14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has just announced two new models of digital cameras aimed at point and shooters, but also at more advanced users who don't want to lug DSLRs around.
Let's start off with the more complex camera, the Cyber-shot H50, which improves on the older H9 by adding a new body design, more resolution (not necessarily a good thing) and some other gimmicks.
The new H50 features a 1/2.3-inch Super HAD CCD with 9.1 megapixels (as opposed to the 8MP boasted by the H9) and a 15x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with one ED (super low-dispersion) element, which reduces some of those dreaded chromatic aberrations. Moreover, the new model comes with a tiltable 3.0-inch LCD with a 230K dot resolution that eases image composition and reviewing.
As with most bridge cameras, this one also uses the Super SteadyShot technology that minimizes unwanted camera movement and allows for shorter than recommended shutter speeds to be used.
Sony also touts an improved "Advanced Sports Shooting Mode", which combines shutter speeds of up to 1/4000 of a second with predictive continuous auto-focusing, allowing the camera to quickly focus and capture fast-moving subjects with minimal shutter lag. At least that's what Sony says in the press release. In reality, if the photographer wants to excel in this department he/she should go for a DSLR.
An important new feature is the user-selectable noise reduction option, with high, low and standard settings, for greater control over the final look of images. There are also the D-Range Optimizer (DRO), NightShot technology, five color modes including "real" for less in-camera processing and more faithful color reproduction; in-camera editing features; advanced in-camera image management functions; improved slide show functions with longer music files; and HD component output for viewing photos on a compatible HDTV set.
The H50 model will ship in May and will be available for around $400.
The second Cyber-shot on today's list is the W300, which ups the ante when it comes to insane resolutions on tiny sensors. The new model has 13.6 megapixels of resolution, thus setting a new record in its class, packed in a scratch-resistant body with titanium coating. This model uses a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 3x optical zoom and is able to push the ISO up to 6400 (which is quite useless considering the sensor's dimensions, but that is another story).
Image composing and reviewing is done on the 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD with 230k dot resolution, but there's also an optical viewfinder, which will most likely remain unused.
Other tricks the W300 can perform include Face Detection (that adjusts exposure and skin tone for great-looking portraits) and the Smile Shutter that supposedly "waits until the subject smiles before firing the shutter to ensure happy faces in every frame".
The DSC-W300 camera and optional accessories will be available in May for about $350.
