The Sony DSC T70 is an 8 megapixel, pocket sized digital camera. One of the main attractions of the camera is likely to be the fact it has a touch screen. This allows you to change camera settings by following a series of on screen commands instead of using buttons and dials. The DSC T70 includes the increasingly popular face detection technology and image stabilisation.
It also has a special mode where it is able to automatically detect when someone is smiling. It can then fire off a shot without the need for you to press the shutter button. Another very useful tool is the built in red eye retouch. This helps you to remove red eye from a photo you have already taken.
Image Quality Sony DSC T70 test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
My tests for the DSC T70 were carried out in autumn. At this time of the year the sun tends to shine down at an awkward angle onto the boats creating a large amount of glare. The camera handled the glare well when compared to other cameras I tested at the same time. Loss of detail was well controlled, although some of the blue lines on the boats show with a purple tinge.
Perhaps more importantly sharpness levels are above average. They are not perfect, but the camera stands up well in this area when compared to many of its rivals.
Colours are about right as are brightness levels.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
With no zoom being used the DSC T70 does produce a softer shot. This should not be a big issue if you are making smaller prints, but for large ones this is likely to be more noticeable when shooting more distant subjects.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
With maximum zoom applied sharpness if roughly average for a compact camera. With the subject a bit distant this test really pushes a camera with a standard 3x zoom towards its limits.
Outdoor Portrait
This is a good attempt. I have used the white balance cloudy setting to increase the depth of colour. This has lead to the photo having a pleasant warm feel. With face detection switched on the photo focuses well on the face.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
No problems for the DSC T70 in less than perfect light when the flash is on. I like the lighting levels and the flash is not harsh. The image is sharp with focusing working well too. There was a small amount of red eye in the shot, but it was cleared away by the in-camera red eye retouch tool.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
This photo doesn't really work. It is too dark and the DSC T70 struggles to focus in the available light. It looks like you will need flash for indoor photos taken later in the day.
Colours
I like the strength of the colours the camera produces. They are lively enough without being too strong.
Macro
The macro shot is above average. The DSC T70 is able to handle the lighting well and produce a sharp photo. The only problem in the shot is that the camera's shiny finish causes a reflection in the glass of the watch face.
ISO 400
At ISO 400 picture quality is surprisingly good. This may help you get round some lower light conditions. The photo is not completely free of noise, but it is a good effort none the less and highlights an area where there has been an improvement in quality from a number of brands this year.
ISO 3200
If I was making this camera I would make ISO 800 the top setting. By the time you reach that level there is enough noise as it is. Moving on through ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 produces very low quality images.
Overall
The test photos produced by the DSC T70 are not quite top drawer, but they are of above average quality for a small, pocket camera. The outdoor scenic shots work well and so long as you use flash you should get decent lower light photos as well.
Shutter Lag
The DSC T70 is one of the fastest digital cameras you will find. A single photo took 0.18 seconds and for five shots 6.05 seconds. With flash on the times increased to a still respectable 0.40 seconds for one photo and 13.87 seconds for five.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: Simple, but attractive pocket sized digital camera. The front is plain with a sliding lens cover. The DSC T70 has an aluminium body.
Dimensions: 90 x 56.4 x 20.7
Weight: 128g
Batteries: Lithium ion (NP-BD1). According to Sony you should be able to take in the region of 270 shots before the battery needs to be recharged.
Memory cards: 31mb of memory has been built into the camera. This is enough for around 13 shots. The camera is also compatible with the following memory sticks: Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo. Memory Stick PRO Duo High Speed, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo.
Click here to save money on Memory Stick.
Ease of use rating: Average. I thought a touch control screen was likely to make the camera easier to use. To be honest I am not convinced of it yet. Once you know your way around it can speed up selecting the controls you would like to use.
Points I like:
Low shutter lag - picture quality - design - extra features
Where it could improve:
I would like to see a touch more sharpness in some photos.
Verdict:
If you are looking for a camera that will easily fit into a pocket then the Sony DSC T70 is certainly worth considering. Picture quality is some way above average and I like the sleek design of this part of the Sony range. The very fast shutter response is also a big plus point.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Sony DSC T70 Summary |
| Description: | 8 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 8 |
| Features: | 8 |
| Colour: | 9 |
| Macro: | 8 |
| Indoors: | 8 |
| Value for Money: | 8 |
| Style: | 9 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 8 |
| Build Quality: | 8 |
| Total: | 82 |
| Verdict: | Picture quality and build quality place the DSC T70 towards the front rank of true pocket sized digital cameras. It also has very fast shutter response times. |
| Review Date: | October 2007 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images Features |
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