Measuring a waif like 91.7 x 60.2 x 14.7mm the Sony DSC-T7 is a stunning piece of design. The all stainless steel body exudes high build standards which gives confidence that such a small case can stand up to the in pocket stress that a life of endless parties and clubbing that awaits the T7. Not since the first DSC-T1 have Sony really made an ultra slim camera and this makes a welcome return to the supermodel stage, we like this format of camera because it makes digital photography so accessible and allows you to take a camera where something bulky just wouldn't do.

We have to point out early in the review that the small size does mean an element of compromise, the first sign of this is opening the box and seeing all the cables and the small cradle that the camera comes with plus an outboard battery charger, all forced because of the DSCT7's dimensions. Should you be able to live with a little clutter you do get a powerful phones with a 5 mega pixel CCD and a 3x optical zoom and a whopping 2.5" LCD screen which dominates the rear of the DSCT7.

Sliding back the lens cover wakes up the T7 and exposes the Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar 3x, 6.33-19.0mm lens this is equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera and produces some excellent images despite being crammed into the innards of the T7. Sony claim a 12 x zoom but the rest of this is down to digital zoom, which while one of the better implementations minimising image degradation is still best left alone and we were pleased to see that it can be disabled.

Working close up is easy with the DSCT7 the macro feature indicated by a magnifying glass is very good with sharp images despite a little use of the digital zoom when you get down to the 1cm minimum focus range. Like most digital cameras there are a plethora of options and most of the inner settings can be manually controlled, for example there are variable ISO settings (64, 100, 200, 400), saturation, contrast, and sharpness adjustments. However its most likely that the T7 will be used in point and shoot mode using one of the 10 preset set-ups that are optimised for indoors / outdoors and the type of action you are shooting.

The focus system is critical in point and shoot cameras and the Sony DSCT7 has a number of auto focus options, ranging from single point to multipoint and snap shot or continuously adjusting AF, from our tests a snap shot seemed best in getting the focus on the area you want, the T7 is quite rapid at getting a fix and there is minimal delay in taking the shot unlike some cameras.

Overall the DSC-T7 takes great images and we were very impressed with it as a package, only in one test were we disappointed and that's it's low light performance, if you dispense with the flash and try some night shots and long exposure images the level of noise is unacceptable. This may not concern you too much in normal operation and even at parties or concerts but any serious night time photography is pointless with a T7.

There are extras as with any digital camera and Sony have opted for video as the second string for the T7 with resolutions of 640 x 480, or 160 x 112 at 16 - 30 frames per second it makes a passable impression of an average web cam, a nice gimmick but not a patch on a real camcorder.

Storage of your images is provided on memory stick duo and duo pro cards which are standard Sony fare, it ships with a 32mb card which is a bit stingy on a 5 mega pixel camera. Getting images on and off the camera is via the small USB 2.0 port which is speedy if not a bit fiddly getting it into the tiny slot on the T7.

Priced at £269 the T7 carries that Sony premium which makes it around £40 more expensive than similarly specified cameras, it is however difficult to put a price on having a camera that really does fit in your pocket.

The Sony DSCT7 is a story of 80/20 80% of the features and functionality are excellent, images are details and well balanced, its easy to drive and the form factor is just spot on. But 20% like the low light performance and the messy kit of cables and outboard battery charger do detract from its overall score. However when you get that slim body in your paws the 20% starts to vanish and the sheer Sony style not seen since the DSC-T1 wins you over, to hold a Sony DSCT7 is to own one.

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Published - 20/08/2005

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