18.2MP | 26-130mm (5X) Zoom | $348/£317/€338
This is the sixth in a series of short underwater/rugged camera reviews on DPReview. We'll be publishing a roundup of the class shortly, which will compare them directly.
Where most rugged cameras seem like something you'd throw in the glove compartment of your 1-ton truck, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 has a thinner, more stylish appearance. It has an ultra-slim metal body that should be familiar to anyone who has seen a Sony T-series camera in the last few years (non-waterproof models are no longer manufactured), complete with a sliding lens cover and large touchscreen display.
The TX30 has most of the traits of other high-end rugged cameras, with one big exception: it has no GPS.
Specification Highlights
- 18.2 effective megapixel 'Exmor R' BSI-CMOS sensor
- F3.5-4.8, 26-130mm equivalent 'Carl Zeiss' zoom lens (5X)
- Optical image stabilization
- Waterproof to 10m, shockproof from 1.5m, freezeproof to -10C, dustproof
- 3.3 inch widescreen touch-enabled OLED display with 1229K dots
- Built-in LED lamp for close-up macro shooting
- 1080/60i movie mode with stereo sound
- Dual Record allows user to shoot video and take stills simultaneously
The two standout features here are the touchscreen display and Dual Recording feature. We'll dip into those a bit more later in the review.
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The Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 has one of the longer zoom lenses in the rugged camera group, with a range of 26-130mm (5X).
As with most of its peers, the lens has a 'slow' maximum aperture range of F3.5-4.8. |
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Around the lens are a pair of LED illuminators, which can be used to brighten up your subject in the camera's Magnifying Glass Plus mode.
This mode allows you to be 1cm away from your subject. |
Is this ultra-thin rugged camera able to keep up with its bulkier competitors? Keep reading to find out.
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based
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This article is Copyright 2013 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.
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Over the past few weeks we've been reviewing this year's collection of weatherproof tough cameras, and in this article we're rounding them up, comparing their relative strengths and weaknesses and taking a more detailed look at how their image quality and feature sets stack up. Even if you've read the full reviews, we recommend clicking through and reading our final, definitive roundup of this year's class of waterproof rugged compacts. Click through for a link.
We've just posted the sixth and final review in our round-up of compact rugged cameras. This review is of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30, which offers a much thinner body than its peers. It also has a large 3.3-inch touchscreen OLED display, a host of fun features, and a 1080/60i movie mode. Next week we'll publish an article comparing all of the cameras, but while you're waiting, check out the TX30 review after the link.
Sony has announced the Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, DSC-HX300 and DSC-TX30 compact cameras in the US market. The HX300 is a 20MP 50x superzoom with a 24-1200mm equiv. lens. Meanwhile the WX300 is an 18MP Wi-Fi compact superzoom with a 25-500mm equiv. lens. The tough, waterproof, card-style TX30 offers a 26-130mm equiv zoom. The WX300 will cost around $330, while the HX300 and TX30 will have retail prices of $500 and $350 respectively.
Sony has announced the Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, DSC-HX300 and DSC-TX30 compact cameras. The HX300 is a 50x superzoom with a 24-1200mm equivalent lens in front of a 20MP CMOS sensor. Meanwhile the WX300 is a Wi-Fi compact superzoom that Sony says is the slimmest 20x camera. It has an 18MP CMOS chip behind its 25-500mm equiv. lens. Finally, the tough, waterproof card-style TX30 shares the same sensor and offers a 26-130mm equiv zoom. The three models are not currently being announced in the USA.
Canon's EOS R, the company's first full-frame mirrorless camera, impresses us with its image quality and color rendition. But it also comes with quirky ergonomics, uninspiring video features and a number of other shortcomings. Read our full review to see how the EOS R stacks up in today's full-frame mirrorless market.
No Nikon camera we've tested to date balances stills and video capture as well as the Nikon Z7. Though autofocus is less reliable than the D850, Nikon's first full-frame mirrorless gets enough right to earn our recommendation.
Nikon's Coolpix P1000 has moved the zoom needle from 'absurd' to 'ludicrous,' with an equivalent focal length of 24-3000mm. While it's great for lunar and still wildlife photography, we found that it's not suited for much else.
As a stills camera the Fujifilm X-T3 is a pleasant update to one of our favorite APS-C cameras, significantly improving the autofocus. If you're interested in stills and video, though, it's knockout.
The Nikon Z7 is slated as a mirrorless equivalent to the D850, but it can't subject track with the same reliability as its DSLR counterpart. AF performance is otherwise good, except in low light where hunting can lead to missed shots.
What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Sony mirrorlses cameras in several categories to make your decisions easier.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Canon DSLRs in several categories to make your decisions easier.
Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Nikon DSLRs in several categories to make your decisions easier.
What’s the best camera for less than $1000? The best cameras for under $1000 should have good ergonomics and controls, great image quality and be capture high-quality video. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing under $1000 and recommended the best.
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