1. Introduction
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T33 Review, Dimitrios Tolios, July 2005
Review based on a production Sony Cybershot DSC-T33 model
S/N: 4504055, firmware version 1.00
Introduction
Shortly after the CyberShot T3’s introduction, Sony decided to widen its ultra-compact digital camera range with yet another 5.1 MP model. The CyberShot DSC – T33 features a slim metal body which reassembles but still improves aesthetically the original design Sony introduced with the DSC – T1. Highlighted into the specifications sheet are the impressive 2.5” TFT screen and the 3x zoom Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar lens which does not protrude from the body while in use.
Sony clearly states in its site that the T-series cameras are designed as “Snap-shot” Cameras with ease of use as their primary trait. But given the high sensor specifications and the relatively high price, we would like to see if image quality and creative options are just as advanced.
2. Specifications
Specifications
GENERAL |
Manufacturer |
Sony |
Model name |
DSC-T33 |
Serial number |
4504055 |
Used Camera Firmware |
v. 1.00 |
Camera format |
Ultra Compact |
Body Color |
Aluminum - Silver |
Retail Price ($ - €) |
|
Street price ($ - €) |
US $320 / EU €315 |
Price Update Date |
07 - 2005 |
Date Available |
Already available |
Weight (gr.) |
125 g |
Weight with Batteries (gr.) |
150 g |
Dimensions (W x H x D) (mm) |
99.4 x 60.9 x 20.7 |
Operating Temperatures (°C) |
0° ~ 40° |
Operating Humidity (%) |
N/A |
Remote Control |
No |
Remote Control Type |
No |
Tripod mount |
No |
Operating System |
Windows |
Warranty in Months |
24 Months Manufacturer warranty, 6 Months for Battery |
IMAGE CAPTURE |
Image Resolutions |
• 2592 x 1944
• 2595 x 1728
• 2048 x 1536
• 1280 x 960
• 640 x 480 |
Image Ratio (w/h) |
4/3 |
Effective Pixels (Mega pixels) |
5.1 MP |
Sensor photo detectors (Mega pixels) |
5.25 MP |
Sensor Size |
1/2.4" -
5.7
x 4.2 mm |
Sensor Type |
CCD - "Super HAD CCD" |
Sensor Manufacturer |
Sony |
Color filter type |
N/A |
Focal Length Multiplier |
N/A |
Movie Clips |
Yes, MPEG-1 |
Movie Resolution (pix – fps) |
• 640 x 480 @ 30 fps (Fine)*
• 640 x 480 @ 16.6 fps (Standard)
• 320 x 116 @ 8.3fps (E-mail)
• With audio |
Movie Audio |
Yes, Mono 32KHz, 64kbps layer II |
Sound Recording |
No |
*Our tests gave 640 x 480 @ 25fps
| LENS
|
Focal Length (35 mm equiv.) |
38 - 114 mm |
Actual Focal Length |
6.7 – 20.1 mm |
Zoom Ratio |
3x |
Optical Zoom Steps |
N/A |
Digital Zoom |
Yes |
Digital Zoom Value |
• Up to 2x
• Up to 4x Smart Zoom |
Auto Focus |
Yes |
Auto Focus Type |
5 Area Multi-Point AF |
Auto Focus Steps |
N/A |
Auto Focus Assist Light |
Yes |
Auto Focus Minimum Illumination |
N/A |
Manual Focus |
Yes |
Manual Focus Steps |
5 Step Manual Preset |
Macro Focus |
Yes |
Macro Focus Steps |
N/A |
Normal Focus Range |
50 cm to Infinity |
Macro Focus Range |
• Macro: 8cm (3.1")
• Magnifying Glass Mode: 1cm (0.4")
|
Min Macro Area |
N/A |
Aperture range |
• Wide: F3.5– F8
• Tele: F4.4– F10
|
Aperture Steps |
N/A |
Lens Thread |
No |
Lens thread Type |
N/A |
EXPOSURE CONTROL |
| Preset Scene Modes |
• Beach
• Candle
• Fireworks
• High Speed Shutter
• Landscape
• Magnifying Glass Mode
• Snow
• Twilight
• Twilight Portrait |
ISO Settings |
• Auto
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400 |
ISO Rating Min |
100 |
ISO Rating Max |
400 |
Manual White Balance |
Yes |
White Balance Settings |
• Auto
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Fluorescent
• Incandescent
• Flash |
Longest Shutter time |
2 sec * |
Shortest Shutter Time |
1/1000 sec |
Shutter Type |
N/A |
Shutter Steps (sec) |
N/A |
Exposure Adjust Range |
+/- 2 EV |
Exposure Adjust Step Size |
1/3 EV |
Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) |
Yes, up to 1 EV stop in 1/3EV steps |
Metering Modes |
- Spot
- Average Weighted TTL
|
Spot Metering |
Yes |
Aperture Priority |
No |
Shutter Priority |
No |
Full Manual Exposure |
No |
Self Timer Shooting |
Yes, 10 sec delay |
Continuous Shooting |
• 4 Shot (5MP JPEG fine) .33 fps
• 100 Shot (VGA Fine) .71 fps
• Multi burst mode: 16 shots @ 320 x 240 pixels which make up a single 1280 x 960-pixel image |
Interval Shooting |
No |
* Though Sony states 1sec as the maximum exposure duration, multiple 2sec exposures were made during our tests. Both the camera's on-screen values and the values stored in the EXIF verify the extended exposure duration.
| DISPLAY & VIEWFINDER |
Viewfinder |
No |
Viewfinder Type |
N/A |
Viewfinder Accuracy |
N/A |
LCD Monitor |
Yes |
LCD Monitor Accuracy |
Nearly 100% |
LCD Monitor size |
2.5" TFT |
LCD Monitor resolution |
230.400K, 960x240 pixels |
LCD Monitor Rotation |
No |
Max Playback Zoom |
4x |
FLASH |
Built – in flash |
Yes |
Flash Modes |
- Auto
- Slow
Synchronization
- Red Eye Reduction
- Forced Flash
- No Flash
|
Flash Guide Number (meters) |
N/A |
Flash Range |
- 0.1~1.6m - Wide
- 0.5~1.5m - Tele
|
Flash Exposure Compensation |
Yes, +/- 2 EV |
Flash Exposure Compensation Steps |
1/3 EV |
External Flash |
No |
External Flash Connection |
No |
| STORAGE MEDIUM (MEMORY) |
Usable Memory Types |
Memory Stick Duo™ Media, Memory Stick PRO Duo™ Media card
|
Memory Included (MB) |
32MB Memory Stick Duo™ |
| PHOTO FORMATS |
Uncompressed Format |
No |
CCD RAW Format |
No |
Compressed Format |
JPEG (EXIF 2.2) |
Compression Quality Levels |
|
Movie File Format |
MPEG-1, with MPEG layer II audio |
| CONNECTIONS |
Video Out |
Yes |
Video Mode Switchable |
Yes, PAL - NTSC |
USB |
Yes, USB 2.0 |
Firewire (IEEE 1394) |
No |
Serial |
No |
Other Connection |
N/A |
DC Power Input |
N/A |
| Print Compliance |
PictBridge |
OS Compatibility |
Windows |
| POWER |
Battery Type |
InfoLithium NP-FT1 battery |
Batteries Included |
Yes |
Battery Charger Included |
Yes |
External Power Supply |
Yes, 3.6V |
| INCLUDED SOFTWARE |
Camera Driver |
PC Driver (Windows 98/ 98SE/ 2000/ ME/ XP) |
Software Applications |
Picture Package (Windows only) ImageMixer VCD2 (Windows and MacOS)
Electronic User’s Manual |
3. Design
DESIGN
The CyberShot DSC – T33 is a minimalist wonder. Slick, smooth lines, nicely finished metallic surfaces and the ergonomic control positioning give an excellent first impression as to its construction quality. After holding this camera in your hand for a few seconds, you will find its construction more than sturdy. Aluminum sheet is used to form the front and back main body surfaces of the camera, while many chromed details complete the scene. After using the camera for a while though, you would wish the chrome plastic parts used on the camera were metallic. It seems hard to keep them spotless and any rubbing against my jean pocket was enough to peel off some of the paint from the edges. I imagine that after a while of using and carrying the camera around, the situation would be further exacerbated spoiling the overall impression. .
Side by side
Here you can see the DSC - T33 next to a packet of cigarettes– for size comparison only! It's obvious that the camera designed to fit easily in your pocket. Measuring 99.4 x 60.9 x 20.7, it is about 1cm wider, 4mm taller and 1 mm thinner than the average 20 cigs package. That's a nice trade.
In your hand
Slim design is nice when you think about carrying your camera around all the time but without a defined handgrip, holding the camera is another story! In most cases, single-handed operation is easy, but I found myself needing to hold the camera with both hands to feel sure as the exposure duration increased. The control buttons layout is straightforward and combined with the “fool-proof”, highly automated in-camera selection menu, makes adjusting this camera a breeze for average daily usage. Surely one of the easiest cameras to use – leaves very few questions for the manual to answer, unless you haven't had any experience in digital photography. .
Body Elements
| LCD Monitor |
The impressively large 2.5” TFT screen dominates at the back of the camera. Using a generous 960x240 pixels resolution, totalling no less than 230.400K pixels surely seems up to the task compared to the competition. Sony uses a transmissive/reflective Hybrid design in this screen, claimed to increase its view-ability under direct sunlight, something we can confirm as it did well fighting the Greek sun.
Given the absence of an optical viewfinder, this was particularly appreciated. What we ought to state though is that the large pixel count, the fancy technologies like “Clear Photo LCD”, didn't help with the real-life quality. Yes, the display is able to produce vibrant colours and nice contrast, but it's also heavily pixelated. Perhaps the dot-pitch is just too big for our taste and compared to smaller in diagonal digital camera or cell phone colour screens, this unit has no real resolution advantage.
Nevertheless, large and easy to view menus will be loved by middle-aged people bored to reach for their prescription glasses (like my father for instance) and showing your in-camera photo collection to your friends is much more rewarding. |
| Lens |
The lens design is impressive, utilising a “highly transmissive” optical grade prism, the lens is housed entirely inside the camera body, and does not need to extend for use, a feature first seen on Minolta's Ultra Compacts a few years ago. The lens is designed by Carl Zeiss and uses 11 Elements in 8 Groups (including 3 Aspheric elements, 1 prism) – amazing numbers when thinking how small and thin the body concealing this unit is.
Zooming is fast and quiet, while the 3x range (38 – 114mm equivalent in 35mm) is up to the category standards. Aperture ranges from f3.5 – f5.6 and f4.4 – f10.0 (wide and tele end respectively). This might seem a bit slow compared with the ultra wide apertures seen lately on many digital cameras, but is totally acceptable when thinking of the design restrictions and surely will satisfy on all but the darkest of occasions. If we had to complain about something, it wouldn't be about the wide aperture: the exposure software Sony implements, simply won't try stop down the lens at more than F5.6, even on the brightest of days. Of course this is a foolproof way to minimize the chance of a ruined photo due to camera shake, but shooting at F8 and 1/500 sec shutter speed can't be much worse than F5.6 and 1/1000 sec. This cannot be changed even by setting the camera to “Landscape” mode. The camera simply prefers to keep the shutter speed as high as possible. |
| Memory and Battery Compartment |
 |
| The memory and the battery share the same compartment, accessible through a chrome plastic door located on the bottom right of the camera. The plastic spring loaded hinges are big and seam sturdy and the slide-lock operation is positive. Reliability should not be a problem unless you really abuse the hatch door mechanism. |
| Flash and AF assist lamp |
|
The built in flash has a given range of 0.1 to 1.6 meters at Auto ISO. As you might have guessed already, this flash unit is inadequate to illuminate anything but a portrait. The AF assist lamp works well on the other hand, helping the AF system to lock-on rather fast. We would prefer the laser pattern illumination featured on more expensive prosumer Sony models, but low light AF works well as is anyway. |
| Tripod Mount |
The designers thought that the camera had no room for a tripod mount, so they moved it to the included Cyber-Shot Station instead. They even designed a camera holder that snaps in place to keep the camera safely on the station when trying to shoot at weird angles. My opinion is that this is totally impractical and I believe that fitting a tripod mount to the camera's base surely wouldn't be that more difficult than this “invention” – it isn't that thin after all and if they could fit that bulky charger/station multi connector, they could also fit a 1/4” standard collar. The opted solution is bulky to carry around when shooting, but it's better than nothing, I guess… |
| Connections |
The included Cyber-Shot Station is used whenever we want to charge the camera or connect it to a TV set or a computer, as the camera itself lacks any connection save that for the battery charger. The Cyber-Shot Station is also equipped with a USB 2.0 compatible port, as well as a 3.5mm jack connector for connecting the camera to a TV set via Video and Audio RCA plugs. |
| Battery, Charger and AC Adapter |
 |
Sony opted for using a slim Li-Ion battery for powering the DSC-T33, rated at 680mAh. Battery duration isn't exceptional, but the at least the handy Info-lithium system will accurately inform you on expected battery life. The included charger can be plugged directly on the camera or connected to the Cyber-Shot docking station, while it doubles as an external power supply. The estimated time needed for charging the battery once it is fully discharged is around 150 minutes. |
| Box contents |
- DSC-T33 Digital Camera
- Lithium-ion Battery
- Memory Stick DUO 32MB Memory Card
- AC power adapter
- AV Cable
- USB Cable
- Cybershot Station and holder
- MS-Duo to MS adapter
- User's manual & Warranty cards
- Software CD-ROM
|
4. Operation and Controls
Operation and Controls
The camera's controls layout is really well thought out and in combination with the simple menus, makes the learning process a really easy task. It’s clear from the first time you get to play with the camera that the settings you can alter are limited, but as we mentioned before this device was originally designed as a fool-proof point n shoot camera and it surely does well in this aspect, relieving the inexperienced snapper from a lot of anxiety.
| Rear camera controls |
 |
All of the camera’s control buttons, except for the shutter release and the power on switch, are located on the back and around the TFT screen. The camera’s menu follows the same pattern as all of the latest Sony cameras, but users with any digital camera experience should have no problem following its logic as it is really straightforward.
The multi-directional cross buttons help you browse through the menu options, while they cycle through the Flash, Macro, Self Timer and Quick-View options as clearly indicated by the appropriate icons on each button. |
| Top camera controls |
 |
|
On the top of the camera you can find the power-on/off switch and the shutter release button. Here are also located the camera's speaker and microphone, beneath the small circular vent. You need to be careful not to press the power button accidentally, as it seats really close to the shutter release. |
Display and Menus
| Record Mode |
 |
 |
In the typical record mode screen, the camera displays information on the remaining shots for the quality setting currently selected, the flash mode and the expected battery life in minutes. |
Pressing the "Display" button in record mode changes the way the exposure and battery/memory info displays on the screen. It can also turn off the backlighting to preserve energy and prolong battery life. The exposure histogram is a much appreciated feature.
|
 |
 |
Pressing the "Menu" button while in record mode will bring up the available settings concerning exposure, like the exposure compensation in 1/3 EV steps, the focus mode, the exposure metering mode, as well as the White Balance preset and ISO settings. |
The quality compression level is also selected through this menu, as are the multiple single or burst shot modes and the flash compensation option. |
 |
 |
Various settings can also be set concerning the stored image's in camera post-processing. Saturation, contrast and final sharpening can be fine-tuned to suit your taste. |
As an artistic touch, you can always add the included B&W or Sepia toning effects. |
| Play Mode |
 |
 |
The typical play mode screen displays the latest picture along with information the date and time of shooting, file name and quality setting. The number of pictures in the memory card is also displayed, as well as the estimated battery life in Play mode. The stored image on display is selected by the multidirectional keys. |
Pressing the "Display" button in Play mode brings out additional info for the current image, concerning exposure, WB setting and the histogram. You can also turn off all of the information for easier photo-viewing without distractions. |
 |
 |
| Using the Zoom-In button it is possible to zoom in on an image up to 5x times for examining it in greater detail. The camera's powerful image processor really "flies" through file browsing and zooming. |
By pressing the Zoom-Out button while in Play mode, the screen switches to thumbnail view which is switchable between 3x3 and 4x4 thumbnails, also via the Zoom-In/Out controls. |
 |
|
| Here you can see the options accessible by pressing the "Menu" button. Images can be moved to different folders, protected against accidental erasure, sent to a compatible printer for direct printing and even resized. |
|
| Setup Menu |
 |
Choosing the "SETUP" option brings up these menu screens with settings concerning the camera's operation, menu display language, time and power saving options, file naming, etc.
You can also setup the camera's communications protocols. |
5. Timings and Sizes
Timings and Sizes
The DSC-T33 uses the really fast Sony Real Imaging Processor™. The operation speed is really fast in both record and play modes. Auto-Focus speeds are more than adequate and on many occasions surpass many prosumer grade cameras, though its accuracy in macro mode may suffer a bit. Power on, focus and JPEG image writing and playback times are very fast when using a Memory Stick DUO Pro card. The flash on the other hand needs some time to recharge, something that's annoying considering its low power.
Test Notes:
All times are calculated as an average of three operations. All operations are made at a maximum resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixels, fine quality JPEG image. The media used for these tests was a 256MB Sony Memory Stick DUO Pro card.
| Action |
Details |
Time (seconds) |
| Power : Off to Record |
|
<1 sec |
| Power : Off to Play |
Image Displayed |
1 sec |
| Power : Record to Off |
Lens retracted and all activity ceased |
<1 sec |
| Power : Play to Off |
When Buffer is empty |
Instantaneous |
| Record Preview |
Image displayed |
<1 sec |
| Mode: Record to Play |
|
<1 sec |
| Mode: Play to Record |
Lens already extended |
--- |
| Mode: Play to Record |
Lens not extended |
<1 sec |
| Play: Magnify |
To full magnification (4x) |
1 sec |
| Play: Image to Image |
Time to display each saved image |
1 sec |
| Play: Image to Thumbnail |
Time to change to thumbnail view |
<1 sec |
| Play: Thumbnail View |
Time to browse through thumbnail displays |
<1 sec |
| Action |
Details |
Time (seconds) |
| Zoom from wide to tele |
|
3 sec |
| Half-press Lag (0->S1) |
Wide zoom end |
1~3 sec |
| Half-press Lag (0->S2) |
Telephoto zoom end |
1~3 sec |
| Half to Full-press Lag (S1->S2) |
LCD Live view |
Very fast
|
| Half to Full-press Lag (S1->S2) |
Viewfinder LCD switched off |
--- |
| Full-press Lag (0->S2) |
LCD live view, wide angle |
1~3 sec |
| Off to Shot Taken |
LCD live view, wide angle |
3~4 sec |
| Shot to Shot |
Flash off |
2 sec |
| Shot to Shot |
Flash on |
9 sec |
Lag Timing Definitions
| Half-press Lag (0->S1) |
Most of the modern cameras auto-focus and calculate the exposure needed for each shot when the user half-presses the shutter release button. Half-press Lag is the time needed between half-pressing the shutter release and the camera indicating that focus was achieved and exposure was estimated on the LCD monitor and/or the viewfinder. |
| Half to Full-press lag (S1->S2) |
The time needed to take a shot by Full-pressing the shutter release, assuming the camera had already focused and evaluated the exposure settings. |
| Full-press Lag (0->S2) |
The time needed for the camera to take a shot when the shutter release button is fully pressed, without having pre-focused by half-pressing. |
File Write / Display and Sizes
Timings shown below are the times needed for the camera to process and store the image to the storage card. The timer is started as soon as the shutter release is pressed and stopped when the activity indicator goes out. The media used for these tests was a 256MB Transcend 45x SD card.
| Image Mode |
Time to store (secs) |
Time to display (secs) |
File Size (approx.) |
Images on a 256MB card |
| 2592 x 1944 JPEG Fine |
2 sec |
2 sec |
1.98 MB |
129 |
| 2592 x 1944 JPEG Stand. |
2 sec |
2 sec |
1.45 MB |
174 |
6. Photographic Tests
Photographic Tests
White Balance
The camera's white balance settings are the usual as found on most digital cameras: Auto, Day Light, Cloudy, Fluorescent and Incandescent (Tungsten), as well as a Flash setting. There is no option for setting the White Balance manually and this could prove a big disadvantage when trying to shoot in environments with mixed types of lighting.
Auto White Balance performance proved to be quite accurate under normal daylight or cloudy conditions, but couldn't estimate the correct WB setting under Incandescent and Fluorescent light sources, which are the usual choices for interior lighting. The results are disappointing since we've become a little spoilt, relying on the image processor. This is a point-n-shoot camera after all.
 |
 |
| Tungsten Light, Auto White Balance |
Fluorescent Light, Incandescent White Balance preset |
Flash Performance
The flash performance was disappointing, yet it's not far from the rated range of 0.1 to 1.6 meters, (estimated GN 5) that Sony states. We were disappointed when we tried to photograph a whole person in low-light conditions as the image came out underexposed every time. The close proximity to the lens also wouldn’t allow the red-eye reduction function to work properly. Fill in flash performance is also inadequate in distances above than 1 metre. Below you can see a studio shot taken with the flash, in very low ambient light. Subject distance was a bit less than 1m. As you can see, even with a wide open aperture setting, the built in flash cannot light the whole scene evenly.
 |
Auto White Balance F3.5 -
1/40 sec ISO 100 |
Barrel and Pincushion Distortion
As with most zoom lenses in this camera class, there is some Barrel distortion at the wide end of the zoom, while it’s not really bothering in most photos, it will strike out when photographing architectural subjects or geometric shapes, especially from relatively close distances. Zooming to the middle of the range helps a lot and no distortion worth mentioning is noticed. At the tele end of the zoom lens, there is an acceptable amount of pincushion.
 |
| Wide end of zoom - 7mm |
 |
| Middle of zoom - 10mm |
 |
| Tele end of zoom - 20mm |
Macro Performance
The close-up performance of the DSC-T33 is simply adequate for shooting flowers or pretty details. You won't be able to shoot really close to subjects, so filling the frame with an insect is out of the question.
 |
| Wide zoom end macro |
Purple fringing/blooming
Purple fingering is controlled very well and is suppressed around the corners of the image. Its presence is really difficult to notice, unless you are specifically searching the image in 100% or bigger pixel magnifications. Impressive performance from the tiny Zeiss lens.
Long Exposure Performance
The camera has a stated longest exposure duration of 1 sec, while we noticed 2 second exposures on more than one occasion. The camera does a fair job controlling noise, at least in low ISO settings, but surely this camera wasn't meant for the night-landscape enthusiast. The quality is more than adequate for small sized prints or web use and easily meets our expectations for this camera's class. If only you didn't have to carry the Cyber-Shot station for tripod mounting. You can find more night shots in the Sample Gallery, including 2 sec exposures and ISO 200 samples.
 |
| ISO 100, F3.5, 1 sec - 7mm |
7. Head to Head Comparison - Page 1
Head to Head Comparison
Below you can find a studio shot comparison between the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T33 and the Olympus Camedia C-5060WZ at ISO 100. Both cameras were mounted on a tripod and the shutter was released by the in-camera timer. There is no Aperture priority or Manual exposure mode on the Sony, so "Auto" was used instead of A used with the Camedia camera. Both of them were set manually to the appropriate WB, ISO and exposure compensation settings.
Low ISO performance
- Sony DSC-T33: Single Shot mode, ISO 100, Fine Quality, Tungsten White Balance, Default Image parameters +0.7EV Exposure Compensation. Zoom lens at 7mm.
- Olympus C-5060WZ: Aperture Priority, ISO 100, Fine Quality, Tungsten White Balance, Default Image parameters +0.7EV Exposure Compensation. Zoom lens at 9mm.
- Lighting: 2x500W Tungsten 3200K studio lamps with diffusion umbrellas
As seen above, the DSC-T33 performs surprisingly well with ISO 100, even when it's compared to an awarded 5MP prosumer camera. Even though in most cases the C-5060 WZ is able to produce a sharper image containing more detail, the Sony is able to give comparable results. Despite the slight colour cast due to the not so accurate WB preset and a bit of underexposure, when it comes to colour rendition and contrast, the Sony really shines. The Olympus may produce a more neutral and correct colour balance, but the overall saturation in many cases is lower than real life.
Fine tuning image parameters or post processing with the appropriate software may give the Olympus' images the edge, but Sony impressed us with these results. Point-n-shoot cameras shouldn't lack image quality after all. Perhaps this performance justifies a bit, the DSC-T33's high price tag.
It is also worth noting that both cameras give a bit of a grainy look when rendering colours in their images; still this is worse in the C-5060's case. Perhaps this would make things difficult in post processing, as USM sharpening will easily produce sharpening halos and actually decrease image quality.
8. Head to Head Comparison - Page 2
Head to Head Comparison continued
Below you can find a studio shot comparison between the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T33 and the Olympus Camedia C-5060WZ at ISO 400. Both cameras were mounted on a tripod and the shutter was released by the in-camera timer. There is no Aperture priority or Manual exposure mode on Sony, so "Auto" was used instead of A, used with the Camedia camera. Both of them where set manually to the appropriate WB, ISO and exposure compensation settings.
High ISO performance
- Sony DSC-T33: Single Shot mode, ISO 400, Fine Quality, Tungsten White Balance, Default Image parameters +0.7EV Exposure Compensation. Zoom lens at 7mm.
- Olympus C-5060WZ: Aperture Priority, ISO 400, Fine Quality, Tungsten White Balance, Default Image parameters +0.7EV Exposure Compensation. Zoom lens at 9mm.
- Lighting: 2x500W Tungsten 3200K studio lamps with diffusion umbrellas
The impressive results - for the ultra compact - continue. Sony's image processor clearly handles noise really well, actually producing better results than the Olympus in many aspects.
Colour accuracy is almost identical to what we saw when using ISO 100, with the DSC-T33 having a soft red colour cast due to the WB offset, but also giving much more pleasing saturation in reds, yellows and greens. The C-5060 WZ pulls more detail in the bright areas of the scene, while on the dark ones the overall impression is not so good due to the bluish RGB noise. Though the T33's image seems a bit underexposed in comparison to the C-5060's, the Sony is able to capture comparable or even more detail in the dark areas, while keeping the noise to acceptable levels.
9. Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T33 Sample Gallery
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T33 Sample Gallery
Here you can find a small selection of shots taken with the camera. The images were not manipulated other than renaming in some cases. Some pictures need to be rotated to be viewed correctly, but we didn’t want JPEG to recompress the rotated file. This is up to the viewer to do, if they wish.
10. Conclusion
Pros
- Ultra compact size
- Aesthetics
- Construction quality
- Easy to use and setup
- Good image quality
- Large, easy to read screen and menus
- Included Li-Ion battery, pouch and charger/external PSU
- Video quality and compression is very good
- Useful Info-Lithium battery monitoring
Cons
- Very limiting flash performance
- Lack of manual control over the exposure
- No built-in tripod mount - you have to use the Cybershot station
- No built-in USB port - you have to use the Cybershot station or a card reader
- Auto White Balance is poor indoors
- Lack of Manual WB preset
- Battery life could be better
- Not easy to hand-hold for people with big hands
- Relatively high pricing
Overall Conclusion
This camera surely makes a name for Sony's new line of ultra compacts. It is very easy to control and image quality is very good considering its size and extraordinary lens design.
Aesthetics and construction quality are very good and surely will appeal to photographers wanting a pretty gadget that fits easily in an average pocket and draws attention without sacrificing image quality.
More creative control over the exposure would be a nice addition that would unleash some of the camera's restricted performance. A built-in USB port and tripod mount would also help those who would like to leave the Cyber-Station at home when shooting.
Last but not least, this camera's price is high compared to the competition, but this is justified to some extent by it's image and quality. Yet it remains more expensive than equally well-built cameras with more photographic potential.