Sony T700

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 is closely related to the DSC-T77 that was announced at the same time. The T77 is a replacement for last year's DSC-T70 model, and both new cameras feature a higher-res 10-megapixel sensor which is coupled to a more powerful Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar branded 4x optical zoom. Where the T70 had an already roomy 16:9 aspect ratio 3.0-inch touchscreen LCD, the Sony T700 boosts this to an even larger 3.5-inch display with a staggering 921,600 dots of resolution, triple that of its lower-priced sibling. The other main difference from the T77 is that the DSC-T700 has almost four gigabytes of available memory, vastly more than the 15MB found in the T77.

The Sony T700's 35 to 140mm equivalent lens has a little extra reach at both ends of the zoom range as compared to last year's T70, and incorporates Sony's Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization to minimize blur caused by camera shake at slow shutter speeds. This despite a body that is just 0.6 inches thick. Other Sony T700 features include ISO sensitivity to a maximum of ISO 3,200, a Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo card slot, and power from a proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The Sony T700 also offers USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connectivity for connection to a personal computer, and high-definition video connectivity for viewing your images on the latest HD televisions. To help take even more advantage of the built-in memory, a bundled Picture Motion Browser application allows low-res VGA duplicates of images to be easily made on a PC and uploaded back to the camera automatically, to allow for a vast photo library to be stored on the camera for viewing on the LCD when away from home.

The Cyber-shot T700 includes Sony's face detection technology, capable of detecting eight faces simultaneously, and is linked not only to the camera's autoexposure and autofocus systems as in most similar systems but also to white balance and flash metering as well. This allows the camera to ensure proper flash exposure and pleasing flesh tones. The face detection system also provides both an updated Smile Shutter function, and the existing child/adult priority mode, as well as a new anti-blink function in portrait mode that automatically captures two images and then discards any with the subjects' eyes closed. If eyes are closed in both photos, the camera warns of this so you can retake the photo.

The T700 features Sony's Bionz image processor, first seen in the company's Alpha DSLRs. Sony says Bionz offers improved image quality, faster response times, and better battery life in its compact cameras. Also on offer is an updated intelligent scene recognition function, which can now automatically select from eight different scene modes including macro, portrait, and landscape.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 ships from September 2008 priced at US$400, and body color choices include red, champagne gold, pink, dark gray and silver. Be sure to check our shopping links for a better price on the Sony T700.

Basic Specifications
Resolution:	10.10 Megapixels
Lens:	4.00x zoom (35-140mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	LCD
LCD Size:	3.5 inch
ISO:	80-3200
Shutter:	1-1/1000
Max Aperture:	3.5
Mem Type:	MS Duo / MS PRO Duo
Battery:	Custom LiIon
Dimensions:	3.7x2.3x0.6in (95x58x16mm)
Weight:	5.6 oz (159 g)
MSRP:	$400
Availability:	09/2008

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