Sony Cybershot DSC-T300

Photo answers review

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The Sony T300 has a 10.1Mp sensor with a built-in 5x optical zoom lens that’s equivalent to 33-165mm on a 35mm camera. The back of the Sony T300 is taken up entirely by the impressive 3.5in sized monitor and there are only four operational buttons on the whole camera. The four remaining buttons control power, playback, shutter and zoom but all the other controls and menus are accessed via the LCD touch screen. The simple layout and slim-line appearance of the T300 means it’s very comfortable in the hand. It has a 1.9-second start up time and to fire the camera into life, simply pull down the protective lens cover at the front. There are 11 scene selection modes to choose from as well as three macro modes including a close focus mode for extreme close-ups.

Pull down the front lens cover on the T300 and the touch screen on the rear kicks into life. The menu can be selected from the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and it’s well laid-out on a vertical taskbar that is easy to navigate. Some of the most frequently used functions such as image quality, self-timer and ISO can be easily accessed just above the menu. The idea of physically touching the screen to adjust your settings and view your photographs can take a few minutes to get used to, but it soon becomes a breeze to use and it’s extremely responsive to the touch.

The ISO range of the Sony T300 is 80-3200, which means it’ll be a good compact for you if you know you’re going to be out shooting in low light conditions. The ISO gave good results up to ISO 400 and acceptable results up to ISO 800. It does offer the option of shooting at 1600 and 3200 if the lighting conditions are exceptionally dark, but always remember the further you push the ISO the more you’ll have to sacrifice image quality.

The Sony T300 is a superb camera, offering clear image quality with strong build quality and a sleek, modern look. The touch screen design may not be to everyone’s taste and the £250 asking price is going to be a little too high for some, but if you happen to be looking for a modern compact with elegant looks and a classy performance – and the T300 happens to fall within your budget – it’ll make a first-class compact for you.

Specification

Resolution: 10.1Mp
Lens: 5x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 33-165mm in 35mm terms)
ISO range: ISO 80–3200
Image stabilisation: Super steady shot
Exposure modes: Auto, 11 scene modes
Flash: Built-in
Memory card: Memory Stick Duo, Memory Sick Pro Duo
Monitor: 3.5in, 230k Touch Screen
Power Supply: Rechargeable battery pack NP-BD1
Weight/Dimensions: 151.7g / 94 x 59.3 x 21.4