Sony Cybershot DSCT7 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

I've already been the happy owner of a Sony DSC-F828 "big" camera for over a year, and still consider it perfect for my serious photographic needs.

However, precisely _because_ it is so big, it can be very inconvenient to bring along, and also very intimidating to potential picture subjects.

Enter the new Sony DSC-T7. I didn't realize just how _much_ smaller, or more precisely, how much thinner it is than all other digital cameras until I saw it in person. It not only fits in a shirt pocket, it fits in a shirt pocket _along_with_ a Treo or an iPod. Because its 3x zoom lens is folded, it does not protrude at all when taking pictures, meaning most subjects won't even realize a camera is pointed at them, let alone that it is zoomed in and high resolution. This greatly easy getting natural expressions in informal photos.

Next, the specifications of the T7 are better than those of other similar Sony cameras such as the T1 and T33 in ways I care about, such as doubling the number of pixels in the 2.5" LCD screen, including an auto-focus assist lamp, and USB 2.0 support without needing driver software when used with Windows XP.

One of my pet peeves about digital cameras is that they are not protected from the elements. The T7 helps this in two ways. First, its on/off switch is a solid lens cover. Second, the camera fits easily in the smallest size zip-loc sandwich bag, and can easily be operated while in the bag, providing serious dust and splash protection.

One further protection is needed, but easily handled. The LCD needs protection, which I provided by covering it with a sheet of screen protector plastic left over from an old PDA.

As you might expect from such a thin device, battery life is somewhat limited (about an hour of continuous use, set up for maximum brightness, continuous focus adjustment, and automatic flash. For that reason, I bought a spare battery, and since the charger is bigger than the camera, suggest other buyers do the same.

Similarly, plan on getting more memory immediately. The supplied 32M is good for only 14 pictures at top resolution. I settled for 512M, the largest I could actually buy at time of purchase, but would recommend the new 1GB size if available to you as you buy. The memory door appears a bit flimsy, so it seems best not to need to open it too often.

I bought this for my point and shoot wife to take on a week-long trip, and thereafter to have it with us whenever a shot might present itself, but not surely enough to carry the large camera, or in situations where keeping the large camera clean and dry might be an issue.

If you too are a serious hobbyist, do be aware of unavoidable limitations: 1) 5MP is good, but not as good as the 7MP of a few also (barely) pocketable cameras. I decided smaller size outweighed higher resolution, but you may feel differently. 2) F4 is 2 full stops dimmer than the F2 of my other camera, which matters quite a bit when the light is low, as does 3) the ASA maximum of 400, rather than 800. There's also 4) no place to attach a filter. For a second camera, these are all perfectly acceptable compromises, in my opinion.

Highly recommended as a second camera for hobbyists, or as a first camera for folks who want a very convenient and very high quality point and shoot camera.

My main criterion for my 2nd digital camera was: can I jog with it in my pocket? Of all the 5mp+ I looked at, this is the only one that really won't be annoying. And has now been tested on several jogs with great success. It is very solid, sturdy, and dense. It really is as wide and high as a credit card, and LESS than a cm thick, not counting the sturdy lens cover. That cover was a big selling feature for me, as I am afraid of those flimsy metal leaves that close to 'protect' some lenses, while in my pocket. Although it has slid open by itself in my pocket, but the auto-off protected its battery.

After 3 weeks, I have taken many great photos with it. It has an amazing macro capability: better than 1:1! It really is like a magnifier, the icon they use for that mode.

I miss the time-lapse feature of my Canon S50 ("intervalometer") and hope Sony gets a firmware upgrade to include that. Although this is not a full 'manual' camera, it has many adjustable features, and seems to choose well when you let its AI do the adjusting. The video is awesome, esp. at full res (640x480) as is the sound. In fact, you could set it to low res, just to use it as a sound recorder-well over an hour on my 512M stick. At high res, you get only ~10 min on a gig stick, but considering this is not a camcorder, that is fine for capturing many moving 'images'.

I LOVE the very fast start-up, well less than 1 sec. Great for catching those spontaneous shots while riding in a car. And it is quiet: no motors whining to give away your photographic intensions. (The zoom motor is virutally inaudible).

I was very pleasantly surprised how intuitive all the buttons are laid out, and menus too. Sony did a lot of usability testing. Much better than my Canon. And the buttons are the sturdiest of its class of tiny cams.

It has a tiny tripod hole, so needs their adaptor/desk-stand to mount (included). Battery is tiny but not as feeble as some reviews reported. I love Sony's 'infolithium' that tell you how many minutes you have left. Get an extra, tho. The screen is awesome, and can be booped up for easy view in broad daylight. Who needs a viewfinder?

Sensitivity and noise are pretty good-night images possible. Image colors are over the top, so I turned down the 'saturation' setting.

It is so tiny, you better use that long neck strap so you don't lose it. I keep it tied to my belt loop and forget I have it with me at all times now.

If you want the best really small digital camera out now (May 2005) then this is the one.

Buy Sony Cybershot DSCT7 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Now

I had this camera for several weeks now and took over 100 pictures. The pictures are really good with this size of camera. People who complaint abut the picture quality of this camera either they expect too much from Sony or they never use an ULTRA-COMPACT camera before. You cannot compare this camera to the bigger (compact) camera from Canon, Nikon or Pentax. The depth of this camera is about half of the Canon SD lines (ex. SD400) and Pentax S5i OR 1/3 of the Canon S lines (ex. S410).

I currently own both Sony F828 (8MP) and Pentax S5i (5MP). I get this camera because it's thinner and has a larger LCD screen than the Pentax .

Of cause, the picture quality cannot compare to a semi-pro camera like Sony F828 but it's about the same as or better than Pentax S5i. This camera is great to take outdoor pictures or indoor pictures with short distance (under 5 feet). You cannot use this camera to take group photos (saymore than 4 people) because the flash is not strong enough to produce a good picture. Some people complaint about the noise but all they need to do is to lower the ISO to 200 or below to avoid those noises.

I did not notice much about blurry pictures. The pictures come out great 90% of the time for indoor. Outdoor pictures are always great. Color is very decent also.

Pros:

1. Small easiest to carry and decent picture quality

2. looks great

3. high quality built and feel great to hold

4. battery is very decent compare to my Pentax

5. histogram

6. very good movie resolution with no time limit.

Cons:

1. add a charging station so that the battery does not have to come out when charging

2. a little bigger and stronger flash is good

3. a little bit pricy but built quality is great compare to my Canon or Pentax. Hey, why people are willing to pay more $$$ for an entry level Lexus when they can get an Avalon or a Camry with same options for thousands less.

if you're looking for a camera to fit all situations (day, night, group photos), you need to get a BIGGER cameras but it's more difficult to carry around. I got rid of my Canon S410 and got a Pentax S5i about 6 months ago because the Canon is too fat to fit in the pocket

Read Best Reviews of Sony Cybershot DSCT7 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Here

Outstandingly awesome! Feature rich, yet simple to use and YES, it does have an OPTICAL zoom. The quality of the photos are great. And it's very small I can wear it around my neck and forget it's there because it's so light. As an avid photographer for many years (even back when the equipment wasn't digital!), I can say this is an incredible piece of technology.

Want Sony Cybershot DSCT7 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Discount?

I was looking for a ultraslim camera to replace my 2 years old Canon S400 which is still too thick and heavy for me as a snapshot camera. When I first saw the T7, I was attracted to its super sexy style. So the T7 automatically sit on top of my short list for the next camera. (the others are Panasonic FX7, Canon SD400 and Nikon S1) Before I made the decision, I have read a lot of reviews online regarding the T7, people are either love it or hate it, and I understand why soon after I got my hands on the it...

I purchased the Sony T7 from a local store (although Amazon offer a better price, it would be a huge hassle if I don't like it and decide to return it). But soon after taking a few pictures with the camera, I discover that this is definitely not a camera for me.

For those people who highly rated this camera, those are the people who love sexy and stylish gadgets, in this category, T7 should be a perfect choice. It is super stylish, slimmer than anyone could imagine for a 5MP camera and it is definitely an eye-catcher and a head turner that people just can't keep their eyes off it!

However, after I calm down from it's stunning appearance and start using it, I immediately realize the reasons why so many users of T7 left negative feedbacks. The camera is too small that it is awkward to hold and take pictures steadily. Lens and the large LCD screen are prone to the fingerprints. All of the pictures took indoor is grainy and noisy, even with the help of flash. The flash is so weak that it hardly reach over 6 ft. Using the red-eye reduction function will further induce handshaking effects and ghosting effects when taking pictures indoor due time required to steadily hold the camera is longer. Ironically, a camera of it's size is prone to red-eye since the lens and the flash is so closely located.

In short, the image quality of all the pictures T7 took are disappointingly lower than the pictures took with my 2 years old Canon S400. The supporters of T7 may argue that T7 is much smaller than S400. That's true, however, personally, at this price, I would expect the picture quality is on par or at least come close to my 2 years old S400.

PRO

Super slim, super stylish and attractive

Body feels sturdy and well build

2.5" large LCD screen

Very fast start time

CONS

Difficult to hold steadily

Weak flash

Weak battery life (Additional battery pack cost $50)

Use MS Duo/Duo Pro (Which costs approx 50% more than SD with similar speed)

Pictures taken indoor are noisy and grainy

Prone to red eye, but prone to hand shake when using red eye reduction

Lens and LCD screen are prone to fingerprints

After playing with the T7 and the comparison tests with my old S400, it is very clear to me that T7 isn't a camera that worth its price. The bottom line, how good is a camera if it can't take even decent quality pictures even though it looks cool on the outside? I am going to return it to the store and luckly they don't charge for restocking.

I am going to continue my research on the other cameras on my list (Nikon S1, Panasonic FX7 and Canon SD400) which are just a little thicker than T7 and cost approx $100 less! So far, I have seen less complaints on each of these cameras than T7.