Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V Digital Camera (Black)

Like a Swiss Army Knife

I don't know how a review can be useful unless you know my needs and expectations. I purchased this camera because I didn't want the bulk of a dSLR and its multiple lenses, I ...Read complete review

I don't know how a review can be useful unless you know my needs and expectations. I purchased this camera because I didn't want the bulk of a dSLR and its multiple lenses, I wanted a viewfinder, a long zoom for wildlife shots in and around my home, auto exposure bracketing for my HDR shots, and a GPS to easily record where a photo was taken on road trips

As it turns out, its weight and size are too great to put in a jacket pocket, it has a viewfinder but I have to take my glasses off to use it, the long lens is great, the auto exposure bracketing is fast but insufficient in scope, and the GPS works but takes too long to lock in.

And that is almost the story of this camera. The cup half empty, or half full. It works well, but it could have been the best ever.

I am going to criticize some things below, but before I do, I recommend you buy this camera if you want to get great movies, wildlife photos, and do some things you could only otherwise accomplish with a $1200 dSLR and $2000 worth of lenses.

B&H Photo has a great return policy, and I wouldn't buy this camera from anyone else. You may love it, and there is much to love, but you may try it and be frustrated at where it falls short. It is sort of like a Swiss army knife. I will definitely keep mine, but it shortcomings prompted me to order a 4/3 system camera, also from B&H Photo.

It does the big things well. Given that all point and shoots have an "upper limit" on image quality imposed by their sensor size, this one is on a par with my prior bridge cameras. There are comprehensive reviews elsewhere, so I will simply say it does fine within the limits imposed by the size of the sensor . I took a handheld shot of a deer at about 75 yards, at full telephoto, in sunlight at 1/400, f5.6, at 200 ISO. At full size I could clearly see and count his chin whiskers. The original was very good, and with auto exposure bracketing, I got an exposure I liked. After a little post processing sharpening, it would pass all but a pixel jockey's taste test as to color, white balance, and resolution.

That said, it sometimes does strange things with image compression. (no raw available). At full size objects sometimes appear "painterly" in the midtones, and the jpg compression produces some noticeable artifacts. Remember that "full size" with 16 mega pixels is bigger that you are ever likely to view or print the image, so for practical purposes, a whisker count is plenty good enough. Anyone I know will be impressed with the quality.

The movie function produces amazingly good images and you can zoom the lens while shooting, and it auto focuses, although there is some motor noise. I don't like the placement of the movie button because I can't find it with my eye to the viewfinder, and therefore I shake and move the camera at the end of the shot. That is just one example of a less than optimum implementation, and not the worst of the lot, because this one you can work around by letting the video run another second or so after you decide to end it, then later edit out the shaky ending produced by trying to insert your finger between your cheek and the camera.

Unlike my two prior bridge cameras the HX100V is too big to carry in a jacket pocket, and it barely stuffs into my auto console. It is heavy, and almost as imposing as a dSLR, which can't be hand carried without being an annoying encumbrance.

The LCD is articulated and is large and very sharp and bright. I really like that the viewfinder turns on when I put my eye up to it, but unlike my prior bridge camera, I can't see the whole frame with my glasses on. But it has a viewfinder which is a real plus.

The camera has a "custom button." I bet you thought this might allow you to set up a custom setup that you use frequently so you could push the button once and reset the camera for that circumstance. Nope. Instead you can first select in the setup menu one of 5 functions most photographers seldom use, and assign that to the custom button Then when you are shooting and push the custom button, up pops the menu for your pre selected and little used function. Big deal. Now you can twittle with the controls to select the setting you want for that one function. That done, you can push the control to exit that function and take your photo. That is probably the worst example of missed opportunities, but I have others.

By the way, you can create predetermined settings and store up to four, then recall them with a few turns and pushes of other control buttons, but not as you are shooting, So the capability is there, just not as well implemented as it might have been. How? By assigning a default set of settings to the control button, and allowing you to cycle through the others by pushing the control button. It seems so evident, why didn't they do it?

Lets suppose you have discovered HDR, which is now a part of most consumer photo editing software. It requires multiple shots at exposures above and below the "proper exposure. You can produce some crowd pleasing effects used by professionals who make a living selling impressive photos. So how does the HX100V do it? One EV over, one under, and one on target. You will never see shadow detail and white clouds with that range (3shots, 2 EV range). You need at least 5 shots (2 EV over and under, 4 EV range). Is three better than none? You bet, and it is done at a fast frame rate. Great. But why not 5 or 7 steps, and make it a winner? Half full, half empty.

The gee whiz gadgets are limited in use The 3D only works if at all, with the camera hooked to your 3D ready TV. I have one, but why bother. The sweep panorama works, and will probably please most of the time. It doesn't stitch especially well so things like roof lines will be choppy, but it does work for images at a distance, like landscapes, and if I want good stitches I can still do separate photos.

I don't use scene settings, so how the camera tweeks settings for sunsets or photos of spoons is of no interest to me. I'll make my own decisions, thanks. I haven't even tried them.

The GPS works, but you will be waiting for it. If you don't regularly sync it via your computer to satellite data, the wait will be so long you will give up. I waited 15 minutes and gave up. After syncing via the USB cable, I got cold start times in around 2.5 to 3 minutes, and off and back on times of maybe 15 seconds. What that means in practice is a long wait before the first photo in a location, and an annoying shorter wait again after it times out. Still, you have GPS, and that beats no GPS.

The documentation for this camera is a disgrace. The printed manual is little more than a list of settings, and the disk html version leaves out all but essentials. If you enjoy spending hours learning how it works by experimenting, this is the perfect camera for you. Honestly, I don't like to use manuals, and I don't mind playing with a camera for days until its functions become familiar. The HX100V forces you to do that.

As I used this camera, I kept thinking that Sony wanted you to buy a dSLR so they deliberately bunted when they could have hit a home run. And now the 4/3 system cameras are eliminating the size and weight advantage. Hummmm?

I mentioned that after I bought and used this camera I ordered a 4/3 system camera. Why? It is smaller, it takes 5 or 7 auto bracketed exposures, and it has a much bigger sensor, thus sharper photos. The bridge cameras have been my choice for years because I was a former SLR user tired of being a pack mule and I disliked a camera that I knew was there, around my neck, on my side, in my way. Unfortunately the HX100V is almost in the same league for size and weight. So I wanted a finely crafted camera with more elegant controls, and less bulk. I'm happy if people don't notice me carrying big iron, and they don't duck and run when I pull out my equipment.

If there is a HX200V in the works, do this. Up the AEB to at least 5, and do 7 for a must buy. Squeeze the camera down to fit in a typical jacket pocket (my last bridge camera did). It would be nice if it were lighter, but it is size that forces me to carry it on a strap. I like the idea of GPS but is it (the technology) always going to be a problem, adding weight and size, but always slow? If so, drop it for the size and weight saved.

That's my best shot.