Sony Cyber-shot TX1 review

In a world of iPhones, internet tablets and multi-touch mania, it seems logical that Sony’s new flagship Cyber-shot should sport a touchscreen, but this is more than bandwaggoning. The Cyber-shot TX1 is a true photographer’s dream, packing in technical feats, as well as an impressive finger-friendly interface and monster display. Read our full Cyber-shot TX1 review to find out more.

By removing the buttons, switches and dials from the Cyber-shot TX1, Sony has been able to bump up the screen size. What you’re looking at is a pure slab of screen, uncluttered, ready to show off your snaps in eye-popping clarity and as large as possible. By removing the excess controls and dumping all the Cyber-shot TX1’s eggs into a touchscreen basket, Sony’s onto a winner.

The key is the Cyber-shot TX1’s responsive interface. Flick a finger across its screen and you’ll swipe through photos. Jab at an on-screen mode indicator, and you’ll be offered others to switch to. It’s fast, responsive, and pretty much everything on-screen is interactive, negating any confusion between what is, and what isn’t a button.

The flagship feature of the Cyber-shot TX1 is Sony’s new Exmor R sensor, designed to work well in low light and coupled with its new Twilight functions, snapping superb pictures in murky conditions.

On tour with Sony Twilight Football: See our exclusive photos, taken with the Cyber-shot TX1

It works fantastically well. Whether you’re snapping away in a dingy bar, or taking it ourdoors at dusk. We tried in a variety of dim locations, and while it’s no night-vision snapper, the results (which you can see in our gallery above) are head and shoulders above similarly-priced rivals.

There’s no protruding lens, keeping the camera slick and pocketable, but inside is a Carl Zeiss lens packing 4x optical zoom, as well as optical image stabilisation for clear, detailed shots, even while wobbling.

The Cyber-shot TX1 also has Sony’s new Panorama Sweep mode, letting you capture ultra-wide images by hitting the shutter and swinging the camera through 180 degrees. It automatically captures 100 photos, stitching them together and showing you the result in around two seconds. The results are, generally, seamless and it’s ultra-addictive too.

Battery life, despite that large screen, is also peachy. We managed just over 220 shots before the TX1 gave up the ghost, using a variety of Twilight, automatic and panoramic modes in a real-world test over two days. Impressive stuff, and proof this touchscreen snapper’s more than just a finger-friendly gimmick.