Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5

      Photo Review 8.5
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      In summary

      A pleasing long zoom digicam with above-average performance for both still shots and video.Sony has replaced last year’s DSC-H1 long-zoom model with two new cameras, the 7.2-megapixel DSC-H5 and the 6-megapixel DSC-H2. The H5 sits at the top of the range, offering not only higher resolution but a larger LCD and 30 MB of on-board memory. As the built-in memory only holds nine high-resolution shots, you need additional storage in the form of a Memory Stick Duo card (a 1GB card was supplied for our tests). . . [more]

      Full review

       

      Sony has replaced last year’s DSC-H1 long-zoom model with two new cameras, the 7.2-megapixel DSC-H5 and the 6-megapixel DSC-H2. The H5 sits at the top of the range, offering not only higher resolution but a larger LCD and 30MB of on-board memory. As the built-in memory only holds nine high-resolution shots, you need additional storage in the form of a Memory Stick Duo card (a 1GB card was supplied for our tests).
      Available in silver or black, the H5 is slightly larger than its predecessor – but also 32 grams lighter. Although its lens has the same focal length range as the H1’s, it’s made by Carl Zeiss, which implies superior performance. Sony’s RIMP image processing chip is used in the new model, which also comes with a tubular lens hood and adaptor for conversion lenses. The supplied lens cap fits onto this adaptor.
      Users can compose shots on the 3-inch LCD or the colour EVF, both offering high resolution. The EVF is one of the best we’ve seen. Like its predecessor, the H5 comes with Super Steady Shot image stabilisation, which is supported by a new Anti Blur system that boosts ISO to allow faster shutter speeds in dim lighting.

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      The camera is supplied with two AA-size 2500 mAh NiMH batteries and a charger. As in the H1 model, the H5’s batteries fit into a housing in the camera’s base with a hinged cover that lifts to reveal the memory card slot. This lets you insert and remove cards without unseating the batteries. The pop-up flash is similar to the H1’s flash but using a 3-inch LCD has forced Sony to reposition some controls. Consequently, the menu and display buttons are now located under your thumb where they are easily re-set inadvertently – one of the few functionality lapses in the new model. Another is the lack of a Raw file capture mode, which would have made the H5 more interesting to serious photographers.

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      Test shots with the supplied camera were bright and colourful – even on cloudy days. However, image contrast was rather high and we found highlights were clipped in bright sunlight. The stabilised 12x zoom lens was a delight to use and allowed us to take shots that would otherwise be unachievable. (Samples have been posted below.) Imatest showed colour accuracy to be good, although with slight shifts in yellow and elevated saturation, particularly with red. Overall saturation was typical of compact digicams. Chromatic aberration was generally low and we found little evidence of colour fringing in outdoor shots.
      Imatest showed image resolution to be slightly lower than expected, with best results achieved at around f5.6, mid-way along the zoom range. However, edge-to-edge sharpness was generally good and distortion was low for such a long zoom lens. Digital zoom shots taken in the Smart Zoom mode were less affected by compression artefacts than those from similar cameras and image noise in low light shots was negligible to ISO 400 and relatively low at ISO 800 and ISO 1000.
      The flash delivered just enough light to illuminate an average-sized room at ISO 100 but provided better illumination at ISO 200 and higher settings. White balance performance was similar to other Sony digicams. The auto setting handled fluorescent lighting quite well but failed to correct the orange cast of incandescent lights. However, both the manual presets and one-push custom white balance measurement produced excellent colour accuracy.
      We measured an average capture lag of 0.45 seconds, which reduced to instantaneous capture with pre-focusing. The standard burst mode recorded five high-resolution shots at one second intervals, while the multi-burst setting captured 16 images in half a second and presented them as a single file. It took just over two seconds to ‘wake’ the camera and shot-to-shot times averaged about one second.
      Movie quality was very good in the 640 (Fine) mode, which records MPEG Movie VX files at VGA (640 x 480 pixels) size with a frame rate of 30fps. You need a Memory Stick Pro Duo card to use this mode and a 1GB card will only hold just over 12 minutes of video. The lower-resolution settings were slightly jerky and the 160 setting was only suitable for web use. However, a 1GB card can accommodate almost eleven and three quarter hours of video at this setting!

      IMATEST CHARTS

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      SAMPLE IMAGES

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      Close focus.

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      DSC00156

      Candid photography.

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      Low light (interior).

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      DSC00295

      Low light (exterior).

       

      Specifications

       

      Image sensor: 5.76 x 4.29mm Super HAD CCD with 7.4 million photosites (7.2 megapixels effective)

      Lens: 6-72mm f2.8-3.7 Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom (36-432mm in 35mm format)

      Zoom ratio: 12x optical, up to 24x digital

      Image formats: Stills ““ JPEG (Exif 2.2); Movies ““MPEG Movie VX (VGA at 30/16.6fps, QQVGA at 8.3fps).

      Shutter speed range: 30-1/2000 second

      Focus system/range: Multi Point AF (3 Points), Centre Weighted, Spot AF, Flexible Spot AF; range 50cm to infinity; macro 2cm to infinity.

      Exposure metering/control: Multi Pattern/Centre-weighted/Spot metering; P, A, S, M plus 7 scene modes.

      White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, One Push.

      Flash modes/range (ISO auto): Auto, Forced Flash, No Flash, Slow Synchro; range 0.3-9 m.

      ISO range: Auto, ISO 64, 100, 200, 400, 640, 800, 1000.

      Sequence shooting: 5 frames at 0.9 second intervals.

      Storage Media: 30MB internal memory plus Memory Stick Duo slot; internal memory holds 9 high-resolution images or 491 VGA shots.

      Viewfinder: Colour EVF with 201,000 pixels.

      LCD monitor: 3.0-inch colour LCD (230,000 pixels).

      Power supply: 2x 2500 mAh AA NiMH batteries; capacity ““ 340 shots.

      Dimensions (wxhxd): 113.2 x 83.0m x 94.0 mm

      Weight: 406g (without batteries and card)

       

      Retailers

       

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      Photographic Equipment & Supplies – Retail & Repairs. Click here for list of stores.

      Ted’s Cameras

       

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      Rating

       

      RRP: $899

      Rating (out of 10):

      • Build: 8.5
      • Ease of use: 8.5
      • Image quality: 8.5
      • OVERALL: 8.5

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