Overview
The Sony Cybershot DSC T99 is an ultra compact digital camera. It has a stylish design including a sliding lens cover. Other than the small size of the camera the other big attraction is the 3 inch, touch controlled LCD screen. Aside from the screen the Cybershot DSC T99 is a fairly straightforward point and shoot digital camera.
When it comes to price it falls in mid division for a touch controlled digital camera.
Why Buy The Sony DSC T99
If you are looking for a simple digital camera with a touch of extra style then the Cybershot DSC T99 could be the camera for you. It handles most snapshot situations well. Compared with a lot of touch controlled digital cameras it offers good value for money.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
14
4x
3 inches
93 x 55.6 x 16.8mm
121g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
1cm
Yes
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick PRO Duo
Features
As mentioned above the main feature of the Cybershot DSC T99 is the 3 inch, touch controlled LCD screen. Apart from that feature this is a fairly typical point and shoot digital camera. The only feature that you may find hard to find with other brands is the sweep panorama mode. This mode makes it very easy to create panoramic shots. All you need to do is select the mode, press down the shutter button and sweep the camera round in an arc. Software built into the camera will create a single panoramic shot for you.
More standard features include 14 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens. The lens has a focal length equivalent to 25 - 100mm in 35mm format. This gives it wide angle capabilities. This can help you squeeze wider scenes into your photos.
Sony have included a High Definition movie mode. They have also built in image stabilisation to help combat any blur caused by unsteady hands when taking a shot.
For fine tuning your photos you have access to a standard set of more advanced controls. These include being able to set white balance, ISO and exposure compensation.
You also have access to a smile shutter that automatically fires off a photo if the Cybershot DSC T99 detects someone is smiling. Face detection should ensure you achieve sharply focused portrait shots.
Handling
The Cybershot DSC T99 is certainly ultra compact. It is small enough to slip into just about any pocket. On the front you will find a sliding lens cover. Sliding down the cover reveals the lens in the top right hand corner. It also turns on the camera. The lens is integral. One point to keep in mind when the lens is positioned in the corner is that a stray finger can slide over the lens to ruin a perfectly good photo.
On the top of the camera is the on / off button and the shutter button. You also get access to reviewing your images through a playback button.
The last control on the top of the camera is a small joystick for controlling zoom. This is quite a fiddly way of doing it, but it fits in with the sleek style.
The back of the camera is taken up by the touch control screen. There are no other controls there. I found the screen to be very responsive. It was easy to select icons. Much easier in fact than it is with many touch controlled digital cameras. You can select the icons that display in a strip down the left hand side of the screen. This is a neat feature that gives you fast access to frequently used features.
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shot 1
Due to the high levels of contrast in this shot it can be quite a challenge for a smaller digital camera. The Cybershot DSC T99 copes well with most of these challenges. There is an impressive level of detail showing in the lighter areas of the shot. As with most digital cameras it is the darkest areas where it is difficult to see a great deal of detail.
Sharpness is above average. If I enlarge the photo I can clearly make out every brick on the building. There is minimal loss of sharpness as you move away from the centre of the shot.
The problem of sun glare is also handled well.
Outdoor Scenic Shot 2
If you are looking to take snap shot sized prints then the Cybershot DSC T99 copes well with wide angle shots. If you start to enlarge your photos you may start to notice a loss of sharpness right out towards the edges of the shot, plus a degree of noise creeping into to the darker, shady areas of your photos.
Outdoor Scenic Shot 3
Taking into account the size and price of the Cybershot DSC T99 I am impressed by the quality of this shot. Focusing is sharper than I expected it to be based on the quality offered by other similar digital cameras. The sky takes on a smooth look without the showing the artefacts that I often see from simple point and shoot digital cameras.
Outdoor Building
As with my previous test shot the level of sharpness is good. If I was being picky I would like to see greater saturation in the colours of this shot. The building lacks the depth of colours some digital cameras manage to show.
Outdoor Portrait
This shot takes on a natural look. The skin tones look just about right. Once again the camera manages to produce a sharp photo. You should be able to take plenty of pleasing portrait shots in natural light.
Indoor Portrait With Flash
Using flash adds some extra pink to the skin tones. This is quite a common issue with small digital cameras. Most of the light is concentrated in the centre of the shot. This does lead to one or two darker areas in the hair. The corners of the shot are also a little dark. Although I don't think this is a big deal it does suggest the power of the flash unit is limited.
Indoor Portrait Without Flash
This is another fair effort. There is just about enough light for the Cybershot DSC T99 to focus. The photo takes on a very slight green tinge.
Macro
Macro shots are not really a strength of the Cybershot DSC T99. You might find it difficult to get a truly sharp close in shot from this camera.
Colours
The colours produced by the Cybershot DSC T99 take on a natural look. There were one or two instances where a bit of extra punch would have added to the shot, but at least this camera avoids producing photos that look obviously over saturated.
Noise
On the whole noise is not an issue. As is always the case it will show in photos taken where the light is low and also in darker areas of your photos. As long as you are not overambitious when it comes to print sizes you should not be troubled by noise.
Picture Quality Summary
Overall the Cybershot DSC T99 does a good job for a small, snapshot camera. I would say it beat my expectations and the camera performs well for size and price.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.43 seconds
14.83 seconds
0.48 seconds
16.64 seconds
2.78 seconds
Ease of Use
I found the Cybershot DSC T99 easy to use. Compared to some touch control digital cameras the screen was responsive and it was quick to change a setting. I also like the fact you can select features you use on a regular basis and display them on the main screen.
Points I Like
Small size, design, responsive screen, touch control, ease of use
Where it Could Improve
Colours could offer extra zest
Verdict
The Sony Cybershot DSC T99 does a solid job. If you are looking for a touch controlled digital camera, but do not want to pay the top prices then this is a more reasonably priced option. It can take a decent snapshot and you should have no problems with ease of use. You will always pay a premium for touch control and a stylish design like this camera has, but if this is the type of digital camera you are looking for you should find it offers good value for money.
Where to Buy - Sony DSC T99
Test Shots
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Sony DSC T99 Review Sony DSC T99 Specification Sony DSC T99 Sample Images
Review Date
March 2011
