Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H10 Concise Review
The Cyber-shot DSC-H10 was announced in late January and comes as a successor to the DSC-H3 which itself was only launched a mere 5 months earlier. The H10 only constitutes a relatively minor upgrade with the new larger 3.0" screen with its increased resolution (230K pixels vs 115K) being the only major difference between the two camera generations. In Sony's 'High Zoom' hierarchy the H10 is the junior partner of the new flagship H50. It offers a 10x zoom in a very compact body for photographers on a tight budget and is equipped with an 8MP sensor. The feature set is virtually identical with the H3's and includes Face Detection, Optical Image Stabilization and HDTV output (albeit using an optional composite video cable or Cyber-shot Station dock). In the fairly small bracket of compact long zoom cameras the H10 is going head-to-head with competitors such as the brand new Panasonic TZ5 and the similarly specified Canon SX100 IS.
In our January review of the H3 we said the camera was a reliable point and shoot performer but also had its fair share of flaws. We'll see if Sony has managed to get rid of at least some of those on the H10 in the following review. Let's get started, as ever, with the headline features:
- 1/2.5" CCD sensor, 8.1 million effective pixels
- 10x (38-380mm equiv.) Carl Zeiss branded optical zoom
- 3.0" LCD screen
- HDTV video output (requires optional cable or dock)
- Super Steady Shot image stabilization
- 2cm macro
- ISO 100-3200
- Face Detection
- Dynamic Range Optimizer
Note that a large proportion of the descriptive text in this review is taken directly from the DSC-H3 review, as the cameras are functionally identical.
Sony DSC-H10 specifications
| Street price | • US: $300 • UK: £200 |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Plastic |
| Sensor | • 1/2.5" Type CCD |
| Image sizes | • 3264 x 2448 |
| Movie clips | • 640 x 480 @ 30fps |
| File formats | • JPEG Exif v2.21 • DPOF • MPEG1 |
| Lens | • 10x optical zoom |
| Image stabilization | Super Steady Shot (optical image stabilization) |
| Conversion lenses | • Wide: VCL-DH0758 • Tele: VCL-DH1758 • Close-up: VCL-M3358 |
| Digital zoom | up to 2.0x |
| Focus | • Single AF • Monitor AF • Macro |
| AF area modes | • 9-point AF • Center Weighted AF • Spot area AF • Focus preset |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | • Normal: 50 cm-infinity (wide), 90 cm-infinity (tele) • Macro: 2 cm - infinity (wide), 90 cm - infinity (tele) |
| Metering | • Face Detection • Multi-Pattern • Center-weighted • Spot |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps |
| Exposure bracketing | +/- 0.3, 0.7, 1.0 EV |
| Shutter speed | • Auto: 1/4 - 1/2000 sec • Program Auto: 1 sec- 1/1000 sec • Manual: 30 sec - 1/2000 sec |
| Aperture | • Auto: F3.5/8.0 (w) • Program Auto: F3.5/F8.0 (w) |
| Modes | • Auto • Program auto • Manual • Movie • SCN |
| Scene modes | • High Sensitivity • Extra High Sensitivity • Extra High-speed Burst • Twilight • Twilight Portrait • Portrait • Soft Snap • Landscape • Beach • Snow • Fireworks • Hi-speed Shutter • Advanced Sports Shooting |
| White balance | • Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Fluorescent 1 (White Fluorescent Lighting) • Fluorescent 2 (Natural White Fluorescent Lighting) • Fluorescent 3 (Day White Fluorescent Lighting) • Incandescent • Flash |
| White balance fine tune | no |
| Self timer | 2 or 10sec |
| Continuous shooting | Approx 2fps |
| Image parameters | • Normal • Vivid • Natural • Real • Sepia • B&W • DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer): Standard, Plus, off |
| Retouch | • Trimming • Red Eye Correction • Soft Focus • Partial Color • Fisheye Lens • Cross Filter |
| Flash | • Auto • Flash On • Slow Syncro • Flash Off • Red-Eye Reduction • Range: 0.2 - 7.0m (w), 0.9 - 5.6m (t) (ISO Auto) • Range: Up to 14m (w), 11.2m (t) (ISO 3200) |
| Viewfinder | No |
| LCD monitor | • 3.0 in (7.5cm) Hybrid TFT LCD • Aspect Ratio: 4:3 • 230,000 dots • Approx. 100% coverage |
| Connectivity | • AV out (Composite, 1080i component with optional cable) • USB 2.0 High Speed • DC input • All in/out via Multi Use Terminal |
| Print compliance | • Pictbridge • DPOF • Print Image Matching III • EXIF Print |
| Storage | • Memory Stick Duo • Memory Stick Pro Duo • Memory Stick Pro Duo (High Speed) • Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo • Internal memory (31 MB) |
| Power | • Li-ion battery pack NP-BG1 • BC-CSGB / CSGC Charger included • Optional AC adaptor |
| Weight (no battery) | 265 g (9.3 oz) |
| Dimensions | 106 x 68.5 x 47.5 mm (4.2 x 2.7 x 1.9 in) |
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
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