Sony DSC H2 Digital Camera Review

Review:  

The new Sony Cybershot DSC H2 features a host of new technologies meant to improve the quality of your digital photos. Among these features are the Sony Super SteadyShot and the anti-blur technology. 

Thanks to the Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization system, the days when photos came out blurry due to hand movement are long gone. Thus, many shooting conditions that called for long exposure times no longer pose any risks for the photographer who can now dedicate his or her entire attention to better framing and composition. To increase even more the chances of clear and sharp images the DSC H2 makes use of a more light-sensitive sensor that now supports ISO settings up to 1000, ideal for very fast moving objects. The Cyber-shot DSC H2 also features the new Sony Clear RAW technology designed to reduce picture noise caused by the camera’s sensor, especially at high ISO speeds such as 800 or 1000. 

The anti-blur technology gives the photographer the advantage of shooting in low-light conditions without having to make use of the integrated flash unit. The results are photos that better surprise the moment and are more naturally-exposed than those in which the flash has been used. The macro mode allows the photographer to get as close as a quarter of an inch to the subject. 

The camera offers a multitude of shooting options, including aperture and shutter priority and even a fully manual mode giving the photographer maximum freedom for creative shots. Beginners can successfully use the pre-set scene modes, adapted for any shooting environment and situation. The DSC H2 has multipattern and center-weighted metering capabilities as well as spot metering, very useful in difficult exposure conditions. The standard auto focusing is made via a 3 Area Multi-Point AF but the photographer can also opt for Center AF and even Contrast detection AF, all aided by a focus assist beam for low light focusing. 

The size of the camera is quite large but it doesn’t feel bulky in the hands of the photographer. The grip hosts the most important controls, placed in a very ergonomic manner. The camera comes with an internal memory of 32MB that can be expanded with Memory Stick Duo cards that now support up to 4GB. The Real Imaging Processor has improved many of the camera’s functions including the start-up and shot-to-shot time, the quality of the video capture as well as the battery time, making 400 shots with a single charge possible. The 3 inch LCD display with no less than 230,000 pixels of resolution and Sony’s Clear Photo LCD Plus technology is able to present detailed, vivid and high-quality color previews of your photos improving even more the chances for great photos. 

High-quality prints are possible due to the DPP-FP50 digital photo printer from Sony. You just have to connect the camera to the printer and you’re ready to go. The printer’s supplied software also allows for different photo formats and framing such as postcards. Sony also features and online service called ImageStation that allows you to create online photo calendars, books or photo and video albums as well as print up to hundreds of photos.

Recommendation:

Priced at around 400$, the DSC H2 is a great camera for any type of photographers, from beginners to the advanced. Its features encourage creativity in photography while taking care of the more undesirable results of difficult shooting conditions such as blurred or incorrectly exposed photographs. This camera is much more than a simple point & shoot digital camera, featuring a high-quality Carl Zeiss super zoom of 12X as well as other high-tech capabilities such as the optical image stabilizer, high sensitivity CCD sensor and great LCD display, that are usually found on more expensive models.

Features:

• - 6 mega-pixels CCD sensor (up to 2592 x 1944 pixel images)
• - Movie clips (640 x 480 and 16 / 30fps, 160 x 112 and 8fps)
• - 2.5 inch LCD display featuring 230,000 pixels; 0.3 inch LCD TTL viewfinder
• - Program, Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority + 7 scene modes
• - Manual, Auto + 5-preseted White Balance adjustment modes
• - Aperture f/2.8-3.7
• - Exposure compensation ±2EV (1/3 stops)
• - ISO sensitivity: auto and 80 to 1000
• - Multi-pattern, Center weighted and Spot metering
• - 2cm minimum focusing distance (in macro mode)
• - 3 Area Multi-Point AF, Center AF and Contrast detect focusing modes with AF assist beam
• - 36-432mm equiv 12x optical zoom lens (Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar f/2.8-3.7)
• - Image stabilizer (Super SteadyShot technology)
• - PictBridge compliant, A/V and USB compatible
• - 32MB internal memory, Memory Stick compatible

Accessories:  

• - rechargeable AA NiMH batteries
• - charger
• - lens hood with adaptor
• - lens cap with strap
• - USB and AV output cables