Basic configuration for the DSC-T30 is decided in the Setup
menu. The Setup menu is accessible in all modes — playback,
still image capture, and movie mode — as the last option.
The Setup menu, is shown full screen and is divided into five
parts, none of which are longer than what can fit on a single
screen.
The first section is identified as Camera 1 and contains
the folllowing options:
AF Mode serves to select how the autofocus operates:
Single (S-AF): focuses only when the shutter
release is pressed.
Monitor (M-AF): focuses continuously when the
shutter release is pressed and held halfway.
Digital Zoom which offers 3 options: Smart,
Precision or Off(see the Characteristics
section of the review for more information).
Function Guide: On or Off. When On, the camera
displays a short text description each time a button is
pressed, instead of only using icons.
Red Eye Reduction: turns On or Off the red-eye
reduction pre-flashes.
AF Illuminator: to turn On of Off the AF assistance
light that comes on when the ambient light is insufficient
for the autofocus to function reliably.
Auto Review: On or Off. Decides whether or not
the image is shown for 2 seconds on the LCD monitor immediately
after capture.
The second section, Camera 2, holds only one option:
Steady Shot decides how the optical image stabilizer
operates:
Shooting activates the stabilizer when the
shutter release is pressed halfway.
Continuous allows the stabilization to operate
constantly.
The third section is either called Internal Memory Tool
when the internal memory is used, or Memory Stick Tool
when a memeory stick is present in the camera. With internal
memory, only one option is shown:
Format: servest to format the internal memory.
When a Memory Stick is present in the camera, four options
are shown:
Format: serves to format a Memory Stick Duo, or
Memory Stick Pro Duo.
Create REC. Folder: to create a new folder into
which stills and movies will be stored.
Change REC. Folder: to change the folder that is
currently in use to record images to another.
Copy: serves to copy the content of the internal
memory to a Memory Stick.
The last two sections of the
Setup menu contain the most basic settings:
Setup 1:
Download Music: serves to download music to the
camera using the supplied software (see the Software
section below).
Format Music: format (deletes) the music already
present on the camera.
LCD Backlight: serves to adjust the brightness
of the monitor's backlight (Bright or Normal).
Beep selects if and when the T30 produces sounds
while being operated:
Shutter only.
Shutter and operation.
Off.
Language: selects the interface language (English,
French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese).
Initialize: returns all camera settings to their
factory defaults.
Setup 2:
File Number: selects how images are numbered:
Series: numbers images sequentially, irrespective
of the the memory card.
Reset: restarts numbering from 1 when a new
Memory Stick Duo is used, or the Memory Stick is formatted.
USB Connect provides 3 settings:
Auto: lets the camera decide the most appropriate
USB protocol to use.
PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol): to automatically
transfer images to a Windows XP or Mac OS X computer.
PictBridge: to connect and print images directly
from the camera to a PictBridge compliant printer, by-passing
the need for a computer.
Mass Storage: makes the camera's memory appear
as a hard disk to the computer.
Video Out: selects the signal output by the camera
NTSC or PAL.
Clock Set: to set the time and date on the DSC-T30.
As has been the case with other Sony cameras, the manuals
supplied with the T30 are thin, and a little bit light. Nevertheless,
a read through the folded single sheet entitled Read This
First, and a perusal of the printed User's Manual/Troubleshooting
are sufficient to provides a basic explanation of the camera's
functions and their use. Worth noting, more detailed specs
and information about the T30 can be found on-line, on Sony's
web site.
Software
A single CD is bundled with the DSC-T30 in North America.
Titled Cyber-shot Application Software, it contains
the following programs:
Cyber-shot Viewer version 1.0.01.14090.
Picture Package Music Transfer version 1.0.01.11240
USB Drivers for all operating systems that require
it.
Cyber-shot
Viewer allows organizing, viewing, and editing images.
Images have to be imported into the program — a process
that registers the images into the database — either
by selecting images individually, or by selecting folder which
may contain any number of sub-folders.
Once imported, images can be seen as thumbnails, either grouped
by folders, or by shooting date. The size of the thumbnails
can be varied using a slider at the top of the window, a process
that involves the images sliding to new positions as their
sizes change, in a smooth and very well designed animation.
Once selected, an image can
be edited in a separate window that still shows the other
images in a "film strip" on the left side of the
program window, from where they can be selected.
In the editing window, the entire image can be adjusted for
sharpness, contrast, and saturation. In addition, brightness
can be adjusted in dark areas, light areas, or the entire
image. In addition, the program can rotate images clockwise
or counter clockwise.
The other program of note
Sony includes with the DSC-T30 is Picture Package Music Transfer,
a utility designed to convert MP3 files to fit on the camera
so that the music can be used with slide shows.
By default the camera comes with four tunes pre-loaded, however,
any one or all can be replaced. Music cuts have a maximum
run time of 3 minutes, and tunes that are longer than that
are automatically truncated by the program.
While the sound that is produced by the camera's tiny speaker
is a touch tinny, the results are impressive when the slide
show is shown on a TV.
Interface & Software
