Updated 26 May, 2012, 4:18 pm IST

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1

28 Jul, 2009, 3:00 pm IST | by Nikhil Singh | Point and Shoot

The DSC-HX1 features a 9.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, and a whopping 20x zoom lens that allows for 28mm wide-angle shots too. The zoom is accompanied by decent mechanical image stabilization, that allows for full zoom shots without a tripod, provided you have pretty stable hands and your shot doesn't require low shutter speed. The image quality on the other hand is a little iffy, and not up to the mark for the camera's price range. Pictures taken were slightly low on detail. Color reproduction and auto-white balance, on the other hand, were spot on.

For those who really want a bang for their buck though, the camera features 1080p video recording at 30 FPS. Videos recorded weren't at par with high-end digital video cameras, but they were decent enough for high-res web videos.

The HX1's ISO sensitivity starts off at 125 (at which it's pretty much artifact free) and goes all the way up to 3200. Shots produced beyond 200 ISO were high on artifacts though. In spite of that, the camera features a really good hand-held twilight mode, that allows good low-light shots.

One of the most awesome features is the camera's Sweep Panorama mode, which - as the name suggests - allows you to take continuous panoramic shots by pressing the shutter once and moving the camera horizontally. While this works much better than the normal stitch based panoramic shots most cameras have, it's somewhat unusable in low light since the low shutter speed causes shots to become really blurry. Regardless, this mode is easy to use and produces some really great results!

Besides this, the camera has all your standard auto-modes Scene, Easy mode (for auto-detect scene mode that gels well with the novice photographer), and an anti-blur mode. For those who need more control, the HX1 also features easy-to-configure manual modes that go well with the easy-to-use, well-designed and simple interface.

At Rs. 29,990 MRP, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 may be on the steeper side, but it surely offers a good deal for the large sum; namely - a plethora of features, 20x optical zoom, a great panorama mode, awesome twilight hand-help mode and great manual functionality. If you can live with the average image quality and ISO performance, the DSC-HX1 undoubtedly makes a good buy.

« Previous Page

Tags: Sony , Cyber-shot , CMOS , 9 megapixel

Would you buy it?

Sony has been in the news quite a lot lately and over the last couple of weeks, the brand has been making ...

Sony LT29i Hayabusa may be the international version of Xperia GX

International version of Xperia GX rumoured to be caught on video

Sony announces the Xperia GX and Xperia SX

Sony Xperia U pops up online for Rs.16,499

Live pictures of Sony ST21i running ICS leaks online

"Sony will change" says CEO; to cut 10,000 jobs

MORE VIDEOS

27 Sep, 2007, 08:54 am IST

Sony Rolly in Motion - Uncut Demonstrati ...

04 Oct, 2007, 07:57 pm IST

sony bravia

16 Jun, 2011, 07:25 am IST

Sony Tablet - Two will (1st episode)

21 May, 2012, 01:15 pm IST

SKYFALL - Official Teaser Trailer

How We Test

What do the ratings mean?

Ratings are simple - higher the score, the better the product. A brief listing of the features and what they mean are given below.

1 - 3

The product is bad in almost every aspect. We strongly advise against purchasing this product.

4 - 6

An average product that isn't the best you can buy, but isn't the worst either.

7 - 8

Product with this rating is highly recommended because it's priced sensibly, has a good set of features and performs well.

9 - 10

Exceptionally excellent product with features and performance unlike any we've seen in the past. A must-have for everyone!

What is the Average User Rating?

We at Tech2 take product reviewing very seriously and every product is tested with the utmost care and level of objectivity. The end user who buys a particular product and uses it over an extended period of time has his own take on a product and there might be nuances that he or she can shed light on. The Average User Rating is present to help readers get the complete picture of how good or bad a product is. The Average User Rating is calculated by averaging the ratings by the thousands of readers visiting Tech2.com every single day. To record your own rating of a product, simply click on the user rating bar. If you disagree with our ratings or our community's product rating, please don't hesitate from voicing your opinion in the comments section below the review.

Leaked Images, Availability, Pricing,
Specs, Pre-order