Sony
February 24th, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier reviews a dSLR that has a particular penchant for Live View
The A550 is a comprehensive addition to Sony’s entry-level range, offering functionality catering to both digital-compact camera users and those with existing digital SLR experience.
Taking a clever approach to Live View, the A550 uses a secondary image sensor to capture the preview image shown on screen. This lets the camera use its fast phase-detect autofocus, instead of the slower contrast-detect method seen in most Live View implementations. The result is viewfinder-speed autofocus in Live View, the fastest I’ve seen on any camera to date.
A second mode, ‘Manual Focus Check Live View’, is also provided; this uses the camera’s main image sensor, giving you far more detail and allowing you to zoom in on screen to check focus.
Combined with the A550’s beautifully crisp variable-angle LCD monitor, the two Live View modes provide the full digital compact camera experience. For those new to digital SLRs, this is a great way to smooth the learning curve. Even to experienced amateurs and professionals, the convenience is still noteworthy.
On the downside, the A550’s viewfinder is set flat into the rear of the camera, half a centimetre back from the raised LCD monitor. I found this meant my nose was always in the way, pressed up against the screen when looking through the viewfinder. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it ensures the screen is perpetually smudged.
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February 4th, 2010 by D-Photo
Professional sports photographer Michael Bradley tries out Sony’s new zoom lens
This new Sony zoom might suit photographers in search of a 400mm lens to add to their kits, but who don’t have the budget to shell out the big-bucks for an f2.8 prime lens. There are, however, a few catches.
On the plus side, this long zoom has the added benefit of built-in image stabilisation, which really is a great feature. It allowed me to easily take hand-held shots at 1/60 of a second at 400mm with impressive results.
During field testing I used the 70-400mm on a family trip to the zoo. I decided to only pack one lens, and the Sony’s versatility was impressive. I was very happy with some images, especially at 400mm, without having to lug around a cumbersome f2.8 prime lens.
On first impression the 70-400mm’s silver finish might look a little on the cheap side. Personally, I’m not a fan, but there’s no doubt it sets the lens apart from the more common black or white chassis.
It doesn’t seem to feel as sturdy or water tight as competing lenses from the other leading brands, either. Nor does it easily zoom from wide to full zoom in one easy motion, and there is a need to readjust your grip to finish the zooming from 70mm right through to 400mm.
The aperture of the lens is only f4-5.6, which means it is a bit slow to shoot night or indoor sports. This keeps both the price and size of the lens down, but will limit its use to keen amateurs and not the professional sports photographer.
The lens was also a little slow to lock on to its focus, while tracking fast-moving subjects was not the best. In fairness, this can be the case for a lot of zoom lenses, even some high-end, professional-level models.
I was very impressed with the sharpness of the lens when shooting wide open, with images captured at 400mm of a very high standard. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur) was less pleasing when compared to prime lenses, but then the price difference between the zoom and prime lenses is also unpleasant.
Although I’m not a big fan of zoom lenses, I was fairly impressed with this model, particularly keeping in mind its market: the serious amateur. Undoubtedly it’d be a great lens to have in a two-lens kit along with a 24-80mm. It would also be ideal for the likes of wildlife or travel photographers who need to keep the bulk of their kit to a minimum but still want a long lens at their disposal.
Personally, I’d be happy to take it on an overseas trip where space was at a premium, knowing that in the end, the results would be of a very high quality. n
Sony SAL70400G 70-400mm f/4-5.6 Zoom Lens – Specs
Manufacturer: Sony
Model: SAL70400G 70-400mm f/4-5.6 Zoom Lens
Lens Construction: 18 elements in 12 groups (2 ED glass elements)
Focal Length: 105-600mm (35mm equivalent)
Zoom Ratio: 5.7x
Maximum Aperture: f22
Minimum Aperture: f32
Minimum Focus Distance: 1.5m
Magnification: x0.27
Filter Diameter: 77mm
Supplied Accessories: Front and rear lens cap, lens hood, carrying case
Dimensions: 94.5 x 196mm
Weight: 1500g
CONTACT
www.sony.co.nz
PROS
- Versatile
- Built-in image stabilisation
CONS
- Slow to lock on to a subject
- Build quality could be improved
Design 16
Performance 14
Features 18
Image Quality 15
Value for money 15
TOTAL 78/100
This article is from D-Photo 32.
December 29th, 2009 by D-Photo
Phil Hanson is seduced by the beauty of sony’s new compact
Sony’s T90 is such a cute and clever piece of design it’s almost irrelevant whether function follows its beguiling form. After a few minutes of handling and admiring this super-slim newcomer, its image quality could have been on a par with the Agfa Clack box camera from the mid-1950s for all I cared. Well, not quite, and more on that later.
The T90 is a member of the new Cyber-shot range introduced earlier this year. At only 15mm, it’s way thinner than the compact I often carry in my shirt pocket. Plus, the Zeiss zoom lens doesn’t telescope out when the ‘on’ button is pushed; it stays in place behind its glass cover in the top right corner. Or not — if the lens seems to be missing, that’s because the incredibly cool and sensible sliding-panel cover is in position. This slides down with finger pressure, turning on the camera at the same time. Slide it back and the power goes off.
A 3-inch screen dominates the back and the controls are… not there. This is another of the breed of touchscreen cameras, a technology that tends to polarise the marketplace.
The T90 records JPEGs and MPEG-4 video to Memory Stick PRO Duo cards and is largely automatic in operation.
HONEY, I SHRUNK THE CONTROLS …
Because the lens is out of the way in a corner, it’s easy to get a good grip on this baby body; it’s not only for the daintily handed. And a small hump on the left side gives something for the photographer’s second finger to rest against to help provide a firm, steady grip.
A tiny button on the camera’s top edge powers it up and down, if you’re not using the sliding cover. There’s also an equally wee joystick that zooms the lens, and sandwiched between these is a shutter button. Another little button on the bevelled edge immediately above the screen puts the camera in Play mode. Despite their Legoland size, the controls are surprisingly easy to use.
Everything else is worked by touching screen icons. Detractors of touch technology say it gets the screen filthy and that it’s too easy to push the wrong icon. I find I’m regularly wiping a screen anyway, and that with five minutes’ practice it’s easy to hit the icons with accuracy, even with my clumsy fingers.
IN THE PICTURE
The specs look pretty good: a 12.4 megapixel Super HAD CCD sensor and a Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar optical 4x zoom that covers the 35mm to 140mm full-frame equivalent range, and maximum apertures of f3.5 on the wide side and f4.6 at the telephoto end.
Using the camera is just so easy. For example, it focuses the scene before your finger even touches the button. Casual snappers will love this and other features such as intelligent scene recognition that make the T90 an excellent choice for those who just want the photo. More advanced photographers may become frustrated with the range of choices.
The Zeiss lens delivers a reasonable if not stellar picture, with a pleasing though slightly subdued colour palette. The camera is best used at 80 to 200 ISO speeds; by 400 there’s a lot of noise.
It’ll shoot reasonable widescreen and full-screen 720p movies at 30 frames per second.
CONCLUSION
The T90’s design is captivating and the camera has a feel of quality to it. Newcomers to photography will love how easy it is to take successful photos; but experienced photographers may find it’s a bit like a delicious-looking dessert — interesting and tasty, but why isn’t there more?
SONY
CYBER-SHOT
DSC-T90 – SPECS
Manufacturer: Sony
Model: Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Effective Pixels: 12.1 million
Lens: 6.18-24.7mm (full-frame equivalent: 35-140mm)
Aperture: f3.5-f4.6
Monitor: 3-inch colour TFT LCD
ISO: Auto, 80 to 3200
Shooting Modes: Intelligent auto, easy shooting, program auto, movie (auto adjustment, high sensitivity, underwater), custom scenes (high sensitivity, twilight, twilight portrait, soft snap, landscape, beach, snow, fireworks, hi-speed shutter, underwater, gourmet)
Exposure Metering: Nine-point evaluative, centre-weighted average
Focus mode: Autofocus
Media: Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, approx 11 MB built-in memory
File Format: JPEG, MPEG-4
Flash: Flash on/off, auto, slow synchro
Interface: USB, PictBridge
Battery: NP-BD1 lithium-ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 94 x 57 x 15mm
Weight: 151g including battery
CONTACT
www.sony.co.nz
PROS
- Great looks and styling
- Fits any pocket
- So easy to use
CONS
- Too much of a fashion statement?
- Pricey
- Few advanced features
Design 19
Performance 16
Features 16
Image Quality 15
Value for money 16
TOTAL 82/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 31.
November 5th, 2009 by D-Photo
Sony pulls out all the stops for its latest compact offering, as Phil Hanson discovers
Even if it didn’t have a Zeiss lens with a decent optical zoom range, or 12.1 megapixels or commendable build quality, there would still be one compelling reason to buy Sony’s Cyber-shot W210 compact: its dynamite user interface.
True, there are some very good interfaces out there that are intuitive and easy to understand, but the W210’s stands with the best in the business. Its graphics are so clear the photographer is left in no doubt about which feature is being selected and why. It’s a real boon to those who are new to using a camera and certainly is of no harm to the rest of us.
For example, turn the knurled mode dial and the generous 2.7-inch LCD screen reproduces a graphic image of the chosen setting as well as a written description. As a random for-instance: “Soft Snap. Shoot subject with soft background”.
BUT THERE’S MORE
The W210, which replaces the well-regarded W120 of 7.2 megapixels, includes features such as Smile Shutter and Intelligent Scene Recognition that are appearing on many compact and which, although it’s tempting to write them off as gimmicks, are actually very useful. It also has Sony’s SteadyShot image stabilisation.
For those yet to experience it, Smile Shutter automatically takes the photo of a group or solo subject when it detects a smile and can be adjusted to prioritise children’s or adults’ smiles. Here’s the neat thing: it really does work. Well, our test grouch caught it out a couple of times, but the percentage of keepers was high.
Smile Shutter also works with face detection that fine-tunes focus, exposure, white balance and skin tones. These results can look a little artificial but you can take that as either praise or criticism, depending on what you’re trying to achieve.
The Intelligent Scene Recognition automatically adjusts settings for a range of common and sometimes tricky situations like twilight portraits or backlighting. This is again a feature creeping into compact cameras and saves having to dial through a whole bunch of alternatives on a menu. Of course, it stands or falls by how well it recognises the scene. For the most part the W210 performed admirably.
YOU HAVE CONTROL
Most controls are arranged on the back, to the right of the LCD panel. These are principally two dials, the top one setting the various modes, the other for controlling the display, flash, self-timer and focusing range. Above these dials a small toggle switch zooms the lens.
THROUGH THE LENS
One of Sony’s pluses is its alliance with Carl Zeiss, among the world’s best known and best lens makers. The W210 comes with a 4x optical zoom Vario Tessar. It zooms from 5.35mm to 21.4mm, or 30-120mm full-frame equivalent. That’s only two millimetres shy of the 28mm that starts to put a smile on wide-angle enthusiasts’ faces, while the ‘long’ end is excellent for really tight portraits or bringing in action from a medium distance.
If the telephoto end of the optical zoom isn’t enough, the reach can be extended by digital zoom, with the inevitable lessening of picture quality.
A SENSITIVE ISSUE
The camera offers sensitivity of up to ISO 3200 but there’s a lot of noise and it’s a setting best used for must-get photos only.
CONCLUSION
The Cyber-shot W210 does a good job of handling most photo opportunities. Another nice pocketable solution for when you just want to point and shoot.
SONY CYBER-SHOT
DSC-W120 – Specifications
Manufacturer: Sony
Model: DSC-W210
Effective Pixels: 12.1 million
Lens: Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 4 zoom, 5.35-21.4mm (30-120mm full-frame equivalent)
Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT colour LCD, approx 230,000 dots
Aperture: f2.8-f5.8
ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Shooting Modes: Auto, scene selection, movie.
Media: Memory Stick Duo (15MB internal memory)
File format: JPEG Exif 2.21, MPEG1
Flash: Auto
Interface: USB
Battery: NP-BG1, NP-FG1 rechargeable
Dimensions: 95 x 56 x 22mm (W/H/D)
Weight: 146g with battery
CONTACT
www.sony.co.nz
PROS
CONS
- Body styling a bit run-of-mill
Design 17
Performance 17
Features 16
Image Quality 17
Value for money 16
TOTAL 83/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 30.
August 25th, 2009 by D-Photo
Sony’s new W120 comes in black, blue, silver or pink and is packed with 7.2 million pixels and a 4x optical zoom — but it is its facial recognition and smile shutter that will make shooting your mates a barrel of fun.
Smile, You’re on Candid Camera
Facial recognition has taken photography to new heights; it makes shooting people so easy. Sony has given you three options so that you can precisely target your audience. The auto option is the simplest, putting little boxes around each head in the scene and altering the exposure so it is perfect for skin tones. Because a lot of us shoot children the W120 has a child priority setting that targets the little heads in your picture, or you can select adult priority to capture the adults in the picture ahead of the tiny tots.
If you want to ensure your subjects are smiling when the shutter fires, just switch the dial to smile shutter — which automatically snaps a shot when your subject smiles. You don’t even have to press the shutter because the camera analyses the faces in the scene and fires the shutter the instant someone grins. The camera also recognises a face in profile — a major advancement in facial recognition — tracking your subjects even when they turn away from the camera.
Zoom, zoom, zoom
Sony’s affiliation with Carl Zeiss means this camera has a lens that is enviably sharp. The Vario Tessar zoom covers a decent 32mm wide angle through 4x to 128mm telephoto. At the wide-angle end of the zoom you’ll get more in the picture with the wider-than-normal 32mm lens, or shoot beautiful portraits at the 128mm telephoto end. Don’t forget the macro mode that will let you shoot as close as 50mm for impressive close-up images.
Flash Gordon
Even in its entry-level camera Sony offers unrivalled flash coverage. The camera isn’t confused when shooting though doorways or when your subject would normally be out of range. If you delve into the scene modes you’ll be amazed at how well this little camera balances available light and flash in the Twilight Portrait mode. As the name suggests, it will work best when there is still some available light in the sky.
Slow to Show
I’m finally getting with the ‘now’ generation, and when it comes to how quickly images are portrayed on the screen this camera is slow. You push the review button and have to wait for the image to be processed before the first picture comes up, then each subsequent image pops onto screen fuzzily before sharpening up. It will hardly depress you to have to wait a few seconds but it is slow to show.
Conclusion
Sony’s compact and cute Cybershot W120 takes sharp images and gives brilliant flash coverage, offering more flash range than any other camera in its price bracket. The facial recognition works almost faultlessly, but I did notice it slows down in lower light conditions and it sometimes fails to lock on to heads if they are small in the scene. You’ll find the 4x optical zoom very useful since it starts at 32mm and reaches to 128mm telephoto, making it ideal for travel or just shooting family and friends.
Specs
- Model: Cybershot DSC-W120
- Effective Pixels: 7.2 million
- Lens: Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar
5.35-21.4mm (32-128mm 35mm
equivalent)
- Monitor: 2.5-inch TFT LCD
(115,200 pixels)
- Shutter: One to 1/1600 sec
- ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800,
1600, 3200
- Shooting Modes: Easy, Auto,
Program, Scene – Twilight,
Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Twilight
Portrait, Landscape, Soft Snap,
Smile Shutter, High Sensitivity
- Exposure Metering: Multi
Pattern, Centre Weighted, Spot
- Focus Modes: Multi-point TTL
auto-focus
- Media: Memory Stick Duo/Pro
Duo, 15MB onboard
- File format: JPEG, MPEG-1
- Flash: Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
- Batteries: Lithium-ion
rechargeable
- Dimensions: 88.2 x 57.2 x 22.9mm
Contact
www.sony.co.nz
Pros
Cons
- Fine movies can only be recorded
to a card
Design 18
Performance 17
Features 18
Image Quality 18
Value for money 17
TOTAL 88/100
This review is from D-Photo issue #024.
August 18th, 2009 by D-Photo
Sony may have lost the war of personal music players,
but the company is more than happy to jump into the battle for
digital SLR supremacy with both barrels pumping. Sony’s
latest offering is the entry-level 10 megapixel Alpha 200
First Impressions
First impressions of this model are extremely positive. The body is small but has a large grip that makes it comfortable to hold, and the controls are clearly marked and visually accessible. The large 2.7-inch LCD has 230,000 pixels and the added size makes viewing images a delight.
In true Sony style the information on the screen not only gives you exposure information and how many pictures you have left, it also gives you a battery indicator that shows the percentage of power left, not just a series of bars. The big Lithium-ion battery produces bags of power and will happily fill a card or two before it needs recharging.
Super steady
Image stabilisation can be turned on and off with a switch below the navigation control on the back of the camera. A standard function on Sony dSLRs, the Super Steady Shot stabiliser adjusts the CCD to compensate for movement you make. This means any lens you fit to the body — no matter if you have the latest Sony lenses or one of the many Minolta AF lenses from the past — the image is stabilised.
Sony has included an anti-dust system on this model to deter pesky particles from clinging to your sensor. You’ll feel a vibration when you turn the camera off and it performs its little cleaning chore.
Hits and misses
Sony adopted Minolta’s flash mount — a mistake — that requires you to buy a genuine Sony flash. It’s not a big issue as you’ll get the best results from this combination, but it is a minor handicap as you have very little choice.
If you’re a die-hard Sony user and you have Memory Stick Duo cards that you want to use then there is an adapter that will allow you to slip them into the CF card slot.
The processing motor is Sony’s Bionz unit, which offers increased speed of processing and rich colour and detail. A function that is also available is the D-Range Optimizer that gives increased dynamic range with Standard or Advanced options. The camera will shoot either JPEG or RAW files and comes with rudimentary software for processing the later.
Conclusion
The Sony A200 is a 10 megapixel entry-level dSLR camera that is offered at a price mark not that far above $1000. It takes great pictures and responds quickly for a starter camera. Thankfully, Sony has included a sensor cleaning system and the impressive Super Steady Shot image stabiliser. Those who still own Minolta lenses will appreciate the opportunity to be able to jump on the dSLR bandwagon.
Specs
- Effective Pixels: 10.1 million
- Viewfinder: Eye-level fixed pentamirror
- LCD Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT, 230,000 pixels
- Shutter: 30 to 1/4000 sec, bulb
- ISO: Auto, ISO100 to ISO3200
- Exposure Metering: Multi-segment (40 segment honeycomb pattern), centre-weighted, spot
- Focus Modes: Single-shot AF, direct manual focus, continuous AF, automatic AF, manual focus
- Media: Compact Flash Type I/II
- Flash: Built-in pop-up flash (auto release)
- Interface: USB 2.0
(mass storage or PTP)
- Batteries: NP-FM500H Lithium-ion rechargeable
- Dimensions: 131 x 98.5 x 71mm
contact
ν
www.sony.co.nz
Pros
- Image stabiliser that works with any lens.
- Battery indicator with bars
and percentage
Cons
- Light construction that doesn’t
feel reliable
Design 17
Performance 15
Features 17
Image Quality 17
Value for money 18
Total 84/100
This review is from D-Photo issue #023.
June 28th, 2009 by D-Photo
Sony has been building the publicity around its full-frame, 24 megapixel dSLR since last year. Harley Ogier reviews the Alpha 900 and says it hits the mark.
Big
The Alpha 900 is far from the only full-frame dSLR out there. However, it is the only 24 megapixel camera in its class and that’s certainly its unique selling point.
Those who read Hans Weichselbaum’s feature in D-Photo 26 will realise this isn’t a tremendous leap forward; the A900 is far from twice the resolution of its 12 megapixel competitors. But it still represents a significant improvement in pixel count.
If you tend to crop your images heavily before printing, the extra pixels are great: you can lose half the area of your image (when opting to perform a tight crop in post production) and still have a perfect quality print.
On the down side, 24 megapixel images make 10 to 20 megabyte JPEGs and 36MB RAW files; you’re going to need large memory cards. The pixel count also limits the A900 to five frames per second, which although respectable is hardly noteworthy.
Performance
I reviewed the A900 with the optional Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 2.8/24-70 ZA ($3000). Pictures were well contrasted and sharp regardless of the resolution used. Sony’s dynamic range system works well, with rich detail even in shadowed areas of a bright frame.
Sony’s enhanced SteadyShot INSIDE technology purports “up to four steps anti-shake performance” and I did notice some improvement with SteadyShot on, especially when shooting while moving around.
The viewfinder offers 100 per cent frame coverage and features a simple overlay and status display. Thanks to the A900’s huge pentaprism (a five-sided reflection unit between the lens and the eyepiece), the viewfinder image is bright and crystal clear.
Features
The camera doesn’t have the largest feature set. It lacks live view, and although I’m not personally a fan of it, it does have its uses. There is a preview mode with colour histograms, though you can’t save the preview image or zoom in to check focus — it seems little different from just taking a test shot and deleting it.
Build quality is superb, though, with a magnesium alloy body, comfortable grip and good button placement. The eyepiece features ample padding, making extended use quite comfortable.
The controls are simple to learn, with dedicated buttons for exposure compensation, drive mode, white balance and ISO. There are also three user-definable banks of settings, all selectable from the camera’s mode dial.
Get a grip
I used the A900 with the optional Sony VG-C90AM Battery Grip ($500), which mounts solidly to the camera via the tripod socket and battery cavity. The grip duplicates the camera’s main buttons, control wheels and the shutter, as well as providing capacity for two Sony InfoLithium batteries.
The main display rotates automatically when the camera is turned on its side (although the viewfinder display doesn’t); combined with the grip, this makes for easy shooting in any orientation.
Conclusion
Sony has aimed high with the A900 and seems to have hit the mark. It performs well and has a strong set of core features. If resolution is particularly important to you, this camera is a fine choice.
Specs
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Model: A900
- RRP: $5000 (body only)
- Effective Pixels: 24.6 million
- Image Sensor: 35.9 x 24.0mm CMOS
- Viewfinder: 100% frame coverage
- Monitor: 3-inch LCD, 921,600 pixels (VGA), 100% frame coverage
- Shutter: 30 sec to 1/8000 sec, bulb
- ISO: 200 to 3200 (also supports ISO 100 and ISO 6400 equivalent)
- Exposure Metering: Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
- Media: CompactFlash Type I/II (UDMA-compliant), Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo, PRO-HG Duo
- File Format: ARW 2.0 (RAW), JPEG
- Interface: USB 2.0, composite video out, HDMI video out
- Batteries: Lithium-ion rechargeable
- Dimensions: 156 x 117 x 82mm
- Weight: 850g without battery or memory card
Contact:
www.sony.co.nz
Pros:
- High-resolution full-frame sensor
- Can use Minolta/Konica lenses
Cons:
- Maximum of five frames per second
| Design |
18 |
| Performance |
18 |
| Features |
15 |
| Image Quality |
19 |
| Value for money |
17 |
|
|
| Total |
87/100 |
This review is from D-Photo issue #027.
May 23rd, 2009 by D-Photo
Sony is a company that thrives on innovation and this model certainly has some interesting characteristics. You’re going to love the screen and there is almost every function you could ever want.
Zooming good
The H50 has a zoom range cover the equivalent of 31mm to 465mm that will be beneficial for most. But those who like to go really wide angle — 28mm or lower — won’t be that impressed. The telephoto, on the other hand, has a great range, allowing you to get those candid images of the kids.
The lens is a Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar f2.7 to f4.5 with a feature that I really like. Even though it has a macro setting, you don’t have to select it as the camera automatically determines how distant you are from the subject and lets you focus as close or as far away as you want. The focus area can also be changed from the centre to wide or placed wherever you choose at the turn of the command dial.
Face detective
This Cybershot lets you select from three face detect settings. Auto automatically detects faces in a scene and surrounds them with a box, or you have the choice of Child Priority or Adult Priority. It must be able to measure the girth of our heads as it does a grand job of discriminating between the two. If you thought that was enough choice, there is also the crazy setting that will automatically fire the camera when your subject smiles. This can be a bit hit and miss but it’s loads of fun on a wet afternoon.
Once you have captured your people pics then you can do some onboard editing, correcting for redeye or adding a smile to those who persist in frowning. There is also a bank of filters so that you can adjust colour or add a vignette around the periphery of the image for a nostalgic look.
Nightshot
The H50 has a range of scene modes for shooting at night, but none as interesting as the Night Shot setting. Once found only on Sony’s video cameras, it has now been integrated into this still camera. It allows shooting in almost pitch-black conditions, ideal for capturing wildlife such as a kiwi in a kiwi house. As it shoots in black and white it is also an alternative to hunting for the B&W option, as Night Shot is only a button switch away.
Conclusion
Sony has produced a reasonable mega-zoom with the Cybershot DSC-H50 but it could do with a wider angle option. That said, it performs magnificently, giving flash range beyond belief, while a fold-out screen makes it more versatile. The unique Night Shot setting may not be to everyone’s liking, but if ever you get caught in ultra-low light, you’ll be the only one taking pictures.
Specs
Manufacturer: Sony
Model: Cybershot DSC-H50
Price: $699
Effective Pixels: 9.1 million
Lens: Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 15x optical zoom, 5.2mm – 78mm (31 – 465mm)
Viewfinder: Electronic
Monitor: Tilting 3-inch TFT LCD
Shutter: 30sec – 1/4000sec
Aperture: f2.7 – f4.5
ISO: Auto, Auto High, 80 – 3200
Focus Modes: face detect, TTL nine-point AF, manual, wide area, centre, variable
Media: 15MB built-in memory, Memory Stick
File Format: JPEG, MPEG-1
Flash: Built-in, auto, flash on, slow sync, off
Interface: USB
Batteries: Lithium-ion rechargeabl
Dimensions: 116.1 x 81.4 x 86mm
Weight: 547g
Contact
www.sony.co.nz
Rating
Pros
- Facial detection that rocks
- Incredible flash range
- Unique Night Shot feature
Cons
- Only uses Memory Stick
- Zoom starts at 31mm
- Smile shot is kind of gimmicky
| Design |
17 |
| Performance |
18 |
| Features |
17 |
| Image Quality |
18 |
| Value for money |
17 |
|
|
Total
|
87/100
|
This review is from D-Photo issue #025.
April 11th, 2009 by D-Photo
Sony has taken its big zoom formula, shrunken the body and produced a compact 10x optical zoom camera that suits nearly everyone’s shooting appetites. But will it satisfy yours?
A far-off view
The lens is yet another adaptation from the Carl Zeiss stable covering from 38mm wide angle through to 380mm telephoto. It’s a useful range for the soccer mum wanting to capture the action without having to break a heel running up the sideline, or as a work camera that will focus as close as two centimetres.
Marry this with Sony’s Super Steady Shot image stabiliser and you have a camera that will perform even in limited light. Sony has also included a High Sensitivity setting that whisks the ISO range up to 3200 if the light gets too low, allowing you to shoot at a higher shutter speed. However, the increase in ISO does diminish picture quality, so in reality you are best to fall back on the flash in low-light situations. It does a satisfactory job but there is some fringing at the telephoto end of the zoom range.
Flash with punch
The built-in automatic flash is this little wonder’s biggest asset, and it will happily produce enough light right through the focal range. It is a shame the handbook is so pitiful, giving scant information and guidance when it should be informing you that the flash is the next best defence against low-light camera shake.
Bells and whistles
The menu system is painless to stroll through and, thanks to the written confirmation of each function, saves you from repeatedly referring to the handbook. The H3 can play music when reviewing images in the slide show setting. There are four tracks included and you can change these to your own music mix to add that special flavour to the images. It even makes slick transitions as it changes from one image to the next.
High definition
There is a dual connection cable in the box that allows you to plug into your TV or computer with USB and RCA connections on the one cable. For a few dollars more you can get an HD (high definition) cable for connection to your shiny new HDTV. If all you’ll ever do is show your images on your big HDTV, there is a 1080 HD 16:9 setting at which you can shoot your images. However, be mindful that this gives images of about two million pixels. If your goal is to enlarge your shots then you’ll want to take advantage of the full eight million pixels this camera produces.
Conclusion
The Sony DSC-H3 is for most a conveniently sized 10x optical zoom camera with a bunch of clever tricks that make it more fun than most other mid-range zooms on the market. The flash range is brilliant, as is the battery life from the rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. Image quality when printed small (up to A4) won’t be questionable. But start blowing up pictures taken at the maximum zoom and you may be disappointed with the fringing.
Specs
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Effective Pixels: 8.1 million
- Lens: 10x Optical Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 6.3-63mm
- LCD Monitor: 2.5-inch TFT (115,200 pixels)
- Shutter: 30 sec – 2000 sec
- Aperture: f3.5 – f4.4
- ISO: Auto, 100 – 3200
- Shooting Modes: Auto, Program, Manual, Movie, Twilight and others
- Metering: Multi, centre, spot
- Focus: Multi, centre, spot, face
- Media: 31MB internal memory, Memory Stick Duo
- File Format: JPEG, MPEG-1
- Flash: Built-in
- Interface: USB2.0
- Batteries: Lithium-ion rechargeable
- Dimensions: 106 x 68.5 x 47.5mm
- Weight: 380g
Profile
Contact
www.sony.co.nz
Rating
Pros
- Your music for slide show
Cons
- Fringing at maximum telephoto
| Design |
18 |
| Performance |
18 |
| Features |
18 |
| Image Quality |
16 |
| Value for money |
18 |
| |
|
Total
|
88/100
|
Fraser Kitt
February 12th, 2009 by D-Photo
The feeling you get when using this tiny camera is that it is a generation ahead of its rivals.
Sony’s DCRHC20E has eliminated the clutter of buttons by including a touch-screen LCD. This can take some getting used to, especially if you are mentally programmed to keep fingers off any other LCD device in your business. However, once you are familiar with the way the software works, it is quite ingenious. Detractors will point out that you wouldn’t want to be adjusting a setting halfway through a meal of KFC, so I would include a good cleaning cloth in your standard kit. I also think users need to develop a light touch when manually adjusting focus and exposure while filming, as tapping the LCD could easily introduce an annoying sideways movement in your shot.
Sony’s experience in the video market is apparent in this camera’s little touches, such as the built-in lens cover and a record button on the LCD itself (great for low and reverse angle filming). Also the kit includes a full colour booklet that shows the effect of adjusting the manual camera settings, which I thought was excellent.
A selling point for the Sony over its rivals is the Carl Zeiss lens. This has in the past signalled a leap in picture quality over the cheaper Sony video cameras on the market, so it is great to see one on a camera costing so little. Performance in that regard was definitely superior to the Canon but on a par with the JVC, which has no brand-name lens and extends its zoom range nearly twice as far. Often you will find the picture quality drops off as you zoom fully, so I suspect Sony restricted the zoom to 10x to protect the Zeiss brand, but it may also be to maintain its tiny size. A quick check of the Sony website showed that all the models with this shape were only 10x.
With my collection of high quality microphones, I was pleasantly surprised to find a microphone input on this camera – a feature that would be a decider for most professionals looking for a little camera (no headphone socket though). However, I doubt it would interest the amateur.
A test I performed with the Sony was to film through a window into my garden and then whip the camera around and frame a shot inside. I wanted to see how quickly the camera adjusted colour balance, exposure and focus. The Sony was perfect. I couldn’t get it to hunt for focus at all and the exposure was lightning fast to adjust. Really, for a no-fuss filming experience, this is as good as it gets. The camera even has a blue button on the side called Easy. I would say that most users would always shoot on Easy mode.
Given the level of technology in the Sony, there was something that really annoyed me. When I was filming in Easy mode I tried doing something that obviously required the camera to be switched out of Easy (which I hadn’t done). A message inside a large blue box obscured most of the LCD telling me ‘Invalid button with easy operation’. At the same time the record information and time code disappeared and for a moment I thought the camera had stopped recording. After a few seconds the screen returned to normal, by which time I had pressed the record stop button. This seems like a terrible oversight and I hope Sony rectify it with future models. This is the only complaint I have with this otherwise excellent camera.
Sony’s DCRHC20E
Design: 5/5
Features: 4.5/5
Performance: 4/5
Image Quality: 4/5
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5
Keith Finnerty
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