Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20

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By Philip Ryan, CNET.com
Jul 24, 2007

You used to have to lay down half a grand to buy one of Sony's T-series cameras, but the company's latest entry to the line costs a little more than half that price, while still managing to include all the hip features one expects in an ultracompact camera these days.

The 8.1-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-T20's 3x optical, 38-114mm, F3.5-4.3 zoom lens and 2.5-inch screen aren't very impressive, but Sony does include its Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization, as well as face detection and sensitivity of up to ISO 3,200. Also, if you have an HDTV, the DSC-T20 offers 1080i HD output, if you're willing to spend extra for Sony's VMC-MHC1 component video cable or for the company's CSS-HD1 high-definition Cyber-shot station.

Design
Sony sticks with the trademark sliding lens cover on the T20, this time accenting it with a shiny silver rectangle that provides a nice counterpoint on the color models and blends in seamlessly on the silver model. Unfortunately, like the camera's LCD screen, this silver portion is a magnet for finger prints, especially considering that you have to touch it to slide the lens cover open and closed. If you're bothered by fingerprints, you'll definitely want to carry a microfiber cloth with your T20.

For more details on the Z75's design and image quality, click on the image.

Since the proximity of the flash to the lens caused plenty of problems with red-eye and dust backscatter in the DSC-T10, Sony moved it a little further from the lens on the T20. You'll still get red-eye from time to time, of course, and may even see some dust particles light up, but it shouldn't be as bad as the T10. Though we didn't have extraordinarily bad results with the T10, a fair number of readers professed consternation with those issues.

The rest of the physical camera design follows the normal T-Series modus operandi, with power and playback buttons on the camera's top, a zoom rocker in the upper-right of the camera's back, and remaining buttons residing on the bottom-right of the back. The Menu and Home buttons are a tad small and slightly difficult to push with the fleshy part of your finger. We found ourselves using our finger nails to press them.

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