Sony Cybershot H7 - The newest baby of the H Family

The Sony Cybershot H7 is a marvelous update on one of the most popular extended zoom cameras ever, the Sony H2. This model features a capable 8.1 megapixel sensor and outrageously long 15x zoom, second only to the 18x Olympus SP-550UZ in zooming potential. The H7 is a slightly cheaper version of the Sony H9, but the only major difference is that the H7 has a 2.5-inch LCD as opposed to the H9's 3.0-inch display.

Key Features

:: Family Line Sony Cyber-shot

:: Weight 1.13 lb.
:: Image Sensor Type  CCD
:: Resolution 8.1 Megapixel

:: Optical Zoom 15x
:: Camera Type   Standard Point and Shoot

Sensor	• 1/2.5 " Type CCD • 8.1 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 3264 x 2448 • 2592 x 1944 • 2048 x 1536 • 640 x 480 • 3264 x 2176 (3:2) • 1920 x 1080 (16:9)
Movie clips	• MPEG VX Fine / Standard (640 x 480 @ 30 / 16 fps MPEG-1 with audio)
File formats	• JPEG • DPOF
Lens	• Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar • 31-465mm (35mm equiv) • 15x optical zoom • F2.7-4.5
Image stabilization	Super Steady Shot
Conversion lenses	Yes
Digital zoom	Precision 2x, TTL 30x
Focus	• Auto • Macro • Single • Monitoring
AF area modes	• 9-point • Face Detection
AF assist lamp	Yes
Focus distance	50cm
Metering	• Multi-pattern • Center-weighted • Spot
ISO sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200
Exposure compensation	+/- 2EV in 1/3EV stop increments
Exposure bracketing	• Sharpness Setting:+/-1EV in 1 step increments • Contrast Setting: +/-1EV i n step increments • 3 frames, +/-0.3/0.7/1.0EV
Shuttter speed	• Auto: 1/4-1/4000sec • P: 1"-1/4000sec • S: 30"-1/4000sec • A: 8"-1/2000sec • M: 30"-1/4000sec
Aperture	F2.7-5.6 (w) F4.5-8 (t)
Modes	• Auto • Program • Shutter Priority • Aperture Priority • Manual • Scene
Scene modes	• Twilight • Twilight Portrait • Portrait • Landscape • Beach • Snow • Fireworks • High Sensitivity • Advanced Sports Shooting
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Fluorescent 1, 2, 3 • Incandescent • Flash WB • Manual
White balance fine tune	n/a
Self timer	2 or 10sec
Continuous shooting	100 shots, 2.2fps, 8MP (max)
Image parameters	Color Modes: Natural, Vivid, Sepia, B&W
Flash	• Auto • On • Slow Synch • Off • Red-eye reduction • Front/rear synch • Auto/Daylight synch • Range: 0.2 - 9.8m (wide) 1.2 - 6m (tele)
Viewfinder	EVF
LCD monitor	• 3.0-inch tilt • 230,000 pixels	• 2.5-inch • 115,000 pixels
Connectivity	• USB • HD • AV w/multi-jack • DC in
Print compliance	PictBridge
Storage	• Memory Stick / Pro Duo • 31MB internal
Power	• Lithium-ion NP-BG1 battery • BC-CSG Charger
Weight (no batt)	407 g (14.3 oz)	375 g (13.2 oz)
Dimensions	109.5 x 83.4 x 85.7 mm (4 5/16x 3 5/16x 3 3/8in)

Sony Cyber Shot H1 Digital Camera

Sony Cyber-shot H1

Review based on a production Sony DSC-H1

Introduced in February 2005 (pre-PMA), the Cyber-shot H1 is Sony's attempt to win a share of one of the fastest growing digital camera market sectors, the 5 megapixel 'super zoom'. Although Sony has produced big zoom cameras before (the F828 and its predecessors sported 5x and 7x optics and there was a 10x zoom floppy disk Mavica a few years ago), the H1 is the electronics giant's first foray into compact, big zoom image-stabilized cameras. As well as a huge 12x optical zoom the H1 is a real treasure chest of photographic control, offering a wealth of automatic, semi automatic and manual exposure modes, a big 2.5" screen and captures VGA/30fps movies in space-efficient MPEG format.

• 5.1 effective megapixels
• 36-432mm equivalent (12x optical) F2.8-3.7 zoom lens
• Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization
• 2.5” LCD (115,200 pixels)
• Full photographic control
• Real Imaging Processor & 14-bit DXP A/D Conversion
• Optional wide and tele lens converters
• Scene selection (7 modes)
• Histogram indication
• 32MB internal memory, plus a Memory Stick/PRO slot

Here for comparison is the H1 alongside three of its closest competitors - (from left): Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5, Canon PowerShot S2 IS, Sony Cyber-shot H1, Kodak EasyShare Z740 (the smallest, but also the only one without image stabilization). As you can see, the H1 is one of the largest cameras in its class - certainly a lot larger than the Panasonic FZ5 (and the Konica Minolta Z5, not shown).

Sony DSC-H1 Key specifications

Body Material	Plastic & metal
Sensor	• 1/2.5" Super HAD CCD • 5.3 million pixels total • 5.1 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 2592 x 1944 • 2592 x 1728 (3:2) • 2048 x 1536 • 1280 x 960 • 640 x 480
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 @ 16 / 30 fps • 160 x 112 @ 8 fps • MPEG-1 (mono)
Lens	• 36 - 432 mm (35 mm equiv) 12x optical zoom • F 2.8 - F 3.7 • 2x digital zoom • Super Steady Shot
Focus	• 3 Area Multi-Point AF • Center AF • Flexible Spot AF • Manual focus • 2 cm macro mode (Wide)
Shooting mode	• Auto • Program AE • Shutter priority AE • Aperture priority AE • Manual • Twilight • Twilight Portrait • Portrait • Landscape • Beach • High-speed shutter • Candle. • AE compensation -2.0EV to +2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps
Shutter Speeds	• 1/8 – 1/2000 sec (Auto)* • 2 – 1/2000 sec (Program Auto)* • 30 – 1/1000 sec (Manual) * Shutter speeds of 1/2000th are only available at apertures of F5.6 and higher.
Apertures	• F2.8 / 3.2 / 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0 / 5.6 / 6.3 / 7.1 / 8.0 (wide) • F3.7 / 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0 / 5.6 / 6.3 / 7.1 / 8.0 (tele)
Metering	• Multi Pattern • Centre-weighted • Spot
Sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 64 • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400
White Balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Fluorescent • Incandescent • Manual (custom)
Image parameters	• Saturation (3 levels) • Contrast (3 levels) • Sharpness (3 levels • Color effects (Sepia, Black and White)
Continuous	1.3 fps up to 9 frames
Flash	• Built-in, pop-up • Modes: Auto, on, off, slow sync, red-eye reduction • Range (ISO auto): 0.3 - 6.8 m (w); 0.9 - 5.2 m (t)
Storage	• Memory Stick / Memory Stick PRO • 32 MB internal memory • No removable media supplied
Viewfinder	Electronic, 0.3-inch, 115,200 pixels
LCD monitor	• 2.5 " TFT • 115,200 pixels
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 Hi-speed • AV out
Power	• 2x rechargeable AA battery (NiMH, alkaline, NiMH • Charger included
In the box*	• DSC-H1 camera • NH-AA-DA Rechargeable AA Batteries, • BC-CS2 Battery Charger and Cord • A/V and USB Cables • Shoulder Strap • Lens Cap • Lens Cap Strap • Lens Adapter Ring • Lens Hood • Software CD-ROM
Other features	• PictBridge- and PIM II-compatible • DPOF • Autofocus Illuminator
Weight (inc batt)	591 g (20.8 oz)
Dimensions	108 x 82 x 91 mm (4.2 x 3.2 x 3.5 in)