This review is from: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Super-Advanced High Zoom Camera (18.2MP, 20x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD (Electronics)
I ummed and ahhed over this for ages and actually was looking for the famous Sony HX9 that won all the awards last year which I managed to track down. I am certainly no “pro” just a keen amateur with limited budget. I didnt want anything too detailed as it was just a point and click I was after, my SLR would be for the keener days. I was looking for a simple travel camera for a trip and didn’t want the hassle of taking my Nikon D60, which I cant fault for Image quality and toyed with the idea of getting another lens-but size, weight and price were against it. I actually bought both Sony cameras and did exact comparisons on several images with the Sony HX9 and my D60, with the HX20 winning the deal for me on several counts: * The zoom is genuinely amazing, really blew me away with the clarity of shot on full zoom. * The panoramic feature is genuinely astounding, for a city break to New York I really made use of the feature * The Super I Auto mode is brilliant and highly consistent in taking good images without having to think too much * Very easy to use, I personally don’t see the need for a manual when the in camera help/ functions are this easy to use. The Help menu is great…. * The HDR mode blew me away, I never even used the flash taking some great shots in very low light which really blew my Nikon away much to my dismay… * The HD mode is brilliant, totally negates the need for a separate camcorder for me which is great-the fact you can also take image stills whilst recording in the second from highest HD mode is also great for things like Kids birthdays where I wanted to get the movie and the still image. I also have a Mac and was initally peeved about the issue with iMovie, but this is a Mac issue -not Sony! Apple are so arrogant they do their best to ignore Sony and Vice-versa, i just used a lower quality rating and imported into iMovie-but there are conversion software/apps about to do this is you sniff about. COnsumers have to be quite savvy these days with tech so it pays to do your homework, I knew about this imovie issue and just have to accept it-but you can plug the camera directly into your tv via HDMI and watch them in full HD. If you have a PS3 you cna downlaod Sonys video editing software and edit it through that-all quite easy. Again, the quality of the video really blew me away-sound is very good and NO noise from the zoom at all. The Zoom feature on the PS3/Panoramic mode shots were fantastic. The weight and size were no issue for me, yes its a touch bigger than most but then its got an amzing zoom, great battery life (but i got a spare just in case) and still fitted in my pocket no problem. I read a hundred reviews and used several different cameras-for me I think you really need to get your hands on one to use it and see for yourself, but for me I was totally sold on it after just a day of using it. The Sony summer cashback made it a a no brainer for me for a shade off £250. Yes the camera does have a few toys like 3d, and selective colour modes-which i really like. I dont want/have the time to spen hours touching up images anymore so a few neat little tricks in camera are ok with me. Im now thinking about selling my D60 SLR, which I love. The Sony HX20 just does such a good job on so many different levels I just cant justify the need of keeping a SLR now as this camera fits my needs so well. Ill also be selling my camcorder-its that good. Several “pro” reviews harped on about some factors that edge this model out of contention due to over processing of the image. But again, im no pro-just an average Holiday snapper-but i do have the ability to see quality images-and this camera is pin sharp more often than not. The alternative was carrying around large slr and lenses which i just cant justify anymore. So in summary, for me, as a travel camera/camcorder for the price I really couldnt find anyhting to beat it. I looked at Canon, Nikon and Samsung in stores and Sony really have nailed it as far as im concerned. I am a very Happy customer..!
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This review is from: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Super-Advanced High Zoom Camera (18.2MP, 20x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD (Electronics)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme(What’s this?)
Customer Video Review Length:: 4:26 Mins
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V is a high performance compact camera that is designed to excel in all expectations of a general compact camera, without pushing the price tag and advanced features into the field of a camera geared for much more professional use.
So what have you got? Well, the first thing that is instantly noticeable about the camera is the hefty weight of the beast. For an (almost everyday) compact camera, this certainly is a heavy one to lug around. Weighing in at 222g, the weight of the camera is something to bear in mind if planning on taking this around with you on an extensive trip.
However, it’s certainly a sturdy and solidly built piece of equipment. The main rubber grip located on the right-hand side of the camera feels comfortable and secure in the user’s grip. The additional thumb grip on the reverse of the camera shows clear ergonomic designing at work, and really makes the camera feel snug in your hand during use.
The pop-out flash located on the left-hand side of the camera is something to get used to if you haven’t used a camera of this style before. Quite often a user will try holding the camera with two hands, with the left hand supporting the camera with a finger placed along its top. However, doing this will prevent the flash from popping-up when required. This is just something that you need to get used to. And after using the camera for a couple of days on our holiday, I soon became accustomed to holding the camera in just my right hand.
Now on to the main part of the review – the camera’s performance. We’ve had the camera now for just over a month. During which time we took the camera away with us on a ten-day holiday to Scotland. During this period I hoped to become properly accustomed to the various ins-and-outs of the camera, putting me in a good position to review it. Already owning the Sony DSC-WX50 Compact Digital Camera helped enormously, due to the vast majority of the on-screen function displays and menu’s being pretty much identical.
Like with the DSC-WX50, the simple user-friendly aspect and overall ease of use of the camera is one of the undoubted principal points. Yes there are plenty of additional and more advanced features included on the camera. But these can be explored and played around with once the user has become more familiar with the camera. For the basic use of the camera, say for everyday shots and video footage, this really is a simple case of learn as you go (and it’ll probably only be a few minutes before you’re snapping away with absolute ease).
The zoom is more than impressive – it’s possibly the strongest feature on the camera. We’re talking 20x zoom with up to 102x digital zoom. And the detail on the screen / photos is quite frankly awesome.
The picture quality produced by the camera is like nothing that my wife or I have previously experienced. It’s just so simple to take stunning photos, seemingly always with perfect light along with sharp, crisp colours. After uploading the pictures on to the computer, the end results are incredible. The photos are also goliath in size, allowing you to zoom in without any loss of quality resulting in blurred pixelisation.
The HD video footage is equally as mind-blowing. Expect to be bowled over by video footage that looks so perfectly clear that it’s almost as if you’re viewing real life. I’m in no way exaggerating here, the end results are beyond anything that my wife or I have previously expected.
The large 3 inch LCD viewing screen reproduces the images in rich and incredibly detailed HD that shows the user exactly what the photo / video footage will be like. Zooming into the pictures ‘on screen’ is a doddle, with the menu dial allowing the user to easily move around the image whilst zoomed-in in order to see exactly what they’ve captured.
The panoramic function is as unbelievably breath-taking as with the previously mentioned DSC-WX50. Expect absolutely stunning panoramic shots that are produced with such ease, by simply selecting the panoramic setting and sweeping the camera in a fluid clockwise motion. A couple of examples of these panoramic shots using this camera are included in the video.
As for the GPS malarkey and all those monstrously impressive additional features. Well, they’re there, on the camera, and I’ve fumbled around with them for a few minutes, but to be honest, those advanced features are something that will undoubtedly take a lot more time to get used to.
However, all in all this camera has proved to perform way beyond our expectations. The picture quality is absolutely breath-taking. The video footage is incredible. The general ease of use, for an everyday layman (like myself) is a definite bonus. The camera is strong,…
This review is from: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Super-Advanced High Zoom Camera (18.2MP, 20x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD (Electronics)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme(What’s this?)
The Sony DSC-HX20V is currently Sony’s top-of-the-range compact camera, and possibly the best travel camera on the market. It comes packaged in a small (15.4 x 7.4 x 14 cm) box that contains the following eight items (but no SD card or HDMI cable):
– Sony DSC-HX20V Camera (black) – Sony NP-BG 1 Power Pack (lithium ion type G, 960mAh) – Micro USB Cable – AC Adaptor – Power Cord – Wrist Strap (black, but no slide adjuster) – Instruction Manual (35 pages) – European Guarantee Information Document
I spent the last three days testing out the camera and exploring everything it can do. Here are my observations.
Pros:
– The camera feels very solid, with a reassuringly expensive weight to it – The chunky grip on the front and thumb grip on the back make the camera easy to hold – The 3″ LCD is high resolution (640 x 480) and displays beautiful rich colours and deep blacks – The user interface looks great, with clear icons and smooth animation – The 20x optical zoom is incredibly impressive, enabling you to photograph details you can’t see with your own eyes – The motorised action of the optical zoom feels fluid and well-engineered compared to Canon cameras – The Optical SteadyShot is superior to other cameras, with 3-way Active Mode stabilisation that minimises clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation – There’s an HDMI mini port, enabling you to connect the camera directly to a widescreen TV – The camera accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, in addition to Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Micro – There’s 105 MB of built-in memory, something that Sony don’t make entirely obvious – There’s an on-screen Level, which lights up green when you’re holding the camera completely horizontal – There are lots of Picture Effects to play around with, such as: HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Partial Colour, Soft High-Key, Watercolor and Illustration – The iSweep Panorama mode is very clever, stitching together a very wide photo while you pan the camera from left to right – The Backlight Correction HDR mode is very useful, genuinely increasing the dynamic range of the camera, unlike Canon’s i-Contrast – The AVCHD Progressive video mode is as good as a real camcorder, recording 1920×1080 50fps video with rich colours and making full use of the Optical SteadyShot
Cons:
– The 18M (4896 x 3672) Still Image Size doesn’t offer any more detail than 10M (3648 x 2736) – There are no 3:2 or 1:1 aspect ratio options, only 4:3 and 16:9 – You can’t limit the maximum ISO speed that the camera will choose when set to ISO Auto – Even photos taken at ISO 100 have heavy noise reduction applied to them, giving a blotchy look when viewed at 100% – The sensor size is only 1/2.3″, which is about as small they get in compact cameras; not a good thing – You can’t turn off the review image shown after you take a photo, which limits how quickly you can take photos – You can’t zoom into photos in Playback mode if you’re holding the camera in a portrait orientation – The Battery Charge indicator doesn’t show the percentage or remaining time left, meaning you never really know when it’s going to run out – The Battery Pack cover feels cheaply made and rattles when you tap on it – The Background Defocus mode often doesn’t work, saying “could not perform defocus” – It’s obviously not Sony’s fault, but AVCHD Progressive video can’t be imported into Apple’s iMovie ’11 software – You can use the optical zoom while recording video, but the mechanism judders a little and makes a whining noise that’s picked up by the stereo microphone
Overall, I think the Sony DSC-HX20V is an excellent product. It feels like a very reliable, high-quality camera and Sony have clearly packed in lots of state-of-the-art technology and features. My only real concerns are the heavy noise reduction and the fact that it doesn’t shoot in 3:2, but theoretically these could be fixed via a firmware update.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Amazing Travel Camera!,
I ummed and ahhed over this for ages and actually was looking for the famous Sony HX9 that won all the awards last year which I managed to track down. I am certainly no “pro” just a keen amateur with limited budget. I didnt want anything too detailed as it was just a point and click I was after, my SLR would be for the keener days.
I was looking for a simple travel camera for a trip and didn’t want the hassle of taking my Nikon D60, which I cant fault for Image quality and toyed with the idea of getting another lens-but size, weight and price were against it. I actually bought both Sony cameras and did exact comparisons on several images with the Sony HX9 and my D60, with the HX20 winning the deal for me on several counts:
* The zoom is genuinely amazing, really blew me away with the clarity of shot on full zoom.
* The panoramic feature is genuinely astounding, for a city break to New York I really made use of the feature
* The Super I Auto mode is brilliant and highly consistent in taking good images without having to think too much
* Very easy to use, I personally don’t see the need for a manual when the in camera help/ functions are this easy to use. The Help menu is great….
* The HDR mode blew me away, I never even used the flash taking some great shots in very low light which really blew my Nikon away much to my dismay…
* The HD mode is brilliant, totally negates the need for a separate camcorder for me which is great-the fact you can also take image stills whilst recording in the second from highest HD mode is also great for things like Kids birthdays where I wanted to get the movie and the still image.
I also have a Mac and was initally peeved about the issue with iMovie, but this is a Mac issue -not Sony! Apple are so arrogant they do their best to ignore Sony and Vice-versa, i just used a lower quality rating and imported into iMovie-but there are conversion software/apps about to do this is you sniff about. COnsumers have to be quite savvy these days with tech so it pays to do your homework, I knew about this imovie issue and just have to accept it-but you can plug the camera directly into your tv via HDMI and watch them in full HD. If you have a PS3 you cna downlaod Sonys video editing software and edit it through that-all quite easy. Again, the quality of the video really blew me away-sound is very good and NO noise from the zoom at all. The Zoom feature on the PS3/Panoramic mode shots were fantastic.
The weight and size were no issue for me, yes its a touch bigger than most but then its got an amzing zoom, great battery life (but i got a spare just in case) and still fitted in my pocket no problem.
I read a hundred reviews and used several different cameras-for me I think you really need to get your hands on one to use it and see for yourself, but for me I was totally sold on it after just a day of using it. The Sony summer cashback made it a a no brainer for me for a shade off £250.
Yes the camera does have a few toys like 3d, and selective colour modes-which i really like. I dont want/have the time to spen hours touching up images anymore so a few neat little tricks in camera are ok with me.
Im now thinking about selling my D60 SLR, which I love. The Sony HX20 just does such a good job on so many different levels I just cant justify the need of keeping a SLR now as this camera fits my needs so well. Ill also be selling my camcorder-its that good.
Several “pro” reviews harped on about some factors that edge this model out of contention due to over processing of the image. But again, im no pro-just an average Holiday snapper-but i do have the ability to see quality images-and this camera is pin sharp more often than not. The alternative was carrying around large slr and lenses which i just cant justify anymore.
So in summary, for me, as a travel camera/camcorder for the price I really couldnt find anyhting to beat it. I looked at Canon, Nikon and Samsung in stores and Sony really have nailed it as far as im concerned. I am a very Happy customer..!
Was this review helpful to you?
|An incredibly high performance compact camera crammed to the rafters with features…,
Customer Video Review Length:: 4:26 Mins
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V is a high performance compact camera that is designed to excel in all expectations of a general compact camera, without pushing the price tag and advanced features into the field of a camera geared for much more professional use.
So what have you got? Well, the first thing that is instantly noticeable about the camera is the hefty weight of the beast. For an (almost everyday) compact camera, this certainly is a heavy one to lug around. Weighing in at 222g, the weight of the camera is something to bear in mind if planning on taking this around with you on an extensive trip.
However, it’s certainly a sturdy and solidly built piece of equipment. The main rubber grip located on the right-hand side of the camera feels comfortable and secure in the user’s grip. The additional thumb grip on the reverse of the camera shows clear ergonomic designing at work, and really makes the camera feel snug in your hand during use.
The pop-out flash located on the left-hand side of the camera is something to get used to if you haven’t used a camera of this style before. Quite often a user will try holding the camera with two hands, with the left hand supporting the camera with a finger placed along its top. However, doing this will prevent the flash from popping-up when required. This is just something that you need to get used to. And after using the camera for a couple of days on our holiday, I soon became accustomed to holding the camera in just my right hand.
Now on to the main part of the review – the camera’s performance. We’ve had the camera now for just over a month. During which time we took the camera away with us on a ten-day holiday to Scotland. During this period I hoped to become properly accustomed to the various ins-and-outs of the camera, putting me in a good position to review it. Already owning the Sony DSC-WX50 Compact Digital Camera helped enormously, due to the vast majority of the on-screen function displays and menu’s being pretty much identical.
Like with the DSC-WX50, the simple user-friendly aspect and overall ease of use of the camera is one of the undoubted principal points. Yes there are plenty of additional and more advanced features included on the camera. But these can be explored and played around with once the user has become more familiar with the camera. For the basic use of the camera, say for everyday shots and video footage, this really is a simple case of learn as you go (and it’ll probably only be a few minutes before you’re snapping away with absolute ease).
The zoom is more than impressive – it’s possibly the strongest feature on the camera. We’re talking 20x zoom with up to 102x digital zoom. And the detail on the screen / photos is quite frankly awesome.
The picture quality produced by the camera is like nothing that my wife or I have previously experienced. It’s just so simple to take stunning photos, seemingly always with perfect light along with sharp, crisp colours. After uploading the pictures on to the computer, the end results are incredible. The photos are also goliath in size, allowing you to zoom in without any loss of quality resulting in blurred pixelisation.
The HD video footage is equally as mind-blowing. Expect to be bowled over by video footage that looks so perfectly clear that it’s almost as if you’re viewing real life. I’m in no way exaggerating here, the end results are beyond anything that my wife or I have previously expected.
The large 3 inch LCD viewing screen reproduces the images in rich and incredibly detailed HD that shows the user exactly what the photo / video footage will be like. Zooming into the pictures ‘on screen’ is a doddle, with the menu dial allowing the user to easily move around the image whilst zoomed-in in order to see exactly what they’ve captured.
The panoramic function is as unbelievably breath-taking as with the previously mentioned DSC-WX50. Expect absolutely stunning panoramic shots that are produced with such ease, by simply selecting the panoramic setting and sweeping the camera in a fluid clockwise motion. A couple of examples of these panoramic shots using this camera are included in the video.
As for the GPS malarkey and all those monstrously impressive additional features. Well, they’re there, on the camera, and I’ve fumbled around with them for a few minutes, but to be honest, those advanced features are something that will undoubtedly take a lot more time to get used to.
However, all in all this camera has proved to perform way beyond our expectations. The picture quality is absolutely breath-taking. The video footage is incredible. The general ease of use, for an everyday layman (like myself) is a definite bonus. The camera is strong,…
Read more
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|Incredible Zoom, Camcorder-quality Video, But Heavy Noise Reduction,
The Sony DSC-HX20V is currently Sony’s top-of-the-range compact camera, and possibly the best travel camera on the market. It comes packaged in a small (15.4 x 7.4 x 14 cm) box that contains the following eight items (but no SD card or HDMI cable):
– Sony DSC-HX20V Camera (black)
– Sony NP-BG 1 Power Pack (lithium ion type G, 960mAh)
– Micro USB Cable
– AC Adaptor
– Power Cord
– Wrist Strap (black, but no slide adjuster)
– Instruction Manual (35 pages)
– European Guarantee Information Document
I spent the last three days testing out the camera and exploring everything it can do. Here are my observations.
Pros:
– The camera feels very solid, with a reassuringly expensive weight to it
– The chunky grip on the front and thumb grip on the back make the camera easy to hold
– The 3″ LCD is high resolution (640 x 480) and displays beautiful rich colours and deep blacks
– The user interface looks great, with clear icons and smooth animation
– The 20x optical zoom is incredibly impressive, enabling you to photograph details you can’t see with your own eyes
– The motorised action of the optical zoom feels fluid and well-engineered compared to Canon cameras
– The Optical SteadyShot is superior to other cameras, with 3-way Active Mode stabilisation that minimises clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation
– There’s an HDMI mini port, enabling you to connect the camera directly to a widescreen TV
– The camera accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, in addition to Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Micro
– There’s 105 MB of built-in memory, something that Sony don’t make entirely obvious
– There’s an on-screen Level, which lights up green when you’re holding the camera completely horizontal
– There are lots of Picture Effects to play around with, such as: HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Partial Colour, Soft High-Key, Watercolor and Illustration
– The iSweep Panorama mode is very clever, stitching together a very wide photo while you pan the camera from left to right
– The Backlight Correction HDR mode is very useful, genuinely increasing the dynamic range of the camera, unlike Canon’s i-Contrast
– The AVCHD Progressive video mode is as good as a real camcorder, recording 1920×1080 50fps video with rich colours and making full use of the Optical SteadyShot
Cons:
– The 18M (4896 x 3672) Still Image Size doesn’t offer any more detail than 10M (3648 x 2736)
– There are no 3:2 or 1:1 aspect ratio options, only 4:3 and 16:9
– You can’t limit the maximum ISO speed that the camera will choose when set to ISO Auto
– Even photos taken at ISO 100 have heavy noise reduction applied to them, giving a blotchy look when viewed at 100%
– The sensor size is only 1/2.3″, which is about as small they get in compact cameras; not a good thing
– You can’t turn off the review image shown after you take a photo, which limits how quickly you can take photos
– You can’t zoom into photos in Playback mode if you’re holding the camera in a portrait orientation
– The Battery Charge indicator doesn’t show the percentage or remaining time left, meaning you never really know when it’s going to run out
– The Battery Pack cover feels cheaply made and rattles when you tap on it
– The Background Defocus mode often doesn’t work, saying “could not perform defocus”
– It’s obviously not Sony’s fault, but AVCHD Progressive video can’t be imported into Apple’s iMovie ’11 software
– You can use the optical zoom while recording video, but the mechanism judders a little and makes a whining noise that’s picked up by the stereo microphone
Overall, I think the Sony DSC-HX20V is an excellent product. It feels like a very reliable, high-quality camera and Sony have clearly packed in lots of state-of-the-art technology and features. My only real concerns are the heavy noise reduction and the fact that it doesn’t shoot in 3:2, but theoretically these could be fixed via a firmware update.
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