Sony's Spy Technology
Written: Sep 12 '03 (Updated Feb 24 '05)
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Pros: Handsome retro-modern design, magnesium alloy chassis, sapphire crystal lens, simple, petite
Cons: No optical zoom, too small for practical use, LCD screen too small
The Bottom Line: Qualia 016 is the child of peerless refinement and remarkable engineering. It is the ultimate spy camera.
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| babyeddy7's Full Review: Sony Qualia 016 Digital Camera |
Among electronics, Qualia represents the highest levels of craftsmanship and engineering. Each prototype is made of magnesium, silver, forged aluminum or gold and each technological component is either German, American or Japanese. This mix of pure luxury and high-tech gives Qualia an occult aspect.
So far, eight devices out of 17 have been disclosed. Qualia 007 is an audio player with seductive design and remarkable surround sound, and its prime accessory, 010, generates purity unachievable through other headsets. A giant, true to life image is available with the Qualia 004 projector. Its unmatched lens is shipped from Carl Zeiss in Germany. Qualia 005, 006 and 015 also have real life picture quality, but have profiles of LED (not LCD), rear projection and CRT televisions respectively. Portable products include the handcrafted, precious metal MiniDisc player, 017, and the smallest two-megapixel camera in the world, 016.
My friend purchased this at the Sony Qualia store in Osaka. It was released on June 24, 2003 in Japan, the day of Qualia's debut, and has been available in America since mid-August 2004.
Look & Feel
A retro-modern design and luxurious magnesium alloy construction make the Qualia 016 the most beautiful camera. It has a subtle, refined appearance. The coating resembles the rich black of a stealth bomber, a fitting color for such a high-end device.
The Qualia 016's exquisite leather and forged zinc briefcase looks fit to house delicate scientific instruments. It also carries the camera's retro-modern genes.
Durability
The camera's front is coated in a special composite material of magnesium and ground blue glass, while the back is forged aluminum. Sapphire crystal comprises the lens. Qualia 016 is scratch-proof and very solid.
Size
Memory Stick Duo and other classified advances allowed Sony engineers to miniaturize the camera. At 57g (2.01 oz) and the size of a thumb, the Qualia 016 is the smallest and lightest two-megapixel camera in the world. Of course this makes it an excellent spy camera, but it is so small that it takes a little time to get accustomed to. Though the camera has the solid feel of typical Sony gadgets, Qualia 016's lack of heft makes it feel awkward to use. Trembling during operation is unavoidable. A fine leather hand strap is included.
Ease of Use
With its arsenal of accessories including a flash unit, lens hood, remote, viewer unit (larger LCD screen), wide conversion lens and teleconversion lens, the 016 appears to be hardcore professional. But since it only has two buttons, the camera is actually the quintessential point-and-shoot. Casual photographers will appreciate the simple touch sensitive control and convenient remote, which make picture taking, transfer and all other functions seamless. However, the touchpad is less responsive than the one on Apple's iPod and control is less intuitive.
Qualia 016 was designed to be as small as possible, and it depends on attachable components to make it fully practical. Unfortunately all the loose accessories complicate picture taking. This is one of the camera's design flaws.
Picture Quality & Features
The two-megapixel capability and 1600 x 1200 maximum picture resolution of this camera should be ideal for most users. A large CCD gives the Qualia 016 color accuracy and clarity equal to that of giant professional cameras. I have seen actual photos, and they are brilliant.
The camera features a 4X digital zoom, which is controlled by the touchpad. To eliminate blur caused by tiny movements in the hand, the 016 takes four pictures in rapid succession and combines them into one image for perfect image stabilization. Another excellent feature is direct shutter. Push the shutter button when the camera is off, and a picture will still be taken. The state-of-the-art autofocus lens is also tuned for perfect sharpness and speed.
For professional users who want full manipulation of exposures, the camera even allows manual control.
Battery Life
The thin lithium-ion battery of the Qualia 016 lasts three hours. For such a small device this figure is unprecedented, and since three cells are included the user has plenty of time to take exposures. To save time, the AC charger can restore power to two cells simultaneously.
Storage
The Qualia 016 comes with a 64MB Memory Stick Duo. This is the equivalent of about 500 pictures in the smallest resolution setting. Memory Stick Duos in 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB or 2GB capacities can be purchased separately.
Technical Specifications
Sensor: 1/2.7" 2 megapixels effective
Lens: 41 mm equivalent F2.8
Digital zoom: Up to 4x
Image sizes: 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480
Image format: JPEG
Exposure compensation: +/-2.1 EV
LCD monitor: 0.55" TFT LCD
Flash: Auto, on, off; 0.5 - 2.0 m
Continuous: 1.25 fps
Storage media: Memory Stick Duo
Dimensions: 69 x 24 x 17 mm (2.7 x 0.9 x 0.7 in)
Weight: 57 g (2.01 oz) (including hand strap, Memory Stick Duo and battery)
Availability & Purchasing
Qualia is only available through Sony Qualia stores (1-877-QUALIA3) and it will never go on sale. Currently the only showrooms for the line are at 550 Madison Avenue in Manhattan and the Caesar Forum Shops in Las Vegas. Boutiques at SonyStyle stores in Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, Boston, Palo Alta and Costa Mesa may gradually follow. If you plan to see Qualia in person, schedule an appointment with a concierge and visit the official website:
sony.com/qualia
Conclusion
The trademark of Qualia 016, in addition to its unprecedented craftsmanship, is that it is one of the most concealable cameras available. I suppose this is good for people who want something for tactical use, but Sony's intentions were different. Qualia 016 was made to offer convenient picture taking, an area in which it is not entirely successful. The biggest issue is the camera's inconvenient reliance on attachments. Aside from this, Qualia 016's picture quality and build quality go beyond the typical Sony. It deserves the Qualia name.
Each Qualia product is priced steeply, but working in the ultra high end without any typical business constraints will surely give Sony engineers new ways of thinking. There is no doubt that the innovations they ferret from Qualia will be applied to the company's mainstream products. That means remarkable things for all consumers.
Recommended:
Yes
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use
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