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Sony TX30

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 front
 
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3.3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 26-130mm (F3.5-4.8) lens
  • 141g - 96 x 59 x 15mm
  • Introduced July 2013
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
96
Imaging
43
Features
43
Overall
43

Sony TX30 summary

Sony TX30 is Sony's Ultracompact digital camera first announced on July of 2013. The camera features a 18MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a full resolution of 4896 x 3672.

The TX30 is scored #8 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & over all #591 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please look at our Advanced camera filter to see camera ratings based on your personalized criteria.

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Below is a graph of various factors used in the rating system.

Sony TX30 history

The Sony TX30 has a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can identify all older and the latest models as well as key specifications.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX30 front thumbnailSony TX3026-130mm
F3.5-4.8
18MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX20 front thumbnailSony TX20
TX30 vs TX20
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX66 front thumbnailSony TX66
TX30 vs TX66
26-130mm
F3.5-4.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX200V front thumbnailSony TX200V
TX30 vs TX200V
28-140mm
F3.5-4.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX10 front thumbnailSony TX10
TX30 vs TX10
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX55 front thumbnailSony TX55
TX30 vs TX55
26-130mm
F3.5-4.8
16MP1/2.3"2011
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T110 front thumbnailSony T110
TX30 vs T110
27-108mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX100V front thumbnailSony TX100V
TX30 vs TX100V
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T99 front thumbnailSony T99
TX30 vs T99
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
14MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX9 front thumbnailSony TX9
TX30 vs TX9
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
12MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T900 front thumbnailSony T900
TX30 vs T900
35-140mm
F3.5-10.0
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T90 front thumbnailSony T90
TX30 vs T90
35-140mm
F3.5-10.0
12MP1/2.3"2009

Sony TX30 Pros and Cons

Here is a selection of advantages and disadvantages of the Sony TX30 based on factors that are often regarded as crucial in a digital camera.

built in image stabilization (Optical)
built in lens has zoom (26-130mm 5.0 x zoom)
flash built-in
good minimum ISO (80)
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
megapixel count decent (18 megapixels)
OLED tech
pretty good screen size (3.3 inches)
reasonably wide (26mm)
screen is touchscreen
very good screen resolution (1,229 k dot)
weather sealing
you can focus manually
does not feature selfie friendly screen
does not have phase detect auto focus
does not have RAW support
external flash not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
lack of external mic jack
lack of HDMI support
lack of headphone jack
lack of Time Lapse function
max zoom aperture not good (f4.8)
no aperture priority
no manual exposure
no shutter priority
screen is fixed
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Sony TX30 Sensor features

The measurement of the sensor in the Sony TX30 is 6.16mm x 4.62mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 4896 x 3672 pixels . The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter might cause cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 18 megapixels and includes a standard ISO range of 80 - 12800. Unfortunately, RAW format is not supported therefore the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The image below illustrates the TX30's sensor size compared to other popular sizes. The TX30 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 sensor size Europe Approves Revolutionary AI Legislation

To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony TX30 dimensions

Sony TX30 has a weight of 0.31 pounds (141g or 4.97 ounces) & has outer dimensions of 96mm x 59mm x 15mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.6"). The weight of average Ultracompact camera is 121g so the Sony TX30 is heavier compared to various rivals.

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Below is a photo of the Sony TX30 with a softdrink so you're able to get a sense of its size.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 dimensions scale

The top view here will show the button design on the TX30.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 topview buttons dials

Sony TX30 Lens features

The TX30 comes with a built in lens giving a focal range of 26-130mm giving it a 5.0 x zoom which isn't significant however it will probably be handy in some conditions.

At it's widest 26mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.5 making it pretty sluggish and not good for low light situations and you will probably find it hard to get a shallow depth of field. You will probably also need to raise your ISO resulting in noisy photos. For the long end, 130mm comes with f4.8 which is really slow and you would have to set slower shutter speeds.

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Sony TX30 Connectivity

The TX30 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras that include NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You can copy files and in some cases adjust settings with no need to connect physically with the camera.

Several apps also enable a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it could be hooked up to an external screen. A lot of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Sony TX30 Video features

The highest possible video quality in the Sony TX30 is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in file format. 1080p quality offers a decent balance in video quality and file size but 1080p is not going to give you any room to crop. The body does not offer a microphone or headphone jack which means that you have got zero control over the sound. It is perhaps best to find another camera in case you need decent sound for your videos.

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Sony TX30 Weather Sealing

Sony TX30 has got weather proofing making it a very good selection for use in challenging locations. This is especially valuable if you are not sure about the conditions you may encounter in outdoor photography.

Sony TX30 Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony TX30 features a 3.3" fixed display screen with a resolution of 1,229k dots.

Moreover the display screen is touch friendly which means you are able to shift focus point and change settings with your fingertips.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 screen and viewfinder C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon

The ViewFinder specifications for Sony TX30 are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders can be pretty helpful in bright outdoor conditions which might make the camera screen washed out and difficult to see.

Sony TX30 Shutter features

Sony TX30 continuous shooting speed is 10.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/1600 seconds.

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Sony TX30 Flash and Hot shoe features

Sony TX30 has just built-in flash lacking external flash support.

Sony TX30 Autofocusing features

Sony TX30 has no Auto focusing. Phase Detection focusing is more faster and exact compared to Contrast Based focusing.

Sony TX30 includes manual focusing when needed in low light situations or you require more accurate focusing control.

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Sony TX30 Battery life

The average Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 features the best (320) battery life in this category of cameras.

Following is a collection of Ultracompact cameras with the strongest battery life:

Sony TX30 for various styles of photography

The following diagram indicates a outline of the Sony TX30 for various styles of photography. To find out more, go to the specific paragraph below.

Sony TX30 Portrait photography information

The Sony TX30 has a score of 39 which is low, meaning that it is simply not appropriate for portrait images. Taking portrait images favors heavily to sensor resolution, support for RAW files together with the capability to work with external lighting.

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has manual focus
decent megapixels (18MP)
manual exposure not possible
can't use external flash
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support

Sony TX30 as a Street photography camera

Having a very good points tally of 64, the Sony TX30 is a respectable fit to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera provides a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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built in image stabilization (Optical)
environment proofing
no articulating screen
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files

Sony TX30 Sports photography factors

A average sports photography points tally of 46 means the Sony TX30 is somewhat acceptable for shooting sports. A camera should have great focusing plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
built in image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (18 megapixels)
weather proofing
no shutter priority mode
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus

Sony TX30 Travel photography details

Size is pretty critical when buying a camera for travel. Over-all, the Sony TX30 gets a very good 69 as a travelling camera which is a good option for your journeys.

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weather proof
resolution is good (18 megapixels)
has built in flash
relatively wide (26mm)
does not have Timelapse recording
display isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.5)

Landscape photography with Sony TX30

For anybody looking to buy a digital camera for landscape photos, the most important factor is going to be image quality. The Sony TX30 with it's decent rating of 51 for a landscape camera is somewhat acceptable in the current marketplace.

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you can focus manually
reasonably wide (26mm)
screen size is decent (3.3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent MP (18MP)
environment proofing
cannot swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5)
no manual exposure
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
missing Time Lapse function

Sony TX30 Vlogging information

A vlogging camera should posses a articulating display, microphone input and if possible IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Sony TX30 is simply not appropriate as a vlog camera as it delivers a low score of 34.

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fairly wide (26mm)
screen is touchscreen
has image stabilization (Optical)
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
missing external mic support

Sony TX30 Alternatives

If you need replacements to the TX30, below is a range of the top rated cameras which fall within the family of Ultracompact.

The line graph here will give you an overview of the TX30 vs it's top ranking competitors suggested previously.

Following are additional cameras you might have a look at as alternate options. To read through a thorough comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
Category
Ultracompact
Introduced
2013-07-26
Body design
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.16 x 4.62mm
Sensor area
28.5mm²
Sensor resolution
18MP
Anti alias filter
Peak resolution
4896 x 3672
RAW format
Highest native ISO
12800
Minimum native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Cross type focus points
0
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
26-130mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.5-4.8
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Range of screen
Fixed Type
Screen sizing
3.3 inches
Screen resolution
1,229k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen technology
OLED monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
4 seconds
Fastest shutter speed
1/1600 seconds
Continuous shutter speed
10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
141g (0.31 pounds)
Physical dimensions
96 x 59 x 15mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.6")
Other
Time lapse recording
Storage slots
1
Launch price
$230