Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
by Sony
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Our Price: $32.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony Cybershot DSC-T1 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Customer Review: For All Of You Who Have Read The Bad Reviews... STOP!
Summary: 4 Stars
I am one of the most skeptical people you will meet and I am also very neurotic, which means when it came to doing the research for a new digital camera I was extremely thourough. The first thing I did was place a call to my geekiest friend who I knew I would recieve good advice from. Knowing what I was looking for in a camera he instantly suggested the sony dsc t1. I began to read approx. 150 reviews only to become very confused by all the horrible reviews I was reading. I called my buddy back to ask what he thought about this and he told me to STOP reading user reviews, because most people who write a review never have anything good to say and he suggested i check out steves digcam online for a very thorough and informed review. I did this and found that the camera got quite a wonderful review on this site, and I figured if I read anymore I wouldn't end up with a camera...just a headache! I purchased the sony dsc t1(which also came highly recommonded from the salesman) and I could not be happier with my purchase. Once you get past the cool level of the camera, based on size, sleekness and overall screaming of "play with me" by this camera you'll find it is much more than that. It takes excellent pictures. Is extremely easy to use, and like you'll read in most of the good reviews of this camera, the suggestion to READ THE MANUAL, is very beneficial. All the naysayers out there seem to me, to have no idea how to use this camera, because I can't believe all the complaints people seem to have, with blur, and red eye, and blah blah blah. The truth of the matter is that all cameras have idio syncracies and as the owner it is your job to figure them out and make the appropriate adjustments, and if you take the time to read this manual you'll find how easy it is to correct the problems you might find your having, and then you'll find what a joy this pocket size marvel is. Last but not least, I am very much a beginner, but what I've learned quickly is that any program you use, be it photoshop, picture manager, and my recommended Picasa2 from google, the ease in which you can correct problems like red eye or sharpness, blurring etc. are as easy to fix as one click away, so if your worried that your pictures dont look good when viewed on your beautifully massive lcd screen, DONT. Thats not the way you or your friends are going to look at your pictures. They'll see the pictures that you've taken time to correct(if you need to) on your computer, to which I promise can be absolutely stunning if you take a little time. I guess what I'mn trying to say is BUY THIS CAMERA AND YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED!Customer Review: A Tale of Three Cameras
Summary: 4 Stars
Prior to purchasing a T1, I had been porting one of two digital cameras, the tiny Canon Powershot SD10 and the Canon Powershot S50. Both the Canon models are very good at what they do.The 4MP SD10 (still considerably smaller and lighter than the Sony DSC-T1, but with no zoom) excels at taking short-range flash pictures indoors. I carried it in my shirt pocket and used it as kind of a notepad to record prospective film rentals, purchases, and all manner of things I might want to do more research on later. Also, if I happened to run across something of more photographic merit, at least there was some possibility of doing it justice.
When more serious about taking photos somewhere, I would strap the S50 (5MP, 3x zoom) on my belt and expect generally high quality results.
When the T1 was released, I saw it as potentially replacing the functions of these two cameras in one pocketable device. In truth, it is not quite as good at either end of the spectrum, but the results are close.
For notepad use, you cannot turn it on (via the lens cover) with one hand and shoot with the same grip as you can with the SD10. In spite of the increased megapixels, the apparent resolution is about the same, and text appears sharper and cleaner on the SD10. The SD10 allows you to set a two second exposure delay, which enables you to steady the camera and avoid motion blurring caused by hitting the button. On the Sony, the delay is fixed at ten seconds, which is awkwardly long. The zoom on the T1 allows you to control your flash distance while still being able to completely frame your subject, as opposed to the fixed lens SD10. Once you've taken a photo, the screen and controls on the T1 are much better for scanning (or reading) the results in-camera. Of course, the SD10 is easier on the pocket and pocketbook.
Not surprisingly, for general photographic use the Canon S50 still has an edge over the T1, but not by as much as you might think. When comparing shots of the same outdoor subject, I found the images from the Sony somewhat noisier, slightly less sharp, and a little overexposed. (I recommend turning down the EV in sunny environments.) Otherwise, there isn't much to distinguish them in most circumstances, which I find amazing given the dimensions of the T1. Also, it's nice to know how long your battery is going to last.
At present, it is difficult to find a high capacity Memory Stick Pro Duo chip in stock anywhere at a reasonable price--sad that the T1 has been released before you can buy adequate memory. I don't know anyone who likes Sony's flash memory formats besides Sony.
Customer Review: Sexy, showy, but solid
Summary: 4 Stars
I'll give a non-technical/beginner photographer's take on this camera:
about me/needs: I live in an urban environment (Chicago and NYC) and travel a lot. I was going on interviews across the country to schools and I wanted to be able to record my experiences. I wanted something small that would be powerful and be able to record video and pictures that were highquality.
My experience with the T-1: I haven't used the newer models but what I found about the T-1 was it was extremely inituitive. Pretty much you just slide the front down and on the side, click it to picture and you're ready to go. The LCD display resolves well in both sunlight and at night. To change flash modes, you just fiddle with the controls. Extremely simple. Going to videocamera mode isn't hard, you just click the notch down for video recording.
At night panaroma views- the camera doesn't resolve very well. If you use the flash, the background doesn't come out. If you don't use the flash, the light doesn't come in clearly. Everything is sorta muddled. It's extremely frustrating.
What makes this camera shine is the videorecording capability. I've recorded videos at Coldplay concerts from half a stadium away- with the camera zoomed in. It's amazing. The sound comes in crisp clear and the resolution is sharp. I like how the camera is so small and you can get quality videos.
Problems about the T-1: I didn't give it the full 5 stars because of the price and difficulty in getting clear pictures on the go. I spent over 500 to buy the t-1 two years ago. It's signficantly cheaper but still the newer models are at about the same price I bought the original for.
I had difficulty getting clear-well resolved pictures and I did read the owner's manual. You have to hold the camera really still and brace your arms onto something stable to get non-shaky pictures. In the commercial with Aerosmith's lead singer, the girls are sitting at a restaurant and one of them whips out the camera and takes a picture of him walking by. It's true the camera is quick to respond but I doubt she was able to get a clear shot of the guy with her arm shaking like that.
If you want a camera that has the wow factor. amazing video recording quality and solid picture capabilities (if you can keep the camera still), this t-1 is for you. you'll find it for middle 300's almost everywhere now and it's definitely a bargain. I'm much more a dabbler in photography and this was a great starter for me.
Customer Review: A good camera once the settings are fixed
Summary: 4 Stars
As many people have noticed, this camera does not take good pictures out of the box. But if you spend a little time taking test shots and playing with the many controls, it can produce stellar results. With mine, I found that by setting it to Program mode (instead of Auto), setting the exposure to -0.3 EV, and the speed to ISO 100, I get consistently excellent results - not quite as good as bulky cameras costing twice as much, but impressive for something as small as this. Thankfully the camera remembers these settings between uses, so the adjustment only needs to be done once. Since then the camera has been a constant companion and lives in my pocket all the time (the lens cover has never once opened accidentally, perhaps because I slide it into my pocket endwise). The vulnerable controls and LCD on the back of the camera are protected by my PDA, which lives in the same pocket.Also, don't be afraid to change the flash power setting. This can make a huge difference when you're taking a closeup of Tiddles or shotting your daughter's birthday party. (Sony - why isn't the flash power automatically coupled to the focus distance?)
Instead of Sony's expensive accessories, I bought a cheap PCMCIA memory stick adapter that lives permanently inside my laptop. That means I only have to take the power adapter when I go travelling. The ludicrous docking station and USB cable stay home.
The camera needs more memory. The supplied 32MB isn't nearly enough; I immediately upgraded to 256MB, which is more than I'll ever need.
But the single biggest drawback is NO TRIPOD MOUNT. Big mistake, Sony.
To anyone who uses Photoshop to correct the colour balance or other defects: learn to use your camera! There's a menu setting for this. Play with it and do some test shots. Put a little effort in now and save a lot of time later.
At the end of it all, it's a great camera, incredibly versatile and capable of high-quality results, but with some serious but (mostly) easily-corrected defects. Most people aren't going to spend the time making test shots and calibrating the camera, which is a shame because it's necessary if you're going to take good pictures. Sony should not have released this camera in this condition, and I hope they get it right next time - if they do, they'll have a real killer on their hands. Even so, I'd still strongly recommend this camera to anyone who's willing to put the effort in and who (like me) doesn't have the option of waiting for the next version.
Customer Review: Sony DSC-T1 - Patience and understanding to get the most...
Summary: 4 Stars
I have recently purchased this digital camera, and like many others, fell in love with it right away. Problems/issues that other reviewers have noted do come up. I have already found ways of resolving them, either in the manual, or simply by trial and error. Photography is a hobby that takes patience. Digital photography is no different.
It seems like many had high expectations for this camera, given it's $500 price tag. I agree that the price is a little too high for what you are getting in the DSC-T1. Realize that this still is considered a simple point-and-shoot camera though.
This is the perfect camera if you're looking to carry a digital camera everywhere you go. The picture quality is very good, and realize that different conditions while taking the pictures need different settings. If you're looking for a camera that will take perfect pics on the Auto-everything mode... good luck with that!
Blurry pictures are usually a result of camera movement. Like other reviewers have said, because of the compact size of DCS-T1 it makes it more difficult to steady in your hand(s). Keep practicing, and you'll get the hang of it. I also recommend that if the situation permits (time), you press the shutter button down halfway to allow the camera to focus and get a better read on the surrounding conditions, before pressing all the way. There is another reviewer who said that their blurry picture issue was resolved after a reset, which is worth a try too if you want. I have not had to reset my camera.
The battery life is great. The AC adapter does connect directly to the camera, if needed. The Duo Memory stick is not too big of a problem simply because Sony includes the MS adapter, so the Duo will work in MS Pro slots just as easily. Definitely buy larger capacity MS Pro Duo sticks (most from SanDisk come with MS Pro adaptors). A tip for the LCD screen: cut to size and place a PDA screen protector over it for added protection against scratches.
If you're frustrated with your DSC-T1, don't get discouraged so quickly. Keep using it, keep reading about it, and you'll find that it really is a great camera.
4 out of 5 stars. Not 5 stars because of the price.