The slim theme extends to the slender 12MB internal memory, while features are a bit thin on the ground. BenQ's Super Shake-Free system is another of the automatic high-ISO systems with which manufacturers insist on saddling compacts.
We liked the accessories: a touchscreen stylus that clips to the camera so you won't lose it, a cute little iPod-shaped charger and a velcro-sealed pouch with a dinky memory card pocket.
Performance
The DC-T700 takes an age to start up, at four seconds including
a pointless BenQ logo screen. It then takes up to five seconds between
shots in single mode. Continuous mode isn't much faster at around 0.5
frames per second.
Image quality is good, though. Detail is sharp, and colours are vividly produced. The quality of the lens showed in a lack of distortion except right at the very corners of the frame.
Autofocus is only available in a wide form, rather than a centre-weighted spot. This makes locking focus rather arbitrary, as the reticule will lock on anything within its width. This is especially annoying when trying to lock on to a specific subject, such as in macro or portrait mode. Manual focus is available, controlled by a touchscreen slider, but it is slow and jerky.
Low light is once again the bane of yet another budget compact. Autofocus struggles to lock, and there's no AF assist lamp to help out. Meanwhile noise adversely affects images at all but the lowest ISO 80 setting.
The flipside of the DC-T700's diminutive size is a small battery, which does lead to battery issues. A full charge was enough for the 400 or so shots involved in our lab testing, but we didn't have to do much more shooting with the flash before the battery failed.
Conclusion
The Pentax lens means that picture quality from the DC-T700
isn't bad at all, at least until the light starts to go. We've come to
expect cameras this size to struggle in the dark, but not to be so slow
or have such poor battery life.
Nonetheless, the DC-T700 is stylishly made and the touchscreen is both fun and user-friendly.
Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday
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