Sony DSC HX100V 16.2MP superzoom samples added to studio comparison tool: Digital Photography Review

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Proof is in the pudding: I've owned many superzooms over the years and it suits my needs perfectly as I travel a lot & lug the camera everywhere - into restaurants, onto beaches etc & heavier more expensive SLR cameras, changing lenses would make me use the camera far less & in many cases as far as I'm concerned I'd miss the moment - the camera is not perfect & has some issues - which seem to be "production ones" as they are not showing up in all the cameras, & judging from the "studio comparison tool test" they might not have a good one - I've had & seen much sharper on the sony forum .... with some setting adjustments it is capable of pretty amazing images - go to the Sony Forum & look at some of the images that are being taken and what the CZ lens is capable of - its amazing as is the IS system - I've printed images up to 20" incl low light ones taken with the HHT setting with really impressive results - recent pic I took has been chosen for pub cover of 90000 - all others SLR!

Sep 2, 2011permalink

Debankur Mukherjee

16MP in a 1/2.3" sensor - How is the High ISO Images ? God save the king
8-((

Sep 1, 2011permalink

morepix

The sample images look mushy to me. I wouldn't want one.

Sep 1, 2011permalink

Van du Nord

yes ZAnton, that is true. Some years ago the trend was as many pixels as possible until the pictures became worse. Today they supply crazy zooms, do you really need a 800mm on a small camera? Why don't they focus on the lens- and sensor quality itself instead of breaking stupid marketing records.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Condor

800mm ?
YES I do
Every brand has excelent IQ cameras with almost no zooms, LX , G, etc
If you do not really need superzoom capability, why are you evaluating a superzoom camera? I do not even use my superzoom camera for wide photos, I use my LX3.

But probably dpreview is the one to blame. Why do they post a "wide" sample, "in studio" photo, of "several" "inanimated" objects, when what real superzoom users need is the "longest end" sample, "outdoor" photo, of one "unique" "distant" and probably "animated" wildlife subject, to compare among the several good P&S available.

But I supouse that its easier to stay inside a comfortable office close to internet to chat, to twitter and to play wiht the computer instead of doing the effort of going to the country side with several P&S SZ and do the job for what Amazon is paying them for, to sell more.

By the way, all my indepent outdoor comparative tests have shown that Canon SX30IS still producing the best P&S distant subject output so far.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Krocket

You should proofread your spelling before posting , but this is about the Sony x100, BTW, thanks for letting us know your a Canon fanboy-

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Krocket

Obviously a Canon fanboy, BTW, you should check your spelling before posting, that really irks those of use who appreciate SONY'S-

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Condor

Say it a third time.

A Canon funboy? Maybe, that's why I objectively chose a Panasonic LX3 as my main camera, and why I chose a Panasonic DMC-TS2 as my underwater, rainy , snowy and/or sandy days and places camera, and why I chose a Panasonic ZS7 for my wife. But you are right I must be a Canon funboy since I chose an SX30IS for distant wildlife subject’s identification purposes.

So I'm not a BRAND funboy, as you indeed seem to be. But you are right; I'm a funboy at the end, a QUALITY funboy, who independently evaluates all brands looking for the best camera for the purpose I'm trying to solve. And in the P&S superzoom area, so far, Canon SX30IS is the one that produces the best output of distant subjects. You don't agree, please anybody, send us two side by side, real world, longest zoom, and distant subject’s samples to compare SX30IS with any other P&S superzoom unit. I'll do the objective details comparison by free, to allow everybody to reach his/her own conclusion.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Krocket

FANBOY, NOT funboy- at least this time you checked your spelling-

Sep 1, 2011permalink

jaykumarr

@condor,
Surely, you are not a fanboy (or funboy in your terminology) and I agree with you, to my eyes SX230 photos look better than both panny FZ100 and Sony P500, HX100V.

But your view is too strict and too narrow. Though the purpose of super zoom camera may seem to be tele-zoom, think on this line: why does SX230 has wide angle? 24mm or 28 mm ? it can well start with 36 mm, or in your taste, 100 mm - 600mm that would make the camera 6x zoom and far better quality one with less elements, less distortion, less refraction inside.

So please understand, ultra zoom means "short - tele" zoom. It should cover a little bit wide angle too, at least 36mm.

Sep 1, 2011permalink

magneto shot

i'wll settle if these industry leading jokers stop using 1/2.3 and use a 1/1.7 sensor size and just 500mm zoom. The 1/2.3 sensor is just hopeless, the more MP squeezed to this tiny dust, the worst it gets.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Photofreak7

The HS20 isn't available for comparison -but- when comparing to the F550EXR the Sony eats it for breakfast. The HS20 has a better lens and NR low setting so it would be interesting to compare it to the Sony and upcoming FZ150 - I guess we'll soon see.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

liquidsquid

Still, even though a tad noisy compared to the competition, we are so spoiled when you consider how cams like the Sony DSC-V1 performed. At the time, it was very very good, but by today's standards it is an old, clunky noisy dinosaur.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Photofreak7

Simply a detail killer even at base ISO. I wonder if they shot the HX100V at default NR settings - I'd be curious to see it with NR low setting or even NR off (if the Sony has these options)

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Krocket

And yes, it DOES have a 921k screen. I would also add I own a Nikon D90, D7000, Sony A55, Lumix G2, and find all these cameras have strong and weak points, but I take them for what they are, and don't whine about what I wish they were-

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Krocket

Too many people leaving reviews ? of what they wish this camera would be- instead of looking at the many attributes of this model- just visit the x100 forum to see how this camera is loved, and by sales, is an instant HIT! And yes, I own it, and am very impressed with its features ,and do not wish to whine about what I wish it was-

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Van du Nord

The last trend to make as crazy superzooms as possible on many compact and bridge cameras is simply ridiculous.The pictures with this Sony are not impressive at all.
It would be better to come back to a reasonable zoom range, for example 25-150 or 200mm equivalent with a fast lens, long battery duration, 910000 dot screen,and if possible an inntegrated viewfinder.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

ZAnton

It would be also nice if they'd come back to reasonable MP count.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

shaocaholica

Are there any fixed lens super zooms that have manual video controls?

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Realll

It is a shame! So expensive camera with such a disappointing lack of details! I was a Sony -fan for years but Sony's last P&S cameras are very disappointing. Now I am almost happy with Panasonic FZ38 but it hasn't great video quality. My ideal camera will have IQ of FZ35/38 and video of HX9V. Waiting for FZ150!

Aug 31, 2011permalink

bugbait

I just returned the SX230 HS. Great camera images, but the 1080 24p and 720 30p just wasn't both fast and clear enough for me, just a little jerky to my eyes. Plus the CHDK hack for that particular firmware is incomplete as of yet. I may still end up buying it again and a camcorder. The FZ150 with its lowered megapixil count etc should be a lot better than the FZ100 or at least very interesting. Hope it keeps the strong colors. The Sonys have been soft in the details lately, fast as all get out but soft when zoomed in for cropping, or so the reviewers say. I do a good bit of cropping.

I do a LOT of studio imaging, heaps of macro, one foot away quite a bit. Short video tutorials inside at night usually. So that is very important to me. And currently high speed of Monarch butterflies. The FZ150 does not have 120fps, but the 220fps should be good enough for tracking greater muscle movements. I am sculpting them by the way.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

MisterPootieCat

The PowerShot SX230HS is looking better and better. Waiting to see how the DMC-FZ150 comparisons turn out.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

aleware

. We also have one of its main rivals - the Panasonic DMC-FZ150 in the studio and will add that to the comparison tool as soon as we can.
+1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aug 30, 2011permalink

Condor

Since we are talking about P&S superzoom camers, long end zoom outdoor real-world samples are a must to compare. As a P&S user for more than 15 year, I've never took any "studio" photo in my life, and wide samples are irrelevant for real superzoom users.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

derfla1949

Do you really believe these annoyingly high noise levels even at base ISO will go away when you zoom in on something?

Aug 30, 2011permalink

Condor

Again, I'm being a real P&S user for 15 years, I have never cared about those fancy noise, saturation, etc factors but the image output as a whole. In superzoom case, the image quality at the long end has no direct relation with the image quality at wide. In fact, normally wide output of good superzoom cameras is awful at wide compared with non superzoomm P&S. Is the long end output which justify the existance of superzoom cameras, not its wide output.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Menneisyys

Quickly compared to the Canon 230HS (the best compact superzoom - OK, it's not a fully-fledged/sized superzoom, I know...). At least 1.5 stops worse, IQ-wise. The Canon is way better.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

Patman888

Why are you comparing the picture quality between a 14x zoom with something with more than twice the reach? You don't compare 3x kit zooms with primes do you

I know you tried saving yourself with the " I know" bit but yeah, you still suck for doing an unfair comparison regardless.

Aug 31, 2011permalink

Jarda_Houdek

why putting in 16 mpix, when all the detail is smeared and actual resolution is lower than say G12? Oh, Sony, they never learn

Aug 30, 2011permalink

Menneisyys

Exactly. The IQ is mediocre compared to the best 10-12 Mpixel P&S models.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

jaykumarr

@Jarda,
A lot of people buy Sony for the legendary name in Electronics say TV or music system. They like numbers too. 10 years back people say "sony 2 lux.. can take video in darkness". now they will say 16 MP. Sony will sell more by saying 16MP than saying IQ at iso800.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

Nate21

yes sony has done that its just a name now thats all

Aug 31, 2011permalink

John McCormack

Sure wish the Panasonic FZ150 was available to compare against. Hint, hint.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

Richard Butler

"We also have...the Panasonic DMC-FZ150 in the studio and will add that to the comparison tool soon." Hint, hint.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

jaykumarr

@ Mr. Butler,
thank you for writing to us.
Please add some zoom shot comparisons too for ultro zoom camera.

Aug 30, 2011permalink

mbc28

Mr Butler ....Hopefully when this camera and the FZ150, and Fuji HS20 get tested in "real life" situations - each cameras unique ability and approach to combat small sensor limitations will be used as well to rate the cameras image capability ..ie the Sonys HHT mode setting where in low light situations it shoots 6 or 7 images and superimposes to reduce noise - interesting that it shoots at lower ISO's than expected and is giving much better results than just shooting the image straight at at 800 or above ISO - my point being rate these cameras not only on paper specs but the real life capability - whether considered gimicky or not - also obviously the lens image quality and IS system (because if at full zoom its unusable because of a poor IS system - whats the point of a zoom this size )

Sep 1, 2011permalink

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Panasonic DMC-FZ150 samples added to studio comparison tool Sep 7, 2011	Just Posted: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V review Oct 21, 2011	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V Oct 21, 2011	Just Posted: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V preview gallery and video sample Sep 12, 2011


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