Ultra Compact, Travelmate (Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T500)

Member Name: gemsarchitect

Product:	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T500
Date:	01/02/09 (124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very Slim design, Face detection, Image stablizer

Disadvantages: Higher ISO problem

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T500
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Sony is a leading brand in consumer electronics market and products almost all consumer electronics items. The vaio series of notebooks, mobile phones, television items and popular cameras in professional digital SLR to normal compact range. Sony has some good product in ultra compact camera series with previous models like DSC-T2, DSC-T70, DSC-T100, DSC-T200, DSC-T300 and now the new one DSC-T500.
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Design and look
Camera is completely dominated with ultra compact and very slim design, the dimension is about Width 9.7 cm, Depth 2.1 cm, Height 5.9 cm, and total weight is about 180 g. Now have a look on its depth, it is only about 2 cm. 2it look like mobile phone and almost normal mobile thickness is remains more than 1.5cm to 2 cm. So that enjoy this camera like a mobile phone and its all dimensions are not much, and it is easily pockatable.
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Sensor and Other features
The camera lens resolution is almost 10.1 Megapixel with Super HAD CCD. 10 megapixels is considered as good enough for digital compact cameras. Next feature that is important for any digital camera is its ISO sensitivity. This camera support ISO 100 to ISO 3200 range of sensitivity. I always had problem in ISO setting as if we have ISO till 200 than we will get good resolution photographs after that it starts to get noise in details. So in compacts camera the main problem is about ISO sensitivity and this camera also have same kind of problem that it will give you good detailed photographs till ISO 200 after that it will starts to increase noise in image.
Camera has about 5 x of optical zoom and 2x of digital zoom. 5X optical zoom in such a slim ultra compact camera is an excellent feature and it is amazing. The built in flash capacity or range is an average with maximum 3.5 m.

The most important features are its face detection technology and optical image stabilizer, these features are today's requirement. Due to face detection technology we will be able to capture detailed face photographs. Image stabilizer is meant for moving objects or it will help us in camera shaking condition.

The LCD screen size is much more than many other compact cameras and it is about 3.5" TFT touch screen. I want to say again that this is a touch screen. I personally don't like touch screen but you might be fan of it.
Camera has power source with one Li-ion rechargeable battery having capacity of 680 mAh .There is nothing special with its battery as it is average battery pack.

Next feature is its scene mode, Compact camera doesn't have many manual controls but they have built in scene mode so that we can easily set camera to any scene mode as per the condition and take photo easily. We need not to have much knowledge of digital photography as it can help us for any scene condition. There are scene modes like Landscape, hi-speed shutter, twilight portrait or close shots, fireworks shots for capturing burning or fire conditions, soft snap, twilight mode, beach mode, snow for getting great snow fall scenes, and high sensitivity mode. High sensitivity mode is required for low light condition but it is not recommended at all, because it will increase noise in image detail and it will become very bad due to loss in details.

Camera has some manual controls also like exposure compensation controls, ISO settings etc.
Over all this is a good ultra compact camera for travelling purpose. We can keep with us as any time due to its small and compact size. Recommended.

Summary: Go for travelmate

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