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| Reviewed by Rich Goldberg - July 2004 |
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Whether you decide to buy the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1, or take photos with another digital camera, be sure to share your digital photos with your own online photo album on Photobird.com. Your photo albums on Photobird.com are easy to make, easy to use, attractive, and fun!
If you're shopping online, consider buying the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 at B&H, the sponsor of this review on Photobird.com. B&H is celebrating over 30 years of quality, service, selection, and price.
Camera Introduction
My first impression is that the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 digital camera is a solid piece of technology. In all respects, one expects a Sony product to be solid, functional, well-designed, and a pleasing product to carry around with you to shoot photos. Sony has a long-standing reputation for quality consumer electronics, and that is one of the reasons why I was interested in reviewing this tiny camera.
The Sony DSC-T1 digital camera has all the Sony strengths. It is solid. It feels strong. It fits well in one's pocket. It feels great in the hands.
Overall this a well-designed work of art. Anyone who knows anything about cameras and photography would certainly enjoy having this camera handy.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 box includes the following items:
The 5.1 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 digital camera -
On the left, Image 2 shows the camera with the lens cover open, showing the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. Image 3 shows the lens cover closed. You can see the back of the camera and its large LCD screen in Image 4, the sides of the camera in Images 5 and 6, and the top in Image 7.
One 32MB Memory Stick Duo -
You will need to buy a larger Memory Stick Duo for more photo storage. 32MB will only let you take about 12 high-resolution photos with this camera, before you'll need to transfer the photos to your computer to make room for more photos. You should purchase as large a Memory Stick Duo as you can afford, but at least 256MB. Image 9 shows the Memory Stick Duo and the InfoLithium battery next to the camera.
One Memory Stick Duo adapter -
The Memory Stick Duo adapter allows the physically smaller Memory Stick Duo, which the Sony DSC-T1 digital camera uses, to work with devices that require the physically larger Memory Stick, such as computers, mobile devices, and other digital cameras.
One InfoLithium battery -
One battery is probably enough for most uses. If you shoot photos all day with the camera, you should charge the camera at night, so the camera is ready the next day -- especially if you take enough photos to fill up the Memory Stick. One of the clever things about the USB Cradle design is that when you are done transferring photos to your computer, you will probably leave the camera in the USB Cradle until you need it again (such as the next day); the camera battery will be charged as long as the camera is in the cradle and the AC adapter is connected to the cradle and plugged in to the wall for electricity. Image 10 shows the Memory Stick Duo, InfoLithium battery, and where they're stored in bottom of the camera.
USB Cradle -
The USB Cradle is the camera's method for connecting to other devices and cables. For example, you rest the camera in the USB Cradle to charge the battery, to transfer photos to your computer, and to view photos on your television. The AC adapter cable for charging the battery, the USB cable for transferring photos to your computer, and the A/V cable for viewing photos on your television all connect to the USB Cradle, not the camera itself. This keeps the camera size small by minimizing the amount of surface area on the camera needed for connecting these cables, which are seldom used. The USB Cradle is shown in Images 11 and 12.
USB cable -
The USB cable connects the USB Cradle to your computer, to allow you to transfer photos to your computer from the camera. Be sure your computer has a USB port so that you can transfer your photos to your computer. The USB cable connects to the USB Cradle shown in Image 12.
AC Adapter -
The AC Adapter connects to the USB Cradle to charge the camera battery when the camera is in the USB Cradle.
Wrist strap -
Sony includes a good quality wrist strap to make carrying the camera easier.
A/V cable -
The A/V cable connects the USB Cradle to standard RCA jacks so you can view your photos on your television. The camera needs to be in the USB Cradle and have photos stored on its Memory Stick to view the photos on your television.
CD-ROM
containing Pixela ImageMixer software and USB drivers - The USB drivers enable you to transfer photos to your Windows or Mac computer as if the camera was another hard drive or storage device. In other words, you don't need to use the included Pixela ImageMixer software to view photos on your computer, which is a good thing because the software isn't that good. If you need software for organizing your photos on your computer, there's plenty of better choices out there.
119-page printed manual -
The manual offers very basic instructions and has a lot of fine print making it somewhat hard to read. You really don't need the manual though, because the camera is very easy to use out of the box. Novice digital camera users might need a little help to get started, but you're better off asking for help from the salesperson you bought the camera from or asking for help from any technology-savvy person. Otherwise, you can use the manual to determine what features are included with the camera. If you're looking for tips on how to take better photos, peruse the how-to articles in the Photobird Learning Center and elsewhere on the Internet.
Review criteria
The first really nice thing you notice about the Sony DSC-T1 is that it is small, but it feels solid in your hands. The camera is about the size of a credit card and about as thick as a deck of playing cards.
One of my favorite features is the way the lens cover on the front protects the lens. You slide the lens cover down to turn on the camera and expose the lens at the same time. Even if you turn on the camera with the power button and not the lens cover, you won't forget to move the lens cover down because the camera's LCD view screen in back reminds you with a "Lens cover closed" message if you forget.
Best of all, the Sony DSC-T1 is not a "fixed lens" camera. Despite its size, it has a unique 3X optical telescopic lens that frames the object in the viewer with a mere touch of your finger. When you zoom, the lens doesn't extend outward from the camera as other zooms do, but instead the lens uses a prism to redirect light entering the lens and the extending zoom lens is actually inside the camera!
The Sony DSC-T1 is very easy to use. Flip the protective lens cover down just a short distance to turn on the camera and expose the lens, and you are ready to shoot. The big picture LCD viewer screen (about 2 inches by 2 inches) in the back of the camera gives you a preview of your photo. It makes photography easy for anyone. The Sony DSC-T1 is a camera that can be carried by anyone for those quick on-the-spot photos.
The Sony DSC-T1 digital camera is really small. It's beautiful. At 3-5/8 inches wide by 2-3/8 inches tall by 4/5 inches thin (91 x 60 x 21mm), the T1 easily fits in your pocket. The camera is easy to handle even for large hands. Using the buttons on the camera usually requires two hands to avoid dropping the camera, but you might able to get by with using the camera with only one hand if you're really coordinated.
The Sony DSC-T1 is solid and well-built. The camera feels strong -- like a solid block of steel. You can tell that by just handling it, Sony has built in its quality. There is nothing loose, rough or flimsy about this camera. It is solid.
One thing that is immediately apparent is that the LCD viewer screen is never covered, so it scratches easily, especially if you're prone to tossing your camera in your purse or pocket with sharp objects. It would have been good for Sony to at least include a small cloth pouch or case with the camera to protect it, similar to the case that Apple includes with the iPod. Sony sells a thick, rather bulky case separately that's sold as an accessory, but that case seems like overkill for most people.
The Sony DSC-T1 digital camera is a nice-looking, basic, rectangular package. At first glance, many wouldn't think it was a digital camera; the flat, small design is the latest technology and is impressive when you consider its many features. The soft silver color of the case would make a beautiful paperweight, but this digital camera says "Pick me up and take a lot of photos just for fun!"
The Sony DSC-T1 digital camera is very quick to turn on: just slide the lens cover down. There is also little hesitation between shots, even when the flash is on. Actually, I was impressed with its ability to be reset for the next photo so quickly. I did not think to wait between shots. I just kept clicking away without thinking and the pictures kept on recording.
The InfoLithium battery takes a couple of hours to charge and lasts at least another couple of hours of straight shooting. Battery duration varies depending on how much flash is used and whether the LCD viewer screen has its backlight turned on, which is also very easy to turn off. Fully charged, the camera should enable you to take a lot of photos. The Sony DSC-T1 has a very nice time remaining battery indicator on the LCD viewer screen that shows in minutes how much battery charge is remaining.
As you can see in the photos on the left, it's hard to knock the quality of photos coming from the Sony DSC-T1 digital camera. After all, the camera is the size of a deck of cards, has a 3X optical zoom lens, and 5.1 megapixels. The photos are pretty amazing -- among the best I've seen. Image 1, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge at 5:30 in the morning, is one of my favorite photos -- and it was taken with the T1. I'm somewhat surprised how well the photo came out, especially considering the size of this camera. (Michael Reichmann is right. Taking quality photographs is about timing and location, not your equipment. I took 7 shots of the bridge, and the last few shots -- taken about 4 to 5 minutes after this one -- look very different and don't have that amazing deep blue color.)
For the average person, the photo quality from this digital camera is more than sufficient. Sometimes, you can see some noise and other strange artifacts in the photos, especially in low light conditions, as you can see in Image 1, but overall the quality of the photos for this size of digital camera is superb.
The Sony DSC-T1 has a built-in flash, suitable for close-range indoor shots requiring additional light. As with most built-in flashes, you're not going to be able to light up a room, but the flash will help add fill-in light. As with any camera, it's best to experiment to see what will work for you in most situations. Unfortunately, and yet not too surprisingly because of its size and intended use, the T1 does not have a tripod mount which would help steady the camera in low light conditions. When you use the flash, take a few shots of the same scene to increase your chances of getting a good steady shot. I had some difficulty getting an in-focus shot without a lot of jitter for the rubber duck in Image 18. Ideally, you'll want to use the Sony DSC-T1 in well lit conditions where you won't need to rely on the flash.
The Sony DSC-T1 is about $500 on the street and at online retailers. Other 5 megapixel compact digital cameras are in the same price range. $500 is a lot of money, but you're also getting an amazing, easy-to-use digital camera in a very small package.
If you're shopping online, consider buying the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 at B&H, the sponsor of this review on Photobird.com. B&H is celebrating over 30 years of quality, service, selection, and price.
My Favorite Features:
Easily fits into shirt pocket
Feels solid in the hands - not flimsy or cheap
Protective door covering lens
Tells you when lens is not open
Large LCD viewer screen
Controls are well-placed, easy to use, right at your fingertips
Easy to charge battery
3X optical zoom is easy to use
Satin finish silver case looks nice
Camera is very easy to use with little experience
Areas of Improvement:
LCD viewer screen not covered, so it scratches easily
Sony should include a case to protect the camera when not in use
Difficult to see LCD viewer screen in bright light
Might be too heavy to carry all the time in shirt pocket
If you have large hands, it may be difficult to operate little buttons
Focussing in low-light conditions with flash can be difficult
Price
For those of you, like me, who are familiar with traditional film cameras, the Sony DSC-T1 digital camera is a pleasant surprise. Don't expect big knobs, buttons, and lenses like your old 3-pound SLR or 2-pound range-finder. The Sony DSC-T1 digital camera is a totally different and revolutionary camera . It is easy to use and pleasant to use. This camera needs finger tip precision, so if you are a bit clumsy or have big fingers, you may at first have difficulty manipulating the controls, but the buttons and push controls are at the right places, and a little practice will find it easy to use.
On the down side, while the LCD preview screen is big and you "get what you see" in bright light outdoors, I had some trouble seeing what's on the LCD view screen in bright sunlight. The T1 doesn't have a viewfinder like other cameras to see what you are shooting; it only has the LCD screen. For the most part though, most people won't miss the viewfinder.
All in all, with the number of pixels available for your digital photo, it's hard to expect anything better than this little marvel. Another solid product from Sony.
Whether you decide to buy the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1, or take photos with another digital camera, be sure to share your digital photos with your own online photo album on Photobird.com. Your photo albums on Photobird.com are easy to make, easy to use, attractive, and fun!
Related Links
Photos of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1
Sample photos from the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1
Sample photos in their original sizes from the Sony DSC-T1
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-T1 website
Review of the Sony DSC-T1 from Nicole Morrow on Photobird.com
Review of the Sony DSC-T1 at Luminous Landscape
Review of the Sony DSC-T1 at Digital Camera Resource Page
Review of the Sony DSC-T1 at Steve's Digicams
Photobird's Top 10 Tips for Buying a Digital Camera
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Rich Goldberg is a retired attorney who likes photography, easy-to-use gadgets, and big buttons. He may not know who Steven Tyler from Aerosmith is ("Is he a pilot?"), but he knows what an SLR and a range-finder are, and knows a nifty gadget when he sees one.
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