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Sony TX66

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 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
  • 109g - 93 x 54 x 13mm
  • Launched February 2012
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
97
Imaging
42
Features
51
Overall
45

Sony TX66 summary

Sony TX66 is Sony's Ultracompact digital camera originally announced on February of 2012. It houses a 18 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4896 x 3672.

The TX66 is positioned #3 out of 151 in Ultracompact cameras & overall #529 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please try our Advanced camera finder to find camera results based on your personalized criteria.

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Here is a graph of different factors used in the rating system.

Sony TX66 history

The Sony TX66 is part of a family of cameras. You can view the full range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX30 front thumbnailSony TX30
TX66 vs TX30
26-130mm
F3.5-4.8
18MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX20 front thumbnailSony TX20
TX66 vs TX20
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX66 front thumbnailSony TX6626-130mm
F3.5-4.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX200V front thumbnailSony TX200V
TX66 vs TX200V
28-140mm
F3.5-4.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX10 front thumbnailSony TX10
TX66 vs TX10
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX55 front thumbnailSony TX55
TX66 vs TX55
26-130mm
F3.5-4.8
16MP1/2.3"2011
Photography Glossary
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T110 front thumbnailSony T110
TX66 vs T110
27-108mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX100V front thumbnailSony TX100V
TX66 vs TX100V
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T99 front thumbnailSony T99
TX66 vs T99
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
14MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-TX9 front thumbnailSony TX9
TX66 vs TX9
25-100mm
F3.5-4.6
12MP1/2.3"2010
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T900 front thumbnailSony T900
TX66 vs T900
35-140mm
F3.5-10.0
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-T90 front thumbnailSony T90
TX66 vs T90
35-140mm
F3.5-10.0
12MP1/2.3"2009

Sony TX66 Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of pluses and minuses of the Sony TX66 based on criterias that are oftentimes regarded as essential in a digital camera.

above average minimum ISO (80)
built in lens has zoom (26-130mm 5.0 x zoom)
comes with focus by touch
decent sensor resolution (18MP)
does have HDMI socket
good battery life (250 CIPA)
good resolution screen (1,230 thousand dots)
has built in flash
has image stabilization (Optical)
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
manual focus
OLED technology
pretty good screen size (3.3")
provides face detect autofocus
provides tracking focus
rather wide (26mm)
screen is touchscreen
can't use external flash
does not have phase detect autofocus
does not have RAW support
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
manual exposure not available
no aperture priority
no articulating screen
no headphone socket
no microphone socket
no shutter priority mode
no Timelapse recording
screen is not selfie friendly
slow at full zoom (f4.8)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
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Sony TX66 Sensor details

The Sony TX66 is run by the BIONZ processor. The size of the sensor in the Sony TX66 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4896 x 3672 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization as the latter might cause cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 18MP and delivers a standard ISO range of 80 - 12800. Sadly, RAW files are not saved therefore the user has less margin for error.

The graphic below shows the TX66's sensor dimensions in comparison to other popular sizes. The TX66 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is displayed in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 sensor size Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony TX66 dimensions

Sony TX66 has a weight of 0.24 lb (109g / 3.84 ounces) & has outside size of 93mm x 54mm x 13mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.5"). The weight of average Ultracompact camera is 121g so the Sony TX66 is similar in comparison with its competitors.

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Listed below is a pic of the Sony TX66 beside a soda to help you get a sense of its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 dimensions scale

The top view here will highlight the button arrangement on the TX66.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 topview buttons dials

Sony TX66 Lens specs

The TX66 includes a fixed lens and it has a focal range of 26-130mm giving it a 5.0 x zoom which is definitely not very good however it is going to be handy in a few scenarios.

At the widest 26mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.5 making it kind of slow and not good for low light conditions and you will find it hard to get good bokeh. You will probably also need to boost the ISO producing noisy images. On the tele end, 130mm comes to f4.8 which is pretty slow and you would need to set slower shutter speeds.

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Sony TX66 Connectivity

The TX66 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras which include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity are able to be used wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily transfer images and sometimes adjust settings without the hassle of connecting physically to the camera.

Many applications even provide a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not near the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it can easily be hooked up to an external monitor. Most cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Sony TX66 Video specs

The highest possible video resolution in the Sony TX66 is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in MPEG-4 and AVCHD file format. 1080p resolution gives you an excellent balance between video quality versus file sizes but 1080p isn't going to give you any room to downsample. The camera does not offer a microphone and / or headphone socket which means that you have little control over the sound. It is perhaps a better idea to consider an alternative camera in case you want good sound for your videos.

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Sony TX66 Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing in the Sony TX66 so you need to be careful in rainy or dusty situations.

Sony TX66 Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony TX66 is equipped with a 3.3 inch fixed display screen supporting a resolution of 1,230 thousand dots.

Moreover the display screen is touch friendly which means you are able to switch focus point as well as change settings by using your fingers.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66 screen and viewfinder Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The View Finder details for Sony TX66 are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders can be quite beneficial during bright outdoor situations which might make the camera screen washed out and very difficult to see.

Sony TX66 Shutter specs

Sony TX66 has the ability to shoot continuously at 10.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000s.

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Sony TX66 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Sony TX66 has only built-in flash lacking external flash support.

Sony TX66 Autofocus specs

Sony TX66 has just Contrast Based Auto Focus & doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more snappier & precise in comparison with Contrast Based focusing. The camera supports Face detection which is handy for portraits.

Sony TX66 has tap to focus. You can use your fingers in order to change focus points. It also has Tracking Auto Focus for moving things. Sony TX66 has got manual focusing when needed during low light scenarios or you need more accurate focusing control.

Photography Glossary

Sony TX66 Battery life

The battery life (NP-BN) in the Sony TX66 is made to last for 250 photographs as per the CIPA requirements which is above average ın comparison with its category. The average Ultracompact camera battery life is 214. Nikon L32 has the best (320) battery life within this category of cameras.

Listed below is a listing of Ultracompact cameras with the best battery life:

Sony TX66 for different categories of photography

The following diagram shows a outline of the Sony TX66 for different categories of photography. To look at more, have a look at the specific section below.

Sony TX66 as a Portrait photography camera

The Sony TX66 has a score of 42 which is lousy, meaning that it is simply not suitable to use for portrait photography. Shooting portraits leans heavily to sensor dimension, support for RAW photos and capability to utilize off-camera lighting.

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you can focus manually
good resolution (18MP)
features face detect autofocus
manual exposure not possible
can't use external flash
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
no RAW files

Street photography with Sony TX66

Having a above average points tally of 64, the Sony TX66 is a good option for street photography. A good street photography camera has a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

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image stabilization (Optical)
provides focus by touch
no articulating screen
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
no RAW files

Sony TX66 as a Sports photography camera

A average sports photography rating of 49 means the Sony TX66 is fairly appropriate for taking pictures of sports. A camera needs excellent focusing and shutter speeds for sports photography.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (18 megapixels)
offers tracking focus
good battery (250 CIPA)
lack of shutter priority mode
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF

Sony TX66 Travel photography advice

Portability is extremely crucial when buying a travel camera. Over-all, the Sony TX66 gets a nice 72 as a travel camera which is a fine choice to take with you on your journeys.

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good battery (250 per charge)
supports touch to focus
decent sensor resolution (18MP)
built-in flash
really wide (26mm)
no Time Lapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.5)

Sony TX66 as a Landscape photography camera

In case you're planning to choose a digital camera for landscape pictures, the most critical factor will no doubt be image quality. The Sony TX66 with it's average grade of 51 as a landscape camera is reasonably appropriate among it's rivals.

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manual focus
reasonably wide (26mm)
screen size is good (3.3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (18 megapixels)
great battery power (250 shots)
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
no manual control
very small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
lack of Timelapse mode

Sony TX66 as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging preferably should have a articulating display, mic port and preferably image stabilization. Taking all things into account, the Sony TX66 is simply not suitable for vlogging as it receives a lousy score of 36.

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relatively wide (26mm)
touchscreen functionality
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have microphone port

Sony TX66 Alternatives

If you are shopping for alternatives to the TX66, here is a collection of the highest rated cameras which fall into the family of Ultracompact.

The line graph underneath gives you a bird's eye view of the TX66 vs it's highest rated competitors listed above.

There are a bunch of cameras you might take into account as alternate options. To browse through a extensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX66
Class
Ultracompact
Launched
2012-02-28
Physical type
Ultracompact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor
BIONZ
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
18 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4896 x 3672
RAW photos
Maximum native ISO
12800
Minimum native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Cross type focus points
0
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
26-130mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.5-4.8
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3.3"
Resolution of screen
1,230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Screen tech
XtraFine TruBlack OLED display
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
30 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
3.10 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync, Rear Slow Sync
External flash
AEB
WB 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 fps), 1440 x 1080 (60, 30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
109g (0.24 pounds)
Physical dimensions
93 x 54 x 13mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.5")
Other
Battery life
250 images
Battery type
Battery Pack
Battery ID
NP-BN
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type
Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo, microSD/microSDHC
Card slots
Single
Launch cost
$350