The sleek, stylish, and waterproof Sony TX200V
About three weeks ago, Sony announced three new compact cameras at CES; today, it’s announced another three compact cameras. At least they’ve not flooded the market in one go, I suppose. And there’s something that’s caught my eye with the TX200V.
The TX200V is definitely the most exciting of the three cameras announced today. It is touch-screen operated and has an 18.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and BIONZ processor with 5× optical zoom and 10× ‘clear image zoom’, which is Sony-speak for digital zoom that it hopes isn’t as blocky as the conventional version. Auto-focus speeds should be as fast as 0.13 seconds during the day and 0.25 seconds in lower-light situations.
The ‘photo creatvity’ interace will allow you to fiddle and play with your images to get them looking just how you want them, but it has plenty of other toys, too, in addition to HD video capability that also enjoys optical steady shot, to help things not look blurry. There’s a 3D sweep panoarma mode, 3D still image function, it can shoot upto 10 frames per second in burst mode, and the ‘dual record’ feature will allow you to capture 13 megapixel still images whilst simultaneously recording a video.
However, what I find most interesting is that it’s waterproof to five metres, freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius, and dustproof. This camera isn’t being marketed as a rugged camera, and it certainly doesn’t look like some of its all-weather counter-parts, either: it’s sleek and stylish. All-weather capability, however, seems to be something that Sony thinks a high-end compact camera should have. And, well, yes, they’re right. My proclivity to take photos in the sea or halfway up a mountain doesn’t meant to say that I’m comfortable comprsmising on the camera’s other capabilities. If Sony is making murmurings to justify the continued production of compact cameras, it can whisper this one a bit louder.
Of course, it will come at a price; you’re looking at roughly $500 for this baby, from mid-March.
When it comes to the WX-70 and the WX-50 there’s almost nothing to choose between them, except for touch-screen capability in the WX-70. Both of the cameras have 16.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensors and the latest BIONZ processors; 5× optical and 10× ‘clear image zoom’; sensitivity goes up to ISO 12,800 and Optical Steady Shot is there to help prevent blur. There are nine filters to give photos the pop-art or toy camera treatment, 3D sweep panorama mode, and of course there’s the facility to make full HD videos.
The WX-70 and WX-50 should be available mid-March, with the WX-70 coming in a smidge more expensive at around $230, compared to $200 for the WX-50, which would all be down to the touch-screen.
This article was originally posted at A highly specced and all-weather compact: the Sony TX200V , on Photocritic.
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