I own the DSC-F828 (8 megapixel) Sony...and do a lot of varied work, usually taking it everywhere. But it's a bit slow out of the bag sometimes, for a simple snapshot. Therefore I purchased this camera (the T-3 Euro version) as an adjunct to the big brother.Frankly, 5 Megapixel appears a bit less sharp now that I'm used to 8 Megapixel ....and the lens CAN be a tiny bit soft focus in low light. Yes, there's relativly few manual adjustments, too.
Flash is not bad, works well as a fill in sunlight, a bit harsh indoors. But then I shot a lot of no-flash, as slow as an 1/8, handheld. It works well. Nice colors, too,
However, this little devil powers up FAST as I draw it from the Sony leather belt holster. Red Eye reduction, 3x zoom, *HUGE* view screen (really impressive for showing off to your friends what you just shot...), neat carry strap.
This thing is really HANDY....not as your ONLY camera but as the all-day, EVERY-DAY camera. It fits on your belt in as little space as a cell phone with the abilty to shoot all day long....
I bought a travel charger & spare battery (these can charge while I shoot), extra memory (came with a 32mb I bought a 128, then a 256. You buy a 512.), and the nice Sony leather belt case. Look for a USB memory stick reader, like the wonderful SanDisk MobileMate MS (the size, literally, of a USB flash drive, i.e. keyring-able), and you're ready.
You can afford this. Think about it. Super small, excellent quality, out of the way...but ALWAYS there. Get it. Or, let me put it another way, "Can you afford less?".
PS What I REALLY like about this camera is that my big 828 scares the pants off my subjects because it's seen (to them) as "professional", yet no one runs away when I pull this little guy out. You can see the differences in their attitude right away.
I get more intimate pictures, with minimal quality loss, using this camera far more frequently, now, than the 828.
Buy Sony Cybershot DSCT33 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station) Now
We purchased this camera as a replacement for our bulky Sony DSC-P52, which stopped working after year or so due to a problem with the lens mechanism. Naturally, only time will tell if this is any different, but in the meantime, here's what you need to know about this baby:The Good:
1) Size and weight Fits almost comfortably in any pocket. Much thinner and lighter than any previous digital camera I've owned, thus encourages one to carry it most anywhere. The size is also pretty comfortable for one-hand shooting.
2) Big LCD screen You didn't need me to tell you this, right? Makes previewing images and taking shots much more satisfying, though sometimes it does not appear very clear, especially if the subject is not static. However, it is bright and rich in color.
3) InfoLithium This is Sony's name for a battery that tells you how much time it has left only approximately, of course. If use is consistent, will provide you with a good idea. If you use one function then another then another, it tends to vary much more and is not as useful.
4) Integrated charger/USB station A flimsy plastic cradle takes care of charging the on-board battery as well as providing a USB hookup for downloading images and video into the computer. Minimizes wires and removes the need for a separate charger, though the bright white color is far from a match.
The Bad:
1) Focusing problems The camera cannot focus on objects that are relatively close to it. I am not speaking about macros, but simply the function or lack thereof to focus on small, near objects, such as coins, stamps, or text. Quick focus on objects farther away, though.
2) Integrated Battery I listed the InfoLithium as a positive, but the fact that you cannot just pop-in a couple of AA batteries means you will always need the station or the plug to charge up if you need some juice. I don't know if the battery is universal, but even if it is, it will cost substantially more to purchase a replacement.
3) Incompatible Memory Sticks I will not complain about Sony's desire to make consumers pay more for its cards than adopting a standard, but this camera uses the MemoryStick Duo, which is about 1/4 or so smaller than the "regular" MemoryStick. This means that the hundreds you may have invested in memory cards for previous Sony digital cameras are pretty useless, as they do not fit into this or any other device using the smaller cards.
4) Ineffective Flash The flash is tiny, thus does not provide adequate illumination in the dark. Within a few feet is okay, but farther subjects are not touched.
5) 3x Optical Zoom C'mon, this is 2005! 3x optical zoom is pretty pathetic for such an expensive camera.
6) Slow Write Speed There is a decent pause between pictures, meaning you not be able to shoot at a rapid rate. You can certainly take pictures in bursts, but it takes even longer to write to the memory stick. Previewing the images is also slow. This is also disappointing, as it's not faster than my older P52.
7) No Tripod Hookup If you wish to use a tripod, you have to mount the camera on the plastic station, then connect the tripod to the plastic dock. This is far from ideal.
Well, there you have it. The negatives I listed may be insignificant for you, in which case this could be a great value for you. I am certainly happy with it, but I only wish Sony would stop treating its customers like cash cows with changing standards, compatibilities, and dubious long-term quality.This is a great camera for travel and everyday events because of its small and convenient size. We bought it to replace our bulkier Sony DSC-F707. The large screen is wonderful! The video feature is a lot of fun but due to the small size it is hard to take a steady video. The battery meter is very useful as it tells you how much time you have left. The main downside with this camera is the flash. It doesn't work well in very dark conditions for distant or even slightly distant shots. If it weren't for the flash, I would have given this a rating of 5 stars. This is overall a good camera.
For more serious digital photography, we prefer to use the Sony DSC-F707 as it has a better flash and zoom. However, it is too bulky to carry around.We were early digital camera adopters so this model is now our 5th or 6th camera. A requirement for us when we buy a digital camera is the availabilty of an underwater housing since we use these camera during scuba trips. We have a larger Sony DSC-F707 with an Amphibico housing which does a great job for us but requires a crate when we take it diving. This camera was purchased with the Sony brand underwater housing which is tiny and neatly organized so the entire package and is very compact to travel with. Sony has made some significant improvements in their underwater housings since the first generation including double o-rings and ability to support the deepest recreational dives. Camera and housing fit in a tiny backpack and easily goes under an airplane seat. For serious underwater photography you will require heaps of external light and I'm not a fan of Sony's underwater lighting solution but other choices exist.
My favorite things about the camera are the large 2.5" screen which allows me to easily see which shots I want to keep. The small, thin and light size also makes it easy to use. The big selling feature for me was a 640x480 30 fps mpeg movie capability so we can email clips that people can actually see. The docking station makes sure it is always charged and ready. I've been very pleased with the battery life. As far as "cons" go there are few. I would like to see a better flash (which seems to be the case with most digital cameras) and more than the 3x optical zoom. Again, a larger zoom seems improbable in a camera this size. On land, the unit is a bit inconvenient to use with a tripod since it must be in the docking station to mount. I consider all of these to be minor since my primary goal was to have a small underwater-capable camera that would do 640x480 mpegs and bright 5.1mp shots. For me, Sony met those goals in a small form factor and at an attractive price.
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