Digital Cameras for Paddlers
Cybershot, DSC-U60, Sony
Squeeze a stick of butter into an ergonomic shape and you've got the rough dimensions of the U60. This carefree, 2-MP, plastic-body camera feels like it can take some knocks. The camera is operated with one hand, nice if you need to control your paddle as well as shoot. You take a picture right-handed with your trigger finger, or switch to left-handed and use your thumb. Right-handed, you can operate all the back-side control buttons easily with your thumb. The camera (2.4 x 4.4 x 1.7 inches) will slide into most PFD pockets. There is no optical viewfinder, nor is there a tripod mount, so the modus operandi is hand-holding-often at arm's length-for picture taking. I think this encourages unique perspectives.
The LCD screen is tiny, only one inch, but bright. It performs superbly in full sun for front- and side-lit situations, as well as with overcast skies. With strong backlighting (looking toward the sun), it doesn't perform as well.
The specs say the camera is submersible to five feet. Sony doesn't discourage underwater use, like reaching over the gunwale to photograph a swimming critter. To check the waterproofing, I left it weighted down in a sink for an hour and had no problems. The camera also floats, barely, even though the manual says that it doesn't.
Without resorting to the manual, I opened the O-ring-sealed door and loaded in the two AAA batteries and 8-megabyte (MB) Memory Stick. Then I closed it up and turned on the camera. Startup was the fastest of all cameras tested-less than a second. I quickly found my way between picture, movie, and review modes, and began making and reviewing images. The camera is fun and extremely easy to use.
The U60 has two JPEG-format picture sizes: 640x480 and 1632x1224. The small size images are perfect for e-mails. The larger sizes are good quality, and make fine 5x7 prints. The lens is a fast f/2.8. The fixed focal-length (33mm) lens is a moderate wide-angle, good for portraits and scenics, but don't expect to photograph wildlife. Scene modes include active outdoor, vivid nature (enhanced colors), and underwater (warmer color).
I found that the two AAA rechargeable NiMH batteries lasted for about an afternoon of continual shooting, or a day on the water. The included charger took six hours to recharge. You'll want a couple of sets of NiMH AAAs for backup. The camera shuts itself off after three minutes of not being used, a nice feature for conserving battery energy.
I found the unconventional shape made it hard to keep my horizon lines straight. The MPEG movies are jaggy (large compression), small at 160x112 pixels, limited to 15-second clips, and without sound. I suppose this is due to a small buffer, but this size is simple and easy to e-mail, averaging less than 350 kilobytes. The camera weighs 6.7 ounces and comes with two AAA batteries, 8-MB Memory Stick, battery charger, USB port and cable, wrist strap, and ImageMixer software. All in all quite a deal, if simplicity and price are important, and you don't need prints larger than 5x7.
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