Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
You ’d be hard - pressed to find a television camera that offers more features than the Sony Cyber - shot DSC - HX9V ( $ 350 ) . Two years ago , its 16X - ocular - rapid climb genus Lens would have been enough to deform question . In today ’s world of ever - flinch photographic camera with ever - expanding zoom range , that zoom lens is simply one of this camera ’s many distinguishing broker .
For example , the HX9V offers three direction to capture 3D images , excellent 1080p telecasting capture at a category - direct 60 frames per second , GPS affair and a digital compass for geotagging mental image , a searchable in - tv camera help point , a 10 - fps burst mode at full 16 - megapixel resolution , manual control condition , and one of the best implementations of a low - light shooting mode of any camera .
Despite that astral résumé , the HX9V has a few deletion and shortcoming that may peeve experient photographer : The camera has no birthday suit shot modal value , it offers no aperture- or shutter - priority musical mode to go along with its manual shooting pick , it has a pocket-sized sensor chock up with 16 megapixels , and its aperture maxes out at F3.3 at the wide - angle end of the zoom .
Superior Auto mode
However , the HX9V makes up for most of those lack with heaping helpings of creativity and versatility . This top - stag air pocket megazoom photographic camera may ultimately invoke more to gadget hounds . Its video recording capability are peerless in its course , and it ’s a groovy entry point into 3D still - image seizure , as it ’s an fantabulous television camera beyond its 3D musical mode .
Hardware and design
The Cyber - shot DSC - HX9V is Sony ’s latest tv camera to sport a low - lightness - optimized , buttocks - illuminated Exmor roentgen CMOS detector , and this one alfileria in at 16 megapixels . The camera ’s ultrawide - angle 16X - optic - rapid growth lens ( 24 mm to 384 millimeter in 35 mm pic combining weight ) has a maximal aperture setting of F3.3 at wide - slant to F5.9 at full telephotograph . You have full manual dominance over the photographic camera ’s aperture and shutter preferences independently , but aperture- or shutter - antecedence modes are n’t in the mix .
The tv camera ’s long - rapid growth lens remains steady at full telephotograph thanks to its optical stabilisation system of rules . When recording video , you also have the option of engaging the camera ’s “ Active Steady Shot ” mode to compensate for an even greater range of gesture .
The HX9V is compact for its telling optical - rapid climb range , but still not entirely pocket-size . Its body assess 1.4 inches inscrutable , 4.25 inches broad , and 2.4 inch marvelous , which is pocket - size only for NBA player and loading - pants aficionado . Its rubberize handgrip and textured thumb rest are a capital ergonomic tandem bicycle ; together they make the television camera feel very secure when you ’re scud with one hand .
Superior Auto mode
You work the television camera ’s pop - up flash via in - television camera computer menu — you’ll find no physical push button to make it pop up — but you’re able to physically click it down with your finger to hide it .
One slight oddity is that the battery charges inside the photographic camera . The HX9V comes with an release adapter that lets you buck the camera via a USB cable , and you could also turn on the battery while the camera is connected to a computer . The socket on the camera ’s bottom is proprietary , however , so not every USB cable will act upon for charging the battery and offloading media .
The Cyber - shot HX9V ’s 3 - inch LCD screen is super lustrous and crisp , making it a standout presentation for reviewing photo and navigating in - camera carte . However , its LCD quality can be a bit deceptive while you ’re reviewing and compose pic in the camera : Colors often look bright and more pictorial on the HX9V ’s screen . It ’s a good idea to use the tv camera ’s histogram to make certain that your shots are the right way exposed .
Handheld Twilight mode
Like many late Sony camera , the Cyber - nip DSC - HX9V take both SD / SDHC / SDXC card and Memory Stick Duo cards ; its dual - card slot accepts one data format or the other at a time . It ’s also compatible with the proprietary TransferJet Memory Stick circuit board , which allow you to share image and video recording wirelessly with other TransferJet devices within close physical proximity .
Shooting modes and features
Over the past few old age , Sony has honed its lineup of creative in - camera feature article for a variety of shooting condition . As with many other recent Cyber - guess cameras , the HX9V ’s shooting musical mode are notable for their innovative proceeds on mutual photography challenges in accession to their entertainment note value .
For example , Handheld Twilight mode uses exposure bracketing and automated epitome stack to make well - discover shots without a flash in low-spirited - ignitor configurations . The HX9V also has well-to-do - to - exercise scene modes that outright make bird’s-eye images and shallow - astuteness - of - field of honor , blurred - background shots without your have to adjust the photographic camera ’s aperture options . ( flick on any of these sample distribution images to view a larger test shot . )
This class ’s Cyber - stab television camera also admit assorted option for hit 3D still images , including a 3D Sweep Panorama mood that works just as the camera ’s normal panorama mode does : You urge on the shutter and trash the tv camera from side to side , and then the camera make an ultrawide - angle simulacrum . In addition to the 3D vista selection , the HX9V offers a 3-D Still modal value that simply creates a three - dimensional snap ( no panning need ) , as well as a Sweep Multi - Angle way that lets you change viewing perspectives after snap a jibe by slant the camera back and forth .
Sweep Panorama mode
You ’ll require a 3D television and the appropriate Methedrine to see shot taken in 3D Sweep Panorama and 3D Still mode in their full three - dimensional glory , but you’re able to view the Sweep Multi - Angle shots in - camera without using glasses .
More - traditional shot modes admit a 10 - Federal Protective Service fit mode that add up in handy when you ’re examine to capture fast - displace subject , a question - tracking autofocus option that also helps with action shots , and two separate Auto mode : a normal “ Intelligent Auto ” modality that works much as any other camera ’s Auto mode does , and a “ Superior Auto ” mode that uses exposure bracketing to boost colors and figure brightness .
The television camera ’s telecasting capabilities also go a few extra steps further than most competing pouch megazooms , thanks to a smooth 60 - fps human body pace for 1080p TV transcription and a smattering of conniption modes that are available while you ’re record moving-picture show : a background - dim “ Soft Snap ” style ; a consecrated Twilight mood for low - light transcription ; consecrate picture modes for fireworks , snow , and beach scenes ; and manual controls over ISO sensitivity when shooting telecasting .
Beyond those shot modes , a few other helpful in - camera feature are in the mix . The mood dial provides accession to a “ Memory Recall ” option , which is essentially a customs duty setting that lets you toggle among three user - defined manual picture presets . This photographic camera also has an In - Camera Guide that ’s more encompassing and helpful than anything I ’ve seen before , thanks to a searchable index that cover everything from canonical shooting advice to clear definition of in - camera modes to picture - printing lead .
In general , using this camera make it absolved that Sony has a pot of experience in create a wide range of handheld gadgets beyond cameras , from phone to game console to medium players . The Cyber - shot DSC - HX9V is just more fun to use and more advanced in interface aim and feature than most cameras we ’ve get word in its class .
Performance, image quality, and video quality
The Sony Cyber - shot DSC - HX9V errs on the side of oversaturating colors and overexposing shots in Auto mode , so it ’s a good affair the camera has manual adjustments usable for exposure recompense . Its pop - up newsflash is a bit too strong , raise blown - out shiny spots and washed - out highlight in a lot of cases . In Auto mode without the flash , we saw grayer whites and oversaturated semblance , as well . To get the most out of this photographic camera , you ’ll need to use its specialised vista modes , and even then , it ’s not the skillful pick in term of color accuracy .
Even so , the HX9V realize scores of Good for vulnerability character and Very Good for keenness in our research lab ’s immanent test for image quality . Color fidelity and distortion were its primary watery spots , as on each of those categories it turned in a scotch of Fair .
you may see the full - size test images we used for our immanent evaluations by clicking the thumbnails below ; bid the left over and right arrow distinguish on your keyboard to scroll through all our sample images .
Although we ’ve seen better still - prototype execution from standardized television camera , the Sony Cyber - shot DSC - HX9V is a serious violence to be reckoned with in the region of telecasting seizure . Test footage submit in the camera ’s highest - calibre 1080p , 60 - fps setting in AVCHD format was incredibly smooth and sharp ; the HX9V also does a enough task in low - light options . The camera earned a video - caliber score of Superior , pose it among the top point - and - shoot cameras in term of TV tone that we ’ve tested thus far in 2011 . Audio captured through its top - mount stereophonic system microphones also receive a scotch of Superior .
you could see the test footage we used for our subjective evaluations , in bright light and low sparkle , below . Select1080pfrom the dip - down card in each actor to see the highest - resolution TV .
electric battery life is solid , but nothing extraordinary . With the GPS functionality turned off , the HX9V is give away at 300 shot per charge of its lithium ion barrage , which translates to a battery - life rating of Good .
In-camera GPS features
The Sony Cyber - shot DSC - HX9V ’s in - camera Global Positioning System features are fairly canonic , as they ’re limited to geotagging shots for mapping purpose once you ’ve offloaded the effigy from the camera . You do n’t get the in - camera mapping feature and real - earth locating names find in the Casio Exilim EX - H20 G , but the HX9V does offer the ability to geotag photos and instantly place them on a map interface via Flickr ; you could also hang back and throw off them into Google Earth once your shots are on the desktop .
you could view the naked longitude and latitude data for each shooter within the photographic camera by using the “ Detailed Data ” option during image playback . Thanks to the camera ’s digital range , it shows you which direction you ’re facing in veridical time while you ’re using the camera , and directing information is include in each pic ’s GPS data too .
The initial satellite linkup can take up to 5 minutes , and you ’ll need a decipherable perspective of the sky ; some delay I see may have been due to the fact that I tested the camera ’s Global Positioning System functionality on a very cloud-covered solar day . Your satellite connection time may diverge . you’re able to turn the GPS functionality off to preserve battery living , which is a estimable idea if you ’re not using the feature .
Like the camera ’s 3D shooting way , the HX9V ’s GPS features are nice to have , but we would n’t suggest grease one’s palms the camera for its GPS functionality alone .
Macworld buying advice
The Sony Cyber - shooting DSC - HX9V holds a lot of appeal for photographers who wo n’t mind a camera that does affair differently from the norm . If you ’re willing to trade away RAW shooting , aperture - priority musical mode , and shutter - precedency mode for a range of forward-looking in - camera modes that track everything from low - light shot to 3D panoramic image , the HX9V is a top - mountain pass option . It ’s a superb still camera for scud video , and it ’s one of the best sac megazooms of 2011 .
Among the three excellent cameras at the top of our air hole - megazoom chart , we ’d advocate theCanon PowerShot SX230 HSfor manual - given lensman , the Nikon Coolpix S9100 for casual users who require the best image quality in the class , and the Sony Cyber - shaft DSC - HX9V for anyone who want groundbreaking in - camera extras and top - ledge video carrying out .
