Sony Digital Cameras

Sony DSC-H50 is a successor to its previous DSC-H9 super zoom digital camera in the form of the 9.0 megapixel Cyber-Shot DSC-H50. Along with the inevitable rise in pixel count the H50 has several improvements over its predecessor, including an ED lens element, user-selectable noise reduction (thank you Sony), white balance and color mode bracketing, and an upgraded DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) function. It also has an improved sports mode and, last but by no means least, Sony's unique 'smile shutter' and adult- or child-priority face detection.

This new model encompasses a powerful Carl Zeiss® 15x optical zoom lens with Super SteadyShot® optical image stabilization to capture action at a distance. One of the main lens elements is manufactured from super low-dispersion glass, which helps it produce more exact point-to-point correspondence between an object and its image. The lens yields sharp, high-contrast images and reduces color fringing, even when shooting in telephoto ranges.

What is more, Cyber-shot DSC-H50 highlights a large, 3-inch tilting LCD screen so you can shoot comfortably from nearly any position, at low and high angles. Its scratch-resistant, UV hard-coat finish adds a premium look and feel that mirrors the performance of the model.

Its improved innovative sports shooting mode now uses a system to apply higher shutter speeds, up to 1/4000 of a second, more frequently than on previous models. This mode combines high shutter speeds with predictive continuous auto-focusing so you can quickly focus and capture fast-moving subjects with minimal shutter lag basically the time it takes for the camera to focus and shoot.

The camera’s versatile, long-distance flash is powerful enough to illuminate subjects more than 55 feet away (when using ISO 3200, wide angle). Noise reduction is now a user-selectable option, with high, low and standard settings, for greater control over the final look of images. For example, a high setting used for portraits or night scenes can help produce smoothly textured images with reduced noise.

Sony's cutting-edge digital camera features extensive manual controls, including an exposure bracketing mode that newly includes settings for white balance and color modes. This function records three images, each with a different white balance or color mode applied, to help capture the ambience of the original scene.

The camera also encompasses intelligent features that help you take better pictures more easily. They include improved smile shutter and face detection technologies with child or adult priority recognition, as well as, intelligent scene recognition with standard and advanced modes to analyze shooting conditions and select the optimal setting automatically.

Additional helpful features consist of a new D-Range Optimizer (DRO) plus mode that applies a high image correction algorithm to retrieve more picture detail in bright highlights and dark shadows; NightShot® technology to help capture photos in virtually no light as well as infrared remote access; 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.

This excellent model is the perfect choice for people looking for high zoom, high-resolution and speed.

Sony DSC-H50 specifications:
Optical Zoom: 15x
Digital Zoom: up to 30x Smart Zoom (dependent on selected resolution)
Camera Resolution: 9.1 MP
LCD screen size: 3.0-inch tilting TFT, 230K pixels, Clear Photo LCD Plus
Video capture: Yes
Focus Type: Autofocus
Focal Range Telephoto: 120 cm - infinity
Focus Length Telephoto: 465 cm
Macro Focus Range Telephoto: 120 cm - infinity
Lens Aperture Telephoto: f/8.0 cm
Aperture Priority: Yes
Flash Type: Built-in
Flash Range Telephoto: 120 - 550 cm (0.2 - 9.1m wide; 1.2 - 5.5m tele)
Flash Functions: Forced Flash, Auto Flash, Flash Off, Red-eye Reduction Flash, Slow Sync
ISO sensitivity: Auto, ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Max Shutter Speed: 1/4000th of a second
Min Shutter Speed: 30 seconds
Shutter Priority: Yes
White balance: Custom, Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent
Image Sensor Type: CCD
Image stabilization (Optical): Yes (Super SteadyShot technology)
Colour Viewfinder: Yes
Tripod Mount: Yes
Continuous Shot: Yes
Focal Range Wide: 1 cm - infinity
Macro Focus Range Wide: 1 cm - infinity
Focus Length Wide: 31 cm
Flash Range Wide: 20 - 910 cm
Lens Aperture Wide: f/2.7 cm
Digital video format: MPEG VX Fine (MPEG-1) / Standard
Video resolutions: 640 x 480 @ 30/16.6 fps MPEG-1 with audio and 320 x 240 @ 8.3 fps
Optical zoom can be used during movie recording
Storage: 15MB internal memory; Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo compatible
Power: Lithium-ion NP-BG1 battery with BC-CSG Charger
Dimensions: 116.1 x 81.4 x 86.0 mm (4.6 x 3.2 x 3.4 in)
Weight (including battery): 547 g (1 lb 3.3 oz)