Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100 First Impressions Review

by Emily Raymond
Published on April 20, 2007

Navigation
Intro	Physical Tour
Components	Design / Layout
Modes	Control Options
Image Parameters	Connectivity / Extras
Overall Impressions	Conclusion

 

Model Design / Appearance

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100 is a sexy camera meant for stashing in pockets and heading to trendy events and places. It comes in three colors – red, black, and silver – that are all glittery. They aren’t gaudy glittery but sophisticated glittery. The ultra-compact digital camera is built from metal and has a sliding metal door that slides up to protect the lens – a design concept that is functional and looks good, too. However, the T100 doesn’t seamlessly blend function and form; users definitely sacrifice comfortable handling for a pocket-sized and trendy camera.

 

Size / Portability

The Sony T100 measures 91.8 x 59.2 x 22.3 mm, with the right side ever-so-slightly thicker than the left side. It weighs 5 ounces unloaded and 6.1 ounces with the memory card and battery. The camera’s small size is what qualifies it for the ultra-slim market and sets it up to compete with models in the Casio Exilim Card series and Nikon S-series, for example. The Sony Cyber-shot T100 can fit in a pocket or just about anywhere easily.

 

Handling Ability

Because of its slim size, there isn’t much room for great handling features, but the T100 manages to squeeze in a few new ones. The camera’s panels are flat and its edges are sharp. The front of the camera has a chrome rectangle that protrudes from the left side where the right hand grips the camera. The fingers grip the rectangle, which is adorned with the Cyber-shot logo. On the back of the camera, the zoom control has a bowl in its center to cradle the thumb. This makes it more comfortable to hold and use. Below the zoom control is a circle, perhaps meant to be another bowl for the thumb, but it’s very shallow and doesn’t help much. These handling features are better than having a completely flat camera, but comfortable handling is inhibited because of the camera’s small size. Users will have to be cautious about not placing their fingers over the zoom lens or accidentally pressing buttoms.

 

Once again, the size of the camera limits the space in which the buttons can fit. Thus, most of the buttons are undersized. The power, playback, and shutter release buttons are on the top of the camera and all other buttons are crammed on the right side of the back in less than a half-inch of space. The zoom control sits at the top of this space. It rocks from “W” on the left to “T” on the right and is very sensitive to touch. The center of the rocker is hollowed so that it is more comfortable for the thumb. The center of the multi-selector is also hollowed out like a bowl, except for the central selection button. There is a new button on the T100 labeled “Home,” which, when pressed, leads users to a user-friendly computer desktop-like interface. The Home menu is all text and even provides explanations of the modes and settings. This new button took some getting used to for me because I’m used to the older models’ setup, but the new layout is growing on me.

The menus are shown on a 3-inch LCD screen so its text is large and the font is very readable. There is a help guide that explains all the modes and settings in about 10 words or less. Below is the recording menu from the program auto mode.

 

 

The following is the Home menu that is lengthy, although it is organized into neat tabs (the bold headings represent those). There is a smattering of options from every aspect of the camera.

 

 

All in all, the menu system isn’t the most intuitive of menus. It certainly wouldn’t work for computer-illiterate consumers. The T100 is designed for tweens and trendsetters, though, who spend time on the computer and also like to tout their fashion accessories.

 

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100 isn’t the most intuitive camera. It has a bevy of menus that appear when the menu and home buttons are pushed. The handling is complicated by the tiny size of the buttons and the flat, sharp edges of the body. All in all, the T100 isn’t the easiest-to-use digital camera – although if familiar with computers and other electronics like Blackberrys, then the learning curve on the T100 won’t be as steep.