Image Quality

All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 12 megapixel JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.

As we expected from a Sony model, the Cyber-shot DSC-T900 delivers warm, well-saturated images when there's both plenty of sunlight available and the camera is left on its auto default settings. For those otherwise looking to inject some mood, the Program setting is available, with the ability to manually tweak imagery and settings to a limited extent and avoid the T900's tendency to bleach out highlight detail.

The combination of 12 megapixel sensor and Carl Zeiss lens also delivers a pleasingly high degree of sharpness and detail if both your camera and subject are fairly static. Even with anti-shake deployed, some softness does creep into interior shots without flash, though as you can see from our test portraits, when you do have to introduce artificial illumination its effects can be reasonably sympathetic.

Under extreme conditions such as a darkened foreground and bright featureless skies, purple pixel fringing makes an appearance. But thus has it always been with Sony Cyber-shots, so its visibility comes as no major shock. Overall sharpness is well maintained even at maximum wideangle, though images would still benefit from Unsharp Mask being applied in Photoshop and our white wall shots do display a very slight barrel distortion and corner shading. Darkened corners can also be partly put down to the fact that it's easy to – at first – allow fingertips to creep into edge of shot also, due to the lens' positioning to the side rather than centre.

In terms of ISO performance it's a relatively clean bill of health for the T900 up to ISO 800. Quality and detail has noticeably deteriorated by ISO 1600 however, though it's not until ISO 3200 that detail is beginning to break up to such an extent that images begin to take on more of an impressionistic, painterly quality. It's fair to say then that those looking for a point and shoot to deliver reliable results could do worse than take a gamble with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900, as long as the asking price doesn't put you off.

Noise

There are 7 ISO settings available on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:

ISO 80 (100% Crop)	ISO 100 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft at the default sharpening setting. Unfortunately you can't change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look, so you will have to edit the images later.

Original (100% Crop)	Sharpened (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 did suffer from chromatic aberrations during the review. Purple fringing was mainly present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the examples below.

Example 1 (100% Crop)	Example 2 (100% Crop)

Macro

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 offers a Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 8cms away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro Shot	100% Crop

Flash

The flash settings on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 are Auto, Forced On, Slow Syncro and Forced Off. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (35mm)	Flash On - Wide Angle (35mm)
Flash Off - Telephoto (140mm)	Flash On - Telephoto (140mm)

And here are a couple of portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Auto setting or the Red-eye option caused any amount of red-eye.

Flash On	Flash On (100% Crop)
Red-eye Correction	Red-eye Correction (100% Crop)

Night

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900's maximum shutter speed is 2 seconds in the Twilight scene mode, which isn't good news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 1/8th second at ISO 400. I've included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.

Night Shot	Night Shot (100% Crop)

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel JPEG setting setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample Movie & Video

Product Images

Front of the Camera

Front of the Camera / Turned On

Isometric View

Isometric View

Rear of the Camera

Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed

Top of the Camera

Bottom of the Camera

Side of the Camera

Side of the Camera

Battery Compartment / Memory Card Slot

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

Near identical to its T500 and T90 predecessors, in terms of screen size and resolution respectively, there is little about the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 that feels fresh – at least for anyone with prior knowledge of the range. At the end of the day though it is 'just' another point and shoot compact, and one with as much emphasis on fashion as functionality.

Although the touch screen is nice and large and very responsive, it doesn't do anything extra that a smattering of controls wouldn't – except, of course that it allows the camera to sport a large screen whilst remaining compact in its overall proportions. For some, that may be reason enough to purchase the T900.

And, more positively, for all the above though the camera is well constructed and engineered, the screen display crisp and clear. Picture quality is likewise more than acceptable, even if results look crisper, more detailed - and at times more sharply focused - on the camera's LCD than they do when downloaded and examined larger on a desktop PC.

There will always be a market however for a camera that looks good on the outside and, in tandem with the brushed metal faceplate, the touch screen acts as a further gimmick to draw in the punters. It may not revolutionise photography, but for most of its intended audience the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 should do more than enough.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	3.5
Value for money	3

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 from around the web.

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