Digital Trends

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T9

February 1st, 2006 | by David Elrich

Features and Design

The black- or silver-cased Sony CyberShot DSC-T9 is very compact, measuring 3.6 x 2.2 x .8 (WHD, in inches). That point-eight figure is a bit misleading since that's the thickest part; the lower portion of the camera is .625 inches. This is a long way of saying this camera is very thin. And at 6 ounces with battery and card, it can be popped into a pocket or purse without breaking a sweat or requiring a trip to the chiropractor. I really like this aspect of the camera since it's so small you really can take it anywhere and grab spur-of-the-moment photos. To me this is what photography is all about.

The camera's style is very minimalist, with very few buttons or decals. I liked it. The DSC-T9 has a sliding front door. Simply move it down and the camera powers up. Some people don't like this because it can accidentally open while in your pocket or bag and drain the battery. The coolness factor trumps that in my opinion. Lay this baby down on the table and you're sure to start a conversation (a positive one, I might add). It looks like a sophisticated cigarette case used by Bette Davis in one of her ‘40s classics like Now Voyager. When in the open position, you'll see the built-in flash, the AF Illuminator (Assist) lamp and the lens that does not protrude. It a 3x Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar that's equivalent to 38-114mm in 35mm terms, the usual point-and-shoot focal length. Like all digicams, you have options for digital zoom boosts but your resolution drops when you engage it so keep it turned off.

As noted, this camera has a minimalist style so our tour won't take long. The top has power and shutter keys as well as a speaker and a button to engage the optical image stabilization feature (keep it on). The rear of the T9 is dominated by the 2.5-inch LCD screen rated a very good 230K pixels. To the right of the screen is the wide/tele zoom switch, the usual four-way controller with center set key, as well as buttons for Menu, display, delete and quick review. The four-way keys do double duty for adjusting the flash, macro position, the self timer and so on, the typical stuff you find on a point-and-shoot digicam. Above the center of the LCD is a basic mode switch (play, still, video). Unlike larger digicams, there's no mode dial so you have to go into the menu system to change them. It's a bit of a pain but something had to go in order to keep the overall size down. Once you get into the menu system there are nine to choose from. It's an icon-based system and it's a bit behind the times when compared to the onscreen descriptions from Kodak and others.

On the right side is a door for the battery and Memory Stick Duo slots. The bottom has a tripod mount and input for the hydra-headed multi-use cable that lets you connect the camera to a TV, computer or DC charger. In order to shrink the camera, Sony had to eliminate the USB, AV and DC ports.

The camera comes with a basic kit: body, rechargeable lithium ion battery rated a solid 240 shots and AC charger, a wrist strap, cable but no Memory Stick Duo card; expect to buy a 512MB card for around $40. Even though the camera has a hefty 58MB of internal memory (more on this later) with 6MP files you'll run out of space pretty quickly (it holds 19). Sony includes a nice “Read This First” quick start guide and a 110—page Owners Manual written in the traditional Japanese style. And Sony still includes the inadequate Picture Package software CD ROM (v1.6.1). The photo editing capabilities of Picture Package are improving but it pales in comparison to Adobe PhotoShop Elements, Microsoft's Digital Image Suite or the bundles supplied with Canon and Kodak cameras. Sorry, guys, I'll keep complaining until you get it right. There's also a program lets you add musical sound tracks so you can listen to a favorite track as you review your snaps. More on this later. We charged the battery, loaded a 512MB Memory Stick Pro Duo card and started shooting.

Image Courtesy of Sony