Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital Camera Review

Model Design / Appearance (8.5)
The Sony T30 is meant to be slim and sleek so as to appeal to a stylish and moderately sophisticated audience. The digital camera comes in black and silver housings; both have chrome accents and matte textures that look and feel good. The metal surfaces make the camera feel sturdy, but the large glass screen on the back is vulnerable to scratches and cracks. There is a sliding lens door that not only protects the lens when closed, but provides a finger grip when opened. This functional and stylish design is found throughout the T30, emphasizing its slim components and a strong image stabilization system.

Size / Portability (8.0)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T30 isn’t as slim as some of the Casio cameras, but still measures up at 3.75 x 2.25 x 0.9 inches. The thickness of the T30 varies too; its front panel curves outward just slightly. The curve allows the slim camera to slide easily into just about any pocket – even those tight leather pants. It weighs 6 oz fully loaded, so users would definitely be able to feel it if it slipped out of a pocket. This Cyber-shot has an eyelet on the front of the camera that also doubles as a finger grip. The eyelet and the included wrist strap, along with its slim size, make the Sony T30 very portable.

Handling Ability (6.75)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T30 handles better than most ultra-compact digital cameras. It is rectangular, but includes more features to enhance handling. The curvaceous front panel makes a nice cradle for fingers to wrap around it. The eyelet near the bottom protrudes just enough for the right ring finger to firmly grip the camera. Near the top, there is an indent where the sliding door retracts; that indent is perfect for the other right fingers. The texture of the metal feels good to the touch and is neither too slick nor too rough to touch. The only handling problem with the Sony T30 is the lens placement: the left fingers easily wander in the view of the lens.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (6.0)
The T30 has fairly traditional controls. There are no rotary dials or joysticks or anything abnormal. Everything is very straightforward, organized, and well-labeled. There is a round multi-selector on the back, along with four small buttons that surround it on the top and bottom. The buttons are under-sized, but they are spaced far enough apart that pushing one won’t accidentally push another at the same time. The zoom toggle is located in the top right corner of the back; it is sensitive enough to frame subjects exactly as they should be. Overall, the controls aren’t anything out of the ordinary, but their simplicity is refreshing.

Menu (6.5)
The Cyber-shot T30 has menus traditional to other Sony digital cameras. The recording menu appears at the bottom of the LCD screen over the live preview. There is a gray bar along the bottom with all the icons of the choices. Just above the gray horizontal bar is a smaller black bar above it with the text of the highlighted icon. Below is the camera’s main recording menu, as it appears in the Program mode.