Overview
The Sony DSC T77 is a digital camera for the style conscious. In fact it gets 10 out of 10 for style. It is the slimmest digital camera I can recall reviewing. Therefore you should have no problem whatsoever slipping it into a pocket. It has 10 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens.
Why Buy The Sony DSC T77
The DSC T77 is all about style. It is extremely slim at just 15mm wide. It looks very good and the sliding lens cover adds to its sleek design. It also has a touch controlled LCD screen.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
4x
3 inches
96.3 x 57.2 x 15mm
126g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
8cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom):
The colours in this photo work well. The contrast between the blue sky and the dark green foliage looks good. Sun glare is handled quite well and the DSC T77 manages to retain true colours even where the sun catches the boats. I would like to have seen the photo a degree or so sharper.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom):
Focusing is quite soft. The DSC T77 finds it difficult to add detail and definition as the photo gets more distant. Although many cameras struggle in this way it is very noticeable in this picture once you start making larger prints.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom):
With the lens zoomed in sharpness improves. Even so I would like to have seen a sharper picture. There is also a touch of purple fringing in places.
Outdoor 4 (Building):
Overall I would give the DSC T77 7 out of 10 for sharpness. Although the camera doesn't do a bad job there are other cameras that are able to produce sharper shots. Whether or not the sharpness of the photos is good enough for you will depend on the type of photos you are planning to take (especially how far the subject is from the camera) and the size of prints you plan to make.
Portraits
Outdoor Portrait:
This is a fairly standard portrait taken outdoors in the shade. Sony digital cameras tend to produce less vivid colours in this test than any other brand. So if you like the colours to be toned down and a little more understated then this is a plus point.
Indoor Portrait with Flash:
With flash turned on indoors the DSC T77 comes up with a bright, colourful and sharp photo. The only downside is there is a small amount of red eye showing in the shot. Aside from the red eye I really like this shot.
Indoor Portrait without Flash:
Without the flash the DSC T77 struggles to focus sharply. Although the light was not perfect it was taken in daytime. This suggests that you will need to use flash for most indoor or lowlight shots.
Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro:
Considering the size of the camera the DSC T77 produces a decent close up shot. It is not quite up there with the best cameras. If you are looking to take lots of close up shots it pays go for a camera with a larger size lens. These usually offer better quality for what is a specialised type of photo.
Colours:
The colours work well on the whole. They don't overpower, but provide enough strength to help make the photos come to life.
ISO 400 and ISO 1600:
The DSC T77 holds on to colour better than most cameras do once ISO is increased. It looks like the camera attempts to sharpen the image to try and reduce noise, but this causes its own deterioration in picture quality.
Summary
Taking the price tag of this camera into account I would have liked some extra sharpness in the photos.
Style
This is one of the slimmest digital cameras I have ever reviewed. It scores very highly for design and style. It has a very sleek look and is available in a choice of colours.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.35 seconds
10.35 seconds
0.55 seconds
12.5 seconds
2.72 seconds
Ease of Use
If you like the idea of the touch screen then you are likely to be someone who is quite at home with gadgets and you should not have much trouble finding your way around.
Points I Like
Design and style - touch screen control
Where it Could Improve
Photos need to be sharper
Verdict
It may seem that I have been a bit harsh on this camera when it comes to sharpness and picture quality in general. I guess it was always going to be a big ask, but the Sony DSC T77 does not quite match up to the style and looks when it comes to picture quality. You will still be able to take good snapshots with the camera, but you will also find situations where it will struggle compared to the best pocket cameras.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Sony DSC T77 Review Sony DSC T77 Specification Sony DSC T77 Sample Images Sony DSC T77 Features
Review Date
October 2008
