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Sony H50 Digital Camera - Black (9.1MP, 15x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD
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Average customer review:
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #35080 in Consumer Electronics
- Brand: Sony
- Model: DSCH50B.CEH
- Released on: 2008-05-13
- Dimensions: .91 pounds
- Display size: 3
Editorial Reviews
Manufacturer's Description
The H50 combines serious optical performance with smart automatic functions, so even if you’re new to digital photography you’ll find it’s never been so easy to get great results. When details matter the 15x Optical Zoom from renowned optical specialists Carl Zeiss ensures they’re as sharp and clear as real life. The powerful zoom is complemented by technologies like Intelligent Scene Recognition and Smile Shutter to help you achieve better–looking shots with less effort. And to complete the package, a large tilting LCD screen helps you pick the right settings, so you can concentrate on the moment, rather than having to fiddle with lots of buttons and menus.
Whether you’ve got travel, sport or portraits in your sights, the H50 deliver superb quality images every time. And because it’s a compact camera, you can just pop it into your bag and you’re ready to go.
 Optical SteadyShot uses a sensor to prevent hand shake blurring pictures View larger |
Great images start with a great lens. Unlike many other digital cameras, the H50 is equipped with an optical rather than just digital zoom which means that you get excellent image quality at all settings, even high magnifications. With the 15x zoom, you’ll be able to fill more of the frame with distant scenes and because the lens is by the famed makers Carl Zeiss, you can be sure that every detail of that scene will be crisp and clear. This powerful lens is complemented by a BIONZ processor, which enhances image quality by reducing noise and enabling a faster shooting response.
Even with this kind of support, camera shake can ruin what was otherwise a great photograph. Optical SteadyShot stabilises the image, using sensors to compensate for the blur created by hand movement, even in low light conditions. Combine that with a high sensitivity ISO 3200 and you can start shooting at dawn and go through till dusk without the need of a tripod. And when you’ve taken a picture that you’re proud of, the resolution of 9.1 megapixels means you can print it at enlargements up to A3 size.
 Press the icon and Smile Shutter makes catching smiles easy View larger |
Choosing the right settings
Taking great pictures doesn’t have to be difficult. The H50 is equipped with a number of functions to take the guesswork out of matching your camera settings to your chosen subject. Take twilight landscapes or sun–drenched backlit portraits, for example. Intelligent Scene Recognition will automatically choose the correct exposure and adjust other settings to give you a perfect picture. Or how about catching friends or family at the very moment when a smile lights up their face? Smile Shutter delays your camera shutter action until your subject has started smiling, making it ideal for party scenes and portrait shots. It has an adjustable smile threshold so you aren’t kept waiting too long, and you can change the setting from adults to children, and back again. This works alongside Enhanced Face Recognition, which adjusts the camera’s settings to make sure faces look sharp and clear, with natural skin tones. Put the three technologies together, and you’ve got beautiful portraits, whatever the location.
 frame images at difficult angles" alt="The 3" LCD screen can be tilted to help you frame images at difficult angles" align="top" border="0">The 3" LCD screen can be tilted to help you frame images at difficult angles View larger |
The big screen
Spin the camera round and you’ve got a 3" Clear Photo LCD screen, which can be used for scene composition as well as playback. This tilts up and down so you can capture images at high or low angles. Press Menu and it’ll help you pick the right settings with clear icons and simple menus. In playback, its higher resolution and increased contrasts mean viewing and editing pictures is easier and clearer than ever. And because of its size, it’s big enough to be viewed by more than one person, so you can share the fun.
Easy sharing and quality viewing
Managing your growing photo collection is hugely simplified by PMB (Picture Motion Browser) software included with the H50. Just install it on your PC and it provides a perfect archive for your shots which are all just a click or two away. You can arrange them by date, by person, and search through them quickly. From here you can burn them to disc, send them to friends or upload them to sites in a matter of seconds. If you connect your H50 or computer directly to an HD Ready TV you can view your shots in spectacular HD on the big screen. If your BRAVIA™ television supports PhotoTV HD, you’ll be able to experience even more lifelike HD images, bursting with detail and colours.
‘Sony’, ‘Cyber-shot’, ’Optical SteadyShot’ and their logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation. All other trademarks acknowledged.
Box Contents
Customer Reviews
Cheap and cheerful
Pros:
- great tilting screen;
- lightweight;
- quick focusing and 15x optical zoom;
- menus are easy to use;
- impressive battery life;
- you can stick your Sony Ericsson mobile's memory stick into the camera with an adapter;
- good quality images, sharp, colourful and bright ok for the price range;
- SteadyShot that greatly reduces shake at high zoom;
- the Movie mode records video of better quality than my 2 year old camcorder!
Cons:
- THAT wheel dial - it's impossible to use, inconsistent and every other reviewer on the web hates it too - Sony please change this asap;
- "feels" a bit fragile, robustness ok but materials don't look very strong; give the kids your old one;
- doesn't come with an HDMI cable - which is Sony proprietary and VERY expensive;
- if you want to buy a filter to protect the lens, again Sony proprietary and VERY expensive;
- 9MP and 15x zoom is not the highest you can get for this price;
- the corner distortion is massive - big blur zones near the four corners at wide zoom, this is normal for any 15x zoom lens but quite noticeable nonetheless - you need to stick your subjects in the center of each image.
just excellent
I just got this camera a few weeks ago and have been very impressed with it since. The quality of the photos and ease of use are superb. It has some nice software too and the screen is big enough to review all your photos. The battery lasts enough to forget when the last time you had recharged it was.
For around £250, I think this is a top competitor.
Superb Buy
this is the first review I have ever written and this is because this camera is great. Worked within seconds and having two young children we were always missing the best shot. This camera solved our problem as we are able to catch them at the right moment with the multiple shot mode and the quick start. Have only had it for a couple of months upgrading from a previous sony and we are so glad we did. I have not found it wanting in any area and well worth the money
