Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V, anyone have one?

[Corey]

My current digital camera is a Sony DSC-H9 I bought close to three years ago I think.
It is 8 megapixel, and I do not know why Amazon has it listed for $1,397, I only paid around $400 or less for it from Best Buy back when I bought it.

Was browsing the DP Review site looking at a Fuji camera Mark (SWR) linked me to, and I ran across this new Sony Cyber Shot camera.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydschx100v/
16 megapixel, 30x zoom, 1080P HD video, looks pretty good.

Amazon has good reviews on it too.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H8FND0...e=394997&creativeASIN=B004H8FND0&linkCode=asn

Anyone familiar with this model, and if you have it, do you like it?
I think I am due for an upgrade, so if this is a pretty decent one, Santa may be bringing me this one.

 

[chet]

That looks nice. I have a friend with the Nikon P500 and it takes stunning photos for a point and shoot (36x zoom) I have a panasonic with 24x zoom and it takes nice shots as well. Those would be my 3 top choices for long zoom with the canon maybe in the mix as well.

 

[FJR Colorado]

I had a Sony DSC-H5 CyberShot that served me well for several years. The suddenly it started flaking out (would lose picture, or take pics with weird digital artifacts) and then eventually died (at a very inopportune moment, BTW). While it worked I really liked the image quality for a P&S. It had some nice features and was overall a good purchase. But the fact that it dies like it did was not good.

I saw the DSC-HX100V at a Sony store recently. It looked like a good unit with lots of new features, much better video and a better lens.

Another unit in this same category I would suggest you look at is the new Canon SX40 HS:
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-SX40-HS...MFHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321839300&sr=8-1

I picked up an SX30 IS after the Sony died and have been very happy with it. Here is a thread I did on my new Canon a while back:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/66972-Canon-PowerShot-SX30-IS?highlight=

Here are some recent pics taken with the SX30 IS:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/69489-Alaska-Winter-Wonderland

I have some video as well I will post in the near future.

 

[Corey]

Thanks for the links.
Over the holiday I will have to look at more specs on these.
A few things the camera must do:
1080p HD for video
Video output must be AVI or MPG

As much as I like my GoPro HD camera, I hate how it outputs the movies to a Mac format of an MP4.
I like to use Windows Movie Maker to edit movies as in stitching a few movies and pics together, and also adding text.

Movie Maker will not open a Mac file of a .mov or the .mp4 format, so any of my GoPro vids just get uploaded raw to Vimeo or YouTube.

So my next camera will have to play nice with Movie Maker.

 

[Lost Canadian]

If you're sold on a super zoom, you should look at the Panasonic DMC-FZ150. It has the best video and jpg output of any superzoom that I've seen, and it also shoots RAW.

 

[FJR Colorado]

Thanks for the links.
Over the holiday I will have to look at more specs on these.
A few things the camera must do:
1080p HD for video
Video output must be AVI or MPG

As much as I like my GoPro HD camera, I hate how it outputs the movies to a Mac format of an MP4.
I like to use Windows Movie Maker to edit movies as in stitching a few movies and pics together, and also adding text.

Movie Maker will not open a Mac file of a .mov or the .mp4 format, so any of my GoPro vids just get uploaded raw to Vimeo or YouTube.

So my next camera will have to play nice with Movie Maker.

I wouldn't get too hung up on 1080p. If you are uploading to a site like Vimeo that will end up as 720p anyway. And 1080p files will eat up a lot more storage than 720p.

I'd only worry about 1080p if you had an application/customer that required a 1080p display... in which case you would not be using a $400 camera anyway....

If you are getting into video, you owe it to yourself to migrate away from MovieMaker. For $90, Adobe Premiere Elements is the best $ for $ investment you can make. One caveat though, in order to have it work with your GoPro files you may require a 64-bit Win7 machine. That said, the UI is light years ahead of MovieMaker and the cost is rounding error.

 

[Lost Canadian]

Hey Cory, Fuji just released a larger EXR sensor superzoom called the X-S1. The larger sensor, same one found in the X10, coupled with Fuji's EXR technology should help it to blow away the competition in terms of image quality. Might be worth a look.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2011/11/24/fujifilmxs1

 

[bajasurf]

Hey Cory, Fuji just released a larger EXR sensor superzoom called the X-S1. The larger sensor, same one found in the X10, coupled with Fuji's EXR technology should help it to blow away the competition in terms of image quality. Might be worth a look.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2011/11/24/fujifilmxs1

Thanks for the recent posts. I am looking for a new camera to replace my ancient Panasonic FZ20. Like the new Pana Z150 and then you post the new Fuji. Both nice cameras. Did you notice the size of the EVF on the Fuji X-S1 ?

 

[Corey]

I wouldn't get too hung up on 1080p. If you are uploading to a site like Vimeo that will end up as 720p anyway. And 1080p files will eat up a lot more storage than 720p.

I'd only worry about 1080p if you had an application/customer that required a 1080p display... in which case you would not be using a $400 camera anyway....

If you are getting into video, you owe it to yourself to migrate away from MovieMaker. For $90, Adobe Premiere Elements is the best $ for $ investment you can make. One caveat though, in order to have it work with your GoPro files you may require a 64-bit Win7 machine. That said, the UI is light years ahead of MovieMaker and the cost is rounding error.

I was under the impression that both YouTube and Vimeo fully supported 1080p videos, as I watch them all the time there.

I had a demo of the Adobe one several months ago, and I found it quite hard to operate compared to Movie Maker which I have used for years with good success.
I see it on sale quite often, as they send me email alerts about it.
Might have to try it.

No interest right now in going to Windows 64 bit or Win 7.
Been using XP Pro for years.
Maybe the next PC I build (I build all of mine) I will go for Win 7, but not sure about 64 bit.
I have heard lots of snags with software working correctly with 64 bit.

All the pics and vids I would shoot are just for me documenting my FJs build-up, camping trips, reviews, family, ect.
I will have to read up more on the Adobe software, but as mentioned, I found it quite hard to use last time I tired it.
I also had a demo of Sony Vegas Movie Studio, but it is expired, and I cannot remember if I liked it or not.

Hey Cory, Fuji just released a larger EXR sensor superzoom called the X-S1. The larger sensor, same one found in the X10, coupled with Fuji's EXR technology should help it to blow away the competition in terms of image quality. Might be worth a look.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2011/11/24/fujifilmxs1

Thanks, checking it out now.
I see it is 12 megapixel, the Sony was 16 I was looking at.
Which do you feel is a better camera between the two as in picture/video quality?
I most always shoot too on the Auto Program mode instead of trying to manually adjust the camera.

 

[Corey]

PS, here is a link to two programs boxed as one I believe.
10 GB download :Wow1:
Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere Elements 10

On sale for half price, so I may get it.

 

[FJR Colorado]

PS, here is a link to two programs boxed as one I believe.
10 GB download :Wow1:
Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere Elements 10

On sale for half price, so I may get it.

That is a great deal. If you buy it, definitely have them ship you the boxed set. The download would be a bear, it's always great to have the discs in case you need to re-load it, and Adobe typically enables you to load it on multiple computers.

Just like PhotoShop, Premiere has a bit of a learning curve. Once you get the hang of it, you will not look back at MovieMaker. I work in TV and have a background in post-production so it was a little easier for me. Take a local class if you can find one.

 

[Lost Canadian]

Thanks, checking it out now.
I see it is 12 megapixel, the Sony was 16 I was looking at.
Which do you feel is a better camera between the two as in picture/video quality?
I most always shoot too on the Auto Program mode instead of trying to manually adjust the camera.

Sorry Corey, spelled your name wrong in my previous post. Anyway, honestly if I was designing point and shoot cameras with small sensors I'd be capping the resolution at 6-8 megapixel. On cameras like these, nice fat photosites would offer a lot more benefit, but unfortunately most consumers typically only know megapixels so manufacturers use these huge megapixels numbers more as a marketing tool at the expense of performance. 16 is excessive on cameras with small sensors like these IMO. Also if you look at any of the top tier point and shoots like the Canon G12 or Nikon P7100 you'll notice that they capped resolution at 10 megapixels because pro's and enthusiasts know that more isn't always better. Another example is Nikon's $5000 D3s, it's only 12 megapixels but nothing even comes close to it in terms of low light noise performance because it has big fat photosites on that full frame sensor.

With respects to which is better, I can't honestly say because the Fuji isn't out yet. If the performance of the Fuji X10 is any indication of what we can expect from the X-S1 though, I'd say it will be no contest. The X10's sensor, which the X-S1 shares, performs superbly.

 

[Corey]

That is a great deal. If you buy it, definitely have them ship you the boxed set. The download would be a bear, it's always great to have the discs in case you need to re-load it, and Adobe typically enables you to load it on multiple computers.

Just like PhotoShop, Premiere has a bit of a learning curve. Once you get the hang of it, you will not look back at MovieMaker. I work in TV and have a background in post-production so it was a little easier for me. Take a local class if you can find one.

Thanks, just placed my order.
It will arrive next Friday.

I will try shooting a few vids with my GoPro and see if I can stitch them together with the software, and add titles, fades between pics added, ect...
Pretty much what I use to do with Movie Maker with the AVI file my current Sony digital outputs to.

Sorry Corey, spelled your name wrong in my previous post. Anyway, honestly if I was designing point and shoot cameras with small sensors I'd be capping the resolution at 6-8 megapixel. On cameras like these, nice fat photosites would offer a lot more benefit, but unfortunately most consumers typically only know megapixels so manufacturers use these huge megapixels numbers more as a marketing tool at the expense of performance. 16 is excessive on cameras with small sensors like these IMO. Also if you look at any of the top tier point and shoots like the Canon G12 or Nikon P7100 you'll notice that they capped resolution at 10 megapixels because pro's and enthusiasts know that more isn't always better. Another example is Nikon's $5000 D3s, it's only 12 megapixels but nothing even comes close to it in terms of low light noise performance because it has big fat photosites on that full frame sensor.

With respects to which is better, I can't honestly say because the Fuji isn't out yet. If the performance of the Fuji X10 is any indication of what we can expect from the X-S1 though, I'd say it will be no contest. The X10's sensor, which the X-S1 shares, performs superbly.

No problemo on the name, happens all the time :sombrero:

Thanks for the tips on the megapixels.
Most folk's think that bigger is always better, but I guess not in this case.
I am going to see if I can find a release date for the Fuji when I get time, and I am looking forward to reviews of it.
It would be nice to get it before Christmas.

 

[mhiscox]

I have the Sony. The DP Review test is pretty much spot on, though I think they dinged it a little hard for the slow operation. I'm not sure that if they hadn't make a big deal about how slow it is, you wouldn't think it all that bad for Average Joe use.

The zoom range is obviously the reason to get it . . . there are very few shots you can't get usefully framed with that lens. But the electronic viewfinder is also a principal feature. Given that this is a camera that will get lots of bright sunny day use, the viewfinder is a big plus for helping you see what you're doing.

All in all, perhaps not a camera to make you all warm and gushy about it's excellence, but it's a nice tool for the money and does what you need it to do, along with a bunch of other tricks you may never get to.

 

[Corey]

Thanks Mike, I read about the slowness too, but I do not think anyone but a professional would ***** about it.
I think for the average user such as myself it would be fine if I went with the Sony.