A Better Camera for Your Smartphone
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10
need a steadier shot. One thing the QX10 lacks is built-in flash. And since there’s no way to operate the flash on your smartphone as well on the QX10, usability in low light situations is affected.
The QX10 can also be mounted onto your smartphone with the bundled smartphone attachment. This lets you use your phone as a point-and-shoot. Its internal battery lets you shoot up 220 shots according to CIPA standards, though this number might drop due to the Wi-FI connection that is required between the camera and your phone. Storage-wise, the QX10 accepts both microSD cards and Memory Stick Micro cards.
The PlayMemories app shooting interfaces is very much like a digital compact camera’s interface, with software buttons that let you zoom in and out, as well as to release the shutter. You can focus by tapping on the subject on the screen. Alternatively, you can half-press the shutter button on the camera itself to focus, but the focus point won’t show on your smartphone display. There’s also lag when framing a shot as the phone’s display tries to catch up with moving subjects.
The QX10 has Intelligent Auto, Superior Auto and Program Auto in terms of shooting modes. Superior Auto mode raises the ISO limit from 3,200 to 12,800, and while Program Auto limits this to ISO 1,600. Program Auto also gives you to ability to adjust white balance and exposure compensation.
Image quality-wise, we noticed shots from the QX10 appear slightly underexposed. And similar to other Sony point-and-shoots, images right out of the camera displayed colors that were slightly over-saturated. Resolution-wise, since there’s no way to set the ISO sensitivities, shooting at Auto produced results of 2000LPH (vertical) and 1800LPH (horizontal) at ISO640.
Some will see the QX10 as an overpriced compact that needs a phone to work. To others it’s the perfect companion to their smartphone. If sharing photos quickly is a major concern to you, and you’re not satisfied with your smartphone camera, then perhaps you should take a look at the QX10.
Despite having better image performance than a smartphone, the QX10’s lack of features gets more apparent when you realize it’s going for $349, more than some entry-level pointand-shoots. Getting the camera up and running takes a while, and is more complicated than powering up a standard compact. Ultimately we feel the QX10 is still a first-generation product which needs further refinement in order to seriously compete with the standard point-and-shoot.