Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V (Black)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: DSCHX9V
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Feature junkies in search of a compact megazoom should get the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V.
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CNET editors' review
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V (Black) price range: $298.00 - $380.99
- Reviewed by: Joshua Goldman
- Reviewed on: 06/16/2011
- Released on: 04/15/2011
The good: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V is overflowing with shooting features, and has excellent photo and video quality and solid shooting performance.
The bad: The HX9V might actually be too much camera for some users and there are a couple of minor design issues.
The bottom line: Feature junkies in search of a compact megazoom should get the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V.
Editors' note: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V was originally reviewed in June 2011. In November it received the Editors' Choice Award as our most-recommended compact megazoom for its overall excellence in design, features, shooting performance, and photo and video quality for the category.
Sony has three compact megazooms in its 2011 lineup; the Cyber-shot HX9V is the most expensive. It's also the only one of the three (the H70 and HX7V are the others) that's not replacing a 2010 model. It's entirely new and hosts what seems like all of Sony's latest Cyber-shot technologies. That includes (for better or worse) a 16-megapixel Exmor R sensor, a 16x ultrawide-angle 24mm-equivalent Sony G lens, and a high-speed linear focusing system. It shoots video in full HD at 60p. It has a GPS receiver for geotagging photos while you shoot. Shooting modes go from a stripped-down Easy auto mode right up to full manual. It is one of the most capable compact megazooms I've tested.
That said, it's not always the easiest camera to use simply because there are so many features. If all you want is a long lens in a smallish body with a reliable auto mode, there are other options in this category worth considering. But if having something that's part camera and part gadget sounds appealing to you, check out the HX9V.
| Key specs | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $349.99 |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 4.3x2.4x1.4 inches |
| Weight (with battery and media) | 8.6 ounces |
| Megapixels, image sensor size, type | 16 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS |
| LCD size, resolution/viewfinder | 3-inch LCD, 921K dots/None |
| Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) | 16x, f3.3-5.9, 24-384mm (35mm equivalent) |
| File format (still/video) | JPEG/AVCHD (.MTS); MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (.MP4) |
| Highest resolution size (still/video) | 4,608x3,456 pixels/1,920x1,080 at 60fps (progressive; 28Mbps) |
| Image stabilization type | Optical and digital |
| Battery type, CIPA rated life | Li-ion rechargeable, 300 shots |
| Battery charged in camera | Yes; via USB to AC adapter or computer |
| Storage media | SD/SDHC/SDXC; Memory Stick Pro Duo; Eye-Fi Connected support |
| Bundled software | Picture Motion Browser 5.5, PMB Portable 5.0 (Windows), PMB Portable 1.1 (Mac), Music Transfer |
Considering this camera's price and size, the photo quality is excellent. Or should I say, it can be excellent if you take full advantage of all the HX9V's shooting options. But even left in auto it turns out very good photos. The only real disappointment is that photos aren't very sharp even at its lowest ISO. However, there's little difference between photos taken at ISO 100 and ISO 400. Noise reduction kicks in more at ISO 800, which softens details and dulls colors. There's a noticeable increase in noise and noise reduction at ISO 1600 and ISO 3200, making colors more washed out and subjects appear painterly; you'll probably want to reserve these two highest sensitivities for emergencies when you need to shoot in low-light conditions or get a faster shutter speed regardless of the results.
On the other hand, if you're shooting a stationary subject, the HX9V's Handheld Twilight mode improves low-light results by reducing noise and blur from hand shake. In fact, there's a mode to help with just about every typical shortcoming with point-and-shoots. You might not be able to make huge prints or do a lot of heavy cropping, but for snapshots the results are excellent.
The 16-megapixel resolution is completely unnecessary and doesn't get you much more room to crop or enlarge. If you're looking at buying this instead of a high-resolution digital SLR, you'll be disappointed--especially at higher ISO sensitivities. That said, prints at 13x19 inches at ISO 800 with the lens fully extended still looked good, just soft. Overall, anyone looking for a snapshot camera for regularly making 8x10 prints or smaller or viewing on a TV or computer screen should be more than satisfied with the HX9V.
The default Standard color mode produces bright, vivid colors, but they aren't terribly accurate. Most people will find them pretty pleasing, though. If you want more accurate colors, the HX9V does have a Real color setting and three other color modes in addition to Standard. However, these things are not available in all shooting modes.
Movies captured by the HX9V are excellent as well. The 1080/60p and image stabilization makes for some smooth movement. Shooting fast-moving subjects with a pocket camera typically results in ghosting and judder, but that's not the case here. If you're looking for a single device for capturing photos and movie clips (it has a 29-minute continuous recording limit), this is one of the best options available. The optical zoom does work while recording, though you will hear it moving in quiet scenes, and the stereo mic produced good audio.
| General shooting options | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V |
|---|---|
| ISO sensitivity (full resolution) | Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600, 3,200 |
| White balance | Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent white, Fluorescent natural white, Fluorescent day white, Incandescent, Flash, Custom |
| Recording modes | Easy, Intelligent Auto, Superior Auto, Program, Manual, Memory Recall, 3D Still Image, SCN, Background Defocus, Intelligent Sweep Panorama, Movie |
| Focus modes | Multi AF, Center AF, Spot AF, Face Detection (Adult, Child) |
| Macro | 1.9 inches (Wide); 3.3 feet (Tele) |
| Metering modes | Multi, Center, Spot |
| Color effects | Standard, Vivid, Real, Sepia, B&W |
| Burst mode shot limit (full resolution) | 10 shots |
The HX9V is packed full of automatic and manual shooting options. For the most control you can use a Manual mode with control over aperture and shutter speed. It's limited to two aperture settings each at the wide and telephoto ends (using a neutral density filter); f3.3 and f8 for wide and f5.9 and f14 for telephoto. There are a few more sets of stops available through the zoom range, too. Shutter speeds are adjustable from 1/1,600 to 30 seconds. It would've been nice to have aperture- and shutter-priority modes as well, but some control is better than none at all.
Don't want that much control? Program will handle shutter speed and aperture while you handle everything else, including color modes, contrast, color saturation, and sharpness. If you come up with a group of settings you like, the Memory Recall mode lets you store three groups of settings for quick shooting with your preferences.
For those who like to leave it in auto, there are three options: Easy, Intelligent Auto, and Superior Auto. Easy mode takes away all options except for image size (large or small) and enlarges onscreen text. Intelligent Auto picks from 10 scene types and turns on face detection, dynamic range optimization, and image stabilization. Superior Auto takes Intelligent Auto and adds three multishot modes--Handheld Twilight, Anti Motion Blur, and Backlight Correction HDR--to shoot photos with the best possible settings.
Why not just leave it in Superior Auto? Multishot modes like these rapidly take photos and overlay them to help remove blur, correct exposure, and reduce noise. However, they don't work well with moving subjects and they require additional in-camera image processing so they take longer than a simple snapshot taken with Intelligent Auto and other single-shot modes. If there's a chance your subject might be moving--even slightly--while you're shooting I'd stick with Intelligent Auto. Also, these multishot modes plus 12 other standard scenes are available in the HX9V's SCN mode so you can always pick the appropriate one when you need it. That said, Superior Auto does allow you to take full advantage of the camera's capabilities in an automatic mode.
Along with these options there's Sony's Intelligent Sweep Panorama mode for capturing horizontal or vertical panoramas with one press of the shutter release; this is unlike other cameras that require you to take several shots. Intelligent Sweep separates itself from Sony's regular Sweep Panorama by automatically detecting faces and moving subjects to avoid distortion. It's definitely one of those features you might not care about until you try it. Once you realize that it's fun and works well, you end up using it all the time. Added in to this mode is a high-resolution option that produces larger and better-looking results. And by larger I mean huge: the resolution is 10,480x4,096 pixels, and a single shot is about 14MB.
The HX9V's movie mode is the best I've seen on any point-and-shoot. It's capable of recording in full HD at 1080/60p at 28Mbps in AVCHD. It'll record at lower bit rates, too, in AVCHD or you can switch to MPEG-4 at resolutions up to 1,440x1,080. While you can actually enter a dedicated movie mode, you can also just press the record button anytime you want to start shooting. Pressing the shutter release while you're recording will grab 3-megapixel stills, too.
Lastly, there are three 3D shooting modes. The 3D Sweep Panorama works just like the Intelligent Sweep, but creates both a normal panorama shot and one that can be viewed in 3D on a 3D-enabled HDTV. As you sweep the camera it shoots separate photos for the left and right eyes, which is how it's able to create 3D images with just one lens. The Sweep Multi Angle works similarly by taking 15 photos at different angles as you sweep across a scene. The camera then coverts those into one photo. By tilting the camera back and forth during playback, the camera's built-in gyro sensor displays the image in a 3D-like view on the camera's LCD. Finally, there's the 3D still image mode that quickly takes two shots, analyzes subject distance between foreground and background, and creates a single 3D photo. The results are OK, but there's definitely room for improvement. For example, the modes can't handle anything moving, so it's really just for landscapes or stationary subjects. Also, it's pretty easy to see the image slices that are stitched together. Still, if you were already planning to buy an ultracompact camera and have already started collecting 3D equipment, this is one more reason to pick up the HX9V.
As for shooting performance, the HX9V is on par with other CMOS-based compact megazooms. From off to first shot is 1.6 seconds with a shot-to-shot time of 1.4 seconds. Turning on the flash, though, slows the camera down to 4.1 seconds between shots. Its shutter lag--how quickly a camera captures an image after the shutter-release button is pressed--is good at 0.4 second in bright lighting and 0.8 second in dim conditions with less subject contrast. The camera's burst shooting mode is capable of up to 10fps, but in our more demanding test it averaged 7.6fps, which is still very good. However, this burst shooting sets focus and exposure with the first shot, and once you've fired, you're stuck waiting for the camera to save the photos, generally a second or two per photo.
With all its capabilities, Sony managed to keep the overall design and usability pretty simple. The body is bulky, but all things considered it's still remarkably compact and I was able to keep it in my back pants pocket when I was out shooting with it. The screen is large and bright, making it easy to see in bright conditions (you'll still struggle in direct sun). There's a nice rubberized grip on front and a similarly textured thumb rest on back. You'll also find a programmable Custom button on top that can be used for fast access to exposure compensation, ISO, white balance, metering, and Smile Shutter, Sony's smile-activated shutter release.
Menus are easy enough to navigate, and if you're not sure what something does, there's a full manual stored on the camera. Though most people familiar with digital cameras will have no problems using the HX9V out of the box, some of the shooting modes have a lot of settings. It might take some time to get acquainted with all this camera can do.
There are two design choices that bothered me a little. The flash is on top on the far left and slides up from the body when needed. If you're not careful with your grip, your finger will prevent it from rising. It seems to be motor-driven, so mostly I was concerned with damaging the raising mechanism. There is at least room behind the flash once it's up for you to hold the camera. The other thing is the placement of the movie record button. The button is small and set in above the thumb rest, making it slightly difficult to press. Moreover, since it takes a couple of seconds for the camera to start recording, there were times when I pressed it and wasn't sure it was recording, only to have it start and stop because I had pressed it a second time. So part user error and part design problem there.
There are a couple of other design things to be aware of. For some 2011 Cyber-shots, including the HX9V, Sony switched to charging the camera battery in the camera via USB. You can charge it by connecting to a computer or the included wall adapter. However, it's a proprietary port on the camera, so if you lose the cable, you'll have to buy one from Sony. Also, the battery life is a CIPA-rated 300 shots. If you're shooting a lot of video, have the display brightness cranked up, or are using a lot of the multishot modes or burst shooting, this will cut into your battery life. If you buy a backup battery you'll probably want to buy an external charger as well, or just plan ahead.
Lastly, with all of this camera's capabilities it's easy to forget that it has a built-in GPS receiver and compass. In fact, Sony even neglects to mention it on the HX9V's product page on its site. Turning on the receiver requires digging into the main menu system (since it cuts into your battery life, it really should be easier to turn on and off), but once it's on it'll start searching for satellites. That can take up to several minutes depending on how much open sky is above you. The tagging abilities aren't as full-featured as those in Panasonic's Lumix DMC-ZS10. The camera seamlessly adds the information to a photo's EXIF data, so you can use software like Picasa or Google Earth to see where you were when you took your photos.
Conclusion:
The more I used the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V, the more fun I had. A lot of that had to do with the fact that I kept finding new modes and settings to play with. It's not quite the ultimate compact megazoom, but it's pretty close--closer than any others I've tested for 2011. And if you want something to do double duty for movie clips and photos with a versatile zoom lens in a pocketable body, you want this camera.
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User reviews
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The Perfect, Multi-talented, Super-zoom, HD Video and..
by Billy-And-Smith on September 14, 2011
Pros: + Video is amazing, with many options
+ Great auto focus, fantastic in low light
+ 16x zoom is fast and very good
+ GPS is a nice feature
+ Very crisp images with vibrant color
+ Extremely fast auto focus
+ Superior display screen with 1 million pixelsCons: - No RAW mode shooting
- No external battery charger
- Limited Mac software supportSummary: I got the HX9v as soon as it came out this spring. It's pretty much the perfect, top-notch pocket point-and-shoot. In fact, I carry it with me in my ...
Summary: I got the HX9v as soon as it came out this spring. It's pretty much the perfect, top-notch pocket point-and-shoot. In fact, I carry it with me in my right-hand pocket at literally all times. I have taken several thousand photos with it so far, and several hours of video. I am very happy with my purchase.
Edit Broken Link:
The video is amazing, with many options, zooming while shooting, stereo sound, great auto focus, fantastic in low light. Keep in mind that for the highest quality setting, 1080p/60 fps AVCHD, if you want to view it on a Mac, you'll need to have the latest version of iMovie '11, running on at least the latest version of Snow Leopard (OS 10.6.8). Of course, you can now upload these .MTS files directly to the various on-line sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Google+/Picasa, and you can view them on your HDTV through the mini-HDMI out (which is great). But for saving and viewing on the Mac, the AVCHD modes introduce a couple of extra steps and are not simple drag-drop-and-play. If you don't have a Mac running the above specs, there are still some good workaround options out there.
After a lot of searching I found "ClipWrap" to be the best option for dealing with these files. But overall, I can't say enough about just how fantastic the video on this camera is. I've been hundreds of feet away at a concert in the dark, and taken footage that makes it look like I'm sitting right in front of the performer in a well-lit space. With nice-quality stereo sound. And all of this often on "only" the best 1080 MOV setting, not even dialing it up to the top-notch AVCHD. It's amazing, really.
The 16x zoom is fast and very good. Things get a little noisy when you crop and zoom in on a shot that you took at maximum zoom (basically blowing up a shot to the center 1/9th of the frame after shooting at max zoom). But that's to be expected. 16x is fantastic and I use this feature every single day for nature shots - particularly birds.
There's also a very nice feature one turn of the dial from auto mode that mimics the shallow depth-of-field in DSLRs. It takes two shots, blurs one, and then stitches the two together so that the subject is crystal-clear but the background is nicely blurred. I have gotten some very nice shots of flowers and animals close up with this, though the subject does have to be pretty still for it to work right.
Speaking of flowers, the macro capabilities of the auto modes on this camera are FANTASTIC. Reason in itself to buy the camera. I can be on a walk, with my very big dog pulling in one hand. I'll see a very pretty flower and tell him to "wait" and "sit", while using my other hand to slide the camera out of my pocket and turn it on. I just hold the camera up close, click, slide it back into my pocket, and we're off again. Whole process takes maybe 2 seconds (unless I choose to take a couple of angles, etc.). This has been the case for nearly every one of my "local flowers", "Yosemite wildflowers", and "super macro" shots in my Flickr account taken with this camera (basically everything shot in the past few months). My Flickr handle is RobertCross1 if you'd like to check out any of my shots to see for yourself.
I generally don't use the in-camera panorama features. While they are certainly very good for what they are, you can get much better panoramic shots by shooting consecutive, overlapping stills and stitching them together in a software application like Photoshop Elements.
I also don't use the in-camera HDR feature. It just isn't very well implemented and produces pretty strange looking shots, even for HDR. If you want HDR photos, you can exposure bracket with three shots in very quick succession (as this thing shoots at 10fps, a tripod is not even generally needed for this, as long as you have a fairly still hand), at -1, 0, and +1. Not quite the range you'll get from a DSLR, but I've gotten some nice results putting them together in Photomatix.
As for the battery charging in the camera situation, you can easily buy an external charger and a second and/or third battery. Then charging the battery in the camera becomes a nice second option. The one I got was an external charger and TWO extra batteries for a total of $11.16, and free shipping at Amazon Prime. They're third-party, but work great. In fact, they're better than the battery that came with the camera, as they actually show the time remaining next to the icon on the screen. They say "Fits Son. NP-BG1" on them.
The GPS is a nice feature. When shooting at home and around town, I keep it turned off, to save battery power. But it's good for road trips and hiking especially, when you're often shooting from a place along a trail that might not be marked on a map or easy to see in satellite view. It does take a bit for the GPS to reconnect every time you turn the camera back on, so not great for quick pull-it-out-of-your-pocket-and-shoot situations. But a nice thing to have.
As with any point-and-shoot, there's a tendency in the auto modes to overexpose a bit in bright daylight settings. Just be aware of this and make good use of the various manual settings "P" and the three "M" modes on the dial. Also, the "custom" button on the top can be set for various things, but I've got it by default on exposure compensation. So, if shooting in auto, I can make a couple of quick clicks to darken the scene until the sky goes from white to blue. The changed setting resets when you turn the camera off, but it is really good for quick changes on the fly. In manual shooting mode, however, the changes you make stay that way when you turn the camera off and on, which is great when you're out shooting a bunch of shots in similar light conditions.
As for color, it's generally great, but the reds do tend to get overblown a bit. Watch for that. If shooting something predominantly red, you may want to shift to the R "Real Color" setting. The default is standard, but there are "Vivid", "Real", "Sepia", "BW", etc. settings as well.
My wife's camera, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3, which I was using before I got my Sony, is a wonderful point-and-shoot, and it may have a bit of a better lens, as it doesn't have the reds issue, and never introduced geometrical distortion around the edges of the shot. The HX9v does do this a bit, but this is pretty standard for point-and-shoots, and is easily fixed in software in the very few instances where it becomes noticeable.
But we're talking real fine-tuning stuff here. In every other way, the HX9v blows away the Panasonic ZS3 (and ZS7 and ZS10, for that matter). I'd say that the daytime image qualilty still is top-notch, and low-light shooting is on a completely different level. I never, ever use the flash. The two auto modes are both fantastic. For most of my daytime shooting, I actually tend to stick with the regular auto (as opposed to the Superior Auto+) setting, as it is much, much faster. This is because it doesn't use the various multi-shot-and-stitch-together-in-the-camera features that are only in Auto+. In fact, in daylight settings, I don't want the chance of Auto+ selecting the HDR function and giving me a weird-looking shot. And regular auto also gives you the option for continuous shooting with two clicks of the wheel, which is unavailable in Auto+. It can do 10fps or 2fps at full size, which is AMAZING for a point-and-shoot. But unlike a DSLR, the buffer is small, so after 10 shots, it has to process and save to the card. I have a class 10 superfast card in it which speeds this up, but 10 still seems to be the limit of continuous shots per click-and-hold. So I usually have it set at 2fps, which can give me up to 5 seconds of dog running or bird flight motion shots.
Overall, a truly remarkable camera that was one of the best technology purchases I have ever made. I would highly recommend it.
P.S. If you will buy this camera I suggest you have to check for best price before you decide at --> www.amazon.com/exec/******/****/B004HYFX0C/cnet-offer-20
Updated on Sep 27, 2011
I suggest you have to compare prices before you decide at: http://beam.to/DSC-HX9V31 out of 31 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best Travel Zoom Camera to Date!
by UncleGare on June 17, 2011
Pros: Excellent IQ for non DSLR
Big Zoom with Rock Solid IS
Eye Popping VideoCons: Only have minor complaints: 1. Video is pretty slow to start, 2. burst mode takes too long to write, and 3. burst mode limited to 10 frames.
Summary: I owned and really wanted to like the Nikon S9100, but returned it due to focusing issues, especially at longer telephoto lengths. Also owned and returned the Panasonic ZS10, which ...
Summary: I owned and really wanted to like the Nikon S9100, but returned it due to focusing issues, especially at longer telephoto lengths. Also owned and returned the Panasonic ZS10, which seemed amazing until I viewed the pics on the computer... noisier than I can even describe (unless in perfect light at ISO 100), even the video was mush. This surprised me, because my ZS3 (CCD sensor) took really clean photos in low-light up to ISO 400.
The Sony HX9v has been nearly perfect for me, with consistently crisp (and fast) focus and punchy colors. The video is stellar and you really need to see it to believe it. Sony has managed to put a truly high QUALITY big zoom camera/camcorder in my pocket and I am loving it! IMHO, this really is the best travel zoom available... good job Sony, you've won me back!13 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Almost PERFECT, FUN, state of the art compact superzoom
by rommel49er on June 9, 2011
Pros: Excellent Image quality for a compact
Smooth and sharp 1080 60p video
Sweep Panorama creates incredible wide shots
Background Defocus is actually effective in emulating shots taken with more expensive lenses
10 fframes per sec Burst shooting perfect for aCons: Zoom lens mechanism is not smooth and exhibits shudder while zooming
Menu navigation is a little cumbersome
No color and shaprness adjusment in movie mode
No external battery chargerSummary: After trying 3 of the newest and best superzooms, the Panasonic ZS10, the Canon SX230, and the Sony HX9V, the clear winner for me was the Sony. The review of ...
Summary: After trying 3 of the newest and best superzooms, the Panasonic ZS10, the Canon SX230, and the Sony HX9V, the clear winner for me was the Sony. The review of these 3 cameras in dcresource.com is spot on. The Canon arguably had the best image quality though I lthink the HX9V has better IQ over the entire range of lighting comditions. Forget the ZS10, the photos from it are just plain noisy. The video I took with the ZS10 of my son's graduation was aweful. Canon's 1080 24fps video was okay. The 28 Mbps 1080 60p video from the HX9V is so smooth and sharp. I even pitted it against the Panasonic GH2 and the video quality is comparable if not better. But the thing that separated this camera from the other two is the fun features like the Sweep Panorama, Background Defocus, and the 10 fps Burst shooting. They allow you to do more creative photography. I did have to buy an NP-FG1 extra battery and an external charger. All in all, this camera packs a lot of features and takes excellent photos and is a great deal at $350. I used to shoot with SLRs and with small kids, I've learned to sacrifice shot quality for convenience. With the HX9V, I don't feel like I need to go back to lugging a big heavy SLR.
12 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Does it all with style.
by reubenrcbs on May 5, 2011
Pros: Optical Zoom, pixel count, gps, movie capability and quality, panorama, 3D, dim light performance
Cons: Proprietary USB port but comes with cable and outlet attachment, since the camera battery has to be charged in camera using a computer or a wall socket. It's probably a good idea to spring for an external charger and purchase a back up battery anyway, if
Summary: This is a phenomenal camera, well worth the money. The zoom function is truly useful and the picture quality seems extremely good, even though it is soooo Sony, meaning a ...
Summary: This is a phenomenal camera, well worth the money. The zoom function is truly useful and the picture quality seems extremely good, even though it is soooo Sony, meaning a tad soft on purpose. No problem with down loads to your computer, MAC or PC, providing you turn the camera on once hooked up to your computer (that's the green light, not the orange light indicating charging). The supplied battery (no longer produced) is fine, but the replacement battery NP-FG1 is better due to the info capability being in minutes. I want to say it's easy to use but the manual is not particularly helpful, so some people will have a little difficulty, at first, but they should not despair. The learning curve is not particularly steep, even for an advanced camera like this one, and the on camera help manual is, on the other hand, very well done, so you can leave home without the manual. This is a very impressive camera with lots of features. If you have a 3D TV, it is a must buy, even if everything is in its infancy.
10 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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really great camera
by Bios1 on May 20, 2011
Pros: 16x Optical Zoom, good Image Stabilization, lot of advanced Features
Cons: No Optical Viewfinder, No Pdf manual, No HDMI cable include.
Summary: After reading lot of reviews, I pick up this Sony, and I am very happy with the performance.I already bought extra battery and external charger BC-TRN because internal charging ...
Summary: After reading lot of reviews, I pick up this Sony, and I am very happy with the performance.I already bought extra battery and external charger BC-TRN because internal charging is slow (cca 270 min.)
7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great travel camera- HD 60p video is amazing!
by Tomcat1234567 on August 7, 2011
Pros: Easy to carry in shirt pocket- great travel camera
LCD screen is viewable in bright sunlight
HD video is amazing when viewed on HD TV
Low-light pics are truly unbelievable; I've never had such good indoor shots without flash
Zoom is sharp and image stCons: No external battery charger- must charge in camera (can buy external charger separately)
Zoom control is a little sluggish
Image quality is great however I would describe the color saturation as slightly lowSummary: I started looking for a new camera to take on a trip to Italy in June and saw the reviews for the Sony DSC- HX9V. Low light shooting without flash ...
Summary: I started looking for a new camera to take on a trip to Italy in June and saw the reviews for the Sony DSC- HX9V. Low light shooting without flash was my priority since I knew I'd be in cathedrals and museums where flash is forbidden (photos in general were forbidden in some of them). The camera didn't disappoint- the new Exmor R sensor would come through with flying colors. The video quality was truly outstanding - every bit as good as a full sized video camera. I pretty much left the camera on the intelligent-auto setting with the flash turned off. After 9 days of shooting I came home with more than 640 pictures and videos and was eagerly waiting to see them on the big screen. I was amazed at the quality of the low light pictures and the HD video!
Panorama pictures were a nice bonus- I got really good ones at the Vatican plaza and St. Mark's square. If you get this camera make sure you get a high speed high capacity (at least 16 GB with 15 MB/sec) SD card because the HD video needs fast performance to work well. As stated before the color saturation was a little on the weak side (for my taste anyway) but I was coming from using Canon cameras for years and was used to their slightly oversaturated color. If you are taking a much-anticipated trip somewhere I will gladly recommend this camera to take along- it is worth the $350 price tag. Happy Trails to you!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great all round camera .. so glad i purchased ..
by micsmitty1 on July 25, 2011
Pros: I spent a long time deciding what replace my SNikon 8100 that was stolen from my car just 3 months new. The Panasonic ZS10, Nikon S9100, Canon SX230, and Sony HX9v superzooms all have similar features. Canon guys like the colors and image quality, but wh
Cons: I couldn't think of any other than it does SO much, you need to play with it in the different manual and auto settings to get everything the way you want it.
Summary: All around for the money, only the S9100 had a longer zoom and 240fps 1080P recording, but 16x and 60fps works great .. and better than the Pani and Canon. This ...
Summary: All around for the money, only the S9100 had a longer zoom and 240fps 1080P recording, but 16x and 60fps works great .. and better than the Pani and Canon. This is the ONLY one that allows you to take snapshots while recording 1080P video .. (very cool feature). Flash quality was excellent .. and somehow seems to adjust to distance. Close shots that would have washed out on others looked almost natural light . .. If you are looking for a camera that gets you close to the action, resets and focuses quickly, even in low light .. this camera is the one. Complaints about speed were most likely using a very cool feature that allows the camera to delay photo until it sees a smile (grin, min smile, big smile options), or wait until after a blink is done .. taking multiple photos then choosing the one with the least blink .. This feature is defaulted on, and can slow things down. I turned it off. It also allows you to set up a picture on a tripod, use the automatic delayed shutter feature, and when you smile it snaps the picture .. VERY COOL! No camera is perfect, but this camera provides all the right stuff, better battery life than the others, and will not miss many photo opportunities due to low light, or quick action. I am glad I pulled the trigger ..
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Verrry Good quality photos and HD video
by vertex1771 on June 29, 2011
Pros: Amazing zoom lens, Easy sweep panorama, Very clever automatic mode, Easy menus, SD card compatible, Beautiful quality pictures, USB charging, Great low light performance, Convenient favorite settings button, HD video, Big bright crisp LCD, and a built-in
Cons: All this power . l pocket sized, a compact. Camera Image quality is very good and video verry good
Summary: After trying 3 of the newest and best superzooms, the Panasonic ZS10, the Canon SX230, and the Sony HX9V, the clear winner for me was the Sony. The review of ...
Summary: After trying 3 of the newest and best superzooms, the Panasonic ZS10, the Canon SX230, and the Sony HX9V, the clear winner for me was the Sony. The review of these 3 cameras in dcresource.com is spot on. The Canon arguably had the best image quality though I lthink the HX9V has better IQ over the entire range of lighting comditions. Forget the ZS10, the photos from it are just plain noisy. The video I took with the ZS10 of my son's graduation was aweful. Canon's 1080 24fps video was okay. The 28 Mbps 1080 60p video from the HX9V is so smooth and sharp. I even pitted it against the Panasonic GH2 and the video quality is comparable if not better. But the thing that separated this camera from the other two is the fun features like the Sweep Panorama, Background Defocus, and the 10 fps Burst shooting. They allow you to do more creative photography. I did have to buy an NP-FG1 extra battery and an external charger.
After trying 3 of the newest and best superzooms,Sony HX5V and the Panasonic ZS10, the Canon SX230, and the Sony HX9V, the clear winner for me was the Sony. The review of these 3 cameras in dcresource.com is spot on. The Canon arguably had the best image quality though I lthink the HX9V has better IQ over the entire range of lighting comditions. Forget the ZS10, the photos from it are just plain noisy. The video I took with the ZS10 of my son's graduation was aweful. Canon's 1080 24fps video was okay. The 28 Mbps 1080 60p video from the HX9V is so smooth and sharp. I even pitted it against the Panasonic GH2 and the video quality is comparable if not better. But the thing that separated this camera from the other two is the fun features like the Sweep Panorama, Background Defocus, and the 10 fps Burst shooting. They allow you to do more creative photography. I did have to buy an NP-FG1 extra battery and an external charger.
Updated on Jun 29, 20113 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great camera, lots of fun features, amazing zoom...
by scotthuddleston on June 22, 2011
Pros: Amazing zoom lens, Easy sweep panorama, Very clever automatic mode, Easy menus, SD card compatible, Beautiful quality pictures, USB charging, Great low light performance, Convenient favorite settings button, HD video, Big bright crisp LCD, and a built-in
Cons: All this power (especially the huge lens) makes for a heavy camera. Still pocket sized, but not a compact. Image quality is very good, but the small sensor limits you - this is still not SLR quality. The GPS is a fun feature when it works, but I have a
Summary: I've had this camera for almost 2 months now. I've tried to be honest about the pros and cons. It isn't perfect, but it is as close ...
Summary: I've had this camera for almost 2 months now. I've tried to be honest about the pros and cons. It isn't perfect, but it is as close to being perfect as any travel zoom camera on the market today can be. If I could improve one thing it would be the GPS - I really wanted that feature to work. All the other flaws are minor annoyances, and the size/weight issue isn't Sony's fault. That's just physics. You can only get so much optics into so much space. Basically, if you need a versatile camera that takes amazing zoom shots, and amazing wide angle shots, but doesn't require a backpack to carry it... this is the camera for you. I love my Sony HX9v
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great features but one annoying design flaw.
by V1VRV2 on August 31, 2011
Pros: By far the best zoom and pixel count for a compact point and shoot camera.
Cons: The built in flash is an automatic pop up. When in an Auto mode and the camera senses it needs a flash it automatically pops up just before taking the photo, so far so good. The problem is the location of the pop up flash, right side top of the camera w
Summary: Unbelievable features that rival some SLR cameras but the design flaw with the pop up fash was so annoying that it forced me to return it and purchase another Sony ...
Summary: Unbelievable features that rival some SLR cameras but the design flaw with the pop up fash was so annoying that it forced me to return it and purchase another Sony point an shoot with a little less in the features department, the DSC-HX7V that has a fixed flash built into the camera body.
The auto pop up flash location on the top right is where your right index finger is located when holding the camera. Your finger ends up inhibiting the flash extension just as you are about to take a shot. Further exacerbating this design flaw is the fact that once the flash is auto extended it will not retract, regardless of lighting need, until you turn the camera off. It is an auto extend in a bad location with no auto retract feature.
Updated on Aug 31, 20112 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: DSCHX9V
- Description: Packed with easy-to-use features for better-looking images and HD videos, the Cyber-shot HX9V digital camera is an ideal travel partner with on-board GPS. Experience high-performance imaging for detail-packed stills, 3D and cinematic Full HD 50p video.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Enclosure Color Black
- Resolution 16.2 megapixels
- 3D Technology Yes
- Optical Sensor Type Exmor R CMOS
- Total Pixels 16,800,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 16,200,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.3"
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Image Processor BIONZ
- Image Stabilizer Optical (Steady Shot with Active Mode)
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) Qty 9
- Digital Video Format AVCHD,
H.264 - Image Recording Format JPEG
- Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
- AV Interfaces HDMI,
Composite video/audio Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO 3200,
ISO 1600,
ISO 800,
ISO 100,
ISO 200,
ISO 400,
ISO auto - Exposure Metering Multi-segment,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Modes Program,
Automatic,
Manual - Shooting Programs High sensitivity,
Soft snap,
Landscape,
Twilight,
Twilight portrait,
Beach,
Snow,
Fireworks,
Gourmet,
Pet,
Soft skin,
Handheld twilight - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Daylight,
Incandescent,
Cloudy,
Fluorescent light (daylight),
Fluorescent light (warm white),
Fluorescent light (cool white),
Flash - Max Shutter Speed 1/1600 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 30 sec
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
Lens System
- Type Sony,
16 x x Zoom lens - 4.28 mm - 64.48 mm - F/3.3-5.9 - Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 24 - 384 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Macro Focus Range 2 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Lens Construction 7 groups / 10 elements
- Features Aspherical lens,
Built-in lens shield Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Fill-in mode,
Slow synchro,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Features AF illuminator
- Effective Flash Range 10 in - 18.4 ft
Additional Features
- Continuous Shooting Speed 10 frames per second
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
10 sec - Additional Features Digital image rotation,
Intelligent AUTO (iAUTO),
Display brightness control,
In-camera red-eye fix,
1080i Full HD movie recording,
Background defocus,
Audio recording,
Backlight Correction HDR,
3D Sweep Panorama technology,
Sweep Multi Angle mode,
PRINT Image Matching,
Cropping an image,
Saturation control,
TransferJet support,
Built-in compass,
Blink Detection technology,
Smile Detection technology,
Exif Print support,
Intelligent Sweep Panorama,
DPOF support,
Built-in GPS,
Face detection,
RGB primary color filter,
Built-in speaker,
Clear RAW Noise Reduction,
Motion Detection Technology,
Self Portrait Auto Shutter,
Auto power save,
Histogram display,
Automatic display brightness adjustment,
Dynamic Range Optimizer,
Camera orientation detection,
Built-in help guide,
Sharpness control,
Contrast control,
1080p Full HD movie recording,
USB 2.0 compatibility Display
- Type 3 in LCD display
- Display Features Built-in
Microphone
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Hi-Speed USB,
1 x Composite video/audio output,
1 x HDMI output - Memory Card Slot SD card,
Memory Stick PRO Duo card
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories USB cable,
Power adapter,
Wrist strap Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities,
Sony Picture Motion Browser Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-BG1
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
- Battery Life Details Photo shooting ( LCD Monitor on )
Memory / Storage
- Supported Memory Cards SDHC Memory Card,
Memory Stick Duo,
SD Memory Card,
Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo,
SDXC Memory Card,
Memory Stick PRO Duo,
Memory Stick PRO Duo Mark2 - Image Storage JPEG 4608 x 3456,
JPEG 4608 x 2592,
JPEG 3648 x 2736,
JPEG 2592 x 1944,
JPEG 1920 x 1080,
JPEG 640 x 480 - Video Capture AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 24Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 17Mbps,
AVCHD - 1440 x 1080 - 9Mbps,
H.264 - 1440 x 1080 - 12Mbps,
H.264 - 1280 x 720 - 6Mbps,
H.264 - 640 x 480 - 3Mbps Dimensions & Weight
- Width 4.1 in
- Depth 1.3 in
- Height 2.3 in
- Weight 7.6 oz
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Sony
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
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