Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this camera because the technical specs appealed to me. But when I read all the critical comments I was beginning to feel I made a mistake.
Some critics claim that certain features were missing in the H9 that were listed in the specs before the camera was released. No doubt, that's not cool. Also, I haven't figured out how to set ISO levels. Probably I never will because the H9 insists of doing it for me. And then there is the lack of RAW storage.
I have all these features in other cameras I own. And although it's nice to know it's all there if I want it, I have to admit I don't use these features all that often.
As other bridge cameras with advanced features, the H9 caught the attention of many people in the upper segments of the market who then were dismayed to discover its technical parameters.
On the other end of the spectrum, the H9 may be a bit too sophisticated for the point-and-shoot crowd to take full advantage of what it is capable of. The fact that the manual is almost unreadable doesn't help.
Now to the good part:
1. I haven't had that much fun with a camera in a long time. The H9 is light enough to accompany me almost everywhere, and I get a lot of terrific shots that I used to miss out on because I didn't feel like dragging around my heavy equipment. Because it is a super zoom, no shots are lost because I have to change lenses.
2. The macro function is nothing short of sensational.
3. I have been able to take amazing shots with the lens all the way out to 480.
4. The H9 is fast - no shutter delay and super fast storage of images
5. No matter what I throw at the H9, it seems to handle it beautifully. I am sure I will figure out its limitations
as I go along and learn to respect them. The more I get to know this camera, the more it grows on me.

6. The large semi-flexible screen is a real plus, particularly for candid shots.
Well, as this generation of super zooms go, the plusses more than outweigh the minuses.


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Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX100V 16.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Still Camera with 3.5-inch OLED Touchscreen, 3D Sweep Panorama and Full HD 1080/60p Video (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Opinions:
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I bought this camera because I wanted a low profile, a slim and sleek camera, while having good picture quality.
My first opinion when holding this camera is that it is light-weight. I thought it would have a nice weight to it, like an iPhone. I can't complain, because this is probably better especially when you want to carry it in your shirt pocket and you won't look like a fool.
The sliding mechanism that covers the lens is actually a thin sheet of metal coated with your favorite camera color. I think this gives it a cheap feel, but probably contributes to its lightweight.
The OLED display is respectable. The pixel density is not like the latest DSLR camera display, the pixels are identifiable but still a good display.
I use a Transcend 16 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E with this camera. Under maximum picture quality and size settings, it estimates about nearly 2800 possible pictures that can be taken (from when it was formatted). This is an estimate, usually it's more based on my experience with other cameras (the estimate adjusts as the card fills up). Picture sizes vary between 2MB to 6MB (16MP size; 4608x3456), excluding some outliers.
HD video is very good. the files are AVCHD videos, in *.m2ts files, the frame rate is smooth, and you can zoom in and out (4x optical, I disable digital zoom) while recording. One quirk about the video recording feature is that when I switch it to video mode, it automatically starts recording. And to stop recording and record again, I need touch the record-button on the screen rather than the dedicated capture button. It is possible to record in MPEG file format for compatibility, but it won't be in the highest-quality than what this camera was designed for. With this camera, you can take pictures while recording a movie, except in the highest video-quality (60p?) mode.
Taking the pictures in ideal conditions (daylight, minimal clouds), the pictures are good, but it has hardware limitations. The CMOS sensor may be "EXMOR R" (whatever advertised connotation that may be), but 16.2 megapixels on such a small sensor leaves blurry image details when viewing at 1:1 ratio. But 16MP gives you more freedom to re-size and crop your images.
The camera uses the Sony NPBN1 Rechargeable Lithium Ion Type N Battery Pack. But having such a large display (3.5 inch) and capturing HD videos and large images takes a toll on the battery life.
This camera is compatible with SD card (SDHC, SDXC) in addition to Memory Stick. 5+ years ago, I used to own 2 Sony cameras, but I switched to Canon. I did it solely because Sony only prefers Memory Stick (little competition on speed, pricing, compatibility). I'm giving Sony a chance to redeem themselves.
The 3D images are a gimmick. The image quality is reduced (and jagged) and it requires special software to view it. The included software can view it and you can connect it to a Playstation 3 to view it as well. The file format is in *.modd, and currently has limited usage outside of Sony.
The panoramic image feature is OK. It takes images in a long burst (10 images) and compiles them into a single large image, but it is jagged (like the 3D images) where the images are combined.
I picked this camera mainly because of its physical design, as well as the specs (large display, SD compatibility, HD video recording, and good auto-mode). I knew the camera has hardware limitations (Comes with all point-and-shoot. I'm spoiled by the DSLR image-quality), but I don't intend to carry a large camera (like DSLR) to parties or clubs. I want something that fits in my pocket.
This camera is targeted at non-professionals who want to take good pictures that ultimately end up on their social-networking sites. This camera is intended for people who use the auto-mode that instantaneously detects and adjusts to the most appropriate settings to take great pictures. This camera does a great job, especially in low-light conditions, such as night events.
Suggestions:
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Turn off GPS geotagging for privacy.
When sliding the lens-cover open and during normal operation, it's easy to touch the lens with your finger. Cloth, including microfiber, does little to remove oil and usually smears more oil onto the lens. I actually use a "lens pen" to clean it. One end has a soft brush (lens safe) and the other end has a carbon powdered-tip. Carbon is good at removing oil and you can brush off any dust after. The cap that covers the carbon-tipped end has more carbon, so you can put the cap back on, and twist it a few times to get more.

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See pictures in a whole new way with the Cyber-shot® DSC-TX100V DSCTX100V digital camera. A vibrant 3.5" OLED touch screen provides easy focus selection and photo viewing while a 16.2-megapixel "Exmor R" CMOS sensor delivers stunning low-light performance.

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Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX10 16.2 MP Waterproof Digital Still Camera with Exmor R CMOS Sensor, 3D Sweep Panorama and Full HD 1080/60i Video (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you want to read the opinion of a professional photographer, read on...
IMPORTANT UPDATE: The TX10 is NOT Compatible with Sony Marine Pack Enclosures or any other enclosures.
Pros:
1) The TX10 shines in low-light still photography, it eliminates most of the noise even at ISO 800.
2) The small form factor means you can easily hide the camera from "predators."
3) It is water "resistant' but not truly waterproof aka. you shouldn't go scuba diving with it.
4) It's High Definition 1080p video is pretty good compared to other digital cameras in this price range.
5) Zooming while videotaping is possible. Most consumer digital cameras can't zoom while in video mode.
6) Surprisingly good wide-angle (you don't need a wide-angle adapter)
7) The panorama mode is cute and effective but not very high quality (noise is introduced due to panorama cropping).
8) Excellent flash coverage.
9) Choice of MPEG or AVCHD recording. MPEG is the best choice for compatibility and editing but it takes more space in your memory card. AVCHD is a pain to edit compared to MPEG.
Cons:
1) Compared to my old Canon HV20 the TX10 is simply unable to stabilize the image. Not a deal breaker but you may want to bring a tripod with you at all times.
2) Battery life is dismal, I cannot get more than 80 minutes of continued video shooting from a fully charged Sony battery. I understand third party batteries fair worse (if they work at all). This is a particularly poignant issue if you are near water since you cannot open the camera to change the battery then.
3) The TX10 can charge the battery "in-camera", it does not come with the standard battery charger, instead Sony has included a USB cable and a USB adapter. This is a terrible problem for travel photographers since the battery life is short but it takes several hours to recharge the a battery inside the camera, obviously, while it is charging, you are unable to take photos or videos. This also means you cannot charge your "spare battery" at the same time. In order to solve the problem, you would have to buy extra batteries and an external battery charger, so now you have to carry two chargers. This could have been easily avoided if Sony had included their regular battery charger as they do with older models.
4) All the 3D shooting modes are useless gimmicks, ignore them. They just take precious space in your memory card and you can't view 3D without special equipment.
5) A Mini HDMI to HDMI cable was not included, it could cost you up to $30 to buy a Sony cable. Just get a cheap one for a couple of bucks, don't buy the Sony one, HDMI cables are all compatible.
6) The interactive touch sensitive menu can only be described as a complex labyrinth, extremely awkward to navigate. If Sony was aiming for a friendly interface, they failed miserably.
7) The LCD touch screen is hyper-sensitive and the tiny icons are way to close to each other, the end result it that you rarely press the icon you were aiming for, by the time you solve the mess you created accidentally, your subject has fled the scene. You can help this by "hiding" the icons but then, well, that also requires extra time. Results in an above average learning curve.
8) This camera is extremely slow sometimes, mostly because the 1080p video and the larger 16.2MP pictures require more processing time. Not an ideal camera for action photos.
9) If you like manual exposure controls, forget it, this camera will make you crazy mad. It is automated, albeit it has a nice white balance mode. On the other hand, the auto presets do a better job than a human would in many cases.
10) In video mode, the color saturation is lacking and the video is overexposed 1/2 stop, this creates a somewhat washed out bluish appearance. I suspect they rushed this camera to the market and it just needs a firmware update to fix this. On the other hand, the still photo color balance and exposure is much more pleasant. Sadly the camera "forgets" your manual exposure adjustments when you turn it off.
11) The digital zoom is surprisingly the worse of its kind, quite useless, but I never use it anyway.
12) Attention Divers: The Sony "Marine Pack" enclosure is incompatible with the DSC-TX10.
13) For amateur divers: TX10 is NOT truly waterproof no matter what Sony may want you to believe. The camera is only "water-resistant" at best. It is possible to open the battery latch underwater by accident (there is no secondary locking mechanism like Panasonic's) and the seals are not strong enough anyway. Remember, all it takes is one tiny drop of water to fog your camera lens from the inside.
I have yet to see an "waterproof" consumer camera that can last more than a few hours underwater without a case. The internet is full of horror stories regarding this issue. There is no need to gamble with your investment. However, I highly recommend the TX10 for use in the rain or the snow. Maybe even kayaking.
Overall, I like this camera, it takes superb photos, not as good as a Nikon SRL but the color balance is pretty decent for the price but if you don't need a water "resistant" camera then get the recently released Sony HX7V, it takes better pictures and it is less expensive.
By the way: I returned the TX10. The issues mentioned above became too much of a nuisance.


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Live life on the edge with the DSCTX10 Cyber-shot® digital camera. Designed to fit seamlessly into your active lifestyle, this innovative Sony TX10 DSCTX10 Cyber-shot Waterproof Camera is certified waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and freeze-proof. The Sony TX10 DSCTX10 Cyber-shot Waterproof Camera captures expansive landscapes with one touch iSweep Panorama or record crystal clear Full HD 1080/60i movies. A 16.2-megapixel "Exmor R" CMOS sensor delivers stunning low-light performance while the high-performance Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® 4x optical zoom lens brings distant subjects close. Compose, review and share shots on the vivid 3.0" touch screen.

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