Sony has expanded its Cyber-shot T series, as well as its range of automated shooting functions, with the addition of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77.

Building on the popular T70 and sharing most of its shooting technology with the flagship T700, the T77 features a 10.1 megapixel CCD sensor, 4x Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar optics with image stabilization, a large touch-screen LCD, and a Bionz image processor packing Sony’s latest image capture technologies.

Updates under the hood include ten scene modes (with an iSCN intelligent scene selection system that now automatically chooses from among eight of the presets based on shooting situation), an improved Smile Shutter system for capturing smiling faces, and new retouching and slide show tools. Sony’s D-Range Optimizer works to provide balanced contrast and properly exposed midtone and shadow values in situations with wide dynamic range.

A 1080i output via the T77’s multifunction connector allows for high-definition playback on HDTVs.

Touch-screen cameras have become a bit less cutting edge since they first came to Sony’s T models, but the T77 continues to boast some respectable numbers in this area. The T77’s touch-sensitive panel measures 3.0 inches and provides 230,000 dots of resolution.

All of this comes housed in a sleek brushed metal body that’s available in one of five trendy colors and, at 0.6 inches thick, is impressively compact to boot.

The T77 will officially replace the current T70 in stores in late September. Suggested pricing is around $300.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77 Specifications: