The Sony DSC T30 is a seven megapixel digital camera with a three times optical zoom lens. This is a slim digital camera and the DSC T30 will slip easily into a pocket. As with other similar digital cameras it is a stylish model with a good build quality. Another big attraction of this type of camera is that they are easy to use. Therefore I can see this camera appealing to anyone who willing to pay a bit more for a pocket sized digital camera that is well made and can be taking pictures as soon as you have charged and loaded the battery.
The DSC T30 also has image stabilisation.
Image Quality
The photos produced by the DSC T30 are of a very high standard. For me the most striking feature is the colours the camera produces. They are vivid without being overpowering and this helps to bring the photos to life. This is a theme that runs through all my test pictures and is especially noticeable in the landscape type shots. The dedicated test for colours also underlines this strength. You will also see that no single colour dominates and this leads to a set of well balanced photographs.
The sharpness of the photos is another strong point. Although the clarity does not quite match that of some Canon digital cameras it is still very good. The images also stay sharp up to the edge of each photo. This can be seen by looking at the outdoor scenic shots. In the first of these shots the brickwork in the building is sharp while the ends of the boats towards the edge of the shot retain the levels of focusing as well.
Other points to note from the outdoor shots are that the camera is capable of handling glare from the sun and also areas of high contrast. In the second test photo where the zoom is not being used there is often tendency for the shot to be darker towards the corners with other digital cameras. This is an area where the DSC T30 outperforms the majority of its rivals.
I like the outdoor portrait. There is a natural feel to the shot, although perhaps a touch more colour would have boosted the skin tones. Even so the photo is a good one.
The indoor portrait is blighted by red eye. Although it is difficult for compact digital cameras to completely cut out red eye this is one of the worst examples I have seen. This is despite the fact red eye reduction was switched on when the photo was taken. This is a problem I have noticed with other cameras in this series. The only way around it is to correct the problem with some image manipulation software after a picture has been taken. This is a shame because the photo is very clear, sharp and well lit.
My other indoor test shot underlines the ability of the camera to handle lowlight. The picture of bottles taken in more or less complete darkness is also bright and well focused.
Based on my macro test shot the camera is also capable of taking decent close up photos. The picture produced is above average in quality.
When it comes to higher ISO settings the camera does a fair job. At ISO 400 there is a loss of quality, but that is to be expected. At the maximum ISO 1000 setting there is a further deterioration in picture quality and I would only advise using this setting when there is no other way of getting a photo.
Shutter Lag and Recycling Times
I was able to take a single photo in 0.27 seconds and five photos in 6.13 seconds. The time taken for a single shot is roughly average. The time taken for five shots is fast.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Features
The three times optical zoom lens has a focal length equivalent to 38 - 114mm. The lens has a maximum aperture of f3.5 (wide) and f4.3 (tele). Zoom options are boosted further by a 14x smart zoom feature and a 6x digital zoom. Smart zoom offers the same quality as optical zoom, but can only be used at lower resolutions.
To help you take the best possible shots there are a range of scene modes available. These are Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Snow, Beach, High-speed shutter, Fireworks, Candle and Magnifying Glass. All you need to do is select the most appropriate scene. The camera will then use what it considers to be the optimum settings for the shot.
The built in flash unit has a maximum range of 3.4m. This falls to around 2.7m when the zoom lens is in use. The flash modes available are Auto, Forced Flash, Slow Synchro and No Flash. Red eye reduction can be turned on when using the flash. The power of the flash can be adjusted to suit the circumstances.
For composing shots there is a large three inch LCD screen. This is made up of around 230,000 pixels. There is no room for a viewfinder.
There are two focusing methods you can choose between. These are single and monitoring. You can also select between three focusing areas - centre weighted, spot and flexible spot. For close up photography the DSC T30 can focus from 1cm away from the subject in magnifying glass mode. In addition you can opt to set a focusing distance. The distances available are 0.5m, 1.0m, 3.0m, 7.0m and infinity.
Sharpness, saturation and contrast levels can all be adjusted to suit your requirements. For when you would like to appear in the picture there is a self timer. The delay time can be set to either two or ten seconds. To help you get the exposure levels right a histogram can be displayed on the LCD screen. A hand shake alert also displays. This warns you when a picture may be blurred. There is a 3:2 aspect ratio available. This is ideal for when you are planning to make 6 x 4" prints as the image will not need to be trimmed before printing.
Among the more advanced features are exposure compensation (+/-2.0 EV, 1/3 EV step), white balance (Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash), light metering (Multi Pattern, Centre weighted, spot) and ISO sensitivity settings (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000). Shutter speeds are set automatically by the camera. These work in the range 1/4 - 1/1000.
There are two types of burst mode you can use. The first is a fairly standard type. This allows you to fire off up to five shots. The maximum recording speed is just under one frame per second. The second burst mode is a multiple burst. This lets you take 16 shots and then builds all sixteen into a single image.
After a picture has been taken you have the option create smaller copies. These are suited to sending by email or sharing on the Internet.
Movies can be recorded up to the duration of the memory card. Sound can be recorded with the movie. The maximum resolution of each movie is 640 x 480 pixels. The top recording speed is thirty frames per second.
Sony supplies all the necessary cables and software to connect the DSC T30 to a PictBridge compatible printer, television set and computer.
Ease of Use
Like other Sony digital cameras the DSC T30 is very easy to use. There is a pleasant, uncomplicated feel to the camera. Both the layout of the key button controls and the menu system itself is straightforward. The menu system used is a standard one that appears across the Sony range. It is one of the simplest ones you are likely to find.
Cost
You can pick up a Sony DSC T30 for around £250. This compares to around £210 for a Canon IXUS 65, £205 for a Casio Exilim EX-Z850 and £220 for a Nikon Coolpix S6.
As you can see the DSC T30 is expensive compared to other similar models. Personally I like the style of the camera and the picture quality is also very good. Whether it quite justifies such a premium in price is difficult to say.
Style
I like the style of the Sony DSC T30. It is a sleek digital camera with a sliding lens cover. You can choose between silver and black models. It is slim enough to fit into a pocket without a problem. In terms of weight it weighs in at 23.3mm and has dimensions of 95mm x 65.5mm x 23.3mm.
Batteries and Memory Card
Power is supplied by a lithium ion battery (NP-FR1). Sony estimates the DSC T30 should be able to take around 420 shots before the battery needs to be recharged. A battery and charger are supplied as standard.
Images are stored on Memory Stick Duo cards. The camera has a very generous 58mb of memory built into it. Therefore a memory card is not supplied as standard with the camera. Despite the large built in memory I was still only able to take twenty photos before the memory was full. So in order to use the camera seriously you will need to pick up a high capacity memory card.
Click here to save money on Memory Stick Duo.
Points I like:
Picture quality
Large internal memory
Style and design
Where it is not so hot:
Red eye
Expensive
Limited flash distance
Summary
The Sony DSC T30 is a very strong camera when it comes to picture quality. Throw in ease of use, pocket size, large LCD screen and a stylish design and you have a real winner. The big drawback is the price. There are better value for money options available, but if you are happy to spend the money then you will not go far wrong with the DSC T30.
Sony DSC T30 Front View
Sony DSC T30 Back View
Sony DSC T30 Top View
Sample Menus
| Sony DSC T30 Summary |
| Description: | Seven megapixels and a three times optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 8 |
| Features: | 8 |
| Colour: | 8 |
| Macro: | 8 |
| Indoors: | 8 |
| Value for Money: | 7 |
| Style: | 9 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 9 |
| Build Quality: | 9 |
| Total: | 82 |
| Verdict: | "The Sony DSC T30 certainly does not come cheap. It does have a lot going for it though. High marks are scored for style, photo quality and ease of use. If you are not too worried about the price tag then this is a very good pocket sized digital camera." |
| Review Date: | July 2006 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images |
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