The HD video capturing Sony Cyber-shot HX1
We saw a hybrid from Samsung yesterday but the Sony Cyber-shot HX1 is the first bridge model I’ve seen for a while. Sitting pretty with a 3-inch tilt LCD, a 9.1-megapixel Exmor sensor and a hefty 20x zoom, it’s easy to see why frustrated compact users might look to it as the next step up.
It records full HD video footage at 1080/30p progressive format and with stereo microphone sound as well. Eat that one Nikon D90. Sony’s even thrown in their new G lens, originally developed for the Sony alpha DSLRs, and it’s said to get the most out of the Exmor and the BIONZ processor, which is used to power the HX1.
I could quote you all the nonsense about reduced noise at higher ISO settings, which incidentally go up to 3200, but then they all say that, don’t they? What I do like is the 10fps shooting, the 28mm-540mm effective lens and a couple of interesting new modes used to maintain quality of certain shots.
One is Twilight mode and the other Anti Motion Blur, both of which involved tacking multiple pictures in a single shutter release press. The shots are then overlaid onto one another. I’m hesitant to say that they give you a genuine image of what you would naturally see but the picture should at least be sharp and saturated.
Strangely though, I’m most interested in the new panorama shooting mode – Sweep Panorama. Apparently, you just sweep the camera about and it puts together the image for you without any of that snapping and stitching nonsense. I’ll believe it when I see it and it’s got not blur, but I am very intrigued.
It’s out from next month. No price just now but expect somewhere in the region of £350.
