Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100

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There isn’t a mode dial on the Sony T100, so users have to enter the Home menu to switch to the auto mode. This isn’t the easiest or most intuitive setup but it’s perhaps the most space-saving option. Once selected, the auto mode’s recording menu shrinks so the manual controls aren’t accessible. The functions on the multi-selector and the home menu are still completely accessible. The face detection feature works in Auto mode. This feature will be discussed more in the auto focus section of this review. The auto mode is easy to use, finding it is the hard part.

The Sony T100’s movie mode can be found at the bottom of the list of exposure modes in the home menu. It offers television-quality video, although it doesn’t work smoothly unless the camera is loaded with a Memory Stick Duo Pro card, which is not included with the camera. 640 x 480-pixel video can be shot at 30 fps with the card or 16.6 fps without it. There is also a 320 x 240-pixel size that records a choppy 8.3 fps meant for fast emailing.

 

The 5x optical zoom lens is functional while recording movies, as is the optical image stabilization system. This can be turned on and off in the menu. The audio is functional and it even sounds good. This is much better than competing ultra-slim digital cameras’ movie modes.

 

Although this Sony doesn’t provide fancy video features like Casio’s Past Movie mode, which pre-records video before the user presses the record button; the widescreen video mode on Panasonic models; or the high-definition movie mode on the new Canon TX1, the Sony T100 still provides a lot of options that are surprising for a camera in this class.. Below is a rundown of the movie mode menu.

 

 

The combination of the 5x optical zoom and the Super SteadyShot image stabilization keeps movies interesting and stable. Video can be recorded at decent resolution and controlled so that colors always look good. Subjects are always focused and everything is properly exposed.

 

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100 has the same burst mode that is on the SLR-like H9. It shoots 2.2 pictures per second. This pace is kept at any resolution and snaps up to 100 shots at a time. This is fairly impressive for an ultra-slim digital camera; there are faster models, but they only shoot three or four pictures at a time. The burst mode can be selected in the recording menus of the Program Auto and Auto modes. The bottom of the multi-selector also activates a self-timer from any mode. It can be set to a 2 or 10 second delay before taking a picture.

 

The playback mode is accessible by pressing a conveniently located button atop the camera. The button makes it easy to switch between reviewing and shooting pictures When the camera is powered down, it can be turned on directly into the playback mode by pushing the button down for a second. Pictures can be viewed individually with or without information and a histogram. Perhaps the biggest drawback to the Sony T100’s playback mode is the delay that occurs when scrolling through images. There is a tiny delay between the time the multi-selector is pushed and when the next picture appears, and then there is another delay between when the picture appears and when it actually focuses (it appears blurry at first).

 

The 3-inch high-resolution LCD screen makes viewing a bit more enjoyable. A few people can gather around the camera and see the pictures even if they aren’t directly in front because of the screen’s wide viewing angles. 

 

There are plenty of editing and viewing options in the playback menu, shown below.

 

 

The Sony T100’s slide show is quite elaborate with the ability to play four soundtracks as background music. There are four preloaded tracks, but users can customize the music by uploading their own MP3s. Interestingly, the music is uploaded through the Print tab of the Home menu, which isn’t very intuitive at all.

 

The retouching features are new to Cyber-shot digital cameras. The Soft Focus mode allows users to move the point of focus with the multi-selector and then blur all else in the frame. This works well for portraits. The other editing options aren’t quite as useful. Partial Color allows the selection of a spot within a picture and causes the rest of the frame to go black-and-white. The spot is about a sixth of the frame. The fish-eye lens effect works with mixed results and can be set to look wider or narrower. The Cross Filter puts a sparkle into your smile – or your glasses if those are causing a glare in the picture, although this effect looks really fake. Trimming and red-eye correction are also available.

 

Overall, with its multiple viewing platforms and musical slide shows, the playback mode is everything a point-and-shooter would want..

 

Once again, the presence of a mode dial would have made accessing the scene presets a little easier. However, there just isn’t enough space for such a feature. Thus, users have to dig through the Home menu and then navigate the list of exposure modes to the Scene option. Once the Scene option is chosen, it can be selected in the top of the recording menu. This doesn’t require the IQ of a genius, but it isn’t as easy of a layout as found on other models. Beach, Fireworks, High Speed Shutter, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Snow, Soft Snap, Twilight, and Twilight Portrait scene modes can be found in the menu. The recording menu is still populated with options depending on the selected mode. Exposure compensation, image size, image stabilization, and occasionally white balance, are almost always available. The list of scene modes covers all the basics, and the optional controls are a nice touch too.