We need your support: Please SUBSCRIBE to our New YOUTUBE Channel and help us create more content!

Sony TX30 Review

Name: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
Brand: Sony

Select a Camera to Compare

Add a Camera for comparison

Main Features

18MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 12800

26-130 mm F3.5-4.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.30" Fixed Type Screen

10.0fps continuous shooting

141g. 96 x 59 x 15 mm mm

Weather-sealed Body

CHECK PRICE

Sony TX30 Overview

First introduced in July 2013, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 is a 18.0MP Ultracompact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.16 x 4.62 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization, weather-sealed body and 5.0x zoom 26-130 mm F3.5-4.8 lens.

Sony TX30 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Recommended Accessories
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Sony TX30 is a member of Sony's Ultracompact class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

Sony Ultracompact Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Sony WX220 Compare	February 2014	18.0MP - 1/2.3'	10.0 fps	92 x 52 x 22mm	121g
Sony W830 Compare	January 2014	20.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	1.0 fps	93 x 52 x 23mm	122g
Sony W810 Compare	January 2014	20.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	1.0 fps	97 x 56 x 21mm	111g
Sony TX30	July 2013	18.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	10.0 fps	96 x 59 x 15 mmmm	141g
Sony TX66 Compare	February 2012	18.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	10.0 fps	93 x 54 x 13mm	109g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side-by-side:
Sony WX220 vs W830 vs W810 vs TX30 vs TX66

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sony TX30 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Sony TX30 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

Full HD Video

Touch Screen

18.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

12.800 Max ISO

Large 3.30" Screen

1.229k dots LCD Resolution

10.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

141g Light Body

Manual Focusing

Environmental Sealing

26mm Wide Angle Lens

Panorama Shooting

Report a correction

Buy Sony TX30 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

No Face Detection Focusing

Only Unknown Focus Points

1/1600s Low Max Shutter Speed

No Manual Exposure

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.50

Slow Lens at Tele: f4.80

Report a correction

Sony TX30 Physical Specs

Sony TX30 weighs 141 g and has external dimensions of . Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Sony TX30 is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 15mm, it is also quite small, 13mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Sony TX30

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Sony TX30

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Sony TX30 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony TX30 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony TX30, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Sony TX30 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Sony TX30 with its main competitors:

Sony TX30 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs TX30	Thickness	vs TX30
Sony TX20 Compare	133g	8g lighter	18mm	3mm thicker
Sony TX10 Compare	133g	8g lighter	18mm	3mm thicker
Sony TX66 Compare	109g	32g lighter	13mm	2mm thinner
Sony TX55 Compare	109g	32g lighter	13mm	2mm thinner
Sony TX100V Compare	147g	6g heavier	18mm	3mm thicker
Sony TX200V Compare	129g	12g lighter	16mm	1mm thicker
Panasonic LX10 Compare	310g	169g heavier	42mm	27mm thicker
Sony TX5 Compare	148g	7g heavier	18mm	3mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Sony TX30 has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Sony TX30 will serve you well.

Sony TX30 Lens

Sony TX30 features a 26-130 mm F3.5-4.8 5× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 26mm, and 130mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is also well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

TX30

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

TX30

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.50 at 26mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end and neither at tele end with its f4.80.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

TX30

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

TX30

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

TX30 is equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Sony TX30's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Sony TX30 Sensor and Photography Features

Sony TX30 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.16 x 4.62 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4896x3672 pixels. TX30 has a native ISO range of 80 - 12800 but unfortunately, Sony TX30 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 (Lumix DMC-TZ80) in the same price range.

Sony TX30 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Canon SX740 HS with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony TX30 vs Canon SX740 HS or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sony TX30's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Sony TX30 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Sony TX30 LCD

Sony TX30 has a Fixed Type 3.30-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1,229k dots. The Sony TX30's 3.30" screen is larger than average and its resolution is up to the class standarts.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

Unfortunately Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

TX30 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 (Lumix DC-TZ200) (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Sony TX30 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Sony TX30 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Sony TX30 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony TX20 Compare	1920 x 1080	250shots	No	No	No
Sony TX10 Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	No	No	No
Sony TX66 Compare	1920 x 1080	250shots	No	No	No
Sony TX55 Compare	1920 x 1080	250shots	No	No	No
Sony TX100V Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	No	No	No
Sony TX200V Compare	1920 x 1080	220shots	No	No	No
Panasonic LX10 Compare	3840 x 2160	260shots	Yes	No	No
Sony TX5 Compare	1280 x 720	shots	No	No	No

Sony TX30 Video Features

With Sony TX30, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60,50 fps and save in and formats. Full HD resolution of Sony TX30 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

Microphones, Speaker and Headphone Connections

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. On the other hand, Sony TX30 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Nikon Coolpix P7100 in a similar price range.

Sony TX30 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Sony TX30 can shoot continuously at max speed of 10 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1600 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately TX30 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

What type of Photography is Sony TX30 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sony TX30 in 5 different photography areas.

Sony TX30 for Portrait Photography

Sony TX30 has a score of 22 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theTX30.

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Sony TX30 for Portrait Photography

Sony TX30 for Street Photography

Sony TX30 has a score of 54 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Image Stabilization
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Small Body
No Built-in Viewfinder
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Sony TX30 for Street Photography

Sony TX30 for Sports Photography

Sony TX30 has a score of 20 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theTX30.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Manual Focus Mode
Image Stabilization
130 mm Tele Lens
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s

Unknown Focus Points
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony TX30 for Sports Photography

Sony TX30 for Daily Photography

Sony TX30 has a score of 55 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
141g
Body Thickness 15mm
Environmental Sealings

5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Sony TX30 for Daily Photography

Sony TX30 for Landscape Photography

Sony TX30 has a score of 23 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theTX30.

Manual Focus Mode
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Environmental Sealings

No Manual Exposure Mode
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3″ (6.16 x 4.62 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Sony TX30 for Landscape Photography

Sony TX30 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sony TX30 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sony TX30 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sony TX30

Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Sony TX30 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Sony TX30 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare the Sony TX30 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Sony TX30's price range.

Sony TX30 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Sony TX30 has an Overall Score of 36/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 is ranked #319 out of 632 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #919 out of 1276 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#919 out of 1276 in Top Ranking Cameras
#319 out of 632 in Top Ranking Compact Cameras
#35 out of 152 in Top Ranking Ultracompact Cameras
#410 out of 741 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Sensor Cameras
#161 out of 536 in Lightest Compact Cameras with Small Sensor sensor(141g)
#586 out of 920 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
Geek Score: 0

Sony TX30

CHECK PRICE

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sony TX30

Does the Sony TX30 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sony TX30 have RAW support?
Does the Sony TX30 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sony TX30 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sony TX30?
What is the Sensor Size of Sony TX30?
is the Sony TX30 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sony TX30 have Touch Screen?
Does the Sony TX30 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony TX30?
What is the Weight of Sony TX30?
What are the Dimensions of Sony TX30?

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sony
Model	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
Announced	2013-07-26
Body Type	Ultracompact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-4.8
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Technology	OLED monitor
Screen Size	3.30"
Screen Resolution	1,229k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	4s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/1600s
Max Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a
Flash Modes	n/a
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	BSI-CMOS
Sensor Size	1/2.3-inch
Sensor Dimensions	6.16 x 4.62 mm
Sensor Area	28.46mm²
Sensor Resolution	18 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4896x3672
Max Native ISO	12,800
Min Native ISO	80
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	Unknown
Number of Cross Focus Points	0
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	141g
Physical Dimensions	96 x 59 x 15 mmmm
Other Features
Self Timer	n/a
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Slots	1
	Report a correction