 |   Publisher : Sony Company : Sony List Price: Our Price: $341.79 You Save: $8.2 (3%) Used Price : $290.00 |
Features
- "Exmor R" CMOS sensor for stunning low-light performance
- iSweep Panorama Mode captures stunning panoramic images
- Fast capture with 10fps at full 10.2-megapixel resolution
- 10x optical zoom Sony G-Lens with 25mm wide angle; 1080i AVCHD Movie records high-quality HD movies
- Recording Media : 45MB internal Flash Memory, optional Memory Stick Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed), optional Memory Stick PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC media
Product Description
Capture stunning low-light images and sweeping panoramic views with the DSC-HX5V featuring an “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images. featuring an “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images.SimilarProduct
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Customer reviews
Every Feature You've Wanted in a Compact Camera 
by .. T. Pinsonneault (New York, USA)
I'm usually a digital SLR user, but I've been waiting for a camera like this to come out so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera were:
1. AVCHD 1080i FULL QUALITY video. Check the bitrate -- it's the same as the camcorders. Better than the flip or handheld 'HD' bitrates
2. Wide Picture Stitching. I am astounded by the quality of these pictures. Dumbfounded. Check out the ones I've posted.
3. GPS Tagging. Yep- been waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature into its software.
4. Low-light performance. For a point-and-shoot, you're not going to beat this. Sure, it's no DSLR, but it's pretty great for the price.
5. Price- a zillion features and a totally reasonable price!!!
Mac Compatibility:
I tried out the camera with iMovie, and it worked seamlessly!!! I imported 2 minutes of low-light video footage AVCHD in about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class-6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked great.
Update: I've had time to play around with the different settings -- you can see some of my results in the customer uploaded images. The panoramas today came out great! I am still awed by this feature (amazon's tiny photos don't do it justice). Shooting inside in the MOMA was excellent. Outside, I tried the HDR mode, with limited success (still need to experiment, but see what I got). The handheld twilight mode does what it is supposed to, impressively.
Nice by .. C. Pak (Greenville)
I'm comparing this camera to my most recent camera: Canon SD1000 and Sony TX1. I'm just a casual photographer. The most surprising thing about this camera is the weight. If you've owned some high end Sony or Canon PowerShot cameras then holding this camera doesn't "feel" normal, it's way too light for it's size...but that's a good thing....sort of. They achieve this weight reduction by using plastic for many of the body parts (the SD1000 and TX1 are mostly, if not all metal). The back is definitely plastic, I'm not quite sure about the front. The mode dial (although very welcome) feels cheap.
That's about it for the bad news. The good news is the GPS locks FAST out of the box and the picture quality is very good, on par with 10-12 mega-pixel cameras. The Sony "extra" features such as panorama and 1080 HD video work as advertised and add value to the Sony versus the only current competitor (with GPS and a mega-zoom) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 which has not been released yet. You can compare images between the two cameras on the Imaging Resource site as well as some others.
I'm was going to purchase both this camera and the Panasonic to see which one I liked better, however I'm going to be keeping the Sony. I'm very happy with the ease of use, picture quality and the Sony extra features (such as panorama).
For a case, I'm using the Case Logic TBC302. It fits the camera perfectly with barely enough room in the front pocket to hold a spare battery. The Case Logic TBC303 is much larger but not too useful, for example you can't put the battery charger with the camera. It could hold some credit cards or papers, though.
Update: Software
I usually never install the included software because it's so bloated or just not very good to use. However, the Sony PMB (which is on a CDROM or on the internal camera memory when plugged into your computer) is VERY good. Good in that it's not bloated and it just works. You can do everything you expect such as organize and edit your photos or even update/assign GPS data. Also you can download updated GPS data (which helps the camera lock to GPS faster). I would dare say the software is nicer than Picasa or iPhoto due to the speed and built in GPS features. Some other things you can do but I have not tried yet: you can burn a video DVD (either a normal DVD or a AVCHD DVD with 1080i quality, but you need a PS3 or compatible player to watch those).
Update: GPS
I'm happy to report the GPS function works very well. I took a drive while snapping pictures as a test and then examined the recorded locations. The location was being actively updated because it was able to differentiate my position between shots taken seconds apart going about 40 MPH. Very pleased.
Update: Picture Quality
On closer inspection, the picture quality is a bit soft..I wish I could have the camera automatically adjust the sharpening inside the camera (make it more sharp) but this is not a big deal as the PMB software has easy edit controls. You can also manually unsharp after you take the photograph. The low light performance is remarkable, especially the low-light modes that actively combine multiple images (hand-held twilight and back-light HDR modes do this). As long as you're steady and you're not shooting a moving subject you can get some pretty remarkable, low-noise images at night.
Other final comment: when you turn the camera off, there is a slight delay (fraction of a second) before the lens retracts. Not really an issue but just something I'm not used to with my previous cameras and something I just noticed as I'm usually taking quick impromptu photos, on..photo...off. The interface, although totally functional, is not as "refined" as on my Sony TX1 (with touch screen), the LCD resolution is noticeably lower but, again, totally functional.
The mode dial is still bugging me, I feel it's the first thing on this camera that will go...But only time will tell.
Awesome features! Excellent results! by .. Mark Crandell ()
This has loads of useful features and takes good looking photos.
GPS + compass lets you see where you were and what direction you were pointing when taking photos. Works with the supplied photo browser software and others like Picasa 3. Only problem with GPS is that after you power on the camera some of you photos will be tagged with the previous location while the GPS tries to update the location. GPS can be as quick as 15 seconds, but depends on cloud coverage, the number of surrounding buildings, etc.
Some of the other features I've found useful after only a few days.
HDR mode - combines 2 back-to-back images and merges them giving you more dynamic range in the photo.
Anti blur mode - merges 6 shots into 1 to help eliminate motion blur.
Panorama stitch - great for cityscape/scenery. (Only works on the wide angle lens, no zooming allowed)
25mm lens - great for indoor shots with lots of people.
Face detection - easy to focus on people, smile detector makes capturing good shots automatic and helps when trying to take self portraits.
1080i AVCHD capture. (Yes, you can zoom while taking video)
SDHC/SD/Memory stick compatible, takes either of those memory cards.(Finally Sony!!)
As far as the camera body goes, it is pocket-able. The lens does stick out a bit, too bad they couldn't have made it flush with the body.
Stereo microphone, unfortunately the placement of the microphone may be problematic if you hold the camera with 2 hands, holding with one hand is no problem.
Flash is tiny, and I've covered it up a few times.
For next generation of this product, I would hope they improve the GPS feature, make it quicker, give more feedback about the last GPS position that was locked and how old the location data is. Also the screen is hard to see at an angle, so trying to take shots above you head is difficult.
I don't have many gripes so far. I'm liking this camera
HX5V Compared To TX7 by .. John R. St John ()
I was interested in both the TX7 and the HX5V because of the HDR and low-light features. I couldn't make up my mind from the specs alone so I bought both, with the intent of giving one of them to my son as a graduation present.
I have separately reviewed the TX7, and there I give my take on these two features, which are identical for the two cameras. In this review I'll just focus on the differences between the two. There are three major ones: size, interface, and zoom range.
Curiously, despite the vastly different lens design, I could see no difference in the optical performance. You can check this out yourself by visiting [...] and taking a look at the full-size samples of the HX5V and the TX5 (the TX7 has not been yet reviewed as I write this, but the lens is the same as that on the TX5). Both are at the top of the compact class , especially at higher ISOs.
As to size, the HX5V appears bulky next to the slim TX7. The real difference is in the thickness. It's quite noticeable when the cameras are sitting side-by-side. The HX5V is heavier, but in actual use this isn't very noticeable. Both cameras fit easily into your pants pocket. The TX7 will also fit into your shirt pocket.
Interestingly, I found that the HX5V's greater thickness is an asset while shooting. It feels more comfortable in the hands. I hold the camera in my left hand with the thumb and index finger. When shooting with the TX7 it's very easy for my left middle finger to drift over the lens, ruining the shot if I'm not paying attention to the screen (easy to do in bright sunlight). Not so for the HX5V, since the protruding lens in the shooting mode prevents this.
In my TX7 review I say how much I like the touchscreen in that camera. The HX5V has the traditional button navigation. I much prefer the touchscreen. It's a lot quicker. However, the navigation on the HX5V is definitely better than on my previous compact, a Canon SD700IS. Also, as with the TX7, the text and icons are clean and very readable, even with my poor eyesight.
The TX7 has a 920MP screen, while the HX5V's screen has only 230MP. You'd think there would be a noticeable difference between the two, but even looking at them side-by-side I don't see much of any.
Another difference is the shutter release. In the HX5V it's a round button, which is much better than the tiny thin bar on the TX7. However, the button is located next to the control wheel, which is also round. In fact, the wheel is on the right, where you'd normally expect to find the shutter release. I found myself pressing on this a few times, vainly trying to take a shot.
It's the zoom where the HX5V really shines. The 25mm-250mm range is a great range (though with Samsung's HZ35W and HZ30W you get a whopping 24mm-360mm). What's more, the HX5V's resolution is sharp at all focal lengths. My SD700IS is a little soft at its maximum.
To really test the HX5V at its maximum 250mm focal length I compared it to my DSLR (a Canon 20D, circa 2004) with a Canon 300mm EF 4.0 L lens. The L-series Canon lenses are the white-bodied lenses you see professional sports photographers using. They are top-of-the-line. Many years ago I foolishly spent nearly $1000 to buy a used one on e-Bay. It's very, very sharp.
I took shots with both cameras mounted on a tripod, using the self-timer to minimize shake. Compared to the Canon combo the HX5V looked like a rowboat sitting next to a battleship. In taking the shots I adjusted the camera-to-target position to account for the different focal lengths (the effective focal length of the 300mm lens with the 20D's sensor is huge) so that the image in the viewfinder or on the screen was roughly the same. The target was a box of fertilizer, with lots of fine print. Both cameras were set to their lowest ISO settings.
On the monitor they looked the same, even at large magnifications, but the proof is in the printing. So I first made a moderately cropped 8x10 print of the image produced by each camera (the uncropped prints would have been about 11x14). I could see no difference between the two. I then did severely cropped 8x10s, where the uncropped prints would have been roughly 16x20. Again, no difference.
I kept at it, making prints at huge magnifications. I was feeling like the guy in Antonioni's Blow Up. I made 8x10s of a tiny portion of the image, where the uncropped print would be a giant 32x40--essentially a poster. At this level the HX5V showed some haloing around the details, but the sharpness was the same.
I was amazed by this. I would have bet money that at some point the Canon combo would have been sharper, but the facts are the facts.
Which leads me to give some advice. If you're reading this review you've probably already settled on a compact camera, but if you're considering a DSLR I think you should stick with the compact. I wouldn't have said this a few years ago. I've had a couple of film compacts over my life, but rarely used them because the quality was not as good as the bigger camera. That's not true anymore. Yes, a DSLR has certain advantages over a compact, but to me they pale next to the one fundamental truism in photography: a camera in your pocket is worth a lot more than a camera sitting at home on the shelf. We should all get into the habit of slipping a little camera like the HX5V or the TX7 into our pocket or purse each day, just like a wallet or car keys.
So, which camera am I going to keep? I'm embarrassed to say that I can't seem to part with either. I guess I'll get my son something else for graduation.
A compact camera that rivals professional DSLRs - fantastic! by .. G. Dada (Austin, TX)
Not too long ago cameras in the "point and shoot" category were considered toys for most advanced amateur photographers. The difference in picture quality and control between a point and shoot and an SLR camera was enormous. That gap has been closing especially in the last two years. With this new Sony HX5V that gap does not exist anymore.
I am an advanced amateur photographer. Photography is my passion and has been for many years. My "main" camera is a Nikon D5000 with a Nikkor 18-200 VR II lens. This is a new, high-end model with an amazing lens, worth probably $1500. After using the Sony HX5V for a week, I am seriously considering selling my Nikon simply because it is hard to justify the price difference.
Let's start with picture quality. The two main elements in a digital camera are the lens and the sensor. Up until now, point and shoot cameras have used CCD sensors, which are inferior to CMOS sensors, used in most DSLRs. The difference is especially noticeable in low-light conditions. CMOS sensors produce much less noise and higher picture quality at high sensitivity (ISO setting). The Sony HX5V is one of the first compact cameras to use a CMOS sensor. 10 megapixels is more than what 99.99% of people will ever need.
The lens is very versatile: unlike most zooms, this one starts at 25mm wide angle, which means you can take great pictures indoors when you are close to your subject. It has a 10X optical zoom, enough for most purposes. It is one of Sony's "G" lenses, which means it is made with the same quality standards as their lenses for DSLRs costing hundreds of dollars. The zoom is controlled with a button (like with most compact cameras) as opposed to manually (as with most DSLRs) which is a drawback of this format. The Sony would sometimes guess I wanted to go full zoom and go all the way - similar to electric car windows that roll all the way down after pressing the button for a second.
After looking at the specs and the online photos I expected the camera to be bigger, but it is actually smaller than my smart phone and smaller than the Lumix TZ4 camera it replaces. It fits in my jeans pocket comfortably and I can carry it in my portfolio at all times, which is a huge advantage over any DSLR. The camera is light, the battery lasts a long time and the screen is very bright.
The Flash is surprisingly good. It took some pictures of people indoors, a couple pictures in bright light where I used the flash to fill-in the shadows and then I took a picture of our kitchen (like the ones you see in a realtor ad) and was surprised by the even illumination and sharpness of the picture. Surely beats my Nikon's built-in flash.
On Saturday I took a picture of my daughter's Birthday cake with ISO 3200 setting. The Sony has a cool feature where it takes a couple low-light pictures and combines them to produce a better image. The results are absolutely amazing. I rival any DSLR short of $5,000 to top the quality.
At the Austin Rodeo this weekend, I tried the burst shooting mode at the pig races (really). The ability to take 10 shots per second means you won't lose the action. Yesterday at a park downtown I used the panorama feature to pan across the landscape and the Sony took care of building and stitching multiple images into one, it looked perfect!
Some people will enjoy the ability to shoot movies at full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 @ 60 frames per second. I is really nice to be able to zoom while shooting video. Movie mode is only a button away, so it is very convenient.
The camera includes a GPS sensor and a compass, which means every photo (outdoors, where the camera can get a satellite signal) will be tagged with the precise location and orientation where it was shot.
Face detection and smile detection will ensure you get all your people in focus and that you will capture the smile you are looking for. There is a full manual mode and an easy mode - making both me (the advanced photographer) and my wife (novice photographer) happy with the same camera.
Last, but not least, the camera includes a HDR function that takes three pictures with different light settings and combines them into one, providing the best image possible for high-contrast scenarios. I plan to test this feature in the next few days.
Essentially, the Sony HX5V gives you the same quality sensor (CMOS) and lens (G-class) as you would get with a DSLR with a powerful 10X zoom and tons of cool features. For $350 (list) it is an absolute steal. If you can afford it, it is a no brainer. If you are thinking about buying a DSLR, this Sony could give you a better camera at a fraction of the cost.
Sample photos available at: http://sonyhx5v.myphotoalbum.com/