Just the other day I had a conversation with a young married couple who, on my advice, bought one of the Canon ultrasonics. I was shown two photographs taken at night - a house, a street, a street lamp. The shot taken with Canon resembled fireworks - everything possible was blurred. And the manual mode of operation did not help in this case. The second frame was taken using a Sony “thin” camera - apparently something from the TX line. The photo was not blurry. The question is - why is this? Why does this healthy Canon shoot worse than the little Sony?

This story perfectly illustrates the requirements of a simple camera user. Outstanding picture quality is not required - the main thing is that it looks good on the monitor. So, looking ahead, I want to say that the HX5V is the best choice this year for those who are not big amateur photographers. And I will recommend it to everyone, so as not to answer the question “why does my camera take worse pictures than the small Sony?”

Appearance, materials, controls

The main material is plastic. Slightly rough, pleasant to the touch, the camera does not slip in your hands. The surface is covered with a matte material that will wear away over time. Fortunately, this is not very noticeable, since the plastic itself is about the same color. On my sample, wear is visible on the corners, but you can hardly see them in the photographs.

There is a “chromed” plastic edging on the left and upper ends. Over the entire period of use, a couple of micro scratches appeared on it. The shiny coating on the plastic sticks well.

But the protective glass of the display had a hard time, in particular due to the fact that I carried the camera with metal objects. For example, the lens ring of the Ricoh Digital GR3 camera left scratches on it. Fortunately, they did not affect the perception of the picture in any way, and they can only be seen from a certain angle. If you don’t do it like I did, then nothing bad will happen to the plastic display protection.

The front side of the device is completely made of metal. Of course, it would be great if it were all metal, but don’t forget that there is both a compass and a GPS receiver, for which metal does not bode well.

The majority of the back of the camera is occupied by the display, covered with protective anti-reflective plastic. To the right of it are buttons for video recording, photo viewing mode, and a five-way navigation key. Just below it are the menu and photo delete buttons. At the top end there are two microphones, a burst button, power buttons, shutter release buttons with a zoom rocker, and an operating mode dial. On the front side there is a lens, flash and autofocus LED. At the bottom end there is a tripod mount, camera speaker holes, a proprietary connector, a battery compartment and memory cards. By the way, the tripod mount is located on the left side of the camera for a reason. When on a tripod, the mount does not cover the memory card and battery compartments; they can be easily removed. Accordingly, to change them, there is no need to remove the camera from the mount.

There is a strap holder on the left side.

Comparison with Ricoh GR3 camera:

Not long ago I purchased a Sony laptop, which I am very happy about. Thanks to one kind person. So, I can’t help but notice similar features of the technology. Pay attention to the end of the laptop with the power button. Now let's look at the camera's mode dial. Similar, aren't they? If only there were buttons like on a laptop, it would be absolutely wonderful.

Another camera from Sony is amazingly good. Just recently I was singing songs of praise about H20, and now again. Perhaps there is something wrong with me? How do you like the design?

Everything is fine with the assembly, as expected. The body parts fit tightly, there are no creaks or backlashes. The only unpleasant moment is the housing coating, which I mentioned above, but overall I really like the device.

Display

On the one hand, it’s strange to see a rather mediocre display in a 2010 device from such a well-known company. A three-inch TFT matrix with 230 thousand dots, which is not a lot today. On the other hand, let's remember that the device can now be bought for 10 thousand rubles. For such a functional device, this is not much at all. But still, from the extremely positive impressions of working with the device, the display remains a fly in the ointment - this is perhaps the only negative point noticed during quite a long time of using the camera.

In the sun, the picture fades, details are lost, but the information remains readable and there are no problems with shooting, despite the high graininess of the screen. The display is covered with protective anti-reflective plastic, but there is still glare. The screen also gets dirty very quickly, and it is better to use a napkin to wipe it.

Ergonomics and speed of work

When talking about the ease of working with the camera, the first thing to consider is the size and weight. For the hand of a teenager or an adult, they are insignificant, so you can grab it in weight, as you wish. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this, since the control elements are located very intelligently - you can operate the device with one hand. The only obvious drawback is the location of the operating mode dial. As you can see, it is framed on all sides by the camera body. When you try to turn it with your thumb, you hit the edge of the case. However, it is quite possible to scroll the disk in this way.

All keys, except the shutter button, have a short travel with a rather weak click when pressed. In general, the information content of the buttons can be called average. It's not the best return, but it's not the worst either. I didn’t have any problems with this during use, but for people with large hands there may be some unpleasant surprises. I advise you to pay attention to this point if you decide to purchase a camera.

There are also no complaints about the speed of work. The on time is approximately 1.5 seconds, and the off time is 2-2.5 seconds. Focusing in a room (fluorescent lighting) takes about half a second, which is also good. If you constantly press the shutter button, the camera takes one photo in two seconds. We will talk about the possibility of shooting ten frames per second in the next part.

In general, I liked the camera in terms of speed and ease of use. Easy to use, moderately simple, with a pleasant graphical (and not textual, like many) interface. But we, as true amateur photographers, are also interested in the result, which, according to company representatives, was greatly influenced by the device’s new BSI matrix. Let's take a closer look at what she gave us.

Interface

The HX5V won't surprise you here if you've used Sony cameras before. A familiar, understandable and beautiful interface without unnecessary information for this class. When you press the Menu button, you see that five icons appear on the left side of the screen, indicating a particular setting. Possible changes to the selected setting are displayed at the top of the screen, and help information is displayed in the center.

In manual mode, as in the richest mode with various parameters, we can see:

Image Size– 10, 5, 0.3 MP with an aspect ratio of 4:3, or 7 and 2 MP for a widescreen image (aspect ratio 16:9)

Setting Burst Shooting. This setting duplicates the button on the top end of the camera.

Continuous shooting interval. Possible values: High speed (up to 10 frames per second); Medium speed (up to 5 frames per second); Low speed (up to 2 frames per second)

Bracketing settings: Off, 0.3, 0.7, 1.0 EV, white balance

ISO: 125, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200

White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent, Flash, One Touch, Settings One Touch

Focus: Multi AF, Center AF, Spot AF

Exposition: Multi, Center, Spot

Smile detection sensitivity: Wide smile, Normal smile, Light smile

Face recognition: Off, Auto, Child priority, Adult priority.

The camera settings are familiar: date, time, interface language, video format, video output, grid line, digital zoom, auto-orientation, red-eye reduction, and so on. Only the compass and GPS calibration look unusual.

Functionality

GPS and compass

Needless to say, GPS in a camera is optional. Most users of digital compacts do not need geographic coordinates attached to photographs simply because most of them are done at home, at work, in the country, in a cafe. All places are immediately recognizable. In addition, in order for photos to be displayed on a Google map, you need skills or at least a person who could show the algorithm of the required actions. It is also no secret that the GPS module itself is not free; accordingly, its cost and integration into the camera are included in the price list. Why pay for a feature you won't use? The situation is in many ways similar to cameras in mobile phones. Many people are looking for just these, not wanting to overpay for unnecessary functionality.

For me, GPS is also not a determining factor when choosing a camera, but it was still useful to me.

I have one hobby or habit - I don’t know how to correctly identify it. I really like to get out into the center of Moscow and wander the streets within the Garden Ring, listening to music and photographing what I see. Let's take, for example, the large (one might even say central) Tverskaya street. Noise, din, a lot of people, cars honk alternately, but as soon as you turn off it into a quiet side street, you get the feeling of a completely different city. Or, let’s say, the Garden Ring itself is a transport artery, what peace there is here. But you can walk along Denezhny, Gagarinsky and Bolshoy Vasilyevsky lanes. Sometimes you come across completely unexpected objects.

Old dilapidated church. Usually they are watched, but here even the doors are locked somehow. At night, candlelight is visible in the windows.

Here and there you come across stained glass or just interesting windows.

In other places it is very easy to lose track of time.

The twenty-first century remains somewhere there, on Tverskaya, but here you can’t even see the high-rise buildings. There is a lot of peace and quiet in Moscow, you just need to know where to look for it. The only question is how to return to these places if you did not plan the route of the walk and did not photograph the street names on the houses. GPS coordinates in photos are very helpful here.

Cold and hot starts happen very quickly - a minute, maximum two. Personally, I did not pay any attention to this, since the camera does not require any knowledge from its owner in this area. It just works and it's great!

Panorama

Apart from the great video feature, it also has a panoramic feature. Many of you are familiar with it from the HX1 camera from the same manufacturer. Switching to panorama mode, you see a guide to action - just move the camera to the side. A slider is displayed at the bottom showing the progress of this action. We press the button and move the camera neither quickly nor slowly. As a result, we get a very good photo, where the places where the photos are glued together are quite difficult to notice. I repeat - everything is very simple, and the result is pleasing to the eye. The “viewing” angle of the photograph is 270 degrees, which is currently a record for such cameras. It should also be mentioned that you will not find anything like this in cameras from other manufacturers. Either such a function will not exist at all, or its implementation will be difficult to compare with that from Sony.

Anti-shake mode

Nothing supernatural is happening here. The ISO value increases, the exposure time decreases. Considering that the camera really likes to make noise even in automatic mode, I see no reason to switch to this one.

Image stabilization

In the first article about the photo forum, we found out that the image stabilization in this camera has been improved, but the results of this work were not clear. Now we can evaluate how well it works. Indeed, an excellent result. When focusing, the image stops shaking - this is very clearly visible at 10x zoom.

HDR photography shooting mode

So, we gradually approach the quality of the photo. This is one of the key functions of the HX5V. It really works, and the result is visible to the naked eye. When shooting, the camera takes two pictures with different exposures, and then stitches them together. I must say, this mode works a little better than I expected. I hope it will please you too. Let's evaluate it with examples.

We need to make three columns of photos. In the first place put photos from the Standard folder, in the second from the DRO folder and in the third from the HDR folder

Standard	DRO	HDR

Examples of photographies

The conclusions from the photo will be twofold. On the one hand, the camera is very noisy in low light. There is no need to scold the quality for a long time - this is already enough. Finding a camera that takes better pictures is not difficult. On the other hand, if the image on the monitor is not “zoomed”, then the quality is quite enough. I would like to say that the main advantage is acceptable quality in all shooting conditions. Even at night you can get decent photos without blur. In addition, image stabilization will also be of great help in both video and photography. Consistent image quality is what my parents need, for example. To our grandparents, ordinary camera users. Just a camera that takes pictures, and the result satisfies the owner.

Video

This is one of the key functions in this device. Many user reviews on the Internet indicate that this camera was chosen solely because of FullHD video. From myself I can say that the quality of the video is incredibly good, but, unfortunately, neither Youtube nor the monitor can convey all the beauty of the picture. Only FullHD TV. The feeling is that the video was shot on a video camera, and not the cheapest one.

Two recording formats are supported – mp4 and AVHCD. In the first case, progressive scanning is used, 25 frames per second, and in the second, interlaced, 50 frames per second. Which option to use is up to you.

It is worth saying a few words about the difficulties of viewing AVHCD. The video stream is written to a file with *.mts resolution, which is not recognized by Windows Vista. You need to install an additional player (or codecs), for example, Media Player Classic - Home Cinema. It is difficult to notice any particular difference in quality between these two formats, so I preferred to work with mp4.

Example video in mp4:

Example video in AVHCD:

In future reviews of the Samsung PL150 and Samsung ST70 cameras, I used the HX5V to record video, so you will still have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the picture.

Working hours

The manufacturer claims that on a single battery charge the camera can take 310 pictures under normal conditions or work for 155 minutes with the display on (30 seconds per picture). In my case, I was able to take about 250 frames and record several minutes of video. This result seems quite acceptable to me. I can’t say how long the camera shoots exclusively in video - I forgot. I repent.

Memory

All 2010 Sony cameras support SD and SDHC memory cards, in addition to the native Memory Stick, which, of course, is a big plus due to the great popularity of these storage media. Working with my 8 GB SD card did not cause any complaints. I would like to warn you right away that you should not buy 1 and 2 gigabyte cards for such a camera, since it only lasts for 13 and 26 minutes in video mode (maximum quality), respectively. When purchasing in a store, I advise you to bring your card, since the built-in 45 megabytes of memory will not allow you to appreciate the beauty of FullHD video.

Competitors

If you compare the functionality, there are very few of them. And in terms of the implementation of some functions (panorama), excluding other Sony products, they are not available at all. Another question is, is it worth comparing the HX5V only with devices that have a BSI matrix? In my opinion, no, since information about the type of matrix will tell the consumer little and therefore is not so important. What is most important is the user experience, features and photo quality.

Having looked at cameras in the range from 11 to 15 thousand rubles, you can come to an interesting conclusion - there is nothing more functional in this price range. If we take into account the quality of video shooting, then in the specified price range there are only three cameras - the hero of this review, Samsung WB2000 and Nikon Coolpix P100. But since the P100 is a completely different size, it’s not worth comparing with it.

The camera from Samsung is a good competitor, but still falls short. The optical zoom is only five times, although the quality of the AMOLED display is higher. The ten-megapixel matrix is ​​also made using BSI technology. Don't forget that there is no GPS or compass, such a wonderful panorama, HDR, but the bonus will be the ability to record video at 1000 frames per second (apparently at the expense of resolution). Among other things, there is also the opportunity to shoot in RAW. The price of this camera is around 10 thousand rubles.

Let's lower the bar of our requirements to HD video, and here I would like to draw your attention to the Samsung WB650 camera. This is a very compact ultrasonic with fifteen times optical zoom, a three-inch screen and a GPS module. The best price at the moment is just above 8 thousand rubles.

If you are only interested in photo quality, then you can take a closer look at the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS camera presented at the photo forum this year. Fourteen times optical zoom, a three-inch display with a resolution similar to the HX5V and HD video recording quality. Separately, I would like to note the more convenient ergonomics and manual operation.

If you want to see a panorama and HDR shooting function in your future camera, then you can take a closer look at the Sony H55. This is a simplified HX5V model, which does not have GPS, compass, Full HD video, or BSI matrix. The retail price of this camera is about 8 thousand rubles.

For those who still want to appreciate the advantages of a BSI matrix and at the same time have a thin and stylish device, we can suggest the Sony WX1. Unlike the H55, the optical zoom here is only five times, and the display has a smaller diagonal (2.7 inches). Otherwise, the functionality of this camera is equal to the H55.

conclusions

In previous years, I very often came across the opinion that Sony was not doing well with cameras. I hope 2010 put everything in its place. The company literally took off. At first there were rumors about a certain Sony Evil, which actually turned out to be NEX-3 and NEX-5. Then the line of digital compacts was replenished with the Sony H20, and now a whole scattering of beautiful point-and-shoot cameras, led by the HX5V. It is difficult to write conclusions about such a successful product and not be included in the ranks of Sony fans. However, in the paragraph on competitors, we found out that there is no more capable camera on the market in this price category than this one. We found out that the implementation of such functions as panorama, HDR photos, GPS, video is excellent, and competitors simply cannot offer anything like that. But finding a camera that would give the best picture quality will not be difficult. Yes, in this regard, the HX5V is not a record holder, but I still consider it the best choice for the mass consumer, since this camera can offer them maximum functionality and good photo quality. The main advantage of this camera is that it practically does not blur the image even at night, and blur is much worse than noise. In addition, there are not so many people who like to “look at the pixels” in photographs. In short, this camera is the best choice this summer, and possibly this year. If you are planning to change your digital compact, be guided by the conclusions. I recommend the HX5V for purchase without any remorse, because it is truly an excellent choice.

Camera interface and settings

The camera's software also raises complaints. By the way, the menu and interface here are almost the same as those of the compact superzoom Sony Cyber-shot WX300, which recently visited us. The Menu button launches a quick menu at the beginning, consisting of several screens and requiring scrolling. You can get to the main camera menu only by scrolling the quick menu to the very end. On the one hand, this is very inconvenient, but on the other hand, it reduces access to the main menu to a minimum, and most shooting settings are implemented in the quick menu.

The layout of service information on the display is also not entirely successful. A serious drawback can be considered the lack of information about the current ISO value if it is selected automatically. You can find out what ISO value the automation has chosen only in viewing mode. The Quick Menu does not contain focus point and ISO settings. The selection of the focus area is assigned to a separate key next to the shutter button. Well, ISO setting is done only using a wheel, which at first causes confusion. One button is reprogrammable.

Functionality

At the heart of the Sony Cyber-shot HX300 is a proprietary 20-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. Compared with the previous Sony ultrasonic, the resolution has increased by two megapixels. This is two megapixels more than its predecessor. At the same time, the matrix format remained unchanged - 1/2.3 inches. Its sensitivity is adjustable from 80 to 12800 units. There is, of course, an automatic sensitivity selection mode, but in this case you cannot set the sensitivity range. However, the camera cannot be accused of excessively inflating ISO values.

The BIONZ processor ensures a high rate of fire of the device, as well as fast and smooth operation of the interface. Turning on the camera takes just under 3 seconds, taking into account the partial extension of the lens. The continuous shooting rate reaches 10 frames per second in full resolution with locked autofocus.

The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens covers focal lengths from 24mm to 1200mm (35mm film equivalent). At the same time, its aperture narrows from F2.8 to F6.3. This is one of the fastest lenses with a 50x zoom. The lens moves from the wide-angle to the telephoto position by moving the zoom lever in three seconds. At the same time, at the start of zooming, the increase occurs smoothly, but as the focal length increases, the zoom speed increases. It’s quite easy to skip the desired zoom value, say 40x or 45x.

The subject of this review is a pre-sale sample of the camera with the inscription not for sale or lease, i.e. not for sale or lease. Therefore, it is very likely that the models that go on sale will be slightly different. In particular, I hope that some roughness in the translation into Russian and in the operation of the menu will be corrected.

The camera is attractive for its compactness and quite rich, albeit peculiar, functionality.

The camera has a lens with a 20x focal length change from 4.45 mm to 89 mm, which in terms of angle of view corresponds to a change in the focal length of a film camera from 25 to 500 mm. This model has an 18-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor with 1:2.3″ back-illumination, which corresponds to 6.17 x 4.55 mm. The camera is equipped with a fixed 3-inch screen with 921,600 dots.

The camera has an HDMI connector for video output. However, if you use not your native monitor, but, for example, a Samsung SyncMaster T240, then it turns out that the aspect ratio of the image itself and the information superimposed on it are different.

The camera has several intelligent auto modes. The main purpose of these modes is to extremely humiliate the photographer and show the insignificance of his mind in comparison with the computer intelligence of the camera. It takes, I think, several months to figure out when and why to use one or another automatic mode and what it actually does to the frame. In any case, learning how to shoot well in purely manual mode is certainly easier.

The camera uses a Micro-USB connector to connect to a computer and charge.

The camera comes with a power supply with a USB connector, but it provides the standard current of 0.5 amperes, and thus, charging both from this unit and when connected to a computer will continue for the same time. I note that smartphone manufacturers, for example HTC, equip their communicators with a charger with a current of 1 A.

The camera is equipped with a GPS sensor that allows you to link photos to geographic coordinates and record a track even when the camera is turned off. Due to its dimensions and capabilities, the camera may be of interest both to a traveler for whom photography is not the main task, and to a photographer as a second camera. A compact camera in a photographer's arsenal is not just a notebook or an insurance policy; it is also often valuable in itself due to its large depth of field. I usually used a Canon Power Shot A650IS camera for these purposes.

Naturally, these cameras can only be compared where their capabilities overlap. The 650 has no GPS sensor and only 6x focal length. But its photographic functionality, especially when using CHDK, is significantly greater. In addition, it has an optical viewfinder - in bright sunlight it is quite difficult to work at long focal lengths with a Sony camera. But these are, so to speak, differences that are immediately noticeable. If you dig a little deeper, then from a photographic point of view, some of the parameters set by the Sony camera are surprising. So, in manual mode, the aperture of a fully open lens changes from F: 3.2 to F: 5.8. It is possible to close the aperture and get, respectively, F:8 at the minimum focal length, and F:14 at the maximum focal length. If we estimate the diffraction pattern at such aperture values, then we should get a catastrophic drop in resolution.

Estimated diffraction calculation using my depth of field calculation program. A slightly larger matrix with a slightly smaller number of sensitive elements was chosen, so in reality the picture should have been even sadder.

Therefore, the suspicion creeps in that the aperture of this camera does not change, but a 5x neutral density filter is used. Filming with this camera and a Canon 650 IS camera showed that our assumption was confirmed.

Sony's resolution and depth of field do not depend on the supposed aperture value set. That. The aperture of this camera changes only with a change in focal length. The true value is the value for a fully open aperture - this is what should be used to calculate the depth of field. P mode in this situation turns into aperture priority mode, in which, depending on the lighting, the camera first reduces the shutter speed, and when this possibility is exhausted, a neutral density filter is added in front of the matrix.

Let's continue comparing pictures taken with Canon and Sony cameras. In terms of information capacity and the number of distinguishable lines per frame, the cameras are almost identical, although one has a 12 MP CCD matrix 7.44 × 5.58 mm, and the other has a CMOS 18 MP 6.17 × 4.55 mm. If you reduce the image to 12 megapixels, the resolution in strokes per pixel will be almost the same.

Sony is on the left. For clarity, the image during layout is enlarged 2 times. Please note that there is practically no moire in the picture taken by Sony. That is, not only the optics, but also the processing program may be responsible for the lower resolution.

If you compare pictures taken at ISO-100, you get the impression that giant megapixels are superfluous here. But it turns out that they have found a use: if we compare the noise, we will see that at minimum sensitivity they are almost the same, although Sony’s matrix is ​​smaller in physical dimensions (however, it is CMOS with back illumination, and perhaps the area of ​​its sensitive element has not decreased at all proportional to the decrease in external dimensions). When increasing sensitivity to ISO-800, Sony significantly outperforms the Canon camera.

F=19 mm; F/4.5
ISO-100; 1/10 s	ISO-100; 1/25 s*
ISO-200; 1/20 s	ISO-200; 1/50 s
ISO-400; 1/40 s	ISO-400; 1/100 s
ISO-800; 1/80 s	ISO-800; 1/200 s
ISO-1600; 1/160 s	ISO-1600; 1/400 s
ISO-3200; 1/320 s
ISO-6400; 1/640 s
ISO-12800; 1/1250 s
*Pictures taken with different cameras were taken under different lighting conditions, so shutter speeds do not allow comparison of the actual sensitivity of the cameras.

The extra megapixels allow noise reduction to work effectively. You can see that when changing sensitivity to ISO 800, the amount of noise changes little. Further at ISO 1600 and 3200 the picture remains tolerable. The camera also has record ISOs: 6400 and 12800. However, in these modes the camera takes pictures in a series, and it is not entirely clear whether the results obtained in this series can be compared with single pictures. Ultimately, the total endurance of the series is greater than the specified one. I don't know what the difference is between the pictures in this series. An additional dark frame may be shot to improve noise reduction.

The interesting thing about the menu is that now you don’t have to look for a description of the functions: it is completely listed directly in the menu, and now you can read it from the camera screen.

The only menu item whose operation remains unclear to me is the “Digital Zoom” item. Regardless of what I selected (off or on), when I pressed the zoom lever, the camera, without actually slowing down, jumped through the optical zoom range and switched to digital. That. blindly, without looking at the screen, it is virtually impossible to select the maximum optical zoom. Digital zoom only turned off for me if I selected ISO 6400 or higher. Realizing that with such noise there is nothing good even with optical zoom, I no longer used the digital camera.

Compared to the 650, the camera has advanced capabilities for shooting panoramas and even stereo panoramas.

Panoramas

The company, naturally, believes that its stereo panoramas can and should be viewed only on its televisions. However, it is not. Using the program, you can convert the resulting image into an anaglyph and view it through colored glasses. Click on a thumbnail to view the gallery using the StereoPhotoViewer Applet in a separate zoomable window. You can then press the “H” key to see help on using the program. StereoPhotoViewer Applet is written in Java, supports most viewing methods and allows you to study a fragment in detail down to the size of the original image.

Stereo panoramas

Video shooting, of course, like all modern cameras, has made great strides forward. The camera allows you to shoot video with a resolution of 1920×1080 50p frames per second.

An example video 1920x1080 50p size 160 MB can be downloaded.

And finally - the most interesting thing. This camera's GPS sensor can be used not only to link pictures it takes, but also to link pictures taken with other cameras.

To do this, we must first select the “Start GPS log recording” item in the menu, and then remember to finish the log recording by clicking on the same menu item. Then the log will be written to the memory card.

The log is written to a file with a LOG extension, but inside it contains a data record in (National Marine Electronics Association) format. Most photo tagging programs prefer to use the (GPS eXchange Format). To convert formats, you can use the program

The Sony HX1 camera can be considered a new stage in the development of compact cameras. According to the manufacturer, this is the world's first camera that combines the Sweep Panorama function, ultra-fast continuous shooting at 10 frames per second and HD video recording. In principle, when looking at the technical characteristics, you want to believe in it - Exmor CMOS matrix with a resolution of 9 megapixels, 20x optical zoom, sensitivity up to 3200 units in ISO equivalent, a lot of manual settings, as well as the ability to record video with resolution 1440x1080 pixels.

Technical characteristics declared by the manufacturer

Sony CyberShot HX1
Image sensor	Exmor CMOS 1/2.4"
Effective number of points	9.1 million
Total number of points	10.3 million
Image saving format	Photo frame: JPEG (EXIF 2.21, DCF) Video: AVC/H.264
Frame size in pixels	Photo frame: 3456x2592, 2592x1944, 2048x1536, 640x480, 1920x1080, 3456x1944, 3456x2304 Video frame: 640x480, 1280x720, 1440x1080
Sensitivity, units in ISO equivalent	Auto, 125, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Focal length range, mm	5-100 (equivalent to 28–560 for a 35mm camera)
Minimum focusing distance, cm	1
Shutter speed range, s	2–1/4000
Exposure metering	Multi-segment, center-weighted, spot
Exposure compensation	+/- 2 EV in 1/3 EV increments
Scene modes	Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight with Tripod, Backlight, Backlit Portrait, Landscape, Macro Photography, Portrait
Flash Modes	Auto, Force flash, Slow sync, No flash
Flash range, m	Wide Angle Position: 0.3-9.2 Teleposition: 1.5-5.1
Self-timer, s	2, 10
Storage device	Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo. Memory Stick PRO Duo high speed, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo
Built-in memory, MB	11
LCD display	Rotatable 3.0” color LCD, 230,400 dots (960x240)
Electronic viewfinder	1/2”, 201,000 dots
Interface	Multi-function connector: HD and USB 2.0
Nutrition	Li-ion battery NP-FH50
Dimensions (WxHxD), mm	114.6x82.8x91.8
Weight (excluding accessories), grams	453

Contents of delivery

The camera was tested without any delivery kit and even without a battery, which had to be replaced with a suitable NP-FH30 battery from a Sony Handycam HDR-HC9 video camera (the interchangeability of elements is undoubtedly a plus). Commercial samples include a battery (NP-FH50), charger, multi cable, power cable, CD-ROM, lens cap, lens cap strap, shoulder strap, instructions, warranty card, and a disk with drivers and additional software.

Appearance and ease of use

The Sony HX1 camera looks like a “DSLR”, which is not surprising - it can be classified as an SLR-Like camera, like its competitors such as the Olympus SP-590, Panasonic Lumix FZ-38, Nikon Coolpix P90, etc. There are certain differences from the classic “pseudo-mirror” - firstly, there is no “hot shoe” for installing an external flash, and secondly, the zoom control and manual focusing are carried out using a lever, and not rings on the lens. The camera is comparable to most competitors, but its weight is slightly greater, although the difference of 50-100 grams is not too significant to classify this as a disadvantage. To make it easier to estimate the size, the camera was placed on a standard 120 mm DVD.

Much more inconvenient is the shutter key, which, with a comfortable grip, falls under the second phalanx of the index finger of a medium-sized hand - a common problem, but it’s worth noting.

Externally, the camera seems well assembled, and any assembly defects are invisible. When you try to twist and squeeze, only the buttons crack. The main part of the body panels is made of thick plastic with a slightly rough surface that imitates painted metal. Only the decorative ring-plate on the lens, which is painted black, is made of real metal.

The front panel contains the lens, autofocus assist lamp and automatically ejected flash. The lens cap comes unhooked when the lens is extended, so you should definitely “put it on a leash” with the lanyard included in the package.

The rear surface was not particularly busy - to the right of the rotating screen there is a control wheel, which is also a button (jog-dial),

Key to enter the main menu, 4-position multifunction switch (up/change display mode, down/set self-timer, left/set macro mode, right/select flash mode) with an enter key in the center, as well as a delete key. The design of the display mounting hinge allows you to change the tilt angle only in one plane, but this is quite enough to comfortably view the image in almost any conditions.

There is a small reset button hidden behind the screen.

Above the screen is an LCD viewfinder, the eyecup of which would be great if it were made of rubber rather than hard plastic, which in a hurry can cause serious damage to your eyebrow or eye. The diopter corrector is located on the left side of the viewfinder, and changing its position is very difficult, because its movement is unusually tight, and the ribs are too small, so it’s not easy to grab onto them even with a fingernail.

At the top there is a button for switching between the display and viewfinder,

A pair of closely spaced stereo microphones, a power key, a key to switch to viewing mode and a programmable key (Smile-Shutter technology - self-timer when a smile appears on the face of the photographed person, selection of white balance settings and selection of exposure metering mode),

Mode dial (Intelligent Auto, Program, Shutter/Aperture Priority, Full Manual, Video, Scene, Panorama, Night Mode, Stabilizer Mode, Easy Mode), Focus Mode and Auto Bracket/Drive Mode Select keys, and Dual-Stage key shutter release, surrounded by a zoom control lever, the travel of which is large enough, so adjusting the tilt angle for fast and slow movement of the zoom is quite easy.

At the bottom there is a cover for the battery and memory card compartments, as well as a metal connector for mounting on a tripod.

The right side of the camera body would be completely empty if not for the powerful metal eyelet for attaching the shoulder strap. On the left, in addition to the second mounting lug, there is a proprietary universal connector and a battery connection socket. Both connectors are proprietary and are closed with separate rubber plugs.

Display

The camera display is very bright and only fades a little when exposed to direct sunlight, in addition, it is clear and contrasty, and also perfectly reproduces colors. I like everything about it until I have to look at it from the side, because the viewing angles of the display are small, and if small vertical viewing angles are compensated by a hinge that allows you to rotate the display, then you have to put up with small horizontal angles. The anti-reflective coating of the display quickly collects fingerprints, just like any other glossy surface. The display protection is quite thin, and although it is located at a large distance from the LCD matrix, it easily comes into contact with it when pressure is applied to its central part.

Sony is expanding its line of compact cameras and offers to get acquainted with a new product in the world of digital compacts, the Sony DSC-HX90 model. The camera, with a 30x optical zoom developed by Sony in collaboration with the legendary ZEISS®, has a 35mm equivalent range of 25 to 750mm. Let's get acquainted with the new product...

This is not the first Sony camera that I have reviewed. I previously tested . Accordingly, I will compare these cameras, if only because they are very similar visually. But let's be consistent.

1.Packaging and accessories

A fairly compact white cardboard box with one orange edge. On the top cover there is a color image of the camera and its name


On the front side there are color logos of the main features of the camera. To a knowledgeable person, they can already tell a lot.


Right side (white) here is information about the features of the camera and a small list of additional accessories


Left side (orange) – here is information about the manufacturer, camera color (this model is available only in black) and barcodes


Time to open the box...
Under the top cover there is a small compartment where instructions, warranty cards and other paper products are placed.


And here is the camera itself.


Everything is packed compactly enough to prevent damage during transportation.
This camera model is included in the package.


Camera – SONY DSC-HX90
Rechargeable Battery NP-BX1
Micro USB cable
AC-UB10C/UB10D AC Adapter
Power cord (not included in the US and Canada)
Wrist strap
User manual
Wi-Fi Connection/One-touch (NFC) Guide

The manufacturer claims the following camera specifications:
Lens - ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T
Optical zoom (35mm equivalent) - 30x (25-750mm)
Maximum aperture F3.5 (W) - 6.4 (T)
Matrix/effect. megapixels - Exmor R CMOS 18.2MP
Image Processor - BIONZ X
Image stabilization - Standard;
HD video (active mode for video only) - Full HD 60p/50p
Viewfinder - Type 0.2 digital viewfinder (OLED)
Display type - 7.5 cm (type 3.0) (4:3) / 921,600 dots / Xtra Fine / TFT LCD
Display rotation angle - Approx. up to 180 degrees
Additional flash - No
Party Mode - No
Beauty effect - Yes
Image effect - Yes (13 for photos, 7 for videos)
Wi-Fi/NFC - Yes
GPS - No
PlayMemories applications for digital cameras - Yes
Output photos in 4K format (HDMI) - Yes
TRILUMINOS colors - Yes
Memory card type - SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo
Image formats - JPEG
Battery capacity - Display: approx. 390 photos, viewfinder approx. 360 photos (CIPA standard)
Dimensions (WxHxD) - 102 x 58.1 x 35.5 mm
Weight (including battery and Memory Stick Duo) - Approx. 245 g
Battery - NP-BX1
Battery life - Display: approx. 390 photos, viewfinder approx. 360 photos (CIPA standard)

2. Appearance and controls

It was not for nothing that I noticed that the camera is very similar to the RX camera - they are almost identical. The layout of the buttons and their locations are completely identical. The only difference that catches your eye is the presence of a protrusion on the right side for a more comfortable grip with your fingers.
A) front camera view


Here it is. A lens that, in the off position, is covered with protective shutters. There is a control ring on the lens body - depending on the selected modes, this ring can be used to change focal length, aperture, shutter speed, etc. Slightly above the lens there is an autofocus illumination lamp, also known as a self-timer.
B) view of the camera at the top.


They are here. Power button with power/charge indicator, shutter button, mode dial, zoom switch, built-in flash, microphone holes (they are located on the sides of the built-in flash), pop-up viewfinder, flash up switch.
B) back of the camera


Most of the control buttons are located here. Let's start from top to bottom - eyepiece sensor (if you look through the viewfinder, the screen automatically goes dark), multifunction display (viewing angle can be changed by 180 degrees), light sensor, Fn button, video button, Menu button, control pad, play button, button?/delete (built-in help, deletions).

Small differences from the RX100 can be noticed. The navigation button is smaller and recessed deeper (which does not interfere with its use). The display rises 180 degrees and only to the top - which, of course, will allow you to take a selfie, but will complicate shooting from an awkward angle.
D) left side of the camera


Here you will find the pop-up viewfinder button, a strap loop, an NFC (near field communication) sensor and Wi-Fi
D) right side of the camera


There are Micro USB connectors and a loop for attaching a strap.
As you can see, in this model all the sensors for wireless communication are assembled on one side (another difference from the RX model).
E) bottom of the chamber


Battery compartment, memory card slot, tripod/monopod socket hole (unfortunately plastic). There is also an HDMI jack and a built-in speaker.




Now, comparing the HX90 with the RX100, it can be noted that the appearance, although it has not undergone drastic changes, has become much better and more convenient. We moved the wireless sensors to one side and simplified the screen layout by 180 degrees.
Unfortunately, the location and lifting mechanism of the built-in flash remained unchanged. We also decided not to change the mechanism for raising the viewfinder - the same two steps.
It should be noted that when the viewfinder is raised to the working position, the camera turns on, and when it is closed, it turns off.
The display remained the same - with a bright and rich picture.

3.Menu tabs and display.

Again, a complete coincidence with the RX camera - although everything here is quite logical. Why reinvent the wheel if it has already been invented and works quite well. Below are just a few pictures/examples.
Menu tabs. You can configure that when you press the “Menu” button in place of a standard tab, icons of the main tabs will be shown, but the main tabs will remain the same.






Options for setting information on the display




Options for selecting shooting modes and settings.




I won’t take pictures of everything, I’ll just list it: Intelligence. Auto, Super auto mode, Prior. Excerpts, Prior. Aperture, Manual Exposure, Memory Recall, Video, Scenes, Panorama, Program Auto


Well, we got acquainted with the camera, figured out the menu, it’s time to get down to practical use

4.Camera in operation.

Initially, of course, I tried the optical zoom capabilities. No joke, more than 700mm. The camera zooms perfectly, bringing everything closer to completely readable symbols. But the picture quality is not very good. At the long end, “noise” increases significantly and it becomes difficult to keep the subject in the viewfinder field. The results are in the pictures.
wide angle


approximately 300mm


maximum approximation

Next, I tried to test the camera in various conditions.
Shooting with “wiring”. Here the camera pleased with quite decent results even when using the zoom (though not at maximum zoom).


THE ORIGINALS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE ALBUM


High-speed shooting/shooting of moving objects. As they say, this is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the camera “shoots” very quickly - within 2-3 seconds a series of 10 pictures is taken.


THE ORIGINALS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE ALBUM


But after this, the camera “thinks” for a long 20-30 seconds while processing the resulting image, and until the image processing is completed, the camera cannot be used.

Shooting from a tripod. The presence of a standard tripod mount allows for such shooting. Unfortunately, the mount is plastic (unlike the metal one on the RX100), which over time can lead to an unreliable fixation of the camera.

Shooting from a tripod allows you to use another camera feature - wireless camera control using a tablet or smartphone (you can use the IOS, ANDROID platform). Control is carried out using NFC or Wi-Fi

By the way, if you immediately connect the camera via a wireless network, you will be disappointed with the capabilities and settings provided... At first I gave in to despondency, but after carefully studying the instructions, I found in small print a recommendation that it was necessary to update the camera! Then wireless control will pleasantly surprise you.
This is what a non-updated camera looks like. The only settings available to you are exposure and zoom.


And here is the updated one. Here you have full access to the settings within the selected mode.


Using the camera's wireless capabilities, you can immediately send pictures to a smartphone/tablet or to the Internet.

Below are just pictures obtained as a result of the test.
THE ORIGINALS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE ALBUM

Shooting at different ISO settings. Unfortunately, the size of the matrix does not allow us to take pictures without “noise”. The camera is noisy throughout the entire shooting range.

Shooting video. Here, as always, Sony cameras have always been distinguished by high-quality video shooting. This cannot be taken away from them

Conclusion.

To sum up the testing we can say: The camera loves ideal shooting conditions - a bright and bright day, contrasting objects. In difficult conditions - evening, fog - the camera may begin to produce results that are not exactly what you intended.
In general, the camera is not designed for a creative approach to shooting, but for using preset settings - portrait, landscape, macro photography, fireworks, etc.
The user does not need to think about what settings need to be set (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) - just select the necessary one and you can take photographs. Moreover, there are a lot of these settings in the camera. Plus, you can use artistic settings that will add effects to the photo. After which you can immediately “post” it on social networks.
Sony engineers managed to fit a fairly “strong” zoom into the compact dimensions of the camera. Of course, the pictures are not perfect (when compared with PRO series cameras) but for those who want a quick shot with minimal knowledge about photography and processing, the camera will be just right. It’s sad that due to price fluctuations, the camera has risen in price significantly and gone beyond the budget range, but this has nothing to do with the manufacturer.
Thank you for attention. Special thanks to Sony for the opportunity to conduct testing.