Steve'sDigicams

fsc1 · Dec 17, 2004, 6:31 PM

Well for correct focus,most of the W1 users are using spot focus instead of using multi focus which reports false focus lock most of the times.Also there is a reset button at the bottom of the camera which resets all the settings available in the camera.One of the users first uses his camera without reset and was having problem with focus and blurry pic.then he resets te setting using the reset button and it works fine.may be this will help u out ,if not then there is a problem with the camera.

max211 · Dec 17, 2004, 10:45 PM

fsc1 wrote:

Quote:

Well for correct focus,most of the W1 users are using spot focus instead of using multi focus which reports false focus lock most of the times.Also there is a reset button at the bottom of the camera which resets all the settings available in the camera.One of the users first uses his camera without reset and was having problem with focus and blurry pic.then he resets te setting using the reset button and it works fine.may be this will help u out ,if not then there is a problem with the camera.

Is this true? I mean, can someone who have W1 or P100/150 try this out because I'm planning to buy the W1 for my second camera. I love the look of a black W1 and that's why i prefer W1 over P100. I already have a V3 and believe me it really can take beautiful, sharp and well saturated pictures but it is just too big for me to bring it wherever i go.

If this is true, than it should not be a big problem.

fsc1 · Dec 18, 2004, 8:28 PM

well first of all,W1 is a better choice and most popular camera(with features like 2.5 " LCD,AA batteries,nice compact body) when compared to p100.u already have V3 which is really capable of capturing nice sharp pics so dont expect pic quality of W1 to be even comparable with V3.Well W1 is a very nice camera when u control this camera while adjusting all settings according to ur likings instead of the camera controls u in Auto mode.It really takes a beating when to be used in auto mode with slow shutters(blurring pics),sometimes bad focusing when used with multi focus,soft pics with less detail due to high anti noise reduction used,high contrast pics losing detail in background in bright sunlight.
but when u use it in program mode or in manual modes with +sharpness,-contrast,high iso (200 much preferable),spot focus (or moniter focus for moving objects) then it really comes to miracle and pics really looks very nice,smooth,sharp and most of all in focus.
Well as the reset button is concerned ,one of the users in the forum informs us that there is a reset button so before using W1 first time or after sometime u can use it so that it can use with ur settings and sometimes default settings have problems in this camera.This helps his focusing and other problems ,Never tried myself, so dont know wheather it will help u or not.But U can tried these all settings and reset button urself at store before buying and then decide urself about focus.

max211 · Dec 19, 2004, 11:14 AM

I've tried the W1 a few times already at the store and i dont think i have any problem with blurry or out of focus pictures. Well maybe it's because of the store's lighting that is quite bright so the camera dont have any problem focusing. I dont know. thanks for the advice anyway. I hope i will not be disappointed when i buy the W1. I currently use minolta X20 for my pocket camera. it is easy point-and-shoot camera but the quality of the picture is not that good. (definitely after seeing what the v3 can do! :shock

I know i cant expect the w1to do the same as my v3, i just need a good, reliable, pocketable and with a little bit manual control 5mp camerathat i can bringanywherei go.

cameranserai · Dec 20, 2004, 12:37 AM

Well, I have the P150, as I said above, and about 25% of flash photos are blurred. I have used various settings including spot focus, have pressed the reset button to restore factory settings, have torn out what hair I had left, and in the end am left with a camera which only works in daylight. Forget it if flash is needed. As regards prefocusing, sometimes it works, but recently I needed photos of the facilities at a hotel and took special care, placing the camera on a bar for example to avoid camera shake,to get a photo of the restaurant, and the picture was still out of focus. I cannot trust the camera to operate efficiently when flash is needed.

A very bad purchase and money wasted is my view. Avoid.

blr · Dec 20, 2004, 7:20 AM

cameranserai wrote:

Quote:

Well, I have the P150, as I said above, and about 25% of flash photos are blurred. I have used various settings including spot focus, have pressed the reset button to restore factory settings, have torn out what hair I had left, and in the end am left with a camera which only works in daylight. Forget it if flash is needed. As regards prefocusing, sometimes it works, but recently I needed photos of the facilities at a hotel and took special care, placing the camera on a bar for example to avoid camera shake,to get a photo of the restaurant, and the picture was still out of focus. I cannot trust the camera to operate efficiently when flash is needed.

A very bad purchase and money wasted is my view. Avoid.

Unfortunately I arrived at the very same conclusion with my W1 and sold it. This is too bad because these cameras have a lot going for them in terms of build and features, but all the features in the world are useless when image quality is poor. I believe Sony could have fixed this and other flaws via firmware upgrade. Something that several people from these forums (including me) have asked them to do-no action.

max211 · Dec 20, 2004, 12:47 PM

blr and cameranserai,thank youfor sharing your experience. its a shame really. i need another pocketable sony camera so that i can use the memory stick that i bought with the v3. Well, i guess i have to look somewhere else.. or should i wait for the w1 replacement. it should be outanytime soon i guess.. personally, i really like the look and feel of the w1

Redrock · Dec 20, 2004, 2:22 PM

I also think that the P100 is a bad buy cause you just don't know what you're gonna get. This was all thrahsed about months ago on DPReview and a few people say they exchanged their p100/w1's for new units that took in focus pictures. Prior to that these users had found 20-30% of their photos out of focus.

Have any of the users here tried sending their cameras to Sony for factory service. I believe we have a year warranty?

I have a faulty P100 that I plan on sending tosony after the first of the year and see if they actually acknowledge that it has a problem.

cameranserai · Dec 21, 2004, 1:32 AM

Max, don't get hung up on memory now that it is so cheap. Under $70 now buys you a 512mb compact flash card so it isn't really a problem. What to me is more ofconcern is that if this focusing question is prevalent in the P100, P150 and the W1and thequestion I ask myself isabout the software controlling the focusing. If the fault lies there it could continue on into the next series. You only have to look at the Canon Ixus (Elph) problems - error 18 - to know that.

Personally I wouldn't buy either series of camera from now on until I see reports on such forums as this that the problem has been resolved.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Steve'sDigicams

Recent Camera Reviews

Most Active Forums

Most Popular Deals

Latest Feature Articles

Dec 17, 2004, 6:31 PM	#11
fsc1 Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 25	Well for correct focus,most of the W1 users are using spot focus instead of using multi focus which reports false focus lock most of the times.Also there is a reset button at the bottom of the camera which resets all the settings available in the camera.One of the users first uses his camera without reset and was having problem with focus and blurry pic.then he resets te setting using the reset button and it works fine.may be this will help u out ,if not then there is a problem with the camera.

Dec 18, 2004, 8:28 PM	#13
fsc1 Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 25	well first of all,W1 is a better choice and most popular camera(with features like 2.5 " LCD,AA batteries,nice compact body) when compared to p100.u already have V3 which is really capable of capturing nice sharp pics so dont expect pic quality of W1 to be even comparable with V3.Well W1 is a very nice camera when u control this camera while adjusting all settings according to ur likings instead of the camera controls u in Auto mode.It really takes a beating when to be used in auto mode with slow shutters(blurring pics),sometimes bad focusing when used with multi focus,soft pics with less detail due to high anti noise reduction used,high contrast pics losing detail in background in bright sunlight. but when u use it in program mode or in manual modes with +sharpness,-contrast,high iso (200 much preferable),spot focus (or moniter focus for moving objects) then it really comes to miracle and pics really looks very nice,smooth,sharp and most of all in focus. Well as the reset button is concerned ,one of the users in the forum informs us that there is a reset button so before using W1 first time or after sometime u can use it so that it can use with ur settings and sometimes default settings have problems in this camera.This helps his focusing and other problems ,Never tried myself, so dont know wheather it will help u or not.But U can tried these all settings and reset button urself at store before buying and then decide urself about focus.

Dec 19, 2004, 11:14 AM	#14
max211 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 20	I've tried the W1 a few times already at the store and i dont think i have any problem with blurry or out of focus pictures. Well maybe it's because of the store's lighting that is quite bright so the camera dont have any problem focusing. I dont know. thanks for the advice anyway. I hope i will not be disappointed when i buy the W1. I currently use minolta X20 for my pocket camera. it is easy point-and-shoot camera but the quality of the picture is not that good. (definitely after seeing what the v3 can do! :shock I know i cant expect the w1to do the same as my v3, i just need a good, reliable, pocketable and with a little bit manual control 5mp camerathat i can bringanywherei go.

Dec 20, 2004, 12:37 AM	#15
cameranserai Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 548	Well, I have the P150, as I said above, and about 25% of flash photos are blurred. I have used various settings including spot focus, have pressed the reset button to restore factory settings, have torn out what hair I had left, and in the end am left with a camera which only works in daylight. Forget it if flash is needed. As regards prefocusing, sometimes it works, but recently I needed photos of the facilities at a hotel and took special care, placing the camera on a bar for example to avoid camera shake,to get a photo of the restaurant, and the picture was still out of focus. I cannot trust the camera to operate efficiently when flash is needed. A very bad purchase and money wasted is my view. Avoid.

Dec 20, 2004, 12:47 PM	#17
max211 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 20	blr and cameranserai,thank youfor sharing your experience. its a shame really. i need another pocketable sony camera so that i can use the memory stick that i bought with the v3. Well, i guess i have to look somewhere else.. or should i wait for the w1 replacement. it should be outanytime soon i guess.. personally, i really like the look and feel of the w1

Dec 20, 2004, 2:22 PM	#18
Redrock Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 7	I also think that the P100 is a bad buy cause you just don't know what you're gonna get. This was all thrahsed about months ago on DPReview and a few people say they exchanged their p100/w1's for new units that took in focus pictures. Prior to that these users had found 20-30% of their photos out of focus. Have any of the users here tried sending their cameras to Sony for factory service. I believe we have a year warranty? I have a faulty P100 that I plan on sending tosony after the first of the year and see if they actually acknowledge that it has a problem.

Dec 21, 2004, 1:32 AM	#19
cameranserai Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 548	Max, don't get hung up on memory now that it is so cheap. Under $70 now buys you a 512mb compact flash card so it isn't really a problem. What to me is more ofconcern is that if this focusing question is prevalent in the P100, P150 and the W1and thequestion I ask myself isabout the software controlling the focusing. If the fault lies there it could continue on into the next series. You only have to look at the Canon Ixus (Elph) problems - error 18 - to know that. Personally I wouldn't buy either series of camera from now on until I see reports on such forums as this that the problem has been resolved.