- 18.2 megapixels "Exmor R" CMOS sensor for superior low-light performance
- 30X optical zoom
- 3.0-inch LCD
- GPS and Compass record shot location & direction
- Optical SteadyShot image stabilization with 3-way Active Mode
- Brand Name: Sony
- Model: DSCHX200V/B
- Optical Sensor Resolution: 18.2 MP
- Optical zoom: 30 x
- Display Size: 3 inches
Wanted a superzoom with Panorama mode so the choices are fairly limited. This week both the Sony HX200V and Nikon P510 came out so bought them both to compare. The first review by "techguy" gives some nice details about the camera so I won't repeat his comments. I've played with them now for a couple of days and do not claim to be an expert by any means so take these comments with a grain of salt. These are just initial impressions.
I found overall the Sony took nicer pictures than the Nikon which tended to give a slight yellow hue on grass. And when enlarging the pictures the detail was better. The Sony produced slightly clearer pics both indoors and out and skins tones were a little warmer and more natural. The Sony also allows you to adjust the color and vividness to personal taste, don't believe the Nikon allowed for this.
I did like the size and feel of the Nikon better, the menu was a little more user friendly I thought and so was the layout of buttons. Start up time was about equal, although be aware with the Nikon if you choose to have it display the "Coolpix" icon it delays this by a couple of seconds.
One feature I found very useful is the Sony tells you how much time remains in minutes, not just a bar graph, I hate running out of power unexpectedly. Biggest gripe so far with the Sony is the power cord/charger. It's nearly as big as my laptop charger. Wish they would do it like Nikon or Panasonic. I travel on a motorcycle and space is very limited so this is a pain.
Sony puts the Panorama mode on the top dial while Nikon buries it with the Scene mode and the view finder turns on automatically if you put your eye to it, both thoughtful touches. I really wanted to like the Nikon more, mainly due to the better charger layout but in the end, good pictures is what it all about so the Nikon will be going back.
For some reason this was available in New Zealand, via Asia, before the US/UK release. I've had it for about a week now. So, it is as spec'ed in the preview comments about it so far from the various websites.
It starts fast, focuses quickly, does not have shutter lag and is easy to handle and has tons of functions. It handles well for its size and does not feel heavy. Having the zoom on the side of the lens is great - makes it more stable to hold the camera. I've taken some pretty amazing shots with it - the zoom allows good creativity and the low light capability produces detailed and pleasing shots. How much different this camera is to the previous model I'm not really sure in terms of the additional megapixels via the new sensor. My previous camera was a Olympus E620 DSLR - in comparison there is less detail with the Sony, although not hugely noticeable on a 23" LCD computer monitor. The camera is a lot of fun to use and it just begs you to be more creative when shooting. The partial colour shots are great. The LCD screen is very good, nice and bright. Nice touch to use the optical viewfinder and have the screen turn off. The built in user manual is great - to look up what a function does without having to refer to the manual. Also when you find what you want it provides the option to go to that function right away - so for example I wanted to look at the ND filter function, once I've read what it does I can then select to open the function from the help screen rather than exiting help and then trying to find it through the menu system.
It provides good flash coverage and the slow-sync function is great to prevent those deer in the headlights shots - as this flash can put out a lot of light.
The superior auto mode is good for the stability/less blur in long range shots as it takes multiple photos and apparently works out which is the best photo to save. This is great as at maximum zoom the camera shake from your hands can be a problem if you've ever experienced using a megazoom before. Personally without that image stabilisation and multi-shot taking having a megazoom is a bit pointless as you'd never take good photos at long range without frustration.
Shooting movies and the ability to shoot a good sized still at the same time is very impressive - probably one of the best features - as I've always wanted to be able to take a high MP shot during a video shoot because that's when you typically need it and on other cameras it was always one or the other but not both at the same time. The video quality is very good. No issues there and the zoom works well when videoing. The microphone does pick up background noise around the camera (ie from people talking nearby) and without a zoom mic option is somewhat limiting. That said the audio capture is good.
Other good things - HDR - similar function to my iPhone 4S - produces good highlighting without overcooking the photo. When it is taking multiple photos with HDR and other functions it takes a few seconds time to process and save these but I guess thats normal. The menu system is good - particularly given how many functions this camera has.
I use it with a Sandisk 32GB Extreme 32GB SDHC Flash Memory Card (Class 10). Seems fine to use - saves quickly. It is probably better to get higher spec cards like this one if shooting HD video.
On the downside... the lens cap can get stuck if you don't remove it before turning the power on. Flash - there's no button to pop it up as per usual cameras - you need to use the jog dial and select flash to get it to pop-up. Once set it then pops up the flash when needed. The LCD screen doesn't fully articulate but that is not a major for me.
In summary it will never please the pro's out there - the image quality is very good but not perfect. Good enough for most people wanting the "best for me" rather than "best in the world" class of camera - its affordable, has huge capabilities, more than acceptable image quality and fun. A family orientated camera for sure that everyone can pick up and use and get pleasing results (and compliments).
There is a link to a few photos in the comments section (all handheld shots, no photo editing). Have added some more photos - very pleased with the colour accuracy.
A bit more on zooming in photo or video mode and focusing speed which is typically an issue with superzooms. To me the Sony seems quick to focus at maximum zoom in photo or video mode. We're certainly not talking more than a half a second to a second say from one subject to another at the far end of the zoom. It's quick and smooth with no hunting zoom noises. Would be nice if someone else reviewed this camera to concur!
Most likely you have already read professional reviews of this item, so I will not repeat the list of features. Here are bits of info that I didn't find in reviews when I was shopping, and had hoped someone would post, along with a few surprises I found:
1- Once you turn off the annoying start up tone, it takes less than a second to be ready, a big plus
2- There is a zoom/focus ring. It is electronic, I would have preferred a mechanical one but it works well. Zoom or focus selectable by a switch
3- The sweep panorama mode works well with the exception of the fact that it has a fixed width. If you don't sweep far enough within the allotted time, e.g. because you don't want too wide a panorama, the rest of the image will be filled with a grey filler. I hope a firmware update will fix this as it looks hideous.
4- Macro photos are not the greatest.
5- Ability to select the mode automatically works well.
6- When powered on, the extending lens struggles if lens cover is still on. Would have been nice if it were removed automatically (too spoiled, I know)
7- The included charger is an in-camera charger. It can power the camera for use and also while connected to a PC. To charge an extra battery, you'll need to buy a separate standalone charger. While connected to a PC, the camera charges the battery through the USB port.
8- Great camera. Amazon and Beach Camera are outstanding.
9- The bundle from Beach Camera is great (Make sure to get the one with the 16GB card)
I like the camera and will definitely keep it for years to come.
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