2000 Unbiased Reviews Since 1999
or Browse:
Type
Brand
Price
Need
Browse By Type Find the digital camera that fits your needs
Browse By Brand Find a digital camera from your favorite brand
Browse by Price Choose a max price using the slider below
Max Price
Any

$150.00

Any Price
Buying Guides Find the perfect digital camera for... See more
Jump to a part
Advertisement

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100

First Impressions Review

Previous: Page 1

Physical Tour

Next: Page 3

Design / Layout
April 20, 2007 By Emily Raymond
0 Comments
(add your own)
 
Viewfinder
The Sony T100 doesn’t have an optical viewfinder. It instead uses the preview from its 3-inch Clear Photo LCD screen. The preview is enormous, but it’s a little jumpy – like it’s not quite a 30 fps feed. The display information can be changed on the LCD screen by pushing the top of the multi-selector. File information can be viewed or hidden, a histogram can be added, and there is a gain up and down mode for the LCD screen for better viewing in broad daylight or for saving power. Learn more about the LCD screen’s capabilities in the next section.
 
LCD Screen
The 3-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen takes up almost the entire back of the camera. There is less than a half inch of space on the right side where the control buttons are crammed. The screen looks great with its 230,000 pixels. The T100’s screen is the same one found on the SLR-like H9, except the H9’s screen is hinged on a monitor so it can fold out. The large screen on the diminutive T100 can be viewed from almost any angle, whether you look at it from the sides, the top, or bottom. The only problem with the T100’s LCD screen is its tendency to build up grease, which reflects light and exaggerates smudges. Still, the final verdict on the LCD screen is good because of its high resolution and big size.
 
 
 
Flash
Sony flaunts the T100’s ability to take great pictures without the flash because it has optical image stabilization and high ISO sensitivity; these features combine to make what Sony called its Double Anti-Blur Solution. This isn’t a mode on the camera, just a title from Sony’s press release.
 
When users choose to use the built-in flash, they can turn it on with the right side of the multi-selector. It cycles through auto, on, off, and slow sync options. Red-eye reduction can be turned on and off in the recording menu.
 
The built-in flash is located to the upper left of the lens. The specs indicate it can reach 0.1-3.7m when the lens is zoomed out, and the ISO is automatically set. Using the ISO 3200 setting and when fully zoomed in, the flash is effective from 0.1-7.7m. The coverage of the flash is questionable. There seemed to be a hot spot just off-center to the left in the images, probably due to the flash’s physical positioning.
 
The flash didn’t overpower subjects in the convention center. There is a flash level option in the recording menu that allows users to select from +, Normal, and – settings. The flash isn’t the T100’s most impressive component, but it’s certainly better than the average ultra-slim digital camera’s flash.
 
Zoom Lens
Like other Cyber-shot digital cameras, the T100 has Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar branded glass. The 5x optical zoom lens is longer than the average ultra-slim model’s lens. It is constructed from 12 elements in 10 groups with three aspherical elements. Measuring 5.8-29mm, an equivalent 35-175mm, the telephoto end of the zoom range is aided by Sony’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization. This system keeps videos much smoother. It also reduces and sometimes eliminates blur in still images. It can be turned on and off in the recording menu, but it should be kept on unless you’re really in a bind for battery power.
 
The lens moves throughout its 5x range with a control located on the upper right corner of the back of the camera. This rocker-type control is very sensitive, stopping at about 29 focal lengths. Indeed, the Sony T100 focuses quickly when it zooms in and out.
 
The 5x optical zoom lens seems almost perfect except for its placement. It is located in the upper right corner of the front, just where the left fingers wrap around the camera. When I first picked up the T100 and entered the playback mode, I looked at pictures snapped by other people at the convention. About a third of the shots had blurry fingertips in them. Thus, users should be careful where they’re putting their hands on the T100 or the nice lens won’t be able to capture a thing.
 

Shop for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100

Loading Recently Viewed Products
Advertisement

Latest News
& Reviews

Top Rated Point & Shoots

  • Panasonic Lumix FZ150
    Panasonic Lumix FZ150
    $459.99
     1

    Panasonic Lumix FZ150

    Excellent image quality, speedy performance, and a great design add up to the best superzoom that has ever graced our labs. That distinction seems to change hands every week, but trust us when we say that the FZ150 is a truly great camera. Read full 16-part review

    $459.99
    Read full 16-part review
    Types
    Any Zoom
    3,5.1
    3.1x to 5x Zoom
    5.1,10
    5.1x to 9.9x Zoom
    10,
    10x & Larger Zoom
    Any Megapixels
    0,8
    < 8 Megapixels
    8,10
    8 to 10 Megapixels
    10,
    > 10 Megapixels
  • Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
    Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
    $378.89
     2

    Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

    Canon's SX30 got a CMOS makeover that resulted in the SX40 HS, an impressive ultrazoom that captures beautiful shots in almost any scenario. Read full 16-part review

    $378.89
    Read full 16-part review
    Types
    Any Zoom
    3,5.1
    3.1x to 5x Zoom
    5.1,10
    5.1x to 9.9x Zoom
    10,
    10x & Larger Zoom
    Any Megapixels
    0,8
    < 8 Megapixels
    8,10
    8 to 10 Megapixels
    10,
    > 10 Megapixels
  • Sony Cyber-shot HX100V
    Sony Cyber-shot HX100V
    $427.95
     3

    Sony Cyber-shot HX100V

    This professionally-geared ultrazoom offers some of the best color accuracy we've ever seen. It's a shame the other scores weren't quite so strong. Read full 16-part review

    $427.95
    Read full 16-part review
    Types
    Ultra-Zoom
    Any Zoom
    3,5.1
    3.1x to 5x Zoom
    5.1,10
    5.1x to 9.9x Zoom
    10,
    10x & Larger Zoom
    Any Megapixels
    0,8
    < 8 Megapixels
    8,10
    8 to 10 Megapixels
    10,
    > 10 Megapixels
    16.8 MP
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
    $314.95
     4

    Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47

    Panasonic resists the urge to cram more megapixels and more focal length into their latest ultrazoom. The FZ47 instead focuses on image quality and features, resulting in an incredibly strong camera that we loved shooting with. Read full 16-part review

    $314.95
    Read full 16-part review
    Types
    Any Zoom
    3,5.1
    3.1x to 5x Zoom
    5.1,10
    5.1x to 9.9x Zoom
    10,
    10x & Larger Zoom
    Any Megapixels
    0,8
    < 8 Megapixels
    8,10
    8 to 10 Megapixels
    10,
    > 10 Megapixels
  • Canon PowerShot S100
    Canon PowerShot S100
    $417.00
     5

    Canon PowerShot S100

    Canon's PowerShot S100 improves on the popular S95 and takes its place at the top of the point-and-shoot food chain. Read full 16-part review

    $417.00
    Read full 16-part review
    Types
    Any Zoom
    3,5.1
    3.1x to 5x Zoom
    5.1,10
    5.1x to 9.9x Zoom
    10,
    10x & Larger Zoom
    Any Megapixels
    0,8
    < 8 Megapixels
    8,10
    8 to 10 Megapixels
    10,
    > 10 Megapixels

Features

Jump to a part

Shop for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100

Advertisement
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100
First Impressions Review
0 Comments
(add your own)

Previous: Page 1

Physical Tour

Previous: Page 3

Design / Layout