I finally got my camera! The Sony Cybershot HX5V. Woohoo!  So you are probably wondering about it right? Well since i only just got it this is my initial review…First i would say i have only used it a little bit, had a mess around, but so far, i love it

Size and weight

Its a good size and weight, it is a tiny bit thicker (i.e. the depth) and heavier than i thought, but this may be because i am comparing it to my previous camera, the Lumix FX35. It feels like a strong sterdy build. It can fit into my most skinny slim fitting jeans, but only just. In normal jeans or in a jacket pocket it would be completly fine. Its very easy to handle, take pics and vids etc.

Ease of use

The menus are simple and easy to use. There are lots of modes on the camera and you can move between them using the dial on the top of the camera. There is an “easy” mode and “iA” mode, which makes shooting simple for anyone. There are also program and full manual modes if you want more control. Photos can be saved to either an SD, SDHC or Sony’s Memory sticks, well done Sony for finally backing SDHC like the rest of the world

The Sony Software supplied is actually pretty good, and easy to use. This is required if you want to use the GPS or the videos or use 3rd party software).

The Zoom

I have only tried this a little bit, but it seems great! I have tried the zoom at 10x (full) and took a pic, and the quality was amazing, just like without the zoom.

Image Quality

What can i say, it is gooood!! I have only used the ‘easy’ mode so far, and that produces excellent quality images. I have taken both indoor and outdoor shots. Want sample pics? Read my blog then!! All future pics on here will be taken using this camera.

So what about that cool ”Sweeping Panorama” feature

Well In light outdoors it is brilliant! What a great feature. There will be many uses for it. You will be able to produce some good photos with it. The downside seems to be low light. I havent played around with the sweeping panorama much yet, but it doesnt seem to work in low light. There is no flash when using it, so with indoor use it doesnt work, i assume outdoor in low light will be the same. This is a big disapointment if it doesnt work well in low light, because you could of got some spectacular night panoramic shots.
Update: You can change the EV of the shot before you take it. This makes it work better in low light, however does add noise. It still produces an image of reasonable quality.
Update 2: Here is a sample pic using the Panorama mode. As you can see it is an amazing feature! If you set it to wide mode, you can take a pic of over 180 degrees, i have taken this pic of a street, and you can get a full view of it all, its almost like Google Street View Click Here  for the sample, it may take a while to download, it is at full resolution and not been optimized/edited for the web.

What is HHT (Hand Held Twilight)? Update

I heard people talking about this and didnt really know what it was…Its a mode on the camera which lets you take better shots at night or in low light. I am not a camera expert so i dont know the technical details behind it, but it basically takes a few images when you hit shoot (like a burst) then processes them and gives you the final shot, which is amazing! All this is done without the flash, so if you feel like a tourist taking pics at night with an embarrasing flash you dont need to worry, because the Twilight mode doesnt flash
Yesterday i took 2 pics, 1 with flash and 1 in HHT mode, the HHT mode beat it hands down
It must be good, because i heard the camera ‘experts’ talking about it saying you cant compare it to other cameras because technically it doesnt take 1 photo….Well it doesnt make a difference to me, its the end result which matters!!!

What about the Movie Mode?

This is another good feature! Not that i am planning on shooting movies, but i did a test one and the quality is like nothing i have seen I have seen some vids from other handheld camcorders, and i have a Flip Mino, and this blows them out of the water. Indoor it looks good, as does outdoor, i havent tried it at night so far.
Update: I have tried the video at night and it is pretty good. Bear in mind this is primarily a camera and not a camcorder, it is a little dark, but the quality is good, not grainy or blury. I have tried playing it back on my 40″ Bravia via my PS3 and it looks pretty decent to me! I wouldnt bother with a video camera if i was going on holiday, i would just buy an extra memory card to fill up with video

OK So Its great! But what is wrong with it? Bad Points, Disadvantages etc.

The Cable – Its sony, which means no standard USB cable/connection. Instead you get a sony special connection on the camera, with their own cable, in this case, its a USB cable and Video cable in 1, which makes the cable big. This spoils the user experience.

Sweep Panorama in low light – Now this may just be my inexperience with the camera, and maybe i havent found a feature/setting, but the sweep panorama doesnt work in low light.
Update: You can change the EV of the shot before you take it. This makes it work better in low light, however does add noise. It still produces an image of reasonable quality.

The Format of the HD Videos is ACVHD, and the file format is M2TS, which no standard media player recognises. That means you have to use the Sony Software to view and/or convert the files, or use 3rd party software. This is typical of Sony. I wish they would use a proper standard. You can use the software to make a HD DVD, SD DVD or Convert to WMV in various bitrates, but only in VGA xVGA formats.
Update: If you have a PS3, the video can be played back using that. I have tried and the quality is great (you can also view the pics of course)

No Quick Menu – With my Lumix i was used to this, you have the quick menu button and you can quickley and easily change the ISO, light settings, and other settings. The HX5 doesnt have this, and you have to go into the menu and then do the setups. Not a major problem, but i loved using the quick menus of the Lumix.

And i think thats about all for the downsides! Not many huh?

I love this camera so far, it is good, its compact, better than my Lumix which is not a bad camera, and is what i was looking for

Heeey Blog!

On Monday i talked about getting a new camera, and said i had decided on the Sony HX5. And guess what…Its coming tomorrow!

It hasnt been available to buy in the UK from anywhere (or at least the big online stores), and yesterday Amazon got it in…They had 3, and i decided not to get it, and i would just wait. Later in the day i checked again and they sold them all! :O

So last night i checked again, and they got some more

I could have got it on Tesco Direct for £280, and i have £10 off from them, however they do not have it in stock, and dont really know when they are getting stock, it could be in 2 weeks.

I could not wait, so typical of me So i have got it from Amazon, for £301.

UPDATE

Read the Sony HX5 Review

Heeeyyyyyy,

So, i have been pondering for months over which camera to buy; a DSLR, a bridge, a good compact…And finally decided on a good compact, and the one i am going for, the the new Sony HX5. Why have i disregarded the others? For me, i want a good camera (image quality) and it be pocketable. The HX5 is the smallest ‘best’ camera i think. Here are the ones i decided not to go for….

Not the Panasonic Lumix LX3. Why? There is a lens cap which i know i would hate. It is also a bit on the larger side, most things i have read are that its not really pocketable, you cant really fit it in your jean pocket. It probably is the best for the quality of images though.

Not a Canon S90. Why? It is small and pocketable, and has good image quality. But it is now old, and seems very plain looking, and doesnt have a great deal of features. The lens is fast, but not as fast as the LX3.Do i want to spend over £300 on one of these? Will the Image quality be THAT much noticible to a HX5? In sample pics i have seen, there is very little (if any) difference.

Not a Samsung EX1. Why? Well they arent available yet, and nobody seems to have a date. It looks good, but it seems like it is too fat, and also has an annoying lens cap again. Its also made by Samsung, not really a leader in cameras, so will it be good? It could be, the lens may be great, but i dont want to wait and take a risk.

Not a DSLR or Four Thirds. Why? It all comes down to the size and the price. Quality is no doubt better. I wouldnt say i wont get one, i just wont get one right now. I dont use a camera enough to justify getting one of these. When i get my Sony HX5, if i use it alot, then i will probably go for a DSLR.

That leaves my choice, the Sony HX5. Why did i choose this, well it has many good features such as GPS, HD quality video, its small, it uses SD Cards (sonly finally embracing the rest of the world), it has a sweeping panoramic mode to take some amazing pics, and above all it has a good lens/sensor, so should take some great pics. It isnt really available anywhere in the UK yet, but it should be within days/weeks, and costs around £300. Sony have a reputation of making a good camera, and they are using a CMOS sensor in this which is supposed to be good. I have seen sample pics from this camera up against an LX3 and S90 and there is little difference; So you get the best of the quality, with some cool features thrown in.

UPDATE

Read the Sony HX5 Review

Even in Newcastle we sometimes get amazing skies! I took this cool pic the other day, it is nice

The weather has been good all week, its March, and the nights are getting lighter…All this means one thing; Summer is coming! woohoo!!!

Hello peoples!

So, i need a new camera, i blogged about that the other day. My choices i gave myself were an SLR, the Canon 1000D or the Lumix FZ38 which is a bridge. I currently have a Lumix FX55 which is good, and is still around the £200 even though its around 2 years old.

The good points of these 2 cameras speak for themselves. The biggest problems with these 2 cameras are:

• Ease of Use: How easy are they to use, how long does it take to get it out of your bag and snap an amazing photo
• Size and weight – You cant put it in your pocket, which means wearing it round your neck or carrying a bag
• Geek factor – If you are in a city taking photos or where there are people, you will look like a camera nerd
• Cost – Especially the Canon, which is now around the £400 mark on Amazon, you can get the 450D or a better model for just a little more

I have to consider what i am looking for. And what i want in a camera, for general use is:

• A Camera which takes a stunning photo
• Must be small, and fit in a pocket
• Must be able to take photos in low light

Those are the 3 most important things to me at this stage. If i get more into photography i can get an SLR and have that to accompany my compact. I do not care about HD video, For me its a camera, and nothing else. So after lots of reading and researching, i have found a Lumix LX3.

Everyone says good things about this camera. It is bigger than a small compact, but it is still a compact. It has a large sensor, larger than other compacts, which means that it can/does/should take a brilliant photo, with 10MP. The things which worry me are that it doesnt look nice, with a horrible pop-up flash and lens cap, not an electronic lens shutter like other compacts. The price is around £320, which is expensive for a compact, and i dont wanna spend such an amount if the differences to my FX55 arent noticeable. With £320 i can get the FZ38, The bridge camera, and have more “camera real estate” for less money. But then the whole point of this is that its NOT an SLR.

Not only that, but there are rumors of an LX4 which could be coming this year. But these are rumors, no doubt there will be an upgraded model, but the question is when will this come out…If i wait i could be waiting for a long time, or be waiting for a disapointment, as some have suggested that they will drop RAW from it, it could be even more expensive, or anything, who knows until they make an announcement.

Since i am using my blog lots, and taking more pics, i have decided maybe i should get a new camera. But i am lost as to what to get. I am not a professional photographer, but i am interested in taking pics to some degree, and i like messing around in photoshop. So should i get a DSLR, keep my current camera, or get a bridge camera?

My current Camera is a Panasonic Lumix FX55. It is a very good compact camera, i got it because it is very small for the quality it can produce. It can fit in my pocket, and i still get a good lens with 10MP. However, i have noticed that indoor shots, and detailed shots dont seem to have the good quality i want.

The big step up is a DSLR. I have been reading really good things about the Canon EOS series, in particular the EOS 1000dwhich i have heard from several photographers is “the one” to have if you are starting out taking pics and want to get into photography. You can get one of these for around £370-£400 which includes a lens kit. The big drawbacks for me for any SLR is that it is not small, its not like i could take it on a night out for example. Another drawback is the ease of use. I want a good camera, but i dont want to spend an hour setting it up to take a few pics then have to set it up again.

There is a 3rd Alternative, which is a bridge camera. This is basically halfway between a compact digital camera and a DSLR. It is a similar size to a DSLR, but does not have changable lenses and it more focused on ease of use, aswell as taking a good pic.
The one i have looked at is a Panasonic Lumix FZ38. I have seen the FZ28 in action and it is good. The drawbacks are once again the size, but it seems thats something i am going to have to get used to if i wanna take a great looking pic. It is a 12MP camera with a good lens, and lots of features such as 18x Optical zoom and HD recording which the EOS 1000d does not offer. It also comes in at £265, which is around £100 cheaper than a EOS 1000d.