Sony DSC-T30

Reviewed September 2006

Characteristics

Equipped with a 1/2.5-inch, 7.4 million pixel CCD of which 7.2 million pixels are effective, the Sony DSC-T30 is able to capture a maximum image size of 3072 x 2304 pixels, in addition to 6 other image sizes:

Images are saved in JPEG format exclusively, using either one of 2 compression levels: Fine, the least compressed format and the one that offers the highest image quality, or Standard, a stronger compression that allows fitting more images onto the memory card albeit at a slightly reduced image quality.

When the camera is set to the Program mode, CCD sensitivity starts at 80 ISO and can be manually increased to 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1000 ISO, or even set to Auto, which lets the camera adjust the sensitivity as necessary from 80 to 320 ISO. With the T30 set to the Auto or one of the Scene modes, sensitivity is always automatically controlled.

The DSC-T30 uses a lens of similar composition as has been used on other T-series cameras: light entering the lens is redirected through a prism and into the internal 3X Vario-Tessar Carl Zeiss optical zoom. The zoom itself is composed of 11 elements in 9 groups, which includes 3 aspheric elements to correct curvilinear distortion.

The zoom lens has a focal length range that covers from 6.33 to 19 mm, the 35 mm equivalent of a 38 to 114 mm.

Apertures start at f3.5 at the wide angle end of the zoom and extend to f8. While at the maximum telephoto setting, these apertures become f4.3 through f10.

Overall, a shutter speed range that covers from 1/1000 second to 2 seconds is available to the DSC-T30, although the 2-second exposure is only available with the Fireworks or Night Scene modes. Used in Program mode the shutter speed range extends only down to 1 second, and from 1/1000 second to 1/8 second in all other modes.

In addition to the optical zoom, the DSC-T30 features two types of digital zooms:

• Precision: a standard digital zoom (up to 6X) that interpolates the image to the currently selected image size, causing a loss in image sharpness.
• Smart: which crops the maximum image captured by the CCD to show the equivalent field of view that a telephoto longer than 3X would show, but which to achieve this effect demands that the selected image size be something less than the maximum 7-megapixel.

While the image size is selected independently on the DSC-T30, all settings other than those selected with buttons on the outside of the camera are made in the menu. With the camera set to the Still Image capture mode, and to Program mode, the mode that gives the user the greatest amount of control, the menu offers the following options:

• Camera is the access to the still image capture modes: Auto, Program, High Sensitivity and all the Scene modes (see the Ergonomics section of the review).
• Colour decides how the image is recorded: Black and White, Sepia, Natural (decreased saturation), Vivid (increased saturation), Normal (the default).

• EV: serves to manually adjust exposure compensation over a range of ±2 EV in 1/3 EV increments.
• Focus selects the auto focus type:
  • Multi AF selects the focus point automatically using 5 AF areas arranged in a cross in the middle of the frame.
  • Centre AF focuses using the centre focus point.
  • Spot AF focuses using a small area at the centre of the frame.
  • Manual uses preset distances of 0.5, 1, 3, 7 metres or infinity.

• Metering serves to select the metering pattern: Multi, Centre-weighted or Spot.
• White Balance: offers settings for Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent or Flash.
• ISO: sets the CCD sensitivity (only available with the Program mode) Auto (80 to 320 ISO), 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, or 1000 ISO.
• Picture Quality serves to select the JPEG compression level: Fine or Standard.
• Rec. Mode provides for the following shooting modes:
  • Normal: captures one image each time the shutter release is pressed.
  • Burst: captures a burst of 5 images at the highest resolutions and the least compression.
  • Exposure Bracketing: records a series of three images with the exposure values automatically shifted by the increment selected in the Bracket Step option (see further).
  • Multi Burst: captures 16 images at a pre-selected shutter speed (see further) and stores the shots into a single 1280 x 960 pixel image. During Playback the sequence is shown as an animation, making it possible to "decompose" a fast movement such as a golf swing.

• Bracket Step serves to select the bracketing increment: ±1/3 EV, ±2/3 EV, ±1 EV. (This option is only accessible if the Bracketing Mode has been selected in the option above.)
• Interval: selects the burst speed for the Multi Burst mode (1/7.5 second, 1/15 second, 1/30 second). (This option is only accessible when the Multi Burst mode has been selected.)
• Flash Level allows adjusting the flash exposure over three levels: + (plus), Normal, or - (minus). (This option is not accessible when the flash is Forced Off.)

• Contrast: provides three contrast levels (+, Normal, -).
• Sharpness: controls the in-camera sharpening applied to images (+, Normal, -).
• Setup: is the access to the Setup menu. (For a listing and description of each of the options contained in the Setup menu see the Interface and Software section of the review.)

When the camera is set to the Movie mode, the menu is limited to options for Exposure Compensation, focusing, metering, white balance and picture effect, and still provides an access to the Setup menu.

The Playback mode menu of the DSC-T30 is also superimposed on the lower part of the screen, but each option has to be selected with the small button at the centre of the navigation control to reveal its settings:

• Folder: to select the folder from which images will be played back when using a Memory Stick Duo.
• Protect: to protect images against any accidental deletion.

• DPOF: (Digital Print Order Format) serves to select images that will be printed on a DPOF compliant printer or service.
• Print: makes it possible to print selected images when the T30 is connected to a PictBridge compatible printer. The options available are: This Image, Select, DPOF image, or All in this folder. When connected to the printer, an Index print can be made, the print size selected, the date superimposed on the image (if supported by the printer), and the quantity of prints to make of any image selected.

• Slide Show: starts an automatic slide show with a selectable interval (3, 5, 10, 30 seconds or 1 minute). In addition, the slide show can be set to use images from a specific folder or all folders, and can be selected to loop or not. Transition effects can be used, and music can be set to play during the show, selected from the tunes already loaded into the camera, or uploaded to the T30 using a utility included with the camera.

• Resize: makes it possible to make a copy of an image at a different size than the original and save it as a new image.
• Rotate: makes it possible to rotate an image in 90° increments.
• Divide: serves to edit movie clips by dividing them into two sections.
• Setup: is the access to the Setup menu.

In addition, when the MENU button is pressed while an image is magnified on the monitor, a Trimming option is presented. making it possible to select part of an image and re-save it as a new image.

Equipped with a 58 MB internal memory the DSC-T30 is not retailed with a memory card. Nevertheless, as other compact Sony cameras, the DSC-T30 is compatible with Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Pro Duo memory cards. The memory card slot is located behind the same cover door as the battery, on the right side of the camera, and the battery is held in place by a clip to prevent it from sliding out when the Memory Stick Duo is accessed.

The chart below provides an idea of the number of images and the length of videos that can be stored using the 58 MB internal memory, and using an optional 1 GB Memory Stick PRO Duo:

The only external connection of the DSC-T30 is underneath the camera. The Multi-use terminal is designed to be used with a special cable that is supplied with the camera. The cable has a switch on the end that connects to the camera, which allows the camera to be connected via USB (2.0 High Speed) to either a computer or printer using the Camera position, or to a television (NTSC or PAL) using the TV position. In addition, the cable also offers a DC IN jack, intended for use with the optional AC-LS5K AC adapter, that serves to power the camera with household current.

A small speaker is positioned next to the Multi-use terminal, and its volume during playback can be adjusted using the up and down arrows of the 4-direction controller.

A standard, metal tripod receptacle is also underneath the camera.