High-Speed Shutter: For shooting moving subjects outdoors or in other bright places.
  • Fireworks Mode: For shooting fireworks. The focus distance is set to infinity.
  • Candle: For recording parties, candle services, and other candlelit scenes without spoiling the candlelight atmosphere. Tripod recommended.

Picture Effects: When desired, you can select one of the following picture effects:

• B&W: The picture is monochrome (black and white).
• Sepia: The picture is sepia-toned like an old photograph.

Continuous Shooting: You can shoot a sequence of photographs using one of the following modes:

• Speed Burst Mode: The camera records a maximum of four images when you press and hold down the Photo button.
• Multi Burst Mode: Pressing the shutter once records 16 frames in a row. You can set the interval between frames at 1/7.5 second, 1/15 second, or 1/30th second. All 16 frames will be recorded as one 1M image (1280 x 960). When you play back images recorded in Multi Burst mode with this camera, the 16 frames will be played back in order, either continuously with a fixed interval or manually frame-by-frame in either direction. When the images are played back on a computer or a camera without Multi Burst, the 16 frames will all be displayed at the same time as part of one image.
• Exposure Bracketing: Records a series of three images with the exposure values automatically shifted.

Flash Modes: The flash automatically strobes when surroundings are dark. The recommended distance for using the flash is 3-15/16 inches to 8 feet 6-3/8 inches (wide) and 1 foot 7-11/16 inches to 6 feet 10-11/16 inches (telephoto) when ISO is set to Auto. You can set the flash to one of the following modes:

• Auto: The camera decides to use the flash based on lighting conditions.
• Forced Flash: The flash strobes with every shot regardless of lighting conditions.
• Slow Synchro: The flash is used regardless of the amount of ambient light, but the shutter speed is slower under dark conditions, allowing you to clearly shoot a background that is out of the flash-lit area.
• No Flash: The flash does not fire regardless of lighting conditions.

ISO Speed: The ISO speed can be set to Auto, 64, 100, 200, or 400. When shooting under dark conditions or shooting a fast-moving subject, you should use a high number setting. When recording high-quality images, use a low number setting.

Metering Modes: You can select from the following metering modes:

• Multi-Pattern: The image is divided into multiple regions and metering is performed in each region. The camera judges the subject position and background brightness, and determines a well-balanced exposure.
• Spot Metering: The camera measures only a part of the subject. Useful when the subject is a backlit or when there is strong contrast between the subject and the background.

EV Compensation: You can adjust the exposure of an image + or - 2EV in increments of 1/3EV.

Histogram: A histogram is a graph showing the brightness of an image. A live histogram display is available in both recording and playback modes, making it easy to evaluate the correct exposure.

White Balance: When the white balance is set to auto, the white balance is set automatically in response to the condition of the subject, and the overall color balance is adjusted. When shooting under special lighting conditions, you can select the settings manually. In addition to Auto, the white balance can be set to Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent and Flash.

MPEG Movie VX: Besides recording still images, you can also record moving images with sound. Moving images are recorded in MPEG1 format. The following image sizes are available: 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps), and 320 x 240 (15 fps). You can also record movies in macro mode for excellent closeups. If you want to be in the movie, you can use the camera's self-timer feature.

Hybrid Shooting Mode: In Hybrid Shooting mode, you can record a movie before and after shooting a still image. A 5-second movie shot before the still image and a 3-second movie shot after the still image are recorded. The movie size is set to 320 x 240 (15 fps).

5SEC Recording: This mode allows you to record a 5-second movie by simply pressing and releasing the Movie button.

Album: When the Album function is activated, an additional still image is saved to the Album in the VGA size (640 x 480) in the Standard picture quality setting. You can shoot a maximum of 1,100 still images. When you are shooting a movie, the first 5 seconds of the movie is saved as a minimized movie to the Album. The size of the minimized movie depends on the size of the regular movie:

• 640 (30 fps): saved as 640 (2 fps)
• 320 (30 fps): saved as 320 (2 fps)
• 320 (15 fps): saved as 320 (1 fps)

  Note: Images cannot be stored in the Album unless a Memory Stick Duo is inserted into the camera.

Approximate Recording Capacity: The number of images that can be saved on a Memory Stick Duo:

Viewing Images: Still and moving images can be played back on the camera's color LCD screen, or the images may be transferred to a computer, where they can be displayed or manipulated with the use of compatible software. In addition, the images can be played back on a television (NTSC or PAL), if the television has an RCA composite video input.

Index Mode: In addition to viewing images one-by-one in full screen, you can view multiple images at once in the index mode. This feature lets you to display 9 or 16 images at a time, allowing you to easily find the image you want.

Slide Show: The Slide Show function lets you play back images one after the other. You can choose all images from one folder, or show all images in memory. A slide show can be set to music. You can choose from four prerecorded tracks, or you can download CD tracks or MP3 files into the camera to replace the prerecorded tracks. The maximum length of each music file is 180 seconds.

Deleting/Protecting Images: You can delete a selected image, or you can delete all the unprotected images at once. In order to avoid accidentally deleting an image, it can be protected.

Playback Zoom: You can enlarge a recorded still image and record the enlarged item as a new file. To select the area to be enlarged, you can move the enlargement "frame" up/down/left/right, and adjust the zoom with the W/T button. You cannot use Playback Zoom with movies or images shot in the Multi-burst mode.

Resizing Images: After an image is captured (still images only), you can resize the picture and save it as a new file. Images can be resized to 5M, 3M, 1M or VGA. The original image is retained even after resizing. You cannot resize a picture to a 3:2-sized image.

Print Order Mark: You can place a print order mark on still images recorded with this camera. This mark is convenient when you have images printed at a shop that conforms to the DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standard.

PictBridge Compatible: You can easily print images recorded on this camera by connecting it to a PictBridge-compliant printer. You can connect the camera via the supplied USB cable.

Exif Print (Exif 2.2): The DSC-M2 conforms to "Exif Print", a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos that can be even better than the originals.

PRINT Image Matching III: PRINT Image Matching III (P.I.M. III), the newest version of a technology developed by Seiko Epson Corporation, ensures that P.I.M. III-enabled digital cameras and printers work together perfectly to produce the best possible prints. After an image is captured, the camera automatically tags the picture with numerous optimal image settings and includes it as part of the Exif Print header in the JPEG file. A P.I.M. III-enabled photo printer reads and utilizes the information in order to make the most accurate print.

Picture Package Minimum System Requirements for Windows:

• Operating System: Operating systems pre-installed (IBM PC/AT compatible)
  • Windows 98
  • Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Windows Millennium Edition
  • Windows 2000 Professional
  • Windows XP Home Edition/Professional
• CPU: Intel MMX Pentium 200 MHz or faster
  • Notes: For automatic creation of a Music Video/Slideshow, a Pentium III 500 MHz or faster CPU is required.
• Hard Disk: Disk space required for installation: approximately 500 MB
• Memory: 64 MB or more (128 MB or more is recommended)
• Sound: 16-bit stereo sound card with speakers
• Video Card: DirectDraw driver compliant with 4 MB of VRAM
• USB Connector: provided as standard--camera compatible with Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0 compliant)
• Display: 800 x 600 dots or more, High Color (16-bit color, 65,000 colors)
• Software:
  • Macromedia Flash Player 6.0 or later
  • Windows Media Player 7.0 or later
  • Direct X 9.0b or later

NeroVision Express 3 Minimum System Requirements for Windows:

• Operating System: Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP Home Edition/Professional
• CPU: Intel Pentium III 800 MHz or faster (Pentium 4 1.6 GHz or faster recommended)
• Hard Disk Space:
  • For the Standard Installation: 250 MB or more
  • For DVD Authoring: 4 GB or more
• Software: Direct X 9.0b or later
• USB Connector: provided as standard

Recommended Computer Environment for Macintosh:

• Operating System:
  • For Copying Images:
    • Mac OS 9.1, 9.2
    • Mac OS X (v10.0 or later)
  • For Music Transfer: Mac OS X (v10.3 or later)
• USB Connector: provided as standard
• CPU: iMac, eMac, iBook, PowerBook, PowerMac G3/G4/G5, Mac mini
• Memory: 64 MB or more (128 MB or more is recommended) for Music Transfer
• Hard Disk: Disk space required for installation of Music Transfer: approximately 250 MB