The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 is a gorgeous camera with some strong points, but also a number of glaring flaws. The camera's most obvious strength is its size and design. At only 2/3 of an inch thick, and with a sleek sliding cover, it's very easy on the eyes. The LCD is wide-screen, 3.5 inches diagonally, and has a razor-sharp 920,000-dot resolution.
In our lab testing, we were pleasantly surprised by the excellent color accuracy and image stabilization, and the image sharpness (though this is partly due to software based sharpening). The rest of the results were less pleasing. At low ISOs it tended to have more image noise than other tested cameras, and the small lens led to significant image distortion and chromatic aberration. The T900 also lacks useful controls and options, most noticeably the ability to take a manual white balance setting or manually control aperture and shutter speed. Even in auto mode, the limited range of shutter speeds and apertures is also a problem. The manual does a poor job of explaining camera functions and how they work. One of our major gripes is the touch-based interface system, which is just that little bit too unresponsive, leaving you wondering if you've hit the proper icon or not. Also, because the icons have to be large enough to press with a finger, there's room for fewer of them on the screen at a time.
If you're in the market for a camera that looks great, is incredibly small, and takes decent photos, then maybe the Sony T900 is for you. We would recommend taking some time to play with the menu system before purchase, though, as it can be quite frustrating. If you have a bit more space in your pocket, the Canon SD970 performs slightly better, and has a much friendlier user interface for the same sticker price.
