Sony Cyber Shot DSC T700

At the outset let me accept that I am a Sony person. Most of my electronics are Sony. Its one of the things that’s important to me when I buy electronics. Honestly though, I think Sony may not be the best in technical features on all products but overall it understands customer needs and comes close no. 2 on most electronic categories. To me, having all products from the same brand lets me connect and network them to each other easily. The Sony items I have are listed below (my opportunity to show off):

1. Television – KDL52W4500
2. Music System – CM1 UBT
3. Playstation 3 – 60 GB
4. Playstation Portable – 1^st Gen
5. Camera – DSC T700
6. MP3 Player – NSWS205F
7. Portable DVD Writer
8. Dictaphone – ICD P620
9. Portable Radio – SRF-S84N
10. Had the P1i mobile before I got the iPhone

With the above caveat, let’s now move to the review of the current product in question – The Cyber shot DSC T700.

Another caveat: I am not a technical expert on photography but I have an eye for good photographs. I also have a good understanding of practical usage of a camera and that’s the perspective that I will be providing in this review. It’s for people who are looking for some opinion on the product from people who have used it because I was looking for such a review when I wanted to buy this camera. Without any further delay, let’s start.

The DSC T700 overall, is a very stylish camera. Again not 10 on 10 on technical features but if you want something that looks stunning and is 9.5 on technical features then this one if for you. I must also tell you that you do pay a premium for the brand and the style that comes with this camera. I paid £240 but the prices have come down now.

In a nutshell, the quality of pictures is great, it’s sleek, the screen is big and the automatic recognition works well. If you like shooting short videos from your digital camera then it shoots in VGA which looks descent on a 52” LCD and an enhancement from the previous version let’s you zoom in and out during the recording.

Let’s review its main features (the ones that I understand):

10.1 Mega Pixel
I rarely print my digital photos but the high resolution captures more detail which is clear when I watch them on my 52” LCD screen.

4 GB Internal Memory
Depending on how you see it, it might either be a plus or a minus. If the memory was not inbuilt, the camera would be much lighter and sleeker, however, with the built in memory you don’t have to worry about a memory stick till about 900 pics in the highest resolution.

4x Optical Zoom
Not a lot but you have to keep in mind the fact that this camera is only 16 mm wide. I wish it had more though.

Intelligent Scene Recognition
This feature recognises your photo, adjusts the settings for the best shot and then categories it on the hard disk so when you are going through them its easy to find pictures with people in it or only landscapes etc.

3.5” inch screen
This one feature will get you the most complements. It’s great for looking at your photographs on the go and has some interesting features built in.

Optical steady shot
While this is much better than other cameras and does make your pics steady, I saw another canon camera which had commendable steadiness.

This is the final verdict on a review website and I totally agree with it:

“The Sony Cyber-shot T700 has excellent build quality, respectable performance and image quality that will be more than sufficient for most casual snapshot situations. It has some useful and entertaining features, but its primary feature is its style. It is designed to appeal to a very specific kind of person”.

That specific person is clearly me and I was looking for a camera that  not only took great shots but looked great itself, could be stashed in your pocket for city shoots and for holidays too.

Going forward I do plan to buy a SLR, use that as the primary photography camera and this one as a secondary point and shoot (as it is rightly called) camera.

Tips in case you have/buy this camera:

1. The camera can be switched on and off by sliding the lens cover without using the button. This is a better thing to do because sometimes you forget sliding the cover back up after switching off using the button. This lets dust into the lens. I learnt this after 300 pics. You’ve got a head start.
2. Invest in a good screen protector for its screen at the time of buying this camera itself. It’s a touch screen so you will end up staining and scratching it otherwise.
3. Buy a pouch because it does not come with one and you need a good pouch to keep it cleaner for longer.
4. Getting on of those little flexible tripods is a good idea, especially if you are travelling alone. The camera is really sleek and it never stays on anything for a timer shot.
5. An extra battery is a must if you think you will shoot more than 200 pics before you can charge it again.

Here's the link to the pictures and videos from this camera.

So, what do you think? Worth the effort? Anything insightful not covered on the internet already? Waste of time for you and me? Let me know your thoughts by posting your comments below or writing to me at itchynav@gmail.com.