Before this I had dsc-h9 which has excellent image quality.Almost a year I've been using A350 DSLR (with tamron70-300 lens). if you got bored carrying heavy dslr bags with heavy lenses, this is for you.
Very sexy black construction. it is not heavy. Battery is ok. Perfect for travelling. In low light conditions you don't even need a tripod. Just hold it close to your body and use tilt function of lcd.
Date:
2009-09-08 - 11:50:45
Author:
Camilex
Rating:
Great walkabout camera-very responsive when shooting unlike the Olympus equivalents where there is a delay when you press the button. Has some nice features with twilight mode, easy mode and panoramic. Well rated in the magazines as one of the best of the pack for ISO noise up to 1600. Great lens.
Date:
2009-09-11 - 12:03:08
Author:
jadzya1
Rating:
I'm Dutch,so I try in English,since I had a DSC-H3 for a coupple of years,I last bougt a HX1,now in use for 2 weeks,its a great cam,full off features,mostly very usefull,I think the hx hs to use on his new owner adn vasaversa,some pics are not sharp,some eveningpics are''noisy'',maybe I have to learn to use this cam,but the H3 always had perfect pics,but overaal,no complain,and will advise who want's to buy a ''compact''this HX1.
Date:
2009-10-01 - 14:31:12
Author:
Gablim
Rating:
Sony HX1 - testing it's features
10 fps - I have tried to use this with my dog to get airborne shots of her leaping after butterflies. No success as yet and the sharpness of the photos is disappointing.
Panorama - I love this feature, it is so simple to use. Off on the family annual holiday to Phuket at the end of the month so will have ample opportunity to use this feature and post some results. However it does give workable results indoors in daylight and with no external illumination - for property interiors.
Macro - excellent to begin with but I am still struggling to get the depth of sharpness I am looking for after cropping. I really want the photos to have that Wow factor and maybe I am just asking too much of this camera.
Zoom - very useful , but I suspect, as with all these superzooms, that getting anywhere even close to DSLR like sharpness is never going to happen. Some excellent prints possible up to 7 x 5 which is as big as most people would want to go. Although I print at 8 x 11 and I'm having a tough time getting there.
Anti-Blur - I get some of my best photos using this feature for static subjects. Excellent.
Ergonomics & Screen - a little on the small size for my hands but overall I love the way I can even drop it into my large trouser pockets (though the bulge is errr ... somewhat embarrassing and invites inquisitive stares). Buttons are well placed and easy to use whilst framing. The 3" screen is great and even a 2.5" screen is too small now ! The articulation is great for getting at hard to photograph subjects - spiders under ledges for example. The viewfinder is very small but does the job on the very few occasions I've needed it.
Scene Mode - I haven't really used this mode, preferring aperture or shutter priority on most occasions. EV - 0.3 or - 0.7 is necessary for most outdoor shots.
HD Video - this is brilliant. Great videos and surprisingly excellent printable stills from the videos using the software supplied by Sony. You do need a powerful computer with lots of memory to play them smoothly though. Jumpy on my daughter's laptop, better on mine, perfect on the desktop.
Date:
2010-04-16 - 08:42:58
Author:
Steven
Rating:
From Sony to Canon and now back to Sony
Like many of you, I spent a significant amount of time researching cameras before coming up with a decision that was best for me. My first digital camera was a Sony (back in 2001) and I quickly returned it for a Canon due to the ridiculously poor picture quality and expense of the memory sticks. Canon has never done me wrong, I have to say, so I was a little hesitant to venture "across the aisle" to the Sony HX-1. Let me just say: Sony has definitely stepped up their game... and then some. Before I begin, here is some background of my search before I spoil the ending (although I think I already did):
1. I landed on the super zoom category given my NEED for more zoom (3-5 X zoom is no longer acceptable) and my self-admitted laziness in terms of the D-SLR family... not wanting the extra weight and not yet smart enough for the full manual world.
2. From all of the reviews, I was most intrigued by three different cameras: Sony HX-1, Canon SX20 IS, and the Panasonic Lumix dmc fz35.
3. All of them, of course, have very strong features that make them quite appealing. To the same effect, all of them (even more "of course") seemed to be lacking in certain areas.
- Canon: Very useful articulating LCD, but only 2.5 inches (and TRUST me, it makes a difference). HD video, but not full HD (720p vs 1080p). Canon name, but no new innovation to speak of.
- Panasonic: Larger LCD, but fixed to the camera body. No HD video, but strong reviews on picture quality. 18 X zoom vs Canon & Sony's 20 X.
- Sony: Won me over for the following: Larger LCD that pulls out and rotates up/down (yeah, not articulating like the Canon). Innovation (i.e., setting an example for other companies to follow) in terms of processing chip (cmos) that allows for Sweep Panorama (FUN), Burst (up to 10 fps... although not usually that many), and anti-blur modes for both low light (twilight) and normal motion. The video is, in effect, full HD (1080p), the buttons feel VERY intuitive, and the overall feel of the camera is solid and easy to hold in most sizes of hands.
I've had the camera for several days, and during that time I can say I've been extremely impressed with the pictures this camera helps create (remember, YOU are the one who is responsible for deciding what to shoot and what settings to use). I can tell that I will have this camera for several years and will get significant use out of it. That being said, it is not perfect. While I have yet to have a camera that impresses me with indoor shots, this camera has something to be desired when looking at indoor pictures I took on my desktop. Not bad at all, just not what I would want ideally. I think it loses touch with color and clarity when taken indoors, although the flash helps with both... it loses the character that you get from non-flash pics.
All in all, I really came to my decision after reading so many USER reviews stating how much they enjoyed the camera as well as the cutting edge direction Sony has taken its product development. And now that I have it, the macro is incredible, the zoom allows me to take crystal clear pictures of the MOON, the colors when outdoors are vivid and true to life, and the overall "like" factor is very strong. I stand by this camera, and recommend it for anyone who, like me, has been craving more zoom power and ingenuity. In the end, remember... the camera can only do so much. It's up to you to learn the features and be the photographer. Best of luck!
