Reviews

A pocketable, ultra-slim, point-and-shoot digicam that is waterproof to three metres.Sony joins the list of waterproof camera manufacturers with a new model, the Cyber-shot DSC-TX5, which withstands immersion to up three metres but retains the slim and stylish appearance of the previous TX-series models. Featuring a 4x optical zoom lens and 10.2-megapixel resolution, the TX5 comes in four fashionable colours: black, silver, pink and red. (The pink is pale and the red is rather magenta-biased.)

An ultra-slim digicam with a 4GB internal memory that provides a portable photo album with storage for up to 40,000 pictures.The metal body of Sony’s DSC-T700 Cyber-shot comes in four fashionable colours: grey, gold, red or silver. This stylish digicam replaces the DSC-T300 but has the same 10.1-megapixel, 6.16 x 4.62mm Super HAD CCD sensor, 3.5-inch touch-screen display and Optical Steady Shot stabilisation. Designed to double as a portable photo album, the T700 has a far larger 4GB internal memory that can store up to 40,000 images at a suitable size for display on the LCD.

A pocketable 8-megapixel digicam with a touch-screen interface and 3x optical zoom lens.Sony’s 8.1-megapixel DSC-T70 cyber-shot is essentially a scaled-down version of the T200 model with a marginally smaller, lighter body, shorter zoom range and smaller LCD. Unlike previous T-series models, both are controlled via touch screens, which cover the rear panel and they are so similar in the functions they offer that they share the same user handbook. The T70 is $150 cheaper.

Sony’s new DSC-T7 model is even smaller than the earlier T-series models and will suit users with delicate fingers, especially left-handers due to the location of most key controls. All buttons are small and some lie almost flush with the camera body. The tiny zoom rocker sticks up just enough to be usable (though not with real precision) but the memory card hatch will challenge the less than dexterous.

Available in blue, gold or white Sony’s DSC-T33 Cyber-shot is an update to the T3 model and is slightly larger, but lighter than its predecessor. The front panel of the brushed aluminium shell is flat, with no grips or protrusions. The lens sits in the top right corner, where it may be obscured by the fingers of the left hand when the camera is in use.

An attractive, well-built slimline camera with built in album functions, excellent video capabilities and a large touch screen.A higher-resolution (10-megapixel) upgrade to the DSC-N1 model, Sony’s new Cyber-shot DSC-N2 boasts a slightly larger sensor than its predecessor but retains the same retracting Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens and 3-inch LCD display. The touch-sensitive screen is used for adjusting most controls and icons are large enough to be easily read. Like the N1 model, the new camera is designed both for picture taking and as a picture album and supports the same display functions.

Good imaging performance from a smart, ultra-slim digicam that will suit anyone who wants an easily pocketable camera.Sony’s new Cyber-shot DSC-T10 offers many of the same features as the DSC-T30, including a 7.2-megapixel CCD sensor and Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens, which remains within the camera body throughout the zoom range. It also boasts ‘Double Anti-Blur’ technology, which combines Super SteadyShot Optical Image Stabilisation and High ISO Sensitivity (up to ISO 1000 selectable) to counteract subject motion and camera shake.

An elegant-looking multimedia digicam that’s slim enough to fit in a jacket pocket or purse.Like the i85 model we reviewed recently, Samsung’s 7.2-megapixel i7 model is more than just a camera. It combines a point-and-shoot digicam with an MP3 player and Portable Multimedia Player (PMP) and throws in a built-in World Tour Guide as well. Although its multimedia capabilities are essentially the same as the i85, the i7 has a novel user interface that switches between modes by changing the angle of the LCD screen.

Visibly larger and thicker than its more expensive ‘cousin’ the Pentax Optio S55 has more user-adjustable settings than the S5z and is, therefore, more likely to appeal to keen photographers. With the same sensor, lens and LCD monitor as the S5z but a top-mounted mode dial with seven still photo settings plus movie and voice recording modes.