Sony launches Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V 30x compact superzoom

I purchased this camera just before taking and overseas trip because my old Canon was pretty out dated and i needed a compact that has reasonably good picture quality. This camera was well priced, rated as #1 in the Stuff magazine and ticked most of the boxes.

All I can say is that this is a great camera for holidays. I used it in conjunction with my Nikon D7000. To be honest, the Sony is so easy to use that the SLR feels like a steam powered tank in comparison. It made me realize how unnecessarily complicated, bulky and expensive it is to operate an SLR.

The mobile app allows you to copy images straight onto your mobile device allows you to operate the camera remotely. I would have preferred less zoom and better aperture. No viewfinder is very irritating, at times it is difficult to see the LCD screen, especially in day light. This will irritate any SLR user. Video quality is good but the focus could do with some improvement.

Overall a great camera.

The problem with most of these comments is that they come from "enthusiasts" expecting too much. They forget the target audience of this camera. I shoot mainly with a D600, and I after searching for the "best" pocket camera, I ended up buying an HX30V. I love my Sony.

Sony has messed up big time. on the out side, it has a lot of features that i would look for in a all around camera that would get used often. however, on the inside. the camera lacks a lot of features that would make this a winner.

Pros:
30x zoom range on a compact body.
physical control dials/buttons.
standard hot shoe.
a proper full featured WiFi mode.
professional look (not having a lot of writing on the front other than the company name and g lens badge)

Cons:
small sensor vs large amount of megapixels.
no raw support.
no noise reduction options.
no built-in standard headphone/mic jack.

so as you noticed. i did not really complain about aperture or price point because the major focus for me is the lack of RAW and NR options. i think if you are paying 400$ and up for a camera, RAW support and noise reduction options for JPEGs should be available at this price point. and this is not limited to Sony. any other major camera company should do this as well.

Hey Sony, I will use an actual Brush if I want to water color! Sony's brainless escalation of pixels on an itty bitty little 1/2.3" sensor is well, brainless & idiotic.

Take a very nice camera and add a completely compromised sensor due to too many pixels and you have a 'return after initial purchase', or something that is half A$$!!

Boo, Sony! You only market to NON photographers, let them use a cell phone camera instead! Oh yes, let them dress it up in zebra strips or comic book heros......

Looks like this camera will blow all other cameras in it's class away!

I don't know why all the people who complain about the sensor size and pixel count bother. It's obviously not the right camera for them but that doesn't mean it's not right for anyone else.

For me, I want a very light travel camera used primarily for video while traveling, safari photos where I need great zoom, and outdoor adventures where low light isn't a concern - the perfect camera for me and better than any other camera available!

Fact of the matter is that Sony is fascinated with being the biggest and baddest on press releases. 20mpx and biggest zoom on this type of camera. That's all I'm reading.

Too bad too because the body of the camera is nice and I'm seeing additions to their designs they wouldn't even consider less than a year ago. An exposure comp dial, customizable button, rubber thumb pad, hot shoe... the HX series never had those things. Its a move to the right direction but comes off as two sides fighting one another in the company itself- sales wanting headline features and designers just wanting a good camera that appeals to consumers demands. The latter should be in charge.

there's a sucker born every minute, and someone is going to sell them a superzoom.

Sorry, I'd hate to comment on the aesthetics of cameras, but the accessory mic looks like a monster death ray aimed straight at the subject....wow.....

Could not resist...

;)

This is so 2005 cool!

From 12 mpix up, the small cameras from Sony became more and more crappy in picture quality. The last backlit 16 mpix was no too bad, but the simple 16 mpix is a real disaster. And Sony continues to produce this crap with more and more pixels. Why not following the RX100 line and doing similar cameras in 12, 14, mpix. I like the design, but 20 mpix is too much. Then, we are at apsc sensors in those small P&S, Sony can do that as well. Now that a few such cameras exist and just a few $ higher priced than RX100, it is time to act. Lower RX100 price by 20%, extend it's palette by 1", 12, 14, 16, and 18 mpix units and create apsc P&S. That is the way to go, instead of endlessly increasing pixel amount on this useless sensor.

It's a music festival camera, long zoom, stealth looks, great video, best SR, shame it hasn't got a tilty screen though...

The optional electronic viewfinder for this camera costs almost as much as the camera ($449). That's ridiculous!

Great Design, great Accessories - but useless due to garbage sensor. Thats very very sad.

Sony - pls. make an RX200 with 12MP.

The smallest sensor possible with the highest resolution possible. I wonder how much will be image and how much will be NR at anything above ISO400?

its a HUGE sensor, amazing high ISO and low light performance....

just joking :D

Even at ISO 200 detailing is killing by strong NR. Why don't develop fantastic DX100?

Good luck shooting in low light with this...

Would like to see the comparison test on the just launched zoom compacts:
Pany LF1: 12mp on 1/1.7" sensor, 28-200mm f2.0-5.9.
Sony HX50: 20.4mp on 1/2.3" sensor, 24-720mm f3.5-6.3.

They seem to target the same buyers...need longer zoom or more pixel...or better IQ?

20mp 1/2.3 sensor and a slow lens. I'd be afraid to zoom in on the pix. They make enthusiast compacts with larger 10 and 12 mp sensors, so why push an even smaller sensor to such high mp counts?

I know, I know. Look who it is marketed to.

I am waiting for a company to just say the heck with it and come out with a camera with a 1/3" sensor and a 20-1000mm F8.0 lens. They know that the average consumers have no idea what the lens specs mean.

The only thing the average consumer knows are megapixels and 50x zoom and that is what Sony, Canon, and Nikon are giving them.

However, Panasonic and Olympus know that eventually people will realize that the most important thing in a small sensor camera is the lens because that can make up for the fact that the sensor is so much smaller and still has way too many megapixels.

This Sony DSC-HX50V has one of the slowest lenses I have ever seen on a really small sensor. Why in the world do people think that they need telescope focal lengths in a pocket camera?

I have the DSC-HX30V and it is a mediocre to decent camera but an excellent video camera. I've taken high-def hand-held videos with it on a rigid-inflatable boat bouncing over the waves and the IS works wonders. Increasing the zoom range from 20x to 30x while keeping the same quality IS system would be quite cool, assuming Sony pulled it off.

On my last trip, I paired the HX30V with a Canon S95. The S95 was used for most of my photos, but the HX30V was used for zoom and videos. It was a lot lighter than carrying a huge zoom lens on my 40D and a video camera.

While most of the enthusiasts here won't like this camera, the HX30V has been very popular with everyday people who like to travel. I would expect the HX50V to be just as popular.

Personally, I'll wait 3 months for the upgrade with a with a "super powerful" BIONZ2 30MP processor sensor and a 50x zoom :-)
Why oh why Sony? It just makes you look so silly to the enthusiast photographer IMO

Tiny 1/2.3" sensor under a dark lens f/3.5-6.3, that will be the most expensive useless camera.

Those accessories are comical. The mic reminds me of E.T.
Phone home!

Sony, you are killing me with that external flash picture! I am using that adapter on F20AM and F56AM for long enough and when are you going to release the new flashes?! OMG, just can't imagine that such a big brand name made a sudden change without sufficient planning!

Der Überschmiermeister.

The RX100 should at least have the grip of this model.

Great, the last HX series delivered pics as mushy as I've not seen in a long time, even at base ISO. Now we have more MP, same size sensor and even longer lens. Reduced to 6MP, these pics will be ok for many ppl, but this market segment obviously isn't beyond the MP race yet.

Meh, they should use their 1" sensor in a bridge camera. That would RX100-level worthy! :)

20mpx going to need raw to salvage good IQ from that super small sensor. Unknown if it has raw so far, my guess is that it won't.

Otherwise interesting camera from a quick look at it so far.

HX is a good P&S series. Snappy, reasonable optics, not so noisy output.

I found the video.. Looks cool. So happy to see new improvements like this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z2Tt3NInDM