Sony Cybershot T900

Photo answers review

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The Sony T900 comes with a 12.1MP sensor with built-in 4x optical zoom lens that’s equivalent to 35-140mm in 35mm terms. Picking up the compact for the first time, it feels slim and well-balanced in the hand. This slimline feel has been achieved by fitting a 3.5in touch screen to the rear, which controls the majority of the camera’s menus and options. A lack of obtrusive buttons means it’ll slip into pockets effortlessly and just five buttons on the top-plate of the T900 control power, playback, shutter, zoom and movie mode.

Slide the T900’s protective lens cover down and within two seconds you’re ready to start capturing images. Photographers who enjoy macro work will love the close focus macro setting which allows you to get within a centimetre of a macro subject and, best of all, it quickly focuses without any sign of hesitation. If you’re looking to get the best from portraiture, turn Face Detection on and you’ll stand a much higher chance of getting your subjects clearly in focus with the correct exposure. If you want to increase your chances of capturing happy faces, turn the Smile Shutter mode on and it’ll automatically fire as soon as someone gives you a grin.

A look at the 921k-dot LCD screen shows its uncomplicated menu system; head up to the top left corner and the home button gives access to the main camera settings. Move down to the bottom left corner and you’ll find the main menu where settings like image size, white balance and flash intensity can be controlled. Other commonly used functions like multi AF, metering mode and ISO are found between the menu and display options just beneath the histogram. If you’re not used to touch screen devices, it can take a couple of minutes before you become familiar with it. The touch screen is extremely responsive, too, meaning you need only the lightest of touches with your fingertips.

The ISO range on the T900 stretches from 80-3200, giving you the option of cranking it up when the lighting conditions become exceptionally dark. Testing the ISO showed strong results up to ISO 800. Push beyond ISO 800 and you’ll have to sacrifice image quality for digital Noise.

An exciting new feature on the Sony compact is the ability to record 720p HD video that’s recorded at 30 frames per second and suitable for playback via an HDTV. The quality of the video is crisp and the sound quality is exceptionally clear. Up to 60 minutes of footage can be recorded on a 4GB memory stick pro duo card and it’s a really handy additional feature to have at your fingertips for making the occasional movie.

Sony’s T900 is a desirable compact that offers clear image and video quality but given the choice, we’d choose the stylish black version over the brushed metal silver.

It shares similarities to Sony’s T300 in terms of the touch screen but has been improved with its larger 12.1MP sensor and ability to record high definition video. The £338 price makes it a tad pricey, especially when you compare it to the price of the Sony Alpha 350 D-SLR body that’s £4 less at £334. If you can budget for the high price and can’t wait for it to drop, the T900 makes a superb compact choice.

To see a 360 degree view of the Sony T900 click here.

Specification:

Resolution: 12.1 Megapixels
Lens: 4x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 35-140mm in 35mm terms)
ISO range: ISO 80-3200
Image stabilisation: Optical SteadyShot capability
Scene selections: Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight using a tripod, Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Portrait
Face Detection: Yes
Smile Shutter: Yes
Metering: Multi, Centre & Spot
Flash: Built-in
Flash modes: Auto, Forced Flash, Slow Syncro, No Flash
Memory card: Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo High Speed, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo (same speed as PRO Duo), Internal memory (11MB)
Monitor: 3.5in, 921.600 dots
LCD field of view: 100%
Power Supply: Lithium D, NP-BD1 Battery
Shooting Life: 200 shots, 100 minutes using LCD screen.
Weight/Dimensions: 147g (W/H/D): 97.9 x 57.8 x 16.3

A range of accessories for the T900 can be seen by clicking here.