Review of the universal camera SONY DSC-H100. Camera Sony Cyber Shot DSC-H100: specifications and reviews Camera functions dsk n 100
Compact body, DSLR functions, 16.1 MP sensor, 21x zoom, HD movie capability, Intelligent Auto, Artistic Picture Effects
Get closer to your subjects and admire the details
She is your new companion. With this camera you will get closer to your subjects, be it a natural landscape, an architectural structure or yours. best friends... The H100 has the same feel and functionality as DSLRs, and its 16.1MP sensor combined with 21x zoom delivers crisp, sharp shots in all conditions.
Take brighter pictures with 16.1MP sensor
In photography, the main thing is light. We have increased the sensitivity of our Super HAD CCDs by decreasing the pixel spacing and increasing the amount of light. Now shots of sunsets at dusk and night cities will be bright and clear.
Get closer to your subject
Capture sharp, detailed close-ups whether you're shooting a ship on the horizon or a player making a fast flank pass. Superior performance is guaranteed with the 21x zoom lens. And the fact that it has a coverage of focal lengths from 24mm to 525mm makes it versatile enough for both indoor and outdoor shooting.
Lock the camera
When using the zoom function, slight distortion and camera shake increase, making it difficult to capture a clear image. Optical SteadyShot makes it easy. Sensitive gyroscopes track even the smallest vibrations and keep the lens locked in place - even when shooting close-ups.
Shoot your own HD video clips
When your child asks you to watch him dive, remember to hit the record button and shoot an HD video. The H100 shoots in HD 720p at up to 30 frames per second. With it, you can shoot an entire 75 minute HD movie that fits on a 4GB memory card.
Fine details are visible - Capture vivid and detailed shots even with the zoom function of the 16.1MP Super HAD CCD
Get closer to your subject with the zoom function - Get detailed images without distortion and loss of clarity, even when shooting from a distance - thanks to the powerful 21x zoom lens
Capture Crisp Shots - Avoid losing clarity and motion blur: Optical SteadyShot compensates for camera shake, even at long focal lengths
At the touch of a button - Capture high quality video with every frame captured in HD 720p resolution
Don't Miss Memorable Moments - Forget having to choose the right settings. With Intelligent Auto Mode, which contains settings for 33 shooting situations, your shots will always look perfect
Unleash Your Creativity - Add color to landscapes and portraits with four different artistic effects that will lift your spirits and give you creative freedom
Catch focus in a matter of moments - Focus on your subject and never miss it for a second at any zoom setting
Natural portraits - The H100 detects faces and makes them look more natural
Capture stunning self-portraits - Taking self-portraits has never been easier. Timer and Face Detection keep your shots in perfect alignment
Smile for the camera - Catch smiles with Smile Shutter Automatically detects and captures smiling faces
Wider View - Sweep Panorama combines burst shots to create ultra-wide panoramic images of landscapes, cities and more
Snapshot is easy - For beginner photography enthusiasts, there is a simplified mode with easy-to-follow instructions that allow you to quickly change settings
Today, the majority of users take pictures using their phones. Social networks literally packed to capacity with an incredible number of photos. The smartphone has long replaced the camera for ordinary people who like to capture the moment, apply a beautiful Instagram-style filter and get more likes. Despite such ambiguous statistics, there are still those who shoot with classic cameras - compact solutions with large lenses and rich customization options. In this article, let's talk about one of such handy and cute "soap boxes" - the Sony Cyber-shot DSC H100 camera. Feedback from users and professionals will be very helpful. Let's consider the characteristics and capabilities of the device.
Specifications
Sony Cyber-shot DSC H100 has the following features.
Megapixels | |
Matrix (size) | 1 / 2.3 inches or 7.75 millimeters |
Matrix (type) | Super HAD CCD |
Photo resolution | 4608 by 3456 pixels |
Video Resolution | 1280 by 720 pixels |
Light sensitivity | 80 - 1600 ISO |
Optical zoom | 21x |
Digital zoom | 42x |
Diaphragm | 3,1 - 8,9 |
Excerpt | 0.0005 - 2 seconds, automatic |
Packaging and equipment
The camera comes in a standard Sony box. No one really thinks about its design. We paid more attention to the description of the characteristics and features of the camera - apparently, so that right after the purchase, on the way home, one could examine the new product and get acquainted with its capabilities.
In addition to the camera itself, the box contains:
- Multi USB cable;
- 4 compact AA batteries;
- shoulder strap;
- lens protection cover;
- a quick guide to setup and operation.
Design and ergonomics
Visually, the camera is almost no different from other representatives of its class. Standard forms have proven themselves for a long time, so Sony decided not to reinvent the wheel and not sacrifice convenience in favor of a more interesting exterior design. At the same time, the camera looks much more expensive than it actually is. The main material of the case is plastic, decorated with leather. Now such a solution does not look very sophisticated, but in the era of the heyday of "soap boxes" it was a generally accepted canon, and no one was outraged.
The back of the device is almost completely occupied by the display. This is far from the most important part of the device, so the screen is not here. best quality... Regular TFT-matrix, but with anti-reflective coating. The display size is 7.5 centimeters. On the right side there are buttons for controlling the interface. Among them - a button to open the menu for viewing photos and videos, a key to call the menu, a joystick to navigate the interface and call some quick options, a button to delete pictures. There is also a small indicator light. There is a rubber insert on the side of the camera. It improves grip and makes camera operation more comfortable and enjoyable. It is almost impossible to drop the camera from your hands. There is a lens on the front of the camera. In the upper part of the case, the following elements are available: flash, microphone, camera power button, dial allowing you to select the shooting mode, zoom control and shutter key.
Camera menu, operating instructions
The camera menu is pretty straightforward. This has always been the case for Sony: they work with the interface to a minimum. Basically, the display shows all sorts of useful information about what settings are set for a particular shooting mode, how much battery power is left, and so on.
Working with the camera is very easy, as Sony originally thought of the various scenes that can be filmed with it. There are 10 options in total:
Shooting during the day
Here's what digital camera Sony Cyber-shot DSC H100 is strong, so it is in daytime shooting. As long as a lot of sunlight gets into the camera, it does its job perfectly, no matter what exactly you want to shoot. The pictures appear before you in in the best possible way, and any smartphone will envy this quality. Carl Zeiss optics really help out the camera, giving each shot the depth you expect from a good camera.
The picture looks very juicy. Color reproduction is believable, without kinks and modifications - everything is as it is in life. Another plus of the camera is the high detail of the images. Even small particles can be seen with the naked eye. For those who just want to travel the world and click whatever they want, this camera will do. Those who are seriously involved in photography may not like it at all, if only because of the excessive noise reduction, which is in abundance here. Photos turn into "soap" if the camera lacks even a little light.
Shooting at night
If even during the day the impression of the camera was spoiled by the noise suppression system, then it's scary to imagine what it can do at night. Unfortunately, the worst fears were confirmed. In the absence of bright natural light, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC H100 performs worse than modern smartphones with tiny lenses. No, the photos do not look grainy; on the contrary, they are constantly blurred and lacking any sharpness. The camera is difficult to focus, small elements are mixed into a mess, as well as light sources (lamps, lanterns). Even the Google Pixel smartphone takes much richer and sharper photos in the dark.
Filming
In this regard, the camera is doing more or less well. During the day, the camera records pretty good videos. Adequate light, even exposure, no artifacts. The detail suffers a little, but it is enough to make out even small details. There are problems with focusing at maximum magnification, but they are not as critical as it might seem at first glance. In dynamics, everything is a little worse, and you should definitely not use the DSC H100 as an action camera. For these purposes, it is better to choose a specialized apparatus.
At night, the videos turn out a little worse, but still on the level. All moving objects move smoothly and do not merge with the overall picture. The light sources are a little blurry, but you can make out where and what is located. It is worth noting that the camera records sound quite well. It's loud and clear, and the microphone has an impressive range.
Compact body, DSLR functions, 16.1 MP sensor, 21x zoom, HD movie capability, Intelligent Auto, Artistic Picture Effects
Get closer to your subjects and admire the details
She is your new companion. With this camera, you will get closer to your subjects, be it a natural landscape, an architectural structure or your best friends. The H100 has the same feel and functionality as DSLRs, and its 16.1MP sensor combined with 21x zoom delivers crisp, sharp shots in all conditions.
Take brighter pictures with 16.1MP sensor
In photography, the main thing is light. We have increased the sensitivity of our Super HAD CCDs by decreasing the pixel spacing and increasing the amount of light. Now shots of sunsets at dusk and night cities will be bright and clear.
Get closer to your subject
Capture sharp, detailed close-ups whether you're shooting a ship on the horizon or a player making a fast flank pass. Superior performance is guaranteed with the 21x zoom lens. And the fact that it has a coverage of focal lengths from 24mm to 525mm makes it versatile enough for both indoor and outdoor shooting.
Lock the camera
When using the zoom function, slight distortion and camera shake increase, making it difficult to capture a clear image. Optical SteadyShot makes it easy. Sensitive gyroscopes track even the smallest vibrations and keep the lens locked in place - even when shooting close-ups.
Shoot your own HD video clips
When your child asks you to watch him dive, remember to hit the record button and shoot an HD video. The H100 shoots in HD 720p at up to 30 frames per second. With it, you can shoot an entire 75 minute HD movie that fits on a 4GB memory card.
Fine details are visible - Capture vivid and detailed shots even with the zoom function of the 16.1MP Super HAD CCD
Get closer to your subject with the zoom function - Get detailed images without distortion and loss of clarity, even when shooting from a distance - thanks to the powerful 21x zoom lens
Capture Crisp Shots - Avoid losing clarity and motion blur: Optical SteadyShot compensates for camera shake, even at long focal lengths
At the touch of a button - Capture high quality video with every frame captured in HD 720p resolution
Don't Miss Memorable Moments - Forget having to choose the right settings. With Intelligent Auto Mode, which contains settings for 33 shooting situations, your shots will always look perfect
Unleash Your Creativity - Add color to landscapes and portraits with four different artistic effects that will lift your spirits and give you creative freedom
Catch focus in a matter of moments - Focus on your subject and never miss it for a second at any zoom setting
Natural portraits - The H100 detects faces and makes them look more natural
Capture stunning self-portraits - Taking self-portraits has never been easier. Timer and Face Detection keep your shots in perfect alignment
Smile for the camera - Catch smiles with Smile Shutter Automatically detects and captures smiling faces
Wider View - Sweep Panorama combines burst shots to create ultra-wide panoramic images of landscapes, cities and more
Snapshot is easy - For beginner photography enthusiasts, there is a simplified mode with easy-to-follow instructions that allow you to quickly change settings
Long gone are the days when the camera could only take ordinary photographs. Today every photographer wants to be both a videographer and a photo artist. Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX300 can help him with this. In this part of our test, we will understand what the camera can do, other than “just taking pictures”. Looking ahead, I will say that even the testers spoiled by various photographic equipment, the DSC-HX300 was able to surprise with something.
Panoramic shooting
Remember when I wrote in the chapter on the camera zoom lens that its angle of view will be sufficient for almost any landscape? So, just in case that doesn't seem enough, Cyber-Shot DSC-HX300 implements the function of shooting panoramic shots. Moreover, what is important, the camera will not only set all the necessary settings for you and take the required number of frames, it will also independently collect them into a single panorama within a few seconds after shooting.
So, we find the panorama icon with the letter i on the shooting mode dial. Even a child will be able to deal with the shooting further. The only requirement is the ability to read: the camera displays all the necessary prompts. The photographer is required to choose the direction of shooting (for this, just press the corresponding arrow on the back panel), press the shutter button and smoothly move the camera from side to side. If you move the camera not smoothly enough or shake too much, the shooting will be stopped, and smart automation will tell you what the error was.
I prefer to shoot panoramas with the camera held vertically. In this case, it is possible to achieve a larger vertical viewing angle, and the picture itself turns out to be not so stretched, with more familiar proportions.
Of course, the ideal way to shoot panoramas is with a tripod. But the DSC-HX300 also delivers excellent results when shooting handheld. In any case, during testing of this camera, I photographed all panoramas without a tripod.
Picture effect
In a world where every owner mobile phone with one click it can make your picture more interesting and attractive with the help of special digital filters, the owner of a simple camera should be sad at the time ... But not for a photographer with a DSC-HX300! As in all modern Sony cameras, it implements a set of post-processing functions “picture effect”. There are nine different effects that can be applied to a photograph. And almost every effect you can appreciate even before shooting on the camera display.
Well, if the number nine seems too small for you, then just take a look at the camera menu: almost all effects have additional settings, allowing you to greatly vary the result.
"Cheap camera"
DSC-HX300 INSTALLATION: ISO 160, F5, 1/250 s
For example, the popular bleaching effect allows the photographer to choose which color to leave in the frame: blue, red, yellow or green.
One of my favorite filters - “cheap camera” - allows you to change the extra hue that will be added to your pictures, along with pleasing vignetting and a slight boost in contrast.
Cheap camera effect with yellow tint
My second favorite filter is the miniature effect. It is designed to capture images of toy cities when you shoot from a high vantage point. I have written about him more than once in reviews of different cameras on Prophotos. But its scope is not limited to this at all! Get a little more creative: Partial blurring can be great for a variety of scenes.
Finally, I would like to highlight two filters separately: HDR painting and rich monochrome. When using them, you will not see the resulting effect on the screen before shooting. The fact is that in this mode the camera will need to take three frames in a row to get the desired result - expanding the dynamic range. From one frame she will take details in the shadows, from another - midtones, from the third - the lightest areas. A few seconds after shooting, the result will appear on the screen: an exaggeratedly saturated HDR or a black and white frame with rich grayscale, respectively.
If you are watching video on TV or burning to Blu-ray discs, then use the FX video quality setting: Full HD video with a frequency of 50i and a bitrate of 24 megabits / s. At the same time, for viewing on a computer or for subsequent editing, it is better not to save money and immediately set the maximum quality PS: 1920x [email protected] 50p. When shooting moving objects, this setting will reveal itself 100%! You can verify this by downloading videos in original quality.
The Cyber-Shot DSC-HX300 features very effective image stabilization, including video shooting. Without it, working with a powerful zoom would be simply impossible. Of course, a much smoother video can be obtained from a tripod. But considering that this shooting was carried out handheld, then the result for a 50x zoom is quite good!
To focus on a moving subject, I used tracking autofocus. Press the central button of the Navi pad (activate the tracking mode), then place the subject in the center of the frame and press the central button again. And the camera begins to keep the main object in focus, and the automatic system tracks its movements in the frame, moving the focusing frame next.
As for the zoom control, it is much more convenient to use the ring around the lens when shooting movies than the lever on the shutter button. The zoom is smoother, more accurate. The only exceptions are scenes where it is necessary to use the entire zoom range. But to keep your video smooth and enjoyable to watch, it's best to simply avoid such scenes.
3D shooting
I will say right away that even for me, technician The subtleties of obtaining 3D photos using the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX300 are a secret behind seven seals. The camera has one lens, the matrix is also one ... But in 3D mode (enabled by the mode dial) the camera takes two frames, subsequently creating a normal image and an MPO file from them, which can be played back on a 3D TV. At the same time, on a 3D TV, the image really looks three-dimensional, the foreground is separated from the background. Miracles, and only ...
Let's sum up the intermediate result? When I first picked up the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX300, I was ready to find in it panoramic mode, and my favorite “picture effect” setting (all this is familiar to me from Sony NEX and Sony Alpha cameras), and video shooting (it is in every camera). But the quality of video shooting surprised me a lot: many amateur camcorders are not able to provide such a high result. I'm not talking about cameras. Given the 50x optical zoom, the HX300 is unattainable for most of them. But the biggest surprise was the actual 3D shooting.
Sony's 5MP camera uses a native 1 / 1.8 "(7.2 x 5.3mm) sensor. Probably, we have already met the same ICX452 matrix when we examined the Olympus C-5050 camera. According to their characteristics and capabilities, these cameras can be attributed to the same class. However, even a quick glance at them reveals significant differences in layout and concludes that the cameras are focused on different shooting styles. The Sony camera is smaller and lighter - only 290 g versus 480 for Olympus and the size, respectively, 99 × 65 × 57mm versus 114 × 80 × 70 mm. That is, in terms of its dimensions, a Sony camera approaches compact ones, and much of its design comes from them. So, the lens has no cap, and in the off state the lenses are closed with a shutter. 
There is no LCD indicator, and all information is displayed only on the LCD viewfinder. It is smaller in size than Olympus, 1.5 ″ versus 1.8, but contains 123 thousand pixels versus 114,000. 
When shooting, the screen is very rich in information, not only shooting parameters are available, but also tips about which handles you need to turn to change them. The information, in my opinion, is very small, and without glasses, especially in the sun, it was difficult for me to discern it. In general, working with the camera assumes that if your vision is not perfect, then you will not have to take off your glasses, since there is no diopter adjustment in the optical viewfinder. 
The camera is equipped with a 4x focal length lens, marked as Carl Zeiss, and with aperture more typical of compact cameras, F: 2.8 - F: 4.0. For the minimum focal length, this is 2.5 times less than that of the Olympus. But the frame size, one might say, is the maximum possible with this matrix, the true 5 megapixels are 2592 × 1944. The camera allows full manual control of both the shutter speed from 30 s to 1/1000 s, and the aperture, from the maximum possible for a given focal length to F: 8. The AF point can be selected and manual focus by 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.5; 0.8; 1; 1.5; 2; 3; 5; 7; ten; 15 m and infinity. Given the relatively small focal length of the lens, this row can be said to provide a sharp image within the depth of field when focusing on an object located at an arbitrary distance. White balance can be set to automatic, as well as for light sources with a specific light temperature (sunlight, cloudy, fluorescent, incandescent, flash). Manual configuration using a gray card is possible. 
Black and white, solarization, sepia and negative are available from special effects. The latter can be useful when reshooting films. 
Overall, the menu is almost identical to other Sony cameras. Pictures are recorded in TIFF and JPEG formats, but the lack of RAW format is compensated to some extent by three noise reduction modes. Frames are recorded on MemoryStick and MemoryStick Pro memory cards, and the camera communicates with the computer via USB 2.0. Moreover, unlike the P10, this is an honest USB 2, because if the camera is connected to a computer equipped with only USB 1, then an inscription appears that your computer is too slow to fully use the capabilities of the camera. Although the MemoryStick and MemoryStick Pro still fail to achieve transfer speeds worthy of USB 2. 
Under standard conditions, the camera demonstrated Good work automation, although, in my opinion, the contrast is somewhat overestimated, and the clouds in the images are overexposed. Perhaps this is exactly what an automated photographer wants. Manually, the possibilities are unlimited, you can correct literally everything and adjust the camera to your taste. The device copes well with shooting panoramas, although this is not its proprietary mode. 
It is possible to use both optical attachments and external flashes. Although the hot-plug socket is designed for matched flashes, non-automatic flashes with a single center contact can also be used.
All in all, compact camera with completely manual settings, not inferior, but generally not superior to competitors. 
Fragment. Center of the frame. ISO-100. Focal length F = 7 mm, aperture - F: 2.8, shutter speed 1/40 s.
Fragment. The upper left corner of the frame. ISO-100. F = 7 mm, aperture - F: 2.8, shutter speed 1/40 s. Green and magenta borders indicate that chromatic aberration has been corrected for rays of two colors, blue and red, and the lens is classified as achromat. Objectives that are achromatized for rays of three colors are called apochromats.
Fragment. The upper left corner of the frame. ISO-100. F = 28 mm, aperture - F: 4, shutter speed 1/30 s. At maximum focal length, chromatic aberrations are less pronounced, but still noticeable.
For a visual assessment of the quality, you can click on the given thumbnails and view the source frames in detail.
 |  |
| ISO-100; F = 7 mm; F: 4; 1/160 p. | ISO-100; F = 28 mm; F: 4; 1/160 p. |
However, this camera also has a trump ace up its sleeve, which rivals have nothing to beat. This is infrared shooting mode. A small lever on the top panel allows you to choose one of three modes: normal shooting, which we talked about above, infrared illumination during aiming and infrared shooting. When illuminated by an infrared illuminator during aiming, you can see what you are about to shoot on the LCD viewfinder even in complete darkness. For accurate focusing, a holographic illumination is used, its fundamental difference is that the camera does not try to tune in to sharp details illuminated by the searchlight, but creates a grid of fine lines on the object, which it focuses on. 
The next mode is pure infrared photography. In this case, the IR filter in front of the sensor is removed and shooting is performed in the IR range. When shooting, the camera's IR illuminator is used for illumination. The beam of the spotlight is rather narrow and at the minimum focal length it illuminates only the center of the frame. 
Since the refractive index for the IR range differs from the refractive index in the visible part of the spectrum, in this mode only auto focus... Apparently, this mode is interesting for night shooting, when you don't want to scare away living creatures with a visible light source. 
Fragment. ISO-100. Focal length F = 28 mm, aperture - F: 4, shutter speed 1 s.
Fragment. Complete darkness, pupils as dilated as possible. Curiously, in EXIF, the sensitivity at which this picture was taken is designated as ISO-2500. Focal length F = 9 mm, aperture - F: 3.2, shutter speed 1/3 s. Unlike the previous shot, the light from the IR illuminator is clearly not enough, and the camera starts to automatically increase the sensitivity.
A gallery of night shots and shots with different external filters is in front of you. You can decide for yourself whether you need these features, or whether it is such an exotic that you will never need.
This mode cannot be used in daylight as this could damage the sensor. If we cut off the visible light, for example, using the IKS-1 or IKS-3 filter, then it is possible to shoot daytime landscapes in the IR range. 
ISO-100; F = 28 mm; F: 8; 1/50 s.
Previous image shown in grayscale for ease of comparison.
IKS-1; ISO-100; F = 28 mm; F: 8; 30 s.
IKS-1; ISO-100; F = 28 mm; F: 4; 1/5 s.
IKS-3; ISO-100; F = 28 mm; F: 4; 1 sec.
Or hot objects such as a soldering iron and cigarettes. 
ISO-800; F = 28 mm; F: 4; 1/50 s
IKS-1; ISO-800; F = 28 mm; F: 4; 30 s.
IKS-1; ISO-800; F = 28 mm; F: 4; 1 sec.
To make sure that the camera actually removes the IR filter in front of the sensor, shots were taken with a heat filter placed in front of the lens.
In order to assess the range in which the camera is shooting, I superimposed the spectral transmission graphs for the matrix, according to (unfortunately, the site contains spectral characteristics only for the visible range), IKS-1 and IKS-3 filters and a filter located in front of matrix in the Casio QV 3000 camera, obtained from our own measurements. (Since it also uses a Sony matrix, it can be assumed that the characteristics of this filter are similar to the characteristics of the filter installed in this camera). Judging by the images through the IRS filters, the blue and red channels without an additional heat filter filter are very sensitive to the infrared range, which gives the characteristic purple color of the image. The sensitivity of the green channel is significantly lower, which is a shame, since half of the sensitive elements fall on it. 
Conclusion
A full-featured camera that is not inferior in its characteristics to larger competitors. Another question is what for professional work diminutiveness is not always a virtue. The small, albeit very clear screen requires eagle vision, and the lack of optical viewfinder adjustment makes it impossible to work without glasses. Enough opportunities to expand the functionality of the camera through the use of optical attachments, flashes, remote control tie you to Sony as their only manufacturer today. A similar story is with memory cards, since the MemoryStick and MemoryStick Pro promoted by the firm have not become an industry standard and, in terms of their characteristics, cannot even pretend to this. The trump card that allows you to win the competition for the consumer is the ability to shoot in the infrared range.
It might be helpful to read:
- Craft from plasticine for the day of cosmonautics;
- School riddles - fun activity for kids;
- How to mold a plasticine bat step by step with a photo;
- Embroidered keyrings Embroidered keychain scheme;
- Station game "fair";
- Games in the summer day camp for primary school children;
- Camp competitions for children;
- Children's riddles about transport;