Sony Cyber-shot DSC TX7 review

Compact in size, but not in nature

It seems that Sony was listening when we reviewed the TX1 – a high-ranking compact that lacked a wide angle. Enter the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX7, with an impressive 25-100mm equivalent focal range. This handles dramatic landscapes beautifully, but if the view is so breathtakingly expansive that a single shot can’t do it justice, there’s the iSweep Panorama mode to experiment with.

This timesaving feature, only found on previous TX and WX cameras, enables the user to capture sweeping scenes by pressing the shutter and spinning slowly on the spot. The clever compact combines a burst of images to

create extra-wide panoramic pictures. This works extremely well, even when recording animated subjects.

Where the TX7 fails to perform is in high-contrast conditions. Chromatic aberration manifests rather severely, with noticeable purple fringing infecting the edges where dark and light parts of the picture meet. This compact is better equipped for low-light situations, as the Handheld Twilight mode combines six successive pictures, taken in less than a second, and generates an image with less noise. There is also optical image stabilisation to beat blurring from camera shake.

Considering its hefty price tag, it isn’t easy to handle. The lens sits annoyingly in the corner, while the Zoom rocker switch is housed in the opposite corner. This compromises comfort, as you have to make a real effort to ensure all your digits are tucked away. On the plus side the zoom is silent, which is ideal for candid shots, and it is handily available while shooting video, too.

The design is strikingly similar to the TX1, retaining the sliding cover that shields the lens, built-in flash and AF-assist illuminator. However, the cover lacks grip and is difficult to manoeuvre wearing gloves, as is the rather recessed Power button and miniscule playback and zoom controls.

Dominating the camera’s rear is a three-inch touch-screen interface, which is pleasingly responsive and easy to use. Touch any part of the screen to select the desired focal point, and scroll through images by swiping your finger across, iPhone-style. Fingerprints are unattractively visible, and could have you yearning for a d-pad.

Sony has crammed some new features into this slimline model. One of the most exciting is the HDR backlit correction, which solves the problem of poor results in high-contrast conditions. This function strikes a balance between highlights and shadows to produce natural results that are a vast improvement. Also newly available is 1080i HD movie, offering a higher resolution than 720p, which is the norm for most compacts. However, this does mean larger file sizes.

As seen on the TX1, this latest model claims to have bloodhound sensitivity thanks to the Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS sensor, which moves the metal wiring layer found in front-illuminated cameras to below the photodiodes, instead of in front of them. Therefore, the portion of light that is normally blocked by this layer of wire is able to hit the sensor, meaning a 200% increase in sensitivity, according to the manufacturer.

The ISO certainly performs well. Images taken at 800 are still usable, with noise becoming more noticeable from there.

The sleek, sexy compact is also crammed with extra features such as in-camera trimming, red-eye correction and unsharp masking functions, as well as creative paint tools that you can apply by using the included paint pen or your finger.

The TX7 would be improved no end by the inclusion of some manual options, a better design and enhanced image quality. Until then, we’re holding on to that coveted fifth star.