At just 3.75×2.25×0.72 inches and 4.5 ounces, the TX5 is certainly a lot svelter than most waterproof cameras. In fact, it looks pretty similar to the rest of Sony’s TX line of ultracompact cameras, such as the new DSC-TX7 announced at CES and its popular predecessor, the DSC-TX1. The difference, though, is that the TX5 is waterproof to 10 feet, freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, dustproof, and shockproof up to a 5-foot drop. Like the TX7, it’s a 10.2-megapixel shooter with a wide angle (25-100mm equivalent) 4x optical zoom lens. Although its 3-inch, 230,000-dot touchscreen doesn’t match the TX7’s gorgeous 3.5-inch, 921,000-dot touchscreen, it’s still nice and big for such a small camera. The TX5 also delivers 720p HD video recording (vs. the TX7’s 1080i AVCHD movie mode) and an HDMI output, which is a nice touch. The camera will be available in silver, black, pink, green, and red, and will ship in April for $350.info: www.zdnet.com
