Unveiled: New Sony Cyber-shots!

 

Cyber-shot HX400, Cyber-shot H400, and Cyber-shot H300

These three Cyber-shot cameras are very similar in terms of form factor, each offering high zoom capability with a large “bridge camera” style grip, but dig a little deeper and their individual qualities become apparent.
The Cyber-shot DSC-HX400 Digital Camera is the upgraded follow-up to the Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 and shares with it a 20.4MP 1/2.3” Exmor R CMOS sensor and the impressive Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* 50x optical zoom lens. What it adds is the powerful BIONZ X Image Processor for faster performance, more advanced auto modes and enhanced full HD 1080p video capture. It also now features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity with NFC for instant image transfer from camera to smart device as well as one-touch sharing and remote control.

The 50x zoom lens provides the 35mm focal length equivalent of 24-1200mm for versatile shooting with a powerful telephoto reach. At the wide-angle end, the 24mm equivalence enables inclusive group shots in cramped interiors as well as broad landscape vistas. This one lens will cover almost any shooting situation up to ultra telephoto magnification of distant subjects. Its maximum aperture on the wide end is f/2.8, which is effective in low light and offers shallow depth-of-field focus control for sharp portraiture with smooth out-of-focus backgrounds. Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization compensates for camera shake to minimize blur when shooting in low light or at telephoto focal lengths, and Intelligent Active Mode provides shake control when shooting HD video.
The video mode on the HX400 shoots full HD 1080p/i at 60 as well as at 24 fps along with having a built-in stereo microphone with wind-filter function that enables clear sound recording. Lower-resolution video is also supported for directly uploading to the Internet, and HDMI output makes it easy to directly play back your recordings on an HDTV.
A 3.0” tilt LCD with 921k-dot resolution provides image playback and bright composition viewing. An optical eye-level viewfinder with 8.1x and 16.2x magnification is also available for composition. For additional illumination, a built-in, manual pop-up flash unit with numerous flash modes and auto mode coverage of up to 28’ is supported. Advanced features such as Intelligent Auto, Face Detection, and Intelligent Sweep Panorama let you focus on composition while the camera adjusts important settings.
The Cyber-shot DSC-H400 Digital Camera houses a 20.1MP 1/2.3” Super HAD CCD sensor and the BIONZ image sensor. It has a 63x optical zoom lens that provides the 35mm equivalent of a 24.5-1550mm lens. This is an incredibly long Sony zoom lens with an f/3.4-6.5 maximum aperture. It can focus as close as 0.4” at the wide-angle end for extreme close-up photography. ISO runs from 80-3200 for a broad sensitivity range, rich colors in bright light, and effective low-light capability. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization with Intelligent Active Mode compensates against blur in both still and video capture. This is an important feature with such a long zoom lens.

Video is recorded at 720p at 30 fps with a built-in mono microphone. The LCD monitor is 3.0” with 460k-dot resolution. It also features a 0.2” electronic viewfinder with 201k-dot resolution for stable and bright eye-level composition. Intelligent Auto, 8-face Face Detection and Smile Shutter technology allow the camera to do the heavy lifting in certain situations. A built-in pop-up flash is supported for extra light when needed. Like the HX400, the H400 supports SD, SDHC, SDXC, and MS Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo memory cards. The H400 is slightly lighter than the HX400.
Lighter than the H400 but with similar specs is the Cyber-shot DSC-H300 Digital Camera. It is the successor to the DSC-H200 and, like the other two cameras, has a bridge-style form factor and a long zoom lens. Its Sony lens does not reach the lengths of the H400 but is still an impressive 35x optical zoom with a 35mm equivalence of 25-875mm for covering everything from wide-angle through standard and portrait length to ultra-telephoto. The maximum aperture at the wide-angle end is f/3.0, slightly more effective in low light than the H400, and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization will control the blur that often accompanies long zoom shooting.

Like the H400, the H300 houses a 20.1MP 1/2.3” Super HAD CCD sensor and the BIONZ image sensor and features HD 720p video capture at 30 fps in the MP4 format. Intelligent Active Mode minimizes blur and shake during video recording. The 3.0” Clear Photo LCD with 460k-dot resolution provides composition and playback viewing, including brightness control, histogram, and grid display. Several assistive features such as Intelligent Auto, Blink Detection, Smile Shutter, Face Detection, and Tracking Focus enable you to simply get the shots you want, letting the camera set exposure and even help with composition and timing.

Cyber-shot WX350

The Cyber-shot DSC-WX350 Digital Camera is particularly compact yet has a powerful 18.2MP 1/2.3” Exmor R CMOS sensor. At just 4.8 oz and 1.0” deep, it is a classic pocket camera, but comes loaded with impressive features, including the above-mentioned sensor and the latest BIONZ X image processor. It is available in black or white. Its 20x optical zoom Sony G lens provides a comprehensive wide-angle through telephoto set of focal lengths, equivalent to 25-500mm in the 35mm format. Its optical design includes five aspherical elements, which minimize aberrations and contribute to well delineated and true-color images. The lens fully retracts into the camera body when powered down. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization is featured to reduce the blur created by slower shutter speeds when shooting in dim light and at longer telephoto lengths.

The WX350 updates the Cyber-shot WX300; its sensor and new processor combination enable accelerated performance speeds, and autofocus is fast and accurate, including Tracking Focus and Face Tracking Focus modes. The burst rate is 10 fps at maximum resolution, up to 10 shots. Also, low-light sensitivity is impressive for a compact camera with ISO ranging from 80 to 12800. Full HD 1080p/i video is recorded in AVCHD Version2 at 60 fps and MP4 capture is also supported at 30 fps for files that can be uploaded directly to the Internet. A built-in stereo microphone is supported and Intelligent Active Mode stabilization minimizes the shake and blur when recording video while moving.
A 3.0” Clear Photo LCD monitor with 460k-dot resolution provides composition and playback viewing and a Micro HDMI output allows direct playback on compatible HDTVs. An integrated flash unit with Red-eye Reduction and several flash modes is supported and a top-plate mode dial and intuitive menu navigation make adjusting camera settings easy.
Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity enables instant transfer of images from your camera to a smartphone, tablet, or compatible computer. Near Field Communication (NFC) makes it simple to link your camera to an Android device and, by using the free Sony PlayMemories app, you can upload images directly to social media sites and use your smart device as a camera remote control.

Cyber-shot W800

At less than one inch deep and just over two inches wide, the Cyber-shot DSC-W800 Digital Camera is an ultra-compact camera perfectly sized to keep with you at all times. It features a 1/2.3” Super HAD CCD sensor and the BIONZ image processor for sharp, still imaging and HD 720 video capture at 30 fps. A 5x optical zoom lens provides the 35mm focal length equivalence of 26-130mm for coverage of most shooting situations from wide-angle to telephoto. ISO sensitivity up to 3200 and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization enable confidence in low-light situations and a 2.7” 230k-dot Clear Photo LCD monitor delivers bright playback and live view image composition.

A built-in flash and numerous assistive and “Intelligent” features simplify shooting to just the push of a button, and a Shooting Tips mode describes camera functions on the LCD and offers suggestions for improved imaging. The W800 is available in black or silver.