Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX55 Review

Compact cameras by themselves are really appealing, due to their ultra portable attributes. So, in a camera segment where there are virtually all the possible advancements in technology; what does a brand do to get a notch above the competition? Nothing but, launch a compact camera that is even more compact than any other camera in the world. This is what Sony has precisely done with the DSC-TX55. Apart from it being the world’s slimmest camera, which is its main USP, the brand has also added some interesting features, such as a full touchscreen interface, 3D image capture as well as full HD video recording in AVCHD. Here is a closer look at this ultra compact offering from Sony.

The internals of the DSC-TX55

Design and Build Quality
It is not very often that we see the design of a compact camera, which actually blows our minds away. This is definitely one of those times and it has to be rightfully so, given the fact that it is the world’s slimmest compact camera. The camera measures a mere 12mm in depth with the lens cover opened and a millimeter more with it closed. The camera comes in three colour variants, which are dull gold, silver and black. The colour variant that arrived in our lab was a black one.

At first glance, the camera looks like a tiny black box, but on closer inspection, the features of the camera are noticeable. The front of the camera features the lens cover that has a matte black finish and apart from the Sony branding, this side of the camera is devoid of any features. This gives the camera a stylish, classy and minimalistic look. Once the lens cover is opened, the lens, AF assist and flash can be seen.

The rear of the camera is devoid of any buttons and it has a full touchscreen interface. The screen at the back is a large 3.3-inch OLED display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This screen is significantly larger than most other cameras in the market, as other cameras nowadays feature a display size of 3 inches. There is no bay featured at the side of the device for connectivity options instead, Sony has added these on the underside of the camera. The connectivity options located here, include a proprietary USB port that can be used for charging the device as well as a HDMI port that can be used for connecting it to a large screen HDTV.

The stylus comes in handy while using the touchscreen

The top of the camera features a circular button, which when toggled is used as the zoom rocker. Along side this zoom rocker are the shutter release button as well as the power button. The three buttons featured on the camera are designed well and feel sturdy enough to survive the wear and tear of general usage. The battery bay located underneath the camera houses the MicroSD card slot and the flap for this bay feels quite sturdy, too. One can easily capture images and videos using a right hand, as it weighs just 109g. The stylus bundled with the camera is sturdy and compact. It can be easily carried around in a wallet or a camera pouch.

Overall, the DSC-TX55 is a stylish looking compact camera and Sony have done well in keeping it simple and stylish. The build quality is really good as well and it looks like it would come out on top, if it was dropped accidentally a few times. However, one should be careful with the display screen, lest it suffers a scratch and would want to add a screen protector to keep the screen scratch free for as long as possible.