Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V

18.20 Megapixels	5.00x zoom	3.3 inch LCD

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V Overview

Posted: 01/29/2012

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V digital camera is aimed at the outdoors type who wants a travel-friendly yet still-attractive camera. Claimed to offer the highest resolution in its class, the TX200V jams in a couple more megapixels than in its predecessor. The TX200V's body is said to be dustproof, waterproof up to five meters (16 feet), and freeze-proof to as low as 14°F (-10°C).

Based around a 1/2.3"-type, 18.2 effective megapixel, backside-illuminated Sony Exmor R CMOS image sensor with RGB color filter array, the Sony TX200V has an "Extra High Sensitivity" function that tries to reduce image noise by not only averaging the results across multiple exposures, but also by averaging sets of four red, green, or blue pixels together. Of course, this reduces resolution to just 1/4 of the original image, but this is interpolated back to full resolution using Sony's pattern-recognizing "pixel super resolution" interpolation technology. The result, claims Sony, is an image with one-sixth the noise compared to a standard photo shot in the iAuto mode.

At full resolution, the TX200V can capture 4:3 aspect ratio images at up to 4,896 x 3,672 pixels, offering the potential for a 6.25% linear resolution increase over the TX100V's 16.2 megapixel sensor. For 16:9 aspect ratio images, the maximum resolution is 4,896 x 2,752 pixels. Like its predecessor, the TX200V can also capture 60 frames-per-second progressive scan video at 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution or below, using AVC HD v2.0 compression in an MP4 container.

The TX200V has a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar-branded 5x optical zoom lens. For 4:3 aspect still image shooting, the TX200V's lens offers a 35mm-equivalent range from a useful 26mm wide angle to a moderate 130mm telephoto. When shooting 16:9 aspect stills or movies, a greater sensor crop leads to a 28 - 140mm equivalent range, while 4:3 movies have the highest level of cropping, and a 35 - 175mm focal range. Enabling SteadyShot Active mode increases the crop on movies slightly further, yielding a 30-150mm range for 16:9 aspect, and a 37-185mm range for 4:3 aspect. The lens' aperture varies from F3.5 at wide angle to f/4.8 at telephoto. Autofocusing is possible to just three centimeters at wide angle, or 60 centimeters at telephoto, when using the iAuto mode; for Program Auto you can't focus closer than eight centimeters.

On the rear panel of the Sony Cyber-shot TX200V is a 3.3-inch XtraFine TruBlack Organic LED panel with a resolution of 1,229,760 dots, roughly equivalent to an 854 x 480 pixel 16:9-aspect array, with each pixel comprising separate red, green, and blue dots. This display serves as the only method of framing and reviewing images, given that the Sony TX200V doesn't feature an optical viewfinder. Courtesy of a capacitive touch panel overlay, it also allows for control of some camera functions through the display itself. The Sony DSC-TX200V has a multi-point autofocus system, and includes a face detection system with tracking capability. The face detection function is used to provide a Smile Shutter function that automatically triggers the shutter when your subject is smiling.

The TX200V offers three methods for determining exposures - multi-pattern, center-weighted or spot metering. Shutter speeds from two to 1/1,600 second are possible in iAuto mode, or one to 1/1,600 second in Program Auto mode. Sensitivities ranging from ISO 64 to 12,800 equivalents are on offer, as well as an Auto ISO function. 2.0EV of exposure compensation is available, in 1/3 EV steps. The DSC-TX200V also offers Sony's Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, useful for combating blur caused by camera shake, which also offers a higher correction range for movie shooting in Active mode. Ten white balance settings are available, including auto and eight presets, plus a manual white balance setting. As well as Intelligent Auto and Program modes, the TX200V offers a selection of 16 scene modes that offer a modicum of control over the look of images.

The TX200V's also includes Sony's Intelligent Sweep Panorama function, which captures and automatically stitches a panorama by sweeping the lens across the scene, and analyzes frame content during capture and stitching to avoid chopping up larger moving subjects. In addition, the TX200V also includes an Underwater Sweep Panorama mode, and a 3D Sweep Panorama function, which uses some clever mathematics to recreate a 3D image from a single lens, saving the result as a multi-picture object file that contains two separate JPEG images, one for each eye. The result can be viewed on 3D-capable Sony Bravia displays. There's also a standard 3D Still Image mode, and a Sweep Multi Angle function which allows viewing the image with a 3D effect on the camera's 2D LCD display, by changing the display perspective as the camera is rocked from side to side.

The Sony TX200V includes a four-mode flash strobe with red-eye reduction capability. Flash range is stated as 0.8 to 3.1 meters at wide angle, or 0.6 to 2.3 meters at telephoto, when using automatic ISO sensitivity. A two- or ten-second self timer allows the photographer to get in the picture themselves, or to avoid camera shake caused by pressing the shutter button when shooting on a tripod. Images and movies can be recorded in a roomy 105MB of built-in memory, or on MicroSD or MicroSDHC cards. The TX200V is also compatible with Sony's own proprietary Memory Stick Micro cards. The Sony TX200V includes Mini HDMI high definition video output connectivity, as well as Micro USB 2.0 High Speed data connectivity. Power comes courtesy of a proprietary NP-BN or NP-BN1 Infolithium battery pack, with an NP-BN pack in the product bundle. Battery life is rated at 220 shots on a charge to CIPA testing standards.

The Sony TX200V digital camera ships in the US market from March 2012, priced at around US$500. Three body colors will be available -- silver, red, and violet.