SPECIFICATIONS
Lens Type: Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar
Optical Zoom: 5x
Dimensions: 96.4mm x 59.3mm x 1 5.4mm
Weight 1 40g (with battery)
Battery Type: Lithium ION NP-BN 3.6V
LCD Type: 3.3 Xtra Rne OLED
WHAT’S HOT
- Responsive OLED touch screen
- Dust, shock, water, and freeze proof
- Exmor R CMOS sensor captures quality photos
- Magnifying Glass Plus mode
WHAT’S NOT
- Not Wi-Fi enabled
- Lack of buttons for effects and settings
- Red-eye in some shots with flash
BOTTOMLINE
If you seek the thrill and adrenaline of the great outdoors, the Sony Cybershot DSC -TX30 rugged camera is the one for you (even if you are just plain clumsy)!
REVIEW
In this age where you take photos of your meal before you start eating, dress to impress so you can share your outfit for the day, or even post your bare morning face online, taking photos through our cameras consumes a significant amount of time in our everyday lives. We invest money in choosing the best camera, but sometimes, it ends up falling on the ground and breaking or getting dunked in a pool of water with no hope of getting fixed. The Sony Cybershot DSC-TX30 is a rugged camera that won’t die on you even if it falls up to five feet from the ground or accidentally plunges underwater.
One day, I went on a trip to the water dispenser, and walking back, I saw a box on my desk, waiting to be opened. I knew that instant, that it’s the time of the month where we get a firsthand experience on some awesome gadgets and bring reviews to our readers in glossy paper. This time my editors handed me the 2013 model of Sony’s Cybershot DSC -TX30 to review. I’ve had a black point-and-shoot slide down Cybershot with me since high school, and over the years, it suffered through a lot of falls and mindless tossing around, but it still served me well. If you belong to the clumsy club, the DSC-TX30 is a rugged camera made to withstand one’s rough outdoor adventures and inevitable clumsiness.
The DSC-TX30 is a stylish water-, dust-, shock-proof touchscreen compact. Curiosity struck me after reading the camera’s descriptions. Waterproof, eh? Before submerging the unit underwater, I made sure that the lid at the bottom (the cover for the ports) was shut. After executing preventive measures, I powered the camera on and carefully dipped it underwater-it still worked fine.
For shock-proof, I had no intentions of throwing the camera, but gravity happened, and it made a voluntary free-fall to the ground. Again, the camera still worked just fine. I didn’t think staying inside my drawer and bag will prove if it’s dust-proof, so you’ll just have to see for yourself. Since we are living in a tropical country and I do not plan on putting the unit inside the freezer, I wasn’t able to push the camera to its limits.
The slim and tough test unit I got for review was in silver, with a white strip highlighting the camera’s left side. Along with its minimalist casing, physical controls of the DSC-TX30- the shutter-release, the power button the movie recording button, and the zoom control-are all rested on the upper side of the unit. Turning the unit reveals a touchscreen rear. Pushing the on/off button or sliding the camera lid down powers the snapper on. The interface is user-friendly, with a lot of settings to capture your moments accurately. Using the camera with two hands feels natural, though with its flat and sleek physique, a little slipping might happen, which make its shock-proof feature handy.
With a 1229k dot 3.3-inch OLEO LCD touch screen, playing with settings and effects on the DSC-TX30’s screen is a breeze. Viewing photos on in TRULUMINOS display is also a joy. Although, it lacks a bit of brightness if used in sunny outdoor conditions. When it comes to the shutter’s responsiveness, the DSC-TX30 is a speedy little camera. Focusing on subjects can be done with a touch, and it takes less than a second for it to adjust to its surroundings. The speed of processing shots may vary depending on the camera setting, but generally it is very quick.
Considered an upped version of its predecessors, the DSC-TX30 utilizes an 18.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor with upgraded extra pixels. Photos are richly detailed with very low image noise. It has an internal Sx (26-130 mm) optical zoom which can be extended to 10x through the use of its Clear Image technology which consequently won’t produce a high quality image, but still, it can be great for web usage. I am not a pro when it comes to taking superb photos, so I was able to keep my hands steady to capture sharp shots using the DSCTX30′ s Optical SteadyShot function.
The two auto modes really came in handy. I want to take awesome photos but when I try, it seems to be hostile in nature. The Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto adjusts camera settings automatically. The latter recognizes a wide array of scenes, whereas the former adjusts to dimly-lit conditions and recognizes if the subject is moving. The two auto modes help produce adequate quality photos. The DSC-TX30 is also infused with a number of scene modes and artistic picture effects such as Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Soft High Key, and Partial Color. It depends on your artistic view and eye for creativity where to put the treatments to use. This sleek snapper can also shoot panoramas.
The Magnifying Glass Plus mode is suitable for shooting tiny objects. The LED light, which is beside the lens, brightens up close-ups. You can shoot at 10 fps when switching to continuous shooting mode.
Producing flawless portrait shots with the DSC-TX30 is made possible with Beauty Effects, which enables re-touching of photos to remove blemishes, whiten teeth, remove the shine from oily faces, and other effects which can be executed through camera applications. But still, what you capture naturally is much better.
Video quality is pleasant, recorded in 1 080p with very good exposure and highlights. The audio quality is so-so since the mic is stuffed inside the casing for protection from underwater submerging.
ISO settings are available, enabling you to retain a decent amount of detail.
Being waterproof up to 10 meters deep, the DSC -TX30 remains functional underwater, but its touch screen controls will be deactivated as soon as it gets submerged, so you have to lock in the right settings before you plunge.
Built for those who share love for the great outdoors and those who are simply ham-fisted, the DSC -TX30 is a simple, responsive, and nifty camera made for you.
Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos
First published in Gadgets Magazine, September 2013